Doc Says the Lakers are the Best Franchise in Sports History

I was ok with his leaving before, I wasn't focusing on the drama, but now this is just turning nasty.  This a Yahoo Sports article, but it's by Adrian W. and not one of those useless summer interns.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--coach-doc-rivers-invigorated-by-opportunity-to-turn-clippers-into-champions-215239745.html


Over lunch in a Century City restaurant last week, Rivers considered the irony of it all and laughed. For weeks after the trade in 1991, Rivers refused to speak with Clippers president Andy Roeser. He played a season and moved on to the New York Knicks. All these years later, Roeser had come recruiting Rivers again. This time, everything had changed. The franchise’s commitment had transformed, and the Clippers were offering Rivers the power, pay, personnel and locale to chase championships.

“The risk is all mine,” Rivers, 51, said. “To go to an organization that hasn’t won but [two] playoff series in their entire history, in a town where the other team is the best franchise in sports history – that’s risk.

“But the opportunity – for me – gives me life. If we get this right, it will be the story of stories to tell. At this point in my life, the gamble is worth it.”

From the late summer sunlight to the talent marching into training camp, the Clippers have reinvigorated Rivers. And yet through all the deft work undertaken to upgrade the Clippers’ roster this summer, Rivers found himself talking far too much about his departure in Boston, too little about his arrival in Los Angeles.



bob


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I had put this all to bed. Doc is gone, so is Paul and KG. Everyone knew this day would come. Why, tell me, does Doc feel the need to keep talking about Boston. This latest statement is one that flies in the face of truth. Everyone knows that the Boston Celtics are popular world wide. Is it necessary to come out with these statements, other than to prove that he is less a person than I thought he was. There is no need for this.

Keep talking Doc, you know that standing ovation you thought was coming your way? If this keeps up, there will be more boo's than you thought would ever happen. I just am disgusted with all of this drama he keeps drawing himself into. Funny, we haven't heard a negative word from KG or Paul.....what does this say about the man who wanted us to believe he didn't want to leave. Right.

Rosalie

I respect the Lakers - I certainly do not respect the fact that they claim the banners from Minneapolis, while refusing to retire the best players from the old Minnesota days. But that neither here nor there.

The Lakers arent even the greatest franchise in their own sport...and dont hold a candle to the NY Yankees or the Montreal Canadiens

I agree with Rosalie. I wish Doc would just quit while he is ahead and shut it.

It's a throwaway sentence from a guy who's trying to gain a position of respect in a city filled with self-respecters. It means nothing; and if someone wanted to do a boring search, it would probably be possible to find out that he said essentially the same thing about the Celtics when he was trying to gain Bostonians' favor. It's 50% sportsspeak and 50% public relations detritus.

Sam

Sorry Sam, he doesn't get off the hook that easy with me. This was a statement that should never have been made, period. He knew what he was saying. He knows the Boston media, and Boston fans. He got under my skin on this one.

Rosalie

Rosalie, I have to believe Doc's priority is to make nice with the folks in L.A. rather than to worry about what the folks in Celticland are thinking.

Sam

I stopped threading D. Rivers once I felt that nothing coming out of his mouth would any longer be rooted in rational thought. He's done a lot of senseless talking these past few months.


KJ