All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

[Peck]

This isn't going to be nearly as easy as you think.

[BillS]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

Hmm.

In no particular order, and not looking at talent contributions alone (otherwise you'd have to list all the retired jerseys, not just a couple):

Tinkham & the DeVoes for founding it in the first place
Slick (& Nancy) Leonard
Mel Daniels
Mel & Herb Simon
Reggie
Larry Brown
Larry Bird (both as nemesis AND as coach/GM)
Danny Granger

And, of course, I would add Donnie Walsh to that list (though not at #1) in spite of all the people who think he was the most negative influence...

[Sandman21]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

If Mel and Herb don't step up to the plate, the Indiana Pacers might not exist today. Simple as that.

[Major Cold]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

From ABA to present day no body is as influential than Bobby "Slick" Leonard.

[Sollozzo]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

Can't really comment on the ABA guys. I have a ton of respect for what they did, but I wasn't alive when they played/coached.

But IMO, the question is pretty easy if it's confined to the NBA era Pacers. Who put the NBA Pacers on the map? Reggie Miller. He turned the Pacers into a national focal point during the playoffs. Everyone across the country who followed the NBA knew exactly who Reggie Miller was. Go to LA or New York (obviously), and they will remember Reggie for his clutch heroics. Who was the guy who was the leading offensive player on a team that made it to five ECF's and one NBA Finals?

Bird is pretty damn important too. The franchise was on complete life support in 2008 when he gained full control. And he built a damn good roster that appears to finally have the community interested again. Also, he is the only person to ever coach the team to the NBA Finals, which is obviously nothing to sneeze at.

[Peck]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

BTW I want to be given credit for not putting Dale Davis on there like he should be.

The reason I say this isn't going to be easy is because in many ways these guys all inter lock with one another and one may not have existed without the other.

As Sandman say's without the Simons we don't have a franchise, however to counter that without Slick putting together and running the telethon we never would have gotten to the Simons for the franchise.

Sollozzo is correct that Reggie gave us national exposure however until Larry Brown came along and changed the entire culture of the club Reggie Miller was just a 7 year veteran who basically underachieved and wasn't even considered one o the top guards in the years he played let alone one of the greatest of all time.

Larry Bird took what Brown did and took his national reputation and took us to even another level.

I'm just arguing to argue at this point, it's all subjective but I'm just pointing out this isn't easy at all. And no we can't take BillS easy way out and just list in no particular order.

Pick one.

[Heisenberg]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

but...who do you think picked Reggie Miller?

[Peck]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

but...who do you think picked Reggie Miller?

The same guy who picked George McCloud.

[Sollozzo]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

The same guy who picked George McCloud.

Over Mookie Blaylock, Tim Hardaway, Dana Barros, Hoosier Shawn Kemp, and B.J. Armstrong........

Look, I get that you can't ace every single draft. But Bird has taken a lot of crap for Shawne Williams over the years. We obviously completely whiffed on Rondo, as did 19 other teams, but Rondo is the only player picked after Shawne Williams to ever make an all star game. Aside from Rondo, virtually every player picked after Williams was complete crap. It's not like the McCloud pick, where a bunch of all stars were picked after him. McCloud is just like Bender, another bust who was picked immediately before several very good players (Wally, Rip, Andre Miller, Marion, Terry).

[Diamond Dave]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

This is very difficult to have measurable way of determining. Its almost as if we need an "on the court" and "off the court" category. I chose the Simons, as they have been the financial reason as to why the Pacers are never a team about to fold or constantly changing ownership groups. At least not since they took over. However, I'd have to say Larry Brown presently is the most influential person in terms of on the court. We went from door mat/1st round warmup team to a team with prestige after he changed the culture. Now obviously having players like Reggie, for not only talent but for being a driven individual. But it still took a coach to push the fierceness team wide.

[RamBo_Lamar]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

I voted Mel & Herb since they came to the rescue and saved the franchise when is was
in dire straits and in real danger of being lost. They came through at crunch time, and
gave the Pacers the classy and stable ownership they long needed to help them flourish.

If I had to pick a player, coach, or employee, that would be really tough because there
have been so many that have given their all and have been nothing but positive
influences. Another that I would have included was for many years one of the best
Trainers in pro sports; David Craig.

[Major Cold]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

Can't really comment on the ABA guys. I have a ton of respect for what they did, but I wasn't alive when they played/coached.

But IMO, the question is pretty easy if it's confined to the NBA era Pacers.

The question was about the all time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise. The franchise proceeds the merger. If the topic was NBA Pacers we all would have a different view.

And just because I was not alive doesn't mean I can look at the history of the franchise and see what brought us here. Just like I can read about the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement to see where we are as a country with Equal Rights.

[Sollozzo]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

The question was about the all time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise. The franchise proceeds the merger. If the topic was NBA Pacers we all would have a different view.

And just because I was not alive doesn't mean I can look at the history of the franchise and see what brought us here. Just like I can read about the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement to see where we are as a country with Equal Rights.

Thanks for the history lesson, but I was simply pointing out that my bias of seeing Reggie play with my own eyes is naturally going to lead me to favor him in a debate against someone like Roger Brown, someone who I never saw play. Do I know that Roger Brown won three championships? Yes. Do I know that his number is retired? Yes. Do I know that he had a big impact on the franchise? Obviously. But as far as this question is concerned, it is hard for me to objectively compare Brown to Reggie when I was only able to see Reggie. Seems pretty reasonable. This isn't like comparing Babe Ruth to Don Mattingly, in which case you didn't have to see Babe Ruth play to answer the question. Roger Brown and Reggie Miller is a bit closer than that, and biases can certainly creep in for younger fans who never saw Brown play.

This isn't quite the same as reading a book about the Lincoln Assassination.

[Unclebuck]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

Donnie Walsh without question in my mind should be on the list at the very least.


I would pick the Simons without hesitation as the most positive influence on the franchise. Over 30 years

[Peck]

Re: All time most positive influence on the Indiana Pacers franchise

Donnie Walsh without question in my mind should be on the list at the very least.


I would pick the Simons without hesitation as the most positive influence on the franchise. Over 30 years

Who should be taken off to make room for him?