Bobcats and free agents

When you say things like that, you cost yourself credibility on anything else you want to say. It's one thing to suggest that attendance would be better with a winning team, but it's far too extreme to say that the place would be packed. As noted, the Hornets were a consistent winner and people completely stopped coming. And if you think most people have forgiven the NBA since then, you're hopelessly naive.

It didn't before.

Didn't you and others say the exact same thing last off-season?

After halftime, sure. But in a Bobcats blowout, you'd be lucky to find 5 thousand after halftime. It was a mistake to bring the NBA back to Charlotte, and voters told them so before they made the decision. They have no one to blame but themselves.

It doesn't matter what the Bobcats do, Charlotte will never again be very supportive of an NBA team. That bridge has been burned.

 

No one can really say if the Bobcats would get good fan support if they became winners. The Hornets certainly made things hard for any NBA team to succeed in Charlotte. I think people need to see that they are not going to operate like the Hornets did. The Hornets were too cheap to keep top talent and everyone knew it. Gerald Wallace is a good chance for the team to prove it is not cheap.

 

Depending on your definition of a blowout, then, that would have been quite a rare occurrence. For an expansion team, this team has been pretty competetive, even in losses.

 

You seem to forget the ownership/Shinn had the biggest effect on the attendance decline. They shipped off their best players, Shinn was charged with sexual assault, tried to force the city into building a new arena, wouldn't bring Jordan in, and then shopped the team around. Regardless of winning, fans aren't going to support a lame duck team.

The Hornets pulled far too many fans for too long to simply say "nobody cares". Bobcats are an expansion team - Charlotte is not an expansion city, and no other city has been in a situation like this before, so there's no past trend to try to figure out what the future hold. Regardless of official vs. actual, winning teams put more butts in the seats, there's a lot of evidence of that.

 

The Hornets started down hill when they traded Alonzo rather than pay him. After that they did not want to pay Vlade Divac so they let him walk and signed Derrick Coleman. Then they did not want to pay Glenn Rice so they traded him. They did not want to pay Dave Cowens so they let him go. It is really hard to pull for a team that does not appear to be trying to build a winner.

The Bobcats so far have not spent any big money on free agents and they have not signed a big name coach. Until they show they are willing to spend what it takes to build a winner they are not going to get good fan support. That is probably why Jordan sent out that letter saying they intended to do what it took to win.

 

people need to quit comparing the Bobcats to the Hornets. let it go. they are two different organizations. when the Bobcats start winning and nobody shows up then worry. everybody loves a winner. look no further than the Heat. champs one year, empty arena last year.

the Bobcats have not spent big money on free agents. wait until free agency starts and see what players are available and see what they do.give them that chance. the first three years there hasnt been anybody worth signing(not to mention they havent had full salary cap to use). and what re-tread coach is out there that is worth a ton of money? and dont say Larry Brown because he would command huge money and would be done coaching them in two years.

 

I agree. Although I do not like this thrend they have made by bringing home every Tarheel alum they can get their hands on. What has Phil Ford done to deserve this gig? Buzz Peterson? Sean May IMO filled no need yet they drafted him. The Hornets are old news. Everyone knows why they left here. George Shinn.

 

The latest mock draft has them taking Noah. Could they possibly pick two bums in a row with Morrison and then Noah?

 

Wouldn't it be three bums in a row with May?

 

Like I said they need to prove they are not going to operate like the Hornets. The Hornets drafted JR Reid looking for that tarheel fan base too....

If they go into next season with a no name coach and no significant free agent signings then they will not have shown they are any different than the Hornets. If they let Wallace leave they might as well start wearing teal and purple.