Portland may not have a pro team much longer - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 07:35 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. -- As if mounting losses and declining attendance weren't enough for the Portland Trail Blazers, billionaire owner Paul Allen says the team is bleeding money.

His estimate of $100 million in losses over the next three years comes just as the Blazers appeared to be reconnecting with fans disenchanted by player arrests and legal troubles.

The suggestion is that Allen wants help in keeping the team afloat. Otherwise, the future of the Blazers in Portland is in jeopardy. Team executives already have met with Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Portland Mayor Tom Potter to discuss options.

"No time is a perfect time," said Steve Crosby, a spokesman for Allen's Vulcan Inc., about the timing of going public with the team's fiscal woes. "We wanted to be transparent with the fans that the financial model is broken."

The Blazers receive no revenue for suites, clubs, courtside seats, game concessions or parking at the Rose Garden. The building was once owned by Allen before the company that ran it -- Oregon Arena Corp. -- declared bankruptcy and he was forced to sell.

Lance Conn, who runs Allen's privately held investment firm, Vulcan Capital, said Thursday that without some kind of public-private partnership, "no business person can sustain losses of that kind."

The day before Conn's assessment, the Blazers lost at home to the NBA's worst team, the Charlotte Bobcats. The announced crowd was 12,585, but appeared half of that, well below capacity of about 20,000.

Afterward, Ruben Patterson, the popular yet sometimes difficult forward, pleaded again to be traded.

"I just want to be happy," he said. "I'm tired of losing, man."

He got his wish at the trade deadline the next day when he was sent to the Denver Nuggets in a four-team, nine-player deal involving bench players.

As part of the deal, the Blazers acquired guard Voshon Lenard from Denver and forward-center Brian Skinner from Sacramento. Portland lost Patterson, guard Charles Smith and forward Sergei Monia.

The new players should be available Sunday against the Hornets, and they couldn't show up soon enough. Portland is shorthanded with Sebastian Telfair serving a two-game NBA suspension. A loaded gun was found among his things while the team plane was parked at Boston's Logan Airport. Telfair said he grabbed his girlfriend's bag as he headed out the door in Portland.

Centers Joel Przybilla and Theo Ratliff, meanwhile, are inactive with injuries. The Blazers have been forced to start Ha Seung Jin, who is in his second year and his inexperience is evident. Przybilla has right knee tendinitis and Ratliff has a sprained left ankle.

Darius Miles, tapped by new coach Nate McMillan to be the team's leader this year, missed 34 games because of cartilage damage in his right knee. Telfair, the starting point guard to open the season, missed 12 games with a sprained ligament in his right thumb and hasn't been the same since.

"We don't have any problems," Miles said. "We have injuries."

Overall, the Blazers are 18-36 after losing Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics, 102-96. The game drew a decent crowd, 16,717 fans.

Through 26 home games earlier this week, Portland was averaging 14,496 a game. Only the Atlanta Hawks had a lower average in the 30-team league.

While the team opened the season as the second-youngest in the NBA, there was hope the Blazers had assembled a mix of veterans and youngsters that would mesh. They launched an ad campaign proclaiming: "Ready or not, here we come!"

McMillan said he and the players can't worry about team's finances.

"You definitely take notice of it, but we have to get ready and play and focus on becoming a better team," he said. "The business side, we can't control that."

Brian Damage · 02-27-2006, 07:43 PM

What a sad situation that is. I never realized that they were losing so much money. On the bright side, the Florida Marlins are considering moving their team there.

D.J. · 02-27-2006, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

What a sad situation that is. I never realized that they were losing so much money. On the bright side, the Florida Marlins are considering moving their team there.

I thought the Marlins were considering moving to Las Vegas. They'd be better off in Vegas anyway. The population is higher and they can sell out frequently, especially if the team improves.

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

What a sad situation that is. I never realized that they were losing so much money. On the bright side, the Florida Marlins are considering moving their team there.

Yeah, I heard about that. We were also one of the top candidates to get the Montreal Expos a couple years ago, but in the end, we didn't have an adequate stadium. Autzen is the only baseball stadium we have here, and it's pretty old, and only seats about 30,000 people, so, I don't think the chances of us getting the Marlins is very good. I'm keeping my fingers crossed though.

Brian Damage · 02-27-2006, 08:19 PM

Portland has got a shot as long as they have a long term plan. Las Vegas might be a long shot considering major sports franchises are leery about putting a team where sports betting is legal.

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Las Vegas might be a long shot considering major sports franchises are leery about putting a team where sports betting is legal.

Yeah, exactly. Players get into enough trouble, and have enough problems dealing with temptation as it is, so it probably wouldn't be all that wise putting them in a place known as Sin City. LOL!!

isiahthomas · 02-27-2006, 08:51 PM

As sorry as Portland is, the city doesn't need a basketball team. I don't know what Juan Dixon was thinking about going there. He should've stayed with the Wizards. I'm glad Ruben Patterson got his wish to get outta Portland. He'll be a good addition to Denver's bench.

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

As sorry as Portland is, the city doesn't need a basketball team. I don't know what Juan Dixon was thinking about going there. He should've stayed with the Wizards. I'm glad Ruben Patterson got his wish to get outta Portland. He'll be a good addition to Denver's bench.

What do you mean we don't need a basketball team?? How do you know what we need? Did you come to Portland recently, go door to door, and do a survey of everyone here or something??

Portland fans have been some of the best, and most dedicated fans in the league throughout the teams history. I don't think any city necessarily needs a team, but Portland certainly deserves a team as much as any other city does!!

By the way, Ruben Patterson was a molester, and I'm glad his ass is out of here. I couldn't even stand to look at him when he was in a game after learning what he did, and basically got away with, with a couple of innocent women a few years back. Good riddance to him being gone!!

isiahthomas · 02-27-2006, 09:07 PM

I didn't mean to say Portland doesn't deserve a basketball team but the fans don't deserve those ignorant players Portland have LOL.

D.J. · 02-27-2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Mel

What do you mean we don't need a basketball team?? How do you know what we need? Did you come to Portland recently, go door to door, and do a survey of everyone here or something??

Portland fans have been some of the best, and most dedicated fans in the league throughout the teams history. I don't think any city necessarily needs a team, but Portland certainly deserves a team as much as any other city does!!

By the way, Ruben Patterson was a molester, and I'm glad his ass is out of here. I couldn't even stand to look at him when he was in a game after learning what he did, and basically got away with, with a couple of innocent women a few years back. Good riddance to him being gone!!

I think he raped his kids nanny or something like that? Some kid in my school thought it was fine and he was like "Ruben was just a little horny". He said the same thing about Kobe.

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

I didn't mean to say Portland doesn't deserve a basketball team but the fans don't deserve those ignorant players Portland have LOL.

Oh, I see what you're saying. Well, I agree with you there.

Brad Russ · 02-27-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.J.

I think he raped his kids nanny or something like that? Some kid in my school thought it was fine and he was like "Ruben was just a little horny". He said the same thing about Kobe.

Yep, they did a story about it a couple years ago on 20/20. He made her perform oral sex on him against her will, and basically got a slap on the wrist for it. Then he came to Portland, and assaulted another woman, and got away with it again. The program was about how athletes get away with terrible things. It was pretty disturbing. I never looked at him the same way afterwards.

D.J. · 02-27-2006, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Mel

Yep, they did a story about it a couple years ago on 20/20. He made her perform oral sex on him against her will, and basically got a slap on the wrist for it. Then he came to Portland, and assaulted another woman, and got away with it again. The program was about how athletes get away with terrible things. It was pretty disturbing. I never looked at him the same way afterwards.

You want to talk about disturbing? Mike Tyson rapes a woman in Indiana, bites Holyfield's ear twice, rapes a girl in Italy, and he can still box. I found out that my friend is actually related to Mike through Cus D'Amato. Now I got a white Mike Tyson in my school.

GARFIELDKOOL · 02-27-2006, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

I didn't mean to say Portland doesn't deserve a basketball team but the fans don't deserve those ignorant players Portland have LOL.

Yeah, those players who are on the team now should make Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey, Buck Williams, and Cliff Robinson ashamed they ever played there.

isiahthomas · 02-27-2006, 09:39 PM

LOL@DJ's comments about Mike Tyson hahahahahahahahahahaha. DJ what about that big tattoo Mike has over his right eye? LOL.

02-27-2006, 07:35 PM	#1
Brad Russ Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 17, 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 10,085	Portland may not have a pro team much longer PORTLAND, Ore. -- As if mounting losses and declining attendance weren't enough for the Portland Trail Blazers, billionaire owner Paul Allen says the team is bleeding money. His estimate of $100 million in losses over the next three years comes just as the Blazers appeared to be reconnecting with fans disenchanted by player arrests and legal troubles. The suggestion is that Allen wants help in keeping the team afloat. Otherwise, the future of the Blazers in Portland is in jeopardy. Team executives already have met with Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Portland Mayor Tom Potter to discuss options. "No time is a perfect time," said Steve Crosby, a spokesman for Allen's Vulcan Inc., about the timing of going public with the team's fiscal woes. "We wanted to be transparent with the fans that the financial model is broken." The Blazers receive no revenue for suites, clubs, courtside seats, game concessions or parking at the Rose Garden. The building was once owned by Allen before the company that ran it -- Oregon Arena Corp. -- declared bankruptcy and he was forced to sell. Lance Conn, who runs Allen's privately held investment firm, Vulcan Capital, said Thursday that without some kind of public-private partnership, "no business person can sustain losses of that kind." The day before Conn's assessment, the Blazers lost at home to the NBA's worst team, the Charlotte Bobcats. The announced crowd was 12,585, but appeared half of that, well below capacity of about 20,000. Afterward, Ruben Patterson, the popular yet sometimes difficult forward, pleaded again to be traded. "I just want to be happy," he said. "I'm tired of losing, man." He got his wish at the trade deadline the next day when he was sent to the Denver Nuggets in a four-team, nine-player deal involving bench players. As part of the deal, the Blazers acquired guard Voshon Lenard from Denver and forward-center Brian Skinner from Sacramento. Portland lost Patterson, guard Charles Smith and forward Sergei Monia. The new players should be available Sunday against the Hornets, and they couldn't show up soon enough. Portland is shorthanded with Sebastian Telfair serving a two-game NBA suspension. A loaded gun was found among his things while the team plane was parked at Boston's Logan Airport. Telfair said he grabbed his girlfriend's bag as he headed out the door in Portland. Centers Joel Przybilla and Theo Ratliff, meanwhile, are inactive with injuries. The Blazers have been forced to start Ha Seung Jin, who is in his second year and his inexperience is evident. Przybilla has right knee tendinitis and Ratliff has a sprained left ankle. Darius Miles, tapped by new coach Nate McMillan to be the team's leader this year, missed 34 games because of cartilage damage in his right knee. Telfair, the starting point guard to open the season, missed 12 games with a sprained ligament in his right thumb and hasn't been the same since. "We don't have any problems," Miles said. "We have injuries." Overall, the Blazers are 18-36 after losing Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics, 102-96. The game drew a decent crowd, 16,717 fans. Through 26 home games earlier this week, Portland was averaging 14,496 a game. Only the Atlanta Hawks had a lower average in the 30-team league. While the team opened the season as the second-youngest in the NBA, there was hope the Blazers had assembled a mix of veterans and youngsters that would mesh. They launched an ad campaign proclaiming: "Ready or not, here we come!" McMillan said he and the players can't worry about team's finances. "You definitely take notice of it, but we have to get ready and play and focus on becoming a better team," he said. "The business side, we can't control that."
	__________________ St. John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Currently my favorite song.

02-27-2006, 07:43 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	What a sad situation that is. I never realized that they were losing so much money. On the bright side, the Florida Marlins are considering moving their team there.
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

02-27-2006, 08:19 PM	#5
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Portland has got a shot as long as they have a long term plan. Las Vegas might be a long shot considering major sports franchises are leery about putting a team where sports betting is legal.

02-27-2006, 08:51 PM	#7
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	As sorry as Portland is, the city doesn't need a basketball team. I don't know what Juan Dixon was thinking about going there. He should've stayed with the Wizards. I'm glad Ruben Patterson got his wish to get outta Portland. He'll be a good addition to Denver's bench.

02-27-2006, 09:07 PM	#9
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	I didn't mean to say Portland doesn't deserve a basketball team but the fans don't deserve those ignorant players Portland have LOL.

02-27-2006, 09:39 PM	#15
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	LOL@DJ's comments about Mike Tyson hahahahahahahahahahaha. DJ what about that big tattoo Mike has over his right eye? LOL.