Bird press conference

[cdash]

Re: Bird press conference

Actually, I'm thinking cdash far more wishes he were the site Admin right now as opposed to being the Pacers GM. But, I suppose that if you asked him for his personal preference, he would tell you that choosing between the two would be quite difficult.

I don't want either job

As usual, vnzla completely morphed what I was saying to fit his own narrative. $3 million isn't a crazy amount of money in the grand scheme of NBA salaries. It was a one year deal for a guy who has meant a lot to the franchise. I don't mean to go around signing all the milk drinking old farts to absurd contracts, but I believe there is a lot to be said for veteran leadership. You need a couple of guys like that on your team, especially if you have a relatively inexperienced bunch.

[beast23]

Re: Bird press conference

I was specifically told in 2005 by multiple ppl at PS&E that Boomer made that much. You'd be amazed how much some of the mascots make. It's a really tough and intense job when you think about it, not anyone can do it.

The folks you spoke to were yankin' your chain. A member of his family has quoted a number to me that was significantly, significantly, significantly lower. Hopefully the overuse of the word "significantly" might provide you with an idea of just how much 1M overstates the salary.

[The Sleeze]

Re: Bird press conference

I have not doubt that we are going to try, maybe they are going to do the same thing they did to try to get Nene but at the end of the day he is not going to come here.

We actually need to hope he goes to Dallas if he doesn't come here, because that will give us a shot at Nash. I'm convinced that Nash will go to Dallas if that gig is open.

[Hypnotiq]

Re: Bird press conference

What happens if we dont get Nash or Deron?

we are gonna be screwed

[vnzla81]

Re: Bird press conference

What happens if we dont get Nash or Deron?

we are gonna be screwed

We would go and get Andre Miller.

[The Sleeze]

Re: Bird press conference

....or Lowry, or Dragic

[vnzla81]

Re: Bird press conference

....or Lowry, or Dragic

Lowry is not a free agent.

[Hypnotiq]

Re: Bird press conference

But do these guys really put us over the top from pretenders to contenders i think the only two that do are Nash and Deron

[cdash]

Re: Bird press conference

What happens if we dont get Nash or Deron?

we are gonna be screwed

I think they would stand pat. Maybe take a flier on a point guard like Teague or Machado in the draft.

My feeling from listening to Bird's presser is that he thinks we weren't too far off this year, and that with our younger guys continuing to improve (namely, Paul George), we don't necessarily have to make huge upgrades anywhere. If we improve the bench and have a rock solid 8 man rotation we could contend. That's the general feeling I get, anyway.

[NapTonius Monk]

Re: Bird press conference

I don't mean to go around signing all the milk drinking old farts to absurd contracts

Hey, I found out that my old farts were due to milk drinking! Forever linked!

[Bball]

Re: Bird press conference

Wait... Boomer makes 1 mil per year?????
How could a guy in a costume, meaning you could replace him at any time with nobody knowing the difference, make that kind of jack? I fully understand it is a physically demanding job but it's not like it's a job many people couldn't do with training and dedication.

[Hicks]

Re: Bird press conference

How much we really learn from this presser?

Isn't so much of this bluffs and positioning? If Bird really plans to trade a piece or two, doesn't he want to appear like he loves every player and has no plan for trades—to keep their value up?

I don't really think so; everyone has their opinions on these players already, and unless a GM is just publicly throwing a player under the proverbial bus, what he says in the press isn't likely to change much of anything IMO.

[Pacerized]

Re: Bird press conference

Am I the only one that heard what Bird said about the salary cap? Everyone on here is saying that Bird is definitely not going after D Will.

At the 6:10 mark in the video when talking about the salary cap Bird says," It's not like you want to spend it all at once, now if that one player comes up and you want to go after him, then yeah, we'll go after him."

That one player to me would be Deron Williams. It doesn't mean we'll get him but it also doesn't mean we won't try.

Good catch and thanks to Hicks for posting the link to the conference.
When I hear it coming from Bird his potential plans sound much more promising. He in no way says that we're only going after bench players.
At one point he says that Herb knows where the teams weaknesses are the same as he does, and we're going to address that.
That also seems to indicate that the pg position will be addressed. My gut still tells me he's going after Deron or Nash and the bench will be better by adding a starter and moving Hill or DC to the bench full time.
Just because Bird brings up the challenges that the team faces like signing our own free agents and existing in a small market, it doesn't mean that he's only going to stand pat and bring in a mediocre bench player in free agency.
After listening to the conference there is know one else that I'd want to run this team. He'll make the right move this summer and I think he'll do it quickly.

[graphic-er]

Re: Bird press conference

Wait... Boomer makes 1 mil per year?????
How could a guy in a costume, meaning you could replace him at any time with nobody knowing the difference, make that kind of jack? I fully understand it is a physically demanding job but it's not like it's a job many people couldn't do with training and dedication.

LOL seriously, I could say that about almost any job.

[cgg]

Re: Bird press conference

About 80 percent of the NBA teams, including the Orlando Magic, hire full-time employees to play mascots, with the starting annual salary in the $40,000-$45,000 range, Raymond said. About half of the teams in the other major sports leagues hire full-time workers, and half pay their mascots on a per-game basis, with payment in the $100-$200 per-game range, he added.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/20/Business/A_career_in_cheer.shtml