The Staples Center, which celebrates its 10 year anniversary this year, is an absolutely gorgeous arena. Sure, it may lose some of its appeal when the purple and gold are on the hardwood, but regardless of your fan allegiance, it’s hard to deny the beauty that comes in the form of a big game at Staples. Unfortunately most recent big games have been dimmed light celebri-fests, but it was only a few playoffs ago when Staples was filled with Clipper lifers, Clipper converts, and a large mass of other people excited to get on board with the perennial underdog. That playoff series in ’06 was one of the few times that the Staples Center really felt like “our” arena, finally devoid of the fans who come to crack expired Clippers jokes and root for opposing stars.
Many Clipper fans feel second rate sharing an arena, but there should be no embarrassment that stems from that. The Jets and the Giants have shared a stadium for years, and those are two NFL franchises with rich traditions. There is no need for the Clippers to move out of Los Angeles, even if it was to a willing suitor like Anaheim. Outside of Madison Square Garden, Staples Center is probably the highest regarded arena in all of basketball. At a rental of 1.5 million a year, Sterling isn’t taking this team anywhere soon, and nor should he. The Clippers belong in Los Angeles. There are plenty of things that need to change about this franchise, but the location of the team is not one.
It’s a popular theory amongst certain fans that the Clippers simply will not be able to attract big time free agents, ever, partially because they reside in the Lakers enormous shadow, but mostly because of the fall back reasoning that “they’re the Clippers”. I’ve discussed this argument ad nauseam in the past, so I’ll spare you all.What if the negative connotations with the Clippers ring true for the most desirable NBA free agents? What steps can the Clippers take to change that? The obvious answer, of course, is to win ballgames. But is one year of improvement enough, or do the Clippers need sustained solid play for multiple years before L.A. becomes the free agent hot spot it could be?
This may not be popular in the comments section, but Dunleavy being the only Coach/GM in the league provides the Clippers with an advantage when it comes to recruiting free agents. Often times there’s a disconnect between coach and GM in terms of evaluating talent and rosters, an issue that the Clippers are never faced with. Dunleavy can tell a free agent that he’ll be a starter and he won’t bring in another player at his position, and that means a little more coming from the guy who is actually in charge of both things. Maybe the difference isn’t substantial, but from a player point of view, you have to imagine the security a dual Head Coach/GM can offer factors in a bit.
Instant success on the court will be the biggest factor in whether the Clippers can lure a Joe Johnson type player in 2010, but there needs to be a wide view approach that differs from the Al Davis like “Just Win Baby” approach that sometimes takes life with the front office. For starters, the Clippers whole operation needs to attack the “living in the Lakers shadow” stigma, and one way to do that is to claim a small chunk of Staples Center for the Clippers. Something that shows that the Clippers, ya know, actually play there too.
The Clippers currently have nothing in the rafters at Staples. Nothing. No banners. No retired jerseys. Nothing. This is a franchise that is approaching it’s 40th anniversary, and there are zero ties to the past to be found. K.A. wrote a great piece earlier this summer on Randy Smith that was spot on. In the article, K.A. suggested that the Clippers retire Smith’s jersey, and I’m going to take it a step further. The Clippers must retire Smith’s jersey. Smith is the Clippers’ most tenured star, previously held the NBA record for games played in a row, and is the franchise leader in (ready?) games, minutes, points, assists, and steals. Smith was that good. Stop burying the past and throw that #9 baby blue up in the rafters. It’s a small gesture, but it’s a sign of respect that Smith deserved a long time ago.
Honestly, these are the type of little things that make franchises more appealing to free agents. You want Joe Johnson in 2010? Win games this year, first and foremost, but also retire a jersey or two. Maybe update the logo. Market Blake Griffin relentlessly; with his personality and charisma, he can make it cool to be a Clipper again. Send Griffin and Gordon to recruit free agents next summer. Changing public perception isn’t going to happen overnight by simply winning games, it needs to be a full scale effort, with no skimming over the little things.
Start it in the rafters, and hope it works its way down.
26 Responses
I’ve been saying this for years…but it is not going to happen. Why not though? does anybody know if there are any legal reasons why this couldnt happen?
twalter Reply:
September 9th, 2009 at 8:51 am
I don’t think there is, but wouldn’t surprise me to see Sterling take a deal where he gets paid, and lives on his knees while the Lakers get all of the rights. Still no reason Clips don’t have something up there.
http://www.NBATradeRumorsCentral.com – Latest NBA Rumors
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Smith. Bob. And a golden mic for Ralph.
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 7:19 am
The Lakers have Hern in the rafters.
I want Lawler.
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 9:04 am
http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/images/hearnJersey.gif
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Thanks to SAM CASSEL for that magical ’06 season.
Just like they failed to recognize the value of DARIUS MILES, they didn’t get it when they let go Cassell.
Chris. Reply:
September 7th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
cp:
Sam gave them his best. He wanted to win a championship and then end up coaching. That season was awash already and the Clippers front office actually showed some good character and released him like he had asked so he could go sign with Boston and win a championship. Per the topic of this thread, that move was a signal in the right direction towards repairing past players ill will towards playng with the Clippers.
D.J. Foster Reply:
September 7th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
I agree with everything you wrote here Chris. I would have liked to see management get something in return for Sam, like a conditional second rounder, but ultimately it was a classy move to let him sign with a contender.
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Lets get” Lawler Aloft”.No one has meant more to the franchise!!!!!!!
JM Reply:
September 7th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
There’s already a Lawler’s Lounge, I believe.
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Blake Griffin has no charisma. He’s about as dumb as rocks. If you want charisma look no further than DJ. I can’t wait for post game interviews with griffin. I score good put bouncey through ringy. Duuuuh
D.J. Foster Reply:
September 7th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8_OjY4SKXE
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Blake is smarter than you would think. His voice and tone don’t scream intelligence simply because he’s very monotone, but when you actually listen to what he says, particularly when it comes to his sense of humor, it’s obvious the guy has some brains.
Posted on September 7th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
There’s a bunch of things that need to happen to start reversing this teams perception in the mind of the league and its fans. Sure, hanging a jersey can start to help. Developing a sense of history for this franchise that people can identify with always help people feel bonded to the franchise. But this, really, is just a small thing we can do. Hanging Randy Smith’s jersey wont attract Joe Johnson though, as noble as the act may be.
We have to start developing a culture of winning. How do we do this? Well, many different ways. For one, you start to look for the absolutely best personnel available to facilitate this. That would mean, Dunleavy should step down as coach and bring in someone like JVG or another coach who has shown not only to be widely respected amongst players, but can instill a sense of duty in regards to their doing their jobs on defense for instance. Every JVG team plays his defense, its like watching a Tim Burton movie in the respect that its a definitive style when you see his teams play because they always play the same kind of team ball. You want to bring in a winner. A guy who can teach players a system for winning through hardwork and cooperation.
We need to also illustrate that we have a plan regarding the future. That this isnt just another high draft pick that we’re gonna ship off in 4 years or maybe decide to match another teams deal on. We need to get rid of bad players around him *coughRickyDaviscough* and bring in guys that will complement and grow with them. We missed out by NOT offering Sessions a reasonable deal. Maybe we can redeem ourselves by going after Raymond Felton. We need to show that we can indeed target and acquire the right talent, and that we can actually spend money. We still have yet to really get a marquee free agent without using the contract system to our advantage. Showing that we’re making a commitment to building around Griffin is one of those things a team does to show its superstar they are committed to a future with them, like when the Cavs spent nearly 100M this summer to buyout Ben Wallace and trade for Shaqs 20m contract to show LeBron how important surrounding him with quality talent was.
Chemistry and open communication needs to be cultivated much more between the players and the coaching staff. We want to see a team that likes playing with each other on the floor, and FA’s want to belong on a team that looks fun to play on where people get along. Not to mention they need to develop trust in each other, and most especially in the coaching staff. Things need to take a constructive tone, less screaming from the side lines, more letting the players play and letting them get killed by bad behaviors and then bringing them to the sidelines and pointing out why its important to close off the baseline, or why you need to call your picks. Let them learn their lessons instead of trying to micro manage them. And with the right people who communicate, a lot of that will be done on the court by the players themselves if theyve bought into the system. Blake seems like the kinda guy who communcates on the floor.
Try to develop IQ. I dont know the best way to do that. Maybe strap them in a chair and force their eyes open like in a Clockwork Orange and force them to watch every single 1993 Suns game over and over with wild cheering every time the ball is moved to 5 different people and the open man shoots, but there has to be a way to start to develop this sense of decision making on the court. A way to build up a players ability to think 1 or 2 steps further. To see defenses quicker, to know how to break down defenses quicker or whos going to move and create a passing lane. Maybe its just a chess club after practice where the winners take home cash from a pot. But make it so you develop in the players a passion to start breaking down the game. To start seeing basketball in its mechanical operation to and hopefully be able to put all that together during game time. Make them students of the game. Show them how Coach is trying to think instead of just running tape and hoping they get it before they start drooling.
Develop an Identity. This is more than just redoing your logo, this is defining the team to the rest of the league. Instead of just “It’s the Clippers” we need to stand for something. For the Suns, they always have one of the leagues best Point Guards and a dominant PF and there is always lots of movement. The Lakers usually have a solid Big man and a Shooter, and they spare no expense making themselves better. The Jazz have Jerry Sloan. It’s his system, he’s the coach, and as far as anyone in Utah is concerned Jerry Sloan is the 2nd highest authority next to God himself. Its like buying a Saturn, theres no haggling with Jerry Sloan. These are the terms, you’re either in or you’re out. Its run like a college program. The Celtics always have great Forwards. Their history alone attracts people willing to sacrifice to win championships. When a player plays for the Celtics, he knows its not about him. Its about the team winning. If we could develop an identity like that, where people associate the Clippers with a tradition of excellence instead of being the perrennial losers or ultimate cheapasses, we will go a long way to enticing players. We need a mystique about us. We need to be known as a team that takes care of its players to but expects in return a certain level of dedication and commitment to something bigger than just themselves. And in return, we need to show we respect and value that level of commitment.
bootstrenf Reply:
September 8th, 2009 at 9:01 am
easier said than done…
but i do agree with what you say…
Chris. Reply:
September 8th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
re: Blake Griffin
We need to see him play at least a year before we can name him our franchise player and filling needs around him like Cleveland did with Lebron. Hopefully if the Clippers can do some damage in the West and sneak into the playoffs this season, that would be enough to pull an all-star free-agent ala Joe Johnson. Thus far our biggest FA signing EVER has been Cat Mobley who with Cassell lead us to a great run one year.
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 1:49 am
First of all how about retiring McAdoo and Smith, if the kings can retire C-webb and Divac why shouldn’t we be allowed to?? second of all, cover up the faker stuff with a huge clipper logo. Its annoying going to the game and seeing the team you most hate jersey’s up there. Its also kind of hard to retire someones number when the clips hardly keep anyone around for the majority of their career worth putting up there.
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
wow this is one of the best entries i have read on a website in a very long time. Wonderfully written.
First and foremost i also agree we should get an update to our Logo maybe have the fans vote and maybe get some updated jerseys…more often than not getting new jerseys help franchises….
aaaah cant wait for the season to staaart
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Lawler is not dead nor has he retired so no need to raise on jersey or golden mic ala Chick Hearn for him. That’d be bad taste in my opinion. Jerseys go up when they retire, we can’t have Lawler retire, he makes the games on tv better.
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
If in 10 years we’re starting to retire jerseys, I’d hope one of them is EB #42.
He was the guy that made us start believing this franchise could flirt with greatness.
Let’s hope Blake can meet those expectations and that we can really do things right this time.
D.J. Foster Reply:
September 8th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Completely agree. It’s hard to not feel some animosity towards Elton after what happened last summer, but there is no doubt that when he hangs up he too should have his number retired.
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
COULD BE WORSE… we could be the pittsburgh pirates!
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Oh hey guys, there was an ad on the site here for PASPN.net which has this Mock GM Fantasy Basketball game. It’s like crack for all us off season Basketball junkies.
Anyway, I’ve been totally digging and I noticed theres a Clips Nation GM League but hardly anyone signed up. Free Agency is going to start today at 6:00pm and theres still tons of great teams to choose.
http://paspn.net/default.asp?p=90&leagueid=6077&seasonid=53&gamepage=0
Thats the link to the league page, if you guys are bored and like fantasy bball you should sign up!
*disclosure – i totally was not paid to do this, i just really dig this game so far hahaa.
Posted on September 8th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
It’s a great post that D.J. wrote. To expand on the point Randy Smith’s jersey retirement, I recently read this article about these group of old Buffalo Braves fans wanting the Sabres hockey team to honor both Smith and Bob McAdoo by retiring their numbers at their arena. I wouldn’t be opposed it back in Buffalo, but we should do something here in Los Angeles as well.
Here’s the article…
http://artvoice.com/issues/v8n28/sports_feature
Of course, you have to look at these factors…the most glaring one is that so many players of the past left the franchise on not-so great terms. Another one I see is that I don’t think Donald Sterling has a great sense of history when it comes to this Clipper franchise, which pretty ties in to my first point. Another thing…outside of McAdoo and Smith, and maybe Walton and World B. Free from the San Diego era, the only player of significance during the Los Angeles era that does deserve his number retire (whether we still like him or not) is Elton Brand. The only other players in L.A. Clipper history that played longer than Brand here are Eric Piatkowski (9 years) and Corey Maggette (8 years), and I don’t think we’ll see #52 and #50 being retired in their honors anytime soon.
As far as changing the culture of the franchise, obviously is winning and winning consistently, that means we gotta make the playoffs more than once or twice a decade. A prime example of an once perennially-losing franchise that eventually became a consistent winner are the Pittsburgh Steelers. You wouldn’t think that a franchise that has won more Super Bowls in NFL history was once the laughingstock of the league, but they eventually changed the direction of their team. They only made the playoffs ONCE in their first 40 years, and but have made the playoffs 24 of the last 37 years. It took smarter drafting and coaching stability (the Steelers have had only three coaches over the last 40 years) to turn the Steelers into consistent winners.
For all of his faults as a coach, Mike Dunleavy has had a hell of job retooling this Clippers team. Let’s not forget that he had the task of coming in and (officially) taking over the mess that was Elgin Gay Baylor. Whether Baylor was handcuffed by Sterling and Andy Roeser over the years, and that to me is somewhat debatable, it’s harder for Dunleavy help to change the Clipper reputation when you had 22 years of Baylor ineptitude, but I see it heading in the right direction.
Posted on September 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Yea man, i have to say, in Dunleavys defense…he’s been a fantastic GM since he’s been gotten the title.
But I really really really am worried about him on the court. I think he needs to focus on the things he does best, and contracts and finances and managing and getting talent seem to be his forte over the X’s and O’s and the teaching/group building thing.
I admit, I’ve spewed my hate about him as a coach, but as a GM, I really gotta hand it to him for being adept at swinging deals.
Posted on September 9th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Great article but I must disagree about staying in Staples Center. I’m sure they have a sweet deal with the Staples center so Sterling will never move them. However they will never have an identity of their own sharing the joint with the Lakers.
I’m a transplant from Seattle and since I no longer have a team to root for I chose the Clippers because I just couldn’t follow the Lakers after all the beatings they gave my Sonics over the years.
Anaheim is a great area to go see a game. Going to downtown LA is such a pain, and even though it’s better now with LA Live updates there are tons of scumbags running around that area. Never have that problem in Anaheim.
The Ducks and Angels have a great following and the Clippers would too. They could have thier own identity and own fans instead of just second run celebs who can’t get a courtside seat at the Lakers games.
The atmosphere is pathetic at the Clippers games, whoever hired that moron DJ to yell out stuff during the breaks should be fired. And they must not be drawing fans because I constantly got offers last year for $5 tickets from ticketmaster and I think even buy one for $5 and get a second ticket free.
I live in Long Beach so I’m right in the middle of both areas and if I had a choice where to go see a game it would be Anaheim hands down. Better crowds than LA for both NHL and MLB.
I’m pretty sure it’ll never happen as long as Sterling owns the team but I hope it does for both the fans and the team’s legacy.
Posted on September 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
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