Gilbert Destroys LeBitch in Open Letter to Fans

[e0y2e3]

Yeah.

And Gilbert hurt this team be acting like that period. Not to mention that, as I said, he's shown no ability to be the owner of this team w/ out letting his emotions dictate his decisions.

Those are my problems.

Fuck, I hope someone finds a way to burn LBJ's Billboard down here, I just don't want it to be Gilbert.

[SoulDawg74]

And just for shits and giggles, Kevin Durant, Michael Redd, Chauncy Billups, etc.....

Money, young talent and the chance for rings wins out 99.999999999% of the time.

The Browns are the biggest joke in the NFL but because Lerner has thrown big money at people they have signed there. So goes the sports world.

Stop being a self loathing Clevelander for a minute.

Or you could START pretending to be a Clevelander for a second?

SD:

Whaaaa

You don't like the emperors new rags.

Hell he was all the rage when dissin on us mere serfs.



SoulDawg

Don't need your trolling black ass today old man. Fuckin go ram a rack of Staples in ur rib hole and STFU too. Try to boot me when I'm down after a long on line relationship. Fuck you, this is persojnal. And for some sofetware reason I didn't get your pm Grovelling to me to have your back on another site. But I would have.

I just don't. I'm still hurting and not ashamed to write it.

You've never been a Cavs fan. Stoip ur bullshit for one day.

SD:

When your punk Funky white ass still had your mammies titty milk stinkin
off your breath , I was cheering for the Cavs and anything good which happenned in Cleveland.

Pardon me if I ain't buring down my house because your mad Lebron done Yanked his cock outta your throat and your mad you missed yourtun to suckle that bitch.

Gilbert was right , Fuckhim , don't let the door hit ya in the ass
and fuck you classless pantsy ass bitches who ain't got what it tales to handle the shit like a
man .

You melty classless little schoolgirl privileged cocksuckin Hunky Beeyatch.

Nobody questions my loyalty so Fuck you very much mutha Fucka

SoulDawg


y

SD:

Go for it you classless pantsy ass Black man wannabee wigger shit fer Brains

Candy ass Beeyatch.

Go ahead and reveal any PM you want and add your classless punk ass to the

Lebitch roll call .


SoulDawg

[motherscratcher]

sucker

[skatingtripods]

But as Mr. Billionaire and head of the franchise it's own Gilbert to not respond like a six year old.

I'm sorry man, but your take is off because you simply cannot relate. You have to get into the psyche of living in Cleveland to comprehend Gilbert's letter. It's a resounding rallying cry to the fan base of a team located in a city that constantly gets kicked while it's down. LBJ was what the city had going for it economically. The nationally televised games that painted the night skyline in a beautiful light. The way the city rallied behind and embraced Lebron, a guy who has been a notorious asshole to most of the rest of the country.

And you've got Dan Gilbert, a businessman, who knows he just lost a couple hundred mil and he's pissed about it. I said in my other post it was unprofessional. But it wasn't wrong. It was designed to rally the fan base and try to ease the worries of season ticket holders. It was also to deflect blame from himself and keep people believing in him.

It's a totally childish rant. One I laughed at last night and could do so because I hate LBJ, always have, and have always held the same stance on him. It's an embarrassment to him in the national media, but what the fuck do Clevelanders care because the national media has always embarrassed us and we're immune to it.

You're in an area where the sports teams get blown regularly, whether it be by local publication or national media. You're in an area where the sports scene will continue to thrive. You know how many downtown bar owners here pondered crying themselves to sleep last night? You know how many downtown restaurants were dependent on the 19,500 in the Q on game nights? You know how many local sports bars are going to feel the crunch? In your area, the Celtics will undoubtedly make the playoffs. The Red Sox will play meaningful games in September and usually October. The Patriots will make the playoffs. We now have none of those three.

The Tribe is last in attendance. The Lake Erie Monsters may outdraw the Cavs on some nights depending on how the rest of the offseason goes.

You simply cannot fathom that. And it's no fault of your own. You live somewhere else. But for long-time, or lifelong Clevelanders, we got kicked in the face in more ways than the best player on the team leaving. We got hammered economically yet again. And Dan Gilbert did too. And that's the purpose of his letter. It's not to cry and bitch like a 6-year-old whose father told her that she couldn't watch Phineas & Ferb. It's to save face with the fan base by looking like The Incredible Hulk.

Like I said earlier: Professional? No way. What the fan base needed to hear: Absolutely.

[jb]

Better n you.

won't.

You fucked this thing up.

You.

[e0y2e3]

But as Mr. Billionaire and head of the franchise it's own Gilbert to not respond like a six year old.

I'm sorry man, but your take is off because you simply cannot relate. You have to get into the psyche of living in Cleveland to comprehend Gilbert's letter. It's a resounding rallying cry to the fan base of a team located in a city that constantly gets kicked while it's down. LBJ was what the city had going for it economically. The nationally televised games that painted the night skyline in a beautiful light. The way the city rallied behind and embraced Lebron, a guy who has been a notorious asshole to most of the rest of the country.

And you've got Dan Gilbert, a businessman, who knows he just lost a couple hundred mil and he's pissed about it. I said in my other post it was unprofessional. But it wasn't wrong. It was designed to rally the fan base and try to ease the worries of season ticket holders. It was also to deflect blame from himself and keep people believing in him.

It's a totally childish rant. One I laughed at last night and could do so because I hate LBJ, always have, and have always held the same stance on him. It's an embarrassment to him in the national media, but what the fuck do Clevelanders care because the national media has always embarrassed us and we're immune to it.

You're in an area where the sports teams get blown regularly, whether it be by local publication or national media. You're in an area where the sports scene will continue to thrive. You know how many downtown bar owners here pondered crying themselves to sleep last night? You know how many downtown restaurants were dependent on the 19,500 in the Q on game nights? You know how many local sports bars are going to feel the crunch? In your area, the Celtics will undoubtedly make the playoffs. The Red Sox will play meaningful games in September and usually October. The Patriots will make the playoffs. We now have none of those three.

The Tribe is last in attendance. The Lake Erie Monsters may outdraw the Cavs on some nights depending on how the rest of the offseason goes.

You simply cannot fathom that. And it's no fault of your own. You live somewhere else. But for long-time, or lifelong Clevelanders, we got kicked in the face in more ways than the best player on the team leaving. We got hammered economically yet again. And Dan Gilbert did too. And that's the purpose of his letter. It's not to cry and bitch like a 6-year-old whose father told her that she couldn't watch Phineas & Ferb. It's to save face with the fan base by looking like The Incredible Hulk.

Like I said earlier: Professional? No way. What the fan base needed to hear: Absolutely.

Please, as Hiko said, this letter will be forgot by the fans in a couple of weeks.

And as soon as the Browns are sniffing 500 and the Cavs are sucking in mediocrity the Q will shift into ghost town for the permanent.

[jb]

Yeah.

And Gilbert hurt this team be acting like that period. Not to mention that, as I said, he's shown no ability to be the owner of this team w/ out letting his emotions dictate his decisions.

Those are my problems.

Fuck, I hope someone finds a way to burn LBJ's Billboard down here, I just don't want it to be Gilbert.

Whatever Lee.

Whatever you're doing you're too gone to see.

Wjhatever happened to couth?

I get the Bron kick in the nuts.

I don't get you and Soul Dog, and you two are one and the same.



Flaunting season tix to the Baltimore Browns in Dec 1995.

How do you not see it?

[skatingtripods]

Please, as Hiko said, this letter will be forgot by the fans in a couple of weeks.

Maybe. Depends on how Gilbert follows it up. Nobody is naive enough to believe that the Cavs will win a title before LBJ.

Seeing an owner go to battle for the fan base rather than move the team in the middle of night, bitch about the inherent financial discrepancies of the game, or care more about his soccer team will go a long way with some people.

[e0y2e3]

It's not that at all JB. We still got a team, one that is in a tough spot going forward. I don't want an owner doing things to make this worse on that team. This is a clusterfuck and we got fucked, no need for the man in charge to make things tougher.

[FUDU]

Please, as Hiko said, this letter will be forgot by the fans in a couple of weeks.

Maybe. Depends on how Gilbert follows it up. Nobody is naive enough to believe that the Cavs will win a title before LBJ.

Seeing an owner go to battle for the fan base rather than move the team in the middle of night, bitch about the inherent financial discrepancies of the game, or care more about his soccer team will go a long way with some people.

Some similarity to Carmen Policy's comments after Bottlegate, no? He didn't condone, just understood the frame of mind, problem is when you don't condone it is condemning somehow, WTF made up that stupid rule.

[jb]

It's not that at all JB. We still got a team, one that is in a tough spot going forward. I don't want an owner doing things to make this worse on that team. This is a clusterfuck and we got fucked, no need for the man in charge to make things tougher.

Stop Back Bay I hate Y town.


please. stop.


Just one day?

[e0y2e3]

I've said my peace on it, I'll give you more then a day and when you go through your process I'm sure you'll get it.

[SoulDawg74]

It's not that at all JB. We still got a team, one that is in a tough spot going forward. I don't want an owner doing things to make this worse on that team. This is a clusterfuck and we got fucked, no need for the man in charge to make things tougher.

:



SD:

Its a man sized job to pick up these pieces , and you don't start by crying into uour
hands and piddling on yourself.

Gilbert just fired off the He quit shit on ESPN .

This is the ugliest of divorces


SoulDawg

[jb]

I've said my peace on it, I'll give you more then a day and when you go through your process I'm sure you'll get it.

It's "piece" Hopkins.

And yeah, just give us one day to pout, piss, drink, cry, punch, whatever.

MJ just left his espoused beloved and joined the Pistons in 1990.

I had to watch Art Modell wathc the Lombardi Trophy, OK?

I feel like that today.

Dig?

One day.

That's all.

PS - Greg SDS74 is a cunt

[SoulDawg74]

I've said my peace on it, I'll give you more then a day and when you go through your process I'm sure you'll get it.

It's "piece" Hopkins.

And yeah, just give us one day to pout, piss, drink, cry, punch, whatever.

MJ just left his espoused beloved and joined the Pistons in 1990.

I had to watch Art Modell wathc the Lombardi Trophy, OK?

I feel like that today.

Dig?

One day.

That's all.

PS - Greg SDS74 is a cunt

SD:

Anytime you want to talk to your daddy face to face little Beeyatch ,

You know where I live.

Until then grow up, grow a pair and deflect your anger like a real grownup on the target
that bit ya , not the people you need and will come back apologizing too like a mutha when you sober the fuck up

You ain't the only one who got hurt and this ain't your own personal little pity party

Your melty little Bitch act done about run its course with me , you've crossed
a road and burned a bridge you can never repair in your childish petulance.

Be happy you've just emulated your girlie friend Lebitch you narcistic Cocksucker.

SoulDawg

[cozmeesah]

Oh good God, you guys. Just stop it. It's completely unnecessary to bring that shit onto this board and invade the posts.

Grow up.

[jb]

Better than you. You know this and can't come close.

Don't hate the playa. Hate the game.

I hope you find a ben gay coupon on line.

I am done carrying you. And you know you know your on line cred to me for years.

Bail this domain on your own terms.

Else I will smite you.

And you know this, you impotant senior citizen bitch.

Last chance to stand down. Just claim we were all nuts this thing. Giving you one last chance out. Bet you're too god damn dumb to STFU and take it.

[jb]

PS - face to face?

Dip shit, you're 60 and crippled from stroke.


Shit.

[SoulDawg74]

PS - face to face?

Dip shit, you're 60 and crippled from stroke.


Shit.

SD:

If Ya scairt I'll tie one hand behind my back ,

You Pick

Still ain't no Bitch

If you live long enough you'll get there .


SoulDawg

[RickNashEquilibrium]

I think what EY is trying to say is that an OWNERS word is going to be much more scrutinized than a players word. When LeBron did what he did, sure he looks like an ass an a lot of people now dislike him if they didn't before. Still, he got his way and is now playing alongside 2 of the best players in the league and in a better position to win than he was previously. Dan Gilbert has no such boast. His anger and ensuing reaction have MUCH MUCH bigger repercussions. He still owns the team in Cleveland and his actions/words solely represent the franchise. I absolutely FEEL the same way as Gilbert, but as an owner and considering his position, there have to be better courses of action to vent your frustration than the manner in which he did.

Reactionary thinking = you like what Gilbert did because the owner touts himself as the common man
Logically thinking = Gilbert's enabling and subsequent loss of Lebron have hurt the Cavs long term and, with his line of thinking, will continue to build a team around free agents and lack youthful depth for years to come.

[statmasta]

It's about time somebody stands up for this city. I don't care how childish it looks, I love Dan Gilbert for what he did. He made himself a target of ridicule just to support Cleveland. I'm tired of Cleveland being a joke, and I'm glad somebody other than the lowly fans is finally tired of it, too.

Thank you, Dan Gilbert.

[CP]

This is why I said immediately that I felt two emotions. Part of me was immediately geeked and empowered and vindicated, and that emotion still exists. The other part of me, that wants a shot at relevant Cavs basketball as quickly as possible, had no choice but to cringe.

[SoulDawg74]

I think what EY is trying to say is that an OWNERS word is going to be much more scrutinized than a players word. When LeBron did what he did, sure he looks like an ass an a lot of people now dislike him if they didn't before. Still, he got his way and is now playing alongside 2 of the best players in the league and in a better position to win than he was previously. Dan Gilbert has no such boast. His anger and ensuing reaction have MUCH MUCH bigger repercussions. He still owns the team in Cleveland and his actions/words solely represent the franchise. I absolutely FEEL the same way as Gilbert, but as an owner and considering his position, there have to be better courses of action to vent your frustration than the manner in which he did.

Reactionary thinking = you like what Gilbert did because the owner touts himself as the common man
Logically thinking = Gilbert's enabling and subsequent loss of Lebron have hurt the Cavs long term and, with his line of thinking, will continue to build a team around free agents and lack youthful depth for years to come.

SD:

Gilbert righteously protected his turf , in that moment he endeared himself to a generation
of future and current CAVS fans ,.

We got shivved in the back , butt the perp missed the heart and we are far from dead.

The peeps can support that message and will pull together and
support our comeback.

This ain't no light hearted fuck you , Gilbert signed a blood oath .

SoulDawg

[peeker643]

This is why I said immediately that I felt two emotions. Part of me was immediately geeked and empowered and vindicated, and that emotion still exists. The other part of me, that wants a shot at relevant Cavs basketball as quickly as possible, had no choice but to cringe.

Yep. You can feel and understand both those sides.

If that letter (and the James departure) defines Gilbert's ownership era he will have failed. If it's an interesting sidenote to a long, successful Gilbert ownership era then it will simply enhance the legacy.

I have no problem with him taking the shot. But very soon he has to let the scabs form and the healing begin.

YMMV

[aoxo1]

This is why I said immediately that I felt two emotions. Part of me was immediately geeked and empowered and vindicated, and that emotion still exists. The other part of me, that wants a shot at relevant Cavs basketball as quickly as possible, had no choice but to cringe.

Yep. You can feel and understand both those sides.

If that letter (and the James departure) defines Gilbert's ownership era he will have failed. If it's an interesting sidenote to a long, successful Gilbert ownership era then it will simply enhance the legacy.

I have no problem with him taking the shot. But very soon he has to let the scabs form and the healing begin.

YMMV

Long run the letter is either proof that Gilbert was a hot headed jackass who didn't know how to build a real org, or a guy that cared so much that he wouldn't stop until the team won a title.

None of us know which.

[RickNashEquilibrium]

I see where you guys are coming , but at the end of the day our opinions of how this unfolded don't mean jack shit in terms of the ongoing operations of the Cavs franchise. I'm with CP on this one - I do relish the fact we have an owner that obviously gives a fuck (as opposed to a few other owners in our fair city), but from that angle he gave too much of a fuck allowing that letter come to light.

[motherscratcher]

I think what EY is trying to say is that an OWNERS word is going to be much more scrutinized than a players word. When LeBron did what he did, sure he looks like an ass an a lot of people now dislike him if they didn't before. Still, he got his way and is now playing alongside 2 of the best players in the league and in a better position to win than he was previously. Dan Gilbert has no such boast. His anger and ensuing reaction have MUCH MUCH bigger repercussions. He still owns the team in Cleveland and his actions/words solely represent the franchise. I absolutely FEEL the same way as Gilbert, but as an owner and considering his position, there have to be better courses of action to vent your frustration than the manner in which he did.

Reactionary thinking = you like what Gilbert did because the owner touts himself as the common man
Logically thinking = Gilbert's enabling and subsequent loss of Lebron have hurt the Cavs long term and, with his line of thinking, will continue to build a team around free agents and lack youthful depth for years to come.

I don't think JB is misunderstanding anything. I think JB gets EXACTLY what Eye is saying. I think JB, reasonably IMO, doesn't want to hear that shit right now. Not today. He just wants Eye to STFU with that shit for a minute, regardless of any possible ramifications from "the letter".

[Triple-S]

http://www.fathead.com/nba/cleveland-ca ... ron-james/

Notice what they've changed the price to.

$17.41, the year that benedict arnold was born.

[e0y2e3]

http://www.steadyburn.net/2010/07/now-a ... let-paper/

[Larvell Blanks]

The Letter was the exact thing I needed to see before I went to sleep last night. It showed me that the owner was not going to take a whoa is me approach. I think it pulled a lot of fans off the ledge last night. However, Gilbert needs to end it there. The emotional reaction is out, it was said, it's done. Now is the time to come out with the state of the organization and a detailed outline of where they want to head in the future.

[Prosecutor]

While Gilbert’s letter may have been somewhat different if he wrote it this morning rather than last night, I don’t believe it will do any harm. This was a unique situation that will never be repeated. No free agent considering Cleveland will ever be in the position LeBron is in now, having “deserted” the region he grew up in.

Gilbert termed The Decision as “a shocking act of disloyalty” and a “shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own”. No free agent who comes here will ever be viewed as “one of our very own.”

Many free agents have signed here since Gilbert bought the team and moved on when their contracts expired with no negative ramifications. This is the first time I can recall that Gilbert publicly excoriated a player, and these circumstances will never be repeated.

The Cavs have earned a reputation for helping players in difficulty, as evidenced by the patience and understanding they showed with Delonte West as he worked through his mental health issues this year. They could have simply released him following his arrest.

I agree the letter was an emotional reaction, maybe an over-reaction, but it won’t discourage any free agents from coming to Cleveland if the money and opportunity are right. YMMV.

[Hi Oktane]

The Letter was the exact thing I needed to see before I went to sleep last night. It showed me that the owner was not going to take a whoa is me approach. I think it pulled a lot of fans off the ledge last night. However, Gilbert needs to end it there. The emotional reaction is out, it was said, it's done.

^^^^This.

'course, "it's done" to me merely means TMLP has to be done with the public rants; it does not mean he can't leak all Jester James' dirty little secrets.

[davemanddd]

somewhere deep, deep, deep in the blues, uncle austin is crying because lebron just threw the hammer down on cleveland and took his weak stuff outta here!!!

[CP]

Uncle Austin was more articulate than that... http://www.cavfanatic.com/austincarr/bl ... lies_south

[Hikohadon]

The Letter was the exact thing I needed to see before I went to sleep last night. It showed me that the owner was not going to take a whoa is me approach. I think it pulled a lot of fans off the ledge last night. However, Gilbert needs to end it there. The emotional reaction is out, it was said, it's done.

^^^^This.

'course, "it's done" to me merely means TMLP has to be done with the public rants; it does not mean he can't leak all Jester James' dirty little secrets.

Agree. Not normally a fan of the soap opera bullshit, but anything that further tarnishes LeBrand is fine with me.

[fundamentals]

First post in a longggggggggggggg time, wanted to wait and wait and wait and wait and wait to see what MeBron was going to do. Many people on here who kept uttering that there was too much $$$$$$ to be left on the table if he left are now wanting to make their own LBJ pinatas. I don't think we truly knew how self-centered the guy is/was/will be. Miami can have him. Let's move on.

But I have to say, Gilbert's rebuttal to what went on may end up truly backfiring. What he said sounded great for a few minutes, but he shouldn't have put that out there for all to see. What was he trying to do while wooing Izzo? Same thing he lambasted MeBron for. Gilbert may have "stones" but in this case, you don't throw them. Just my uneducated two cents.

And for those who now have seen the light and can be considered a LBJ hater, welcome to the club, we have been waiting for you.

[peeker643]

Simmons Today: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/100709

One of my first ESPN.com columns was titled, "Is Clemens the Antichrist?" It covered how my relationship changed with Roger Clemens as a Red Sox fan -- in five years, he went from my favorite baseball player to my least favorite athlete in any sport -- and how the turning point happened in 1996, when Clemens signed with Toronto and showed no remorse at the ensuing news conference.



I still remember seeing that Blue Jays cap squeezed on his fat stupid face for 45 solid minutes, waiting for him to throw Red Sox fans a bone, waiting for him to say anything that would make me think, "Regardless of how this turned out, the past 12 years meant something to me," or "Just know that this happened because of Boston's front office, not their great fans." He only threw us a couple of canned comments, the same way someone would throw table scraps to a dog. I remember how angry it made me. I remember wanting to whip my remote control through the television, then realizing that I couldn't afford a new one. I remember taking down my autographed photo of Clemens' 20th strikeout against Seattle and sticking it in a closet. I remember thinking that I would never like sports quite as much ever again.



So when Clemens went to Toronto, got in shape, won two straight Cy Youngs and forced a trade to the Yankees, really, a column called "Is Clemens the Antichrist?" became inevitable as soon as I found a bigger forum to write it. I hated that guy as much as you could hate a professional athlete without things getting creepy.



And you know what? What LeBron did to Cleveland last night was worse. Much worse.



It's one thing to leave. I get it. You're 25. You don't know any better. You're tired of carrying mediocre teams. You want help. You want the luxury of not having to play a remarkable game every single night for eight straight months. You want to live in South Beach. You want to play with your buddies. I get it. I get it. But turning that decision into a one-hour special, pretending that it hadn't been decided weeks ago, using a charity as your cover-up and ramming a pitchfork in Cleveland's back like you were at the end of a Friday the 13th movie and Cleveland was Jason ... there just had to be a better way.

[Larvell Blanks]

^^ At least he shook hands w/ the rep from U of Phoenix



**welcome back

[fundamentals]

^^ At least he shook hands w/ the rep from U of Phoenix



**welcome back

Tough to shake hands consistently when there's blood on them.
I am saddened that the guy left because I thought maybe, just maybe, there was an ounce of credibility left in him but after last night, not sure if that's true. The clinching point for me, and I am a Christian, was to bring God (Windy said for the very first time in seven years) into all of this and somehow make it "look" like things were right.

[peeker643]

"Born here, raised here, played here, betrayed here."

[gameface]

And to be fair to Lee, every one of the ex-pats I have talked to feel the same way he does about it.

Not me. 30 years out of Cleveland and Gilbert speaks just fine for me. To be fair to Lee, I'll acknowledge there's an element of stupidity in that letter. But dang, the passion and anger is f""king on point. He may have turned off SOME players, but he's won the heart of his constituency. And players develop amnesia in a nonosecond when the smell of money is in their nose.

[e0y2e3]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counti ... and-browns

[Dellucci TailGator]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/archives/2010/07/09/a-surreal-night-in-downtown-cleveland-with-tom-green-and-the-cleveland-browns

More surreal than Tom Green was the fact that a guy showed up to watch him wearing a Kelly Shoppach jersey.

How hard did the people in the Indians team shop laugh at that guy while bagging that one up for him?

[motherscratcher]

I'm about to head home from work. Hopefully, before my wife gets home, I'll have enough time to take my talents to South Beach.

I'll catch up with you cats later.

[aoxo1]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/archives/2010/07/09/a-surreal-night-in-downtown-cleveland-with-tom-green-and-the-cleveland-browns

More surreal than Tom Green was the fact that a guy showed up to watch him wearing a Kelly Shoppach jersey.

How hard did the people in the Indians team shop laugh at that guy while bagging that one up for him?

The lesson, as always, is that buying a jersey is a huge waste of money.

[furls]

My new favorite player in the NBA is Evan Turner. Hopefully he doesn't make me wretch like that punk bitch from Akron.

[jb]

[e0y2e3]

Food for thought: http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... d-the-rift

[Orenthal]

A "manor" is an abode, Hopkins.

A petulent little bitch, eh.

Really. Just take a day off.

Guess the wastland of you, OJ, Bow owow and 3 retards didn't work out, eh?

Not nice. BTW I haven't finished reading past this quote but I am not feeling Eye's POV on this outside of Gilbert enabling LeBron. But this part of the script could have been played by any character actor. Gilbert was caught in the chicken/egg thing. I'll fault him to the extent he went in coddling.

However Gilbert has proven himself to be a HUGE players owner in a players driven league. The massive investment in game presentation, creature comforts, and the freaking practice facility prove this all out. Five years of selling out to improving the organization ruined by a passionate letter that at points went overboard? I don't buy that, and the biggest voices bashing Gilbert are former players (bias?) and some national blog types that have an axe for Gilbert.

IMO any negative from this will blow over quickly.

[mattvan1]

Travis Rodgers chimes in

Even the children he and his team used as human shields didn’t help. He looked like he wanted to run out of the room and hide. He knew it looked horrible and that it was only going to get worse.

And then he started talking.

How did it get to that point? How did he never say, “Hold on. This is my life we’re talking about. You want me to go on TV and screw my hometown? Stick the knife in their backs in front of millions? That’s the pitch? For what? So everyone can hate me? So I can never go home again? OK, you are fired, you are fired, and you are fired. I don’t care if we were friends in 10th grade history, you’re an idiot and that is the worst idea since Kobe ordered room service.”

http://siliconangle.com/travisrodgersno ... 7/09/3699/