Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Maloofs show their empty pockets with support of Power Balance
Gavin and Joe Maloof are desperate for cash.
That is the only explanation for their incredibly tone-deaf support of the fraudulent Power Balance company, a business that will be forced to refunds millions of dollars to customers for allegedly peddling a scam product.
According to Kings spokesman Chris Clark, the Kings are still quite satisfied to be in business with Power Balance simply because "they have assured us of their commitment to the Sacrmento Kings."
Without scientific evidence, Power Balance bracelets seem to nothing but overpriced, worthless trinkets that pretend to have magical powers. And that's why they were sued.
But with the NBA season on hold and their financial situation in turmoil, the Maloofs are grasping at any penny thrown their way.
It's time for them to figure out an exit strategy.
Sell the team.
Make a run for it.
It's best for the city of Sacramento.
The Maloofs are paupers. We need Kings.
in
Monday, November 14, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
We'll soon see if Maloofs are going to back up their words with hard cash
With the end of the lockout looming, it's almost time to focus on basketball-related matters again.
Specifically, free agency.
More specifically, the Maloofs and their wallets and free agency.
Just last spring, after the team was miraculously saved for one more season in Sacramento, Gavin and Joe Maloof pledged that they would finally open the bank vault and go in big for free agents.
Does anyone still believe that?
Because I sure don't. The family finances are still in a downward spiral. Sister Adrienne, of Beverly Hills Housewife fame, is even crying poor.
I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't see how the Kings invest a ton of money this season. I still think the owners bear a bit of a grudge against Sacramento for submarining their Anaheim deal. They probably don't believe the city will get their act together on an arena deal so why spend money right now? Do it after they go to Anaheim in order to make a big splash in Southern Cal.
Then again, maybe the Maloofs are newly committed to Sacramento.
But I'll believe it when I see them writing checks. Unfortunately, there might not be enough in the bank to stop those checks from bouncing.
Specifically, free agency.
More specifically, the Maloofs and their wallets and free agency.
Just last spring, after the team was miraculously saved for one more season in Sacramento, Gavin and Joe Maloof pledged that they would finally open the bank vault and go in big for free agents.
Does anyone still believe that?
Because I sure don't. The family finances are still in a downward spiral. Sister Adrienne, of Beverly Hills Housewife fame, is even crying poor.
I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't see how the Kings invest a ton of money this season. I still think the owners bear a bit of a grudge against Sacramento for submarining their Anaheim deal. They probably don't believe the city will get their act together on an arena deal so why spend money right now? Do it after they go to Anaheim in order to make a big splash in Southern Cal.
Then again, maybe the Maloofs are newly committed to Sacramento.
But I'll believe it when I see them writing checks. Unfortunately, there might not be enough in the bank to stop those checks from bouncing.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Build it in Natomas, stupid
The pipe dream that is the Railyards Arena may be the stupidest political folly in recent memory.
With more moving parts than a Rube Goldberg contraption, this longshot plan is a grand slam home run if it somehow comes together.
But the more likely outcome is that it will crumble. And crumble badly.
Now here's the sad part: Building a new arena on the site of the current arena would be far cheaper to fund, easier to build, more cost effective as a construction project, and smarter overall.
The infrastructure is there. The parking is there. The freeway on-ramps are there. The footprint is there.
It's a slam dunk at this point simply because the city has probably targeted enough financial sources to fund a new Natomas arena right now.
So what's the upside to building in Natomas?
Well, you keep the Kings, for one.
And you have an arena far sooner.
You don't need to wade through environmental reports, crazy parking schemes, and rely on a plan that may or may not appeal to the Maloofs.
Plus, you don't decimate the economy surrounding the current arena.
I say build in the railyards, but don't build an arena. Build an entertainment complex -- how about an amphitheatre for first-rate concert acts.
Mayor Johnson, just shelve the downtown arena folly right now.
Save the Kings in Natomas and you still look just as good. And you still create plenty of construction jobs.
The answer is a no-brainer.
Time for someone with brains to make the right call.
With more moving parts than a Rube Goldberg contraption, this longshot plan is a grand slam home run if it somehow comes together.
But the more likely outcome is that it will crumble. And crumble badly.
Now here's the sad part: Building a new arena on the site of the current arena would be far cheaper to fund, easier to build, more cost effective as a construction project, and smarter overall.
The infrastructure is there. The parking is there. The freeway on-ramps are there. The footprint is there.
It's a slam dunk at this point simply because the city has probably targeted enough financial sources to fund a new Natomas arena right now.
So what's the upside to building in Natomas?
Well, you keep the Kings, for one.
And you have an arena far sooner.
You don't need to wade through environmental reports, crazy parking schemes, and rely on a plan that may or may not appeal to the Maloofs.
Plus, you don't decimate the economy surrounding the current arena.
I say build in the railyards, but don't build an arena. Build an entertainment complex -- how about an amphitheatre for first-rate concert acts.
Mayor Johnson, just shelve the downtown arena folly right now.
Save the Kings in Natomas and you still look just as good. And you still create plenty of construction jobs.
The answer is a no-brainer.
Time for someone with brains to make the right call.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Rise Guys are gone and mornings won't be the same for Kings fans
I have to admit, one of my biggest enjoyments as a Kings fan was listening to The Rise Guys in the morning on KHTK as they broke down the games.
It was always fun to listen to them after an especially excruciating loss or an exhilarating win.
They were refreshing and funny and insightful. And that's a rare commodity in this town, especially at a sports station that specializes in a boorish afternoon host with no sense of humor and a squad of dull lackeys who man the pre- and post-game radio shows.
Whitey Gleason, Phantom, and my old cohort Mark Kreidler were the only place to turn to get a sense of the real pulse of this NBA town.
The point guard for the past decade has been Whitey, an every-man fan who ran the show with skill, satire and precision, dishing out assists to his partners. Phantom was always the sardonic realist, his bone-dry humor always piercing the conversation. And Kreidler, who just joined the team this year, was the intellectual rationalist.
It was fun. And interesting. And the only real place to turn for entertaining Sacramento sports talk.
Now they are gone (at least Whitey and Kreidler), off to San Francisco radio and a new adventure.
And we are left with Don Geronimo in the morning. He'll be moving from his afternoon slot. And for me at least, I'm a little underwhelmed.
I used to be a big fan of the Don and Mike Show. It was must listening for me in the mid-nineties. It was silly, immature stupid fun. I thought listening to Don weave his stories was endlessly fascinating.
Unfortunately, that may not be the case anymore.
Although he's still a compelling voice in radio, his schtick hasn't evolved much and the naughty boy act seems a little old and fraying.
I'm sure he'll still have an audience in the morning. And maybe he'll be bigger than ever. That's not the point. The point is the loss of a show that gave Kings fans somewhere to turn when they woke up with a hangover after watching the team fumble away another loss. Or someplace to exult when somehow there was hope again.
My Kings mornings won't be the same without the Rise Guys.
It was always fun to listen to them after an especially excruciating loss or an exhilarating win.
They were refreshing and funny and insightful. And that's a rare commodity in this town, especially at a sports station that specializes in a boorish afternoon host with no sense of humor and a squad of dull lackeys who man the pre- and post-game radio shows.
Whitey Gleason, Phantom, and my old cohort Mark Kreidler were the only place to turn to get a sense of the real pulse of this NBA town.
The point guard for the past decade has been Whitey, an every-man fan who ran the show with skill, satire and precision, dishing out assists to his partners. Phantom was always the sardonic realist, his bone-dry humor always piercing the conversation. And Kreidler, who just joined the team this year, was the intellectual rationalist.
It was fun. And interesting. And the only real place to turn for entertaining Sacramento sports talk.
Now they are gone (at least Whitey and Kreidler), off to San Francisco radio and a new adventure.
And we are left with Don Geronimo in the morning. He'll be moving from his afternoon slot. And for me at least, I'm a little underwhelmed.
I used to be a big fan of the Don and Mike Show. It was must listening for me in the mid-nineties. It was silly, immature stupid fun. I thought listening to Don weave his stories was endlessly fascinating.
Unfortunately, that may not be the case anymore.
Although he's still a compelling voice in radio, his schtick hasn't evolved much and the naughty boy act seems a little old and fraying.
I'm sure he'll still have an audience in the morning. And maybe he'll be bigger than ever. That's not the point. The point is the loss of a show that gave Kings fans somewhere to turn when they woke up with a hangover after watching the team fumble away another loss. Or someplace to exult when somehow there was hope again.
My Kings mornings won't be the same without the Rise Guys.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
John Salmons? Worst. Move. Ever.
It's 2 p.m. on draft day and I'm hallucinating.
Somebody just tweeted that the Kings acquired John Salmons from the Bucks in a swap of draft choices. And that Beno was gone.
Jokesters, those twitter folks.
See, nobody in his right mind thinks that adding another selfish shoot-first player with a bloated contract to the Kings is a good idea.
Right? Right?
RIGHT?
Now things might change. Maybe Geoff Petrie has some great move from 1998 up his sleeve, but this is it.
It's 10:30 at night and my nightmare has not subsided. We really did trade for the most sullen player in the NBA.
But there's a bright side:
The Kings drafted Jimmer Fredette.
Only maybe it ain't so bright, because the Kings have seemingly decided to give him the keys to the franchise without a learner's permit. He will be running the team this season, whether he's ready or not.
You can't blame the Maloofs. They want to sell tickets. But they are making Jimmer the new face of the franchise. In fact, he's the third different face of the franchise in three years, an NBA record.
Will he be good? Who the hell knows? We thought Bobby Hurley was gonna be good.
Meanwhile, if the Kings had only stood pat, they would have been in position to snare Brandon Knight, who dropped to 7 and was there for the taking.
Even scarier is that right now the team has no point guards to back him up. As in zero. Beno would have been nice to keep. He had his best year ever and brought a certain level of maturity to floor.
Instead, we get the brooding and immensely enigmatic John Salmons, who has to be dancing a jig about returning to Sacramento. Just a horrible move. It makes no sense on any level.
Who is running this asylum? The Maloofs? Petrie? Deranged elves?
Can anyone say the Kings are better with Jimmer and Salmons than Jimmer and Beno? Or Brandon Knight and Beno? Or Tony Parker and Richard Jefferson? Just baffling.
Petrie needs a break from this trade stuff. He needs a break from basketball. And the Maloofs, who have him bent over and awaiting their commands.
The Sacramento fans deserve better than a trade for an unlikable retread from five years ago.
They should have just drafted Jimmer with the 7 and spared us this ridiculousness. But the Kings were afraid of looking foolish by drafting him so high. So they traded down to look more basketball brainy and instead made them look even more foolish.
Petrie better have some answers... some deals... some great ideas... because draft day was a mess.
To be continued...
Somebody just tweeted that the Kings acquired John Salmons from the Bucks in a swap of draft choices. And that Beno was gone.
Jokesters, those twitter folks.
See, nobody in his right mind thinks that adding another selfish shoot-first player with a bloated contract to the Kings is a good idea.
Right? Right?
RIGHT?
Now things might change. Maybe Geoff Petrie has some great move from 1998 up his sleeve, but this is it.
It's 10:30 at night and my nightmare has not subsided. We really did trade for the most sullen player in the NBA.
But there's a bright side:
The Kings drafted Jimmer Fredette.
Only maybe it ain't so bright, because the Kings have seemingly decided to give him the keys to the franchise without a learner's permit. He will be running the team this season, whether he's ready or not.
You can't blame the Maloofs. They want to sell tickets. But they are making Jimmer the new face of the franchise. In fact, he's the third different face of the franchise in three years, an NBA record.
Will he be good? Who the hell knows? We thought Bobby Hurley was gonna be good.
Meanwhile, if the Kings had only stood pat, they would have been in position to snare Brandon Knight, who dropped to 7 and was there for the taking.
Even scarier is that right now the team has no point guards to back him up. As in zero. Beno would have been nice to keep. He had his best year ever and brought a certain level of maturity to floor.
Instead, we get the brooding and immensely enigmatic John Salmons, who has to be dancing a jig about returning to Sacramento. Just a horrible move. It makes no sense on any level.
Who is running this asylum? The Maloofs? Petrie? Deranged elves?
Can anyone say the Kings are better with Jimmer and Salmons than Jimmer and Beno? Or Brandon Knight and Beno? Or Tony Parker and Richard Jefferson? Just baffling.
Petrie needs a break from this trade stuff. He needs a break from basketball. And the Maloofs, who have him bent over and awaiting their commands.
The Sacramento fans deserve better than a trade for an unlikable retread from five years ago.
They should have just drafted Jimmer with the 7 and spared us this ridiculousness. But the Kings were afraid of looking foolish by drafting him so high. So they traded down to look more basketball brainy and instead made them look even more foolish.
Petrie better have some answers... some deals... some great ideas... because draft day was a mess.
To be continued...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Kings shouldn't settle for anything less than a blockbuster trade
So all of a sudden the Kings want to win right now.
They've been linked to trades for Tony Parker and Ray Felton.
One problem: While both of them are nice players, neither will help them win now, unless winning now means winning 32 games instead of 24. Parker has been an All-Star, but he's also been surrounded by amazing talent. He does not shoot well from the outside. And he is injury prone. He'd definitely give the team a lift, but I don't believe he's enough of a difference maker to warrant the move.
Look, there are just too many talented teams out there. The only way to break through is by acquiring a top tier talent who can change the outcome of a game on his own.
If the Kings want to win now, they are going to have to package their most valuable assets and swing for the fences.
That means dealing Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins and getting star talent. Maybe combined with shooting for the No. 2 pick in the draft.
I'm totally on board with that strategy. The Celtics did it a few years back when they made their up-and-coming power forward Al Jefferson part of a package for established star Kevin Garnett.
And the Kings are in a glorious position to make such a deal. They are under the cap -- far under the cap -- so they don't have to worry about salaries matching up.
It's time for Geoff Petrie to live up to the dusty genius label that has faded dramatically after a dormant decade.
Be bold.
Make the Kings matter again.
They've been linked to trades for Tony Parker and Ray Felton.
One problem: While both of them are nice players, neither will help them win now, unless winning now means winning 32 games instead of 24. Parker has been an All-Star, but he's also been surrounded by amazing talent. He does not shoot well from the outside. And he is injury prone. He'd definitely give the team a lift, but I don't believe he's enough of a difference maker to warrant the move.
Look, there are just too many talented teams out there. The only way to break through is by acquiring a top tier talent who can change the outcome of a game on his own.
If the Kings want to win now, they are going to have to package their most valuable assets and swing for the fences.
That means dealing Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins and getting star talent. Maybe combined with shooting for the No. 2 pick in the draft.
I'm totally on board with that strategy. The Celtics did it a few years back when they made their up-and-coming power forward Al Jefferson part of a package for established star Kevin Garnett.
And the Kings are in a glorious position to make such a deal. They are under the cap -- far under the cap -- so they don't have to worry about salaries matching up.
It's time for Geoff Petrie to live up to the dusty genius label that has faded dramatically after a dormant decade.
Be bold.
Make the Kings matter again.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Time for the Kings to end their passive approach to acquiring players
Should the Kings be wheeling and dealing on draft day?
Damn straight.
After five years of a dormant approach to garnering talent, it's time to let Geoff Petrie loose.
The Kings have a lot of nice pieces and a No. 7 pick. It's time to get aggressive. Package the picks and some players for a talented veteran. Maybe try to move up and snag Derrick Williams. Move down, grab a vet, and pick up Jimmer.
All I know is this: The Kings can't just sit on their hands. The Maloofs talked a big game about opening their wallets. Now it's time to put up or shut up.
Contrary to dire reports about their finances, the Maloofs do have substantial money in the bank. They are better off than it seems.
So let's have some fun. Let's give the fans a reason to get excited, even though they probably won't see the players until January due to the lockout.
Make a deal. Make a lot of deals.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Why I would blow up the Kings
The building blocks are there.
The team is ready to take the next step.
Add a piece or two and they are ready to make a playoff run.
This is conventional wisdom about the state of the Kings.
I don't buy it. Not for a minute. And that's why I think the time is perfect to do the unthinkable.
Hire a great coach, explode the roster with daring trades, and buy strong into the the talent market.
This might sound completely insane, but stick with me for a moment. The King are not a good team, but they do have some very marketable pieces. Personally, I don't believe Tyreke Evans or DeMarcus Cousins are the type of players that will lead your team to the promised land. In fact, I'm pretty sure of that it's downright delusional.
Neither is a great team player. Neither has a great work ethic. And Cousins, in particular, just seems too risky to bet on in the long-term. But they do have value around the league.
Right now, the Kings have a chance to remake the team in a way impossible over the past decade. They have a ton of cap room and they'll be competing for players against teams who will most likely be facing a hard cap.
So here's my 5-step plan:
BLOCKBUSTER 1: Trade Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson and the No. 7 to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love and the second pick. With the second pick, select multi-talented forward Derrick Williams out of Arizona. Kid is gonna be a stud.
FREE-AGENT SIGNING NO. 1: J.J. Barea, point guard, Mavericks. He looked a little Nash-like for Dallas and would bring energy and speed to the Kings immediately. An unrestricted free agent, he might be available at the right price since Mark Cuban won't be able to throw money past the hard cap.
FREE-AGENT SIGNING NO. 2: Marc Gasol, center, Memphis. One of the top centers in the league. Young, underrated, skilled. He restricted also, so you'll have to pay big.
BLOCKBUSTER 2: Trade DeMarcus Cousins to the Wizards for athletic monster Javale McGee and the 18th pick in the first round.
DRAFT SELECTION: With the 18th pick, select 6-8 shooting whiz Jordan Hamilton out of Texas.
Your new starting five:
JJ Barea
Marcus Thornton
Derrick Williams
Kevin Love
Marc Gasol
Your bench:
Jordan Hamilton
Javale McGee
Omri Casspi
Beno Udrih
Donte Greene
Now you need a coach. I heard Rick Adelman is available.
Okay, we're set.
Now let's go win a title.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Agitated and unhinged, Joe Maloof is a man in true denial mode
If there's one thing we've discovered through this entire relocation saga, it's this: Both the fans and the Maloofs have been put through a meat grinder.
We've seen over the past months how the fans have reacted -- with creativity, enthusiasm and verve.
But we hadn't seen the toll on the Maloofs until Monday. Specifically, until Monday afternoon when Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof was interviewed on KHTK's Grant Napear show.
It was disturbing, to say the least.
Maloof was clearly agitated and out-of-breath. Maybe even severely sleep deprived. You could almost feel his sweat coming through the radio. He seemed defensive, annoyed and downright frayed. An image of Gary Busey comes to mind. He said all the right things, but the subtext was palpable. He was a man done wrong.
Joe Maloof denied his family was in financial trouble. He denied the league forced him to stay in Sacramento. In fact, he denied the return to Sacramento was anything but his family's idea.
Yes, this was a man in real denial.
And I didn't believe a word of it.
He sounded especially unhinged when talking about a seat snafu in the final game of the season when Lakers fans were seated in the customary Maloof seats. Joe huffed and puffed, sputtered and disavowed any knowledge of the incident.
His voice rose and fell as he tried to put his thoughts together. He vowed to spend money on free agents and compete, but it wasn't clear where all this new money was coming from.
By the time the interview was over, I could imagine Joe collapsing on the floor in a puddle.
In the end, it doesn't much matter what brought the team back to Sacramento. They are here and the city gets one last shot.
But whether Joe Maloof can last another year without puncturing a blood vessel in his brain is another story.
We've seen over the past months how the fans have reacted -- with creativity, enthusiasm and verve.
But we hadn't seen the toll on the Maloofs until Monday. Specifically, until Monday afternoon when Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof was interviewed on KHTK's Grant Napear show.
It was disturbing, to say the least.
Maloof was clearly agitated and out-of-breath. Maybe even severely sleep deprived. You could almost feel his sweat coming through the radio. He seemed defensive, annoyed and downright frayed. An image of Gary Busey comes to mind. He said all the right things, but the subtext was palpable. He was a man done wrong.
Joe Maloof denied his family was in financial trouble. He denied the league forced him to stay in Sacramento. In fact, he denied the return to Sacramento was anything but his family's idea.
Yes, this was a man in real denial.
And I didn't believe a word of it.
He sounded especially unhinged when talking about a seat snafu in the final game of the season when Lakers fans were seated in the customary Maloof seats. Joe huffed and puffed, sputtered and disavowed any knowledge of the incident.
His voice rose and fell as he tried to put his thoughts together. He vowed to spend money on free agents and compete, but it wasn't clear where all this new money was coming from.
By the time the interview was over, I could imagine Joe collapsing on the floor in a puddle.
In the end, it doesn't much matter what brought the team back to Sacramento. They are here and the city gets one last shot.
But whether Joe Maloof can last another year without puncturing a blood vessel in his brain is another story.
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