Gavin: Petrie Is A King For Life As Far As Maloofs Are Concerned

[bajaden]

He has been one of the ten worst for the last 5.

Easily.

Basically this is what Geoff Petrie has done well in this decade: drafted. You can't take that away from him. He drafts well. Not perfectly, and with quirks. But well overall (one reason I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on the Tyreke thing until we see how that works out). If he did not draft well...he might quite literally have the worst record of any GM in the entire league over the past 6-8 years. Almost every FA he has signed has become an anvil. Wiht help from meddlesome owners, th coaches have bombed. He has had trades ranging from ineffective shrugs with little to show for it to flat out disasters. End result? Every player worth a damn on our current roster is one of our draft picks. Five years of them stacked up. Nothing else has worked, and the rebuild was delayed ridiculously until things fell apart on their own (including the fanbase).

I can even define the exact date when Geoff got stupid: May 9, 2003.
In case that date that lives in infamy needs a visual reminder:

And it wasn't his star player going down. That's consistently thrown out as an excuse, but star players going down don't in and of themselves result in the complete collapse we have seen over the last 5-6 years, setting a record for seasons consecutively getting worse, going from best record in the NBA to worst, from longest sell out streak, to worst attendance etc. etc. What it was was the massive financial retrenching by the Maloofs, who suddenly realized that spending money on support players would never bring them a title if they lost their star, and a poisined atmosphere amongst the fans and media which the owners also bought into, turning them against their own pillars of the franchise. And if that doesn't sound like it was Geoff's fault, its because its not. But what it IS, is an indication of what a perfect world he inhabited, what an advanatge he had over the league's other GMs, in the years before the fall. The Maloofs came in enthusiastic, willing to spend anything, in the belief that doing so would result in title. Geoff had an edge only 1 or 2 other GMs in the entire league had during his best years. Stripped of that advantage in subsequent years, and even saddled with meddlesome amateur owners, he has been anything but special. In fact, he's sucked. And yet one way or the other, the rebuild is upon us, and there is hope. But that's because of the structure of the league -- the structure of the draft that so many aorund here kicked and screamed so hard against for so long. Its designed to help the worst teams eventually rebound. EVERYBODY eventually rebounds if they can draft decently. Except the Clippers. But its not ebcause we've done anything but the bare minimum, at the very last second when our hand was absolutely forced, to help the process.

P.S. Quick stat BTW: Geoff Petrie GM record with Coach Adelman: 13 winning seasons, 0 losing seasons. Geoff Petrie GM record with all other coaches: 0 winning seasons, 7 losing seasons. Will be 0-8 after this year.

So your saying that if this team Petrie is putting together somehow eventually wins the championship, that it is just pure luck on Petrie's part because he just did what any GM would have done? I don't think thats what you mean, but it sounds like it.

As for the last part. Well, Petrie hired Adelman, and probably. reluctantly fired him. As I've stated before, he threw himself under the bus for Adelman in Portland and and wasn't going to do it again. But its pretty apparent who wanted Adelman gone. Knowing that Petrie likes experienced people I doubt that Musselman or Theus were his choices. Of course I can't prove it, nor can anyone disprove it. But I wonder where we would be now if Adelman hadn't been fired. Who knows, maybe the rebuild wouldn't have even started yet.

 

[Chupacabra]

He has been one of the ten worst for the last 5.

Easily.

Basically this is what Geoff Petrie has done well in this decade: drafted. You can't take that away from him. He drafts well. Not perfectly, and with quirks. But well overall (one reason I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on the Tyreke thing until we see how that works out). If he did not draft well...he might quite literally have the worst record of any GM in the entire league over the past 6-8 years. Almost every FA he has signed has become an anvil. Wiht help from meddlesome owners, th coaches have bombed. He has had trades ranging from ineffective shrugs with little to show for it to flat out disasters. End result? Every player worth a damn on our current roster is one of our draft picks. Five years of them stacked up. Nothing else has worked, and the rebuild was delayed ridiculously until things fell apart on their own (including the fanbase).

I can even define the exact date when Geoff got stupid: May 9, 2003.
In case that date that lives in infamy needs a visual reminder:

And it wasn't his star player going down. That's consistently thrown out as an excuse, but star players going down don't in and of themselves result in the complete collapse we have seen over the last 5-6 years, setting a record for seasons consecutively getting worse, going from best record in the NBA to worst, from longest sell out streak, to worst attendance etc. etc. What it was was the massive financial retrenching by the Maloofs, who suddenly realized that spending money on support players would never bring them a title if they lost their star, and a poisined atmosphere amongst the fans and media which the owners also bought into, turning them against their own pillars of the franchise. And if that doesn't sound like it was Geoff's fault, its because its not. But what it IS, is an indication of what a perfect world he inhabited, what an advanatge he had over the league's other GMs, in the years before the fall. The Maloofs came in enthusiastic, willing to spend anything, in the belief that doing so would result in title. Geoff had an edge only 1 or 2 other GMs in the entire league had during his best years. Stripped of that advantage in subsequent years, and even saddled with meddlesome amateur owners, he has been anything but special. In fact, he's sucked. And yet one way or the other, the rebuild is upon us, and there is hope. But that's because of the structure of the league -- the structure of the draft that so many aorund here kicked and screamed so hard against for so long. Its designed to help the worst teams eventually rebound. EVERYBODY eventually rebounds if they can draft decently. Except the Clippers. But its not because we've done anything but the bare minimum, at the very last second when our hand was absolutely forced, to help the process.

P.S. Quick stat BTW: Geoff Petrie GM record with Coach Adelman: 13 winning seasons, 0 losing seasons. Geoff Petrie GM record with all other coaches: 0 winning seasons, 7 losing seasons. Will be 0-8 after this year.

Your main point of having owners that will spend money to no end is an exaggeration. I dont think the Kings were ever beyond 7th or 8th highest team salary. While its on the high end, its not the caliber of spending that Dallas or New York was doing. The only way you can judge the GM is by the moves hes made. Break down Petries body of work move by move. Their are few GMs that have a competative resume.
I think a problem that alot of people on this board are having is realizing that Sacramento is one of the least desirable places for players to go in terms of entertainment and living standard. The Kings arent going to attract players the same way LA, New York, Miami etc. does. It will never be as easy for Sacramento as it is for larger cities.
The bottomline is its a case of some Kings fans having unrealistic expectations. Unless youre a marquee NBA city youre going to go through peaks and valleys.

 

[Bricklayer]

So your saying that if this team Petrie is putting together somehow eventually wins the championship, that it is just pure luck on Petrie's part because he just did what any GM would have done? I don't think thats what you mean, but it sounds like it.

I'm saying even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn, and people running around bleating about what a god Petrie is for a decade straight of failure, and then crowing about hwo right they were when the corner is finally turned around 2012 or so are going to be hard pressed, HARD presed to distinguish such brilliant GM work from that of those notoriously brainy GMs in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland et al. (Actually the corner has already been turned, in that there is nowhere to go but up at this point. But 2012 seems fair for a potential return to mattering).

Petrie is not the worst GM in the league. He has the ability to evaluate talent, to make NBA level moves, and a long time ago when we were still talking about Y2K he had a hell of a run. But his performance has nonetheless been godawful. The GMs who have had runs like he has had over the last half decade all have one thing in common -- they are unemployed. And his problem has been that he has either been too passive, too cowardly, or too cowed by his owners to execute any strategy. He who realizes the sky is falling by it actually landing on his head is no genius. And should point at the moon or something.

 

[AriesMar27]

and thats the reason why the maloofs will let him keep his job for as long as he wants because another gm might not cave in to the owners ever time like geoff has for the past 5 years.... petrie has been horrible since webber went down... he hasnt made a good trade or signed a worthwhile free agent since that date. though the miller/hedo trade comes close... i wouldve said that it was a good move if he didnt trade miller for nocioni and just let millers contract expire.... he just doesnt want to see players play out their contracts. i dont know why he trades players the year before for crappier players with a longer deal... webber for thomas... miller for nocioni... bibby for shelden williams? i guess it is hard to say goodbye...

 

[Bricklayer]

and thats the reason why the maloofs will let him keep his job for as long as he wants because another gm might not cave in to the owners ever time like geoff has for the past 5 years.... petrie has been horrible since webber went down... he hasnt made a good trade or signed a worthwhile free agent since that date. though the miller/hedo trade comes close... i wouldve said that it was a good move if he didnt trade miller for nocioni and just let millers contract expire.... he just doesnt want to see players play out their contracts. i dont know why he trades players the year before for crappier players with a longer deal... webber for thomas... miller for nocioni... bibby for shelden williams? i guess it is hard to say goodbye...

No. Miller had to go. He was actively interfering with everything we should be trying to do here -- lose, develop youth. The mistake with Miller wasn't moving him too early, it was moving him too late.

 

[AriesMar27]

No. Miller had to go. He was acticely interfering wiht everything we should be tryign to do here -- lose, develop youth. The mistake wiht Miller wasn't moving him too early, it was moving him too late.

i dont know about that... miller could have come off the bench this season and hawes would still get his minutes. but now we have nocioni in front of greene and casspi for the next 3 years... which is worse? hawes sharing minutes with a former all star or greene and casspi not playing at all for the next 3 years behind nocioni and probably garcia?

if thomas can collect a check and not play miller can collect a check and come off the bench. he'll probably come off the bench for the bulls this season. i dont see him hindering noah who was drafted right before hawes...

 

[bajaden]

I'm saying even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn, and people running around bleating about what a god Petrie is for a decade straight of failure, and then crowing about hwo right they were when the corner is finally turned around 2012 or so are going to be hard pressed, HARD presed to distinguish such brilliant GM work from that of those notoriously brainy GMs in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland et al. (Actually the corner has already been turned, in that there is nowhere to go but up at this point. But 2012 seems fair for a potential return to mattering).

Petrie is not the worst GM in the league. He has the ability to evaluate talent, to make NBA level moves. But his performance has nonetheless been godawful. The GMs who have had runs like he has had over the last half decade all have one thing in common -- they are unemployed. And his problem has been that he has either been too passive, too cowardly, or too cowed by his owners to execute any strategy.

I would be lying if I said that I haven't been frustrated at times. I'm no different than most in that I want to see action. Having said that, I may understand his mentality to a certain extent. I have a similar personality when it comes to projects. I'll sit and study it for a long time planning exactly how I want to do it. It probably comes from my youth when I just jumped in with both feet and reckless abandon. Unfortuantely, I had to redo to many projects because I hadn't thought them out properly.

I'm not saying that Geoff thinks the same way I do, but if he does, then I understand his mentality. I would also agree that decisions about player personel on an NBA team is a wee bit different than a project in my backyard.

Perhaps we can agree on this. Petrie isn't a stupid man. He does know basketball and he is a good evaluator of talent. At least in the draft, although in the early years he seemed to have a knack for bringing player after player from Tony Delk to Jimmy Jackson that always seemed to fit into the puzzle. Then suddenly his luck seemed to turn. Now I'm a believer that people don't just suddenly get stupid. If you and I can sit here and look at the team and realize its run is over, I believe that Petrie can do the same thing.

I won't bore you by beating a dead horse, and saying that the Maloof's started to think they knew how to run a team. But to my mind, there has to be a reason for the sudden influx of mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, but some of the signings just didn't make sense. And I would allow that some of the trades didn't turn out as we would have wanted. And some of the things that he did were the exact reverse of what he had done before.

When Brian Grant became a freeagent, Petrie made him a very good offer. As it turned out, it was actually more than Portland offered. But when Grant didn't accept it, Petrie went in another direction. When Bonzi Wells became a free agent Petrie made him a very good offer and when Bonzi didn't accept it, Petrie sat and waited and waited until there were no other free agents left worth having. Unfortunately we ended up signing one of them.

He is the GM. And as they say, the buck stops here. I just happen to believe that there's more to the story that we'll never know. But hey, its the outcome that counts, and no matter who was responsible, some very bad decisions were made. And Petrie is certainly fair game. My personal hope is that the guy that orginally built the team is still hiding there and is back in control. If he is, I'll give him credit, and if not, we can both throw darts at his picture. I hear its very therapeutic.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I'm saying even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn, and people running around bleating about what a god Petrie is for a decade straight of failure, and then crowing about how right they were when the corner is finally turned around 2012 or so...

I trust you're not aiming that at me, or off my bow, or even at a 90 degree angle to my position.

Do I support Petrie? Yes, I do. I support him because I believe that he is one of the better GMs in the league. "God" doesn't even enter into it.

One of the major reasons I think Petrie is one of the better GMs is that I believe that he is (if such a thing can be measured) probably one of the top 5 drafters of the past 15 years, and I believe that the best way to build a championship team is through the draft. I recall that you yourself are of the opinion that superstars are more likely to be found in the draft than through trades or free agency, so I would think that his draft record should sit relatively highly with you as well.

And while his recent record of signing players with the MLE has been mediocre (I actually think Salmons was a good signing), I also think that MLE expectations are a bit high around here. You just don't get to sign top starters to the MLE on a regular basis - you get mediocre starters and rotation players. No great shakes, no reason to condemn.

And as for trades - great trades in the past (getting Webber, Bibby, Christie) offset by recent rebuilding trades that don't look good on paper but were cost-cutting...

You've heard it all before. It's the same litany of "excuses". But it's hard not to try to step up and defend a person you think is a good GM when there are constant bitter and inaccurate snipes against him. Case in point: "a decade straight of failure". Ten years ago, we had just completed the lockout season and made the playoffs for only the second time in 13 years. Webber, Divac, Stojakovic and J-Will had each just completed their first season as Kings. Christie had not played a single game as a King. That's where we were a decade ago. It has not been all failure from that point. In fact, we made the playoffs 7 out of 10 years in that "decade of failure", and should have had about a four-year window (cut short to two by Webber's injury) where we had a chance to win it all. How is that failure?

Maybe Petrie should have blown it up earlier, I can see that. But that's a minor strike in my book against the man who 1) put together a championship-level team in the small market of Sacramento and who 2) has continued to be an astute drafter after all these years.

I believe he can eventually build another championship-level team in Sacramento, and I'm going to support him and defend him. But I do not believe I have ever once made an "I told you so" post on this board, and whatever happens in the future I don't plan to start.

Now you may not have directed your comments at me, but I am one of the more outspoken Petrie proponents here, and it's hard to see my general position (if not my own words themselves) dismissed to nothing more than the strawman "bleating about Petrie being a god" and just sit silently. I have a position, I have articulated it time and again, and I don't think it's fair for people who have a different opinion to come out and take swipes at a caricature of it.

 

[Telemachus]

i dont know about that... miller could have come off the bench this season and hawes would still get his minutes. but now we have nocioni in front of greene and casspi for the next 3 years... which is worse? hawes sharing minutes with a former all star or greene and casspi not playing at all for the next 3 years behind nocioni and probably garcia?

if thomas can collect a check and not play miller can collect a check and come off the bench. he'll probably come off the bench for the bulls this season. i dont see him hindering noah who was drafted right before hawes...

I don't see Nocioni starting for the next 3 years. I think he will likely be replaced in the starting lineup next year at the latest, and that is only if one of the young guys don't take over the role sooner. Noc should be an easy player to trade. He would be a good role player on a good team, and I'm sure several of the top teams would love to have him on their bench. I also don't see him having a problem coming off the bench should he be pushed into that position. He has spent most of his NBA career coming off the bench.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Geoffs biggest mistake was that he didnt realize when the run was over.

But at the same time, even if Petrie knew the team needed to be blown up, there is a good chance the Maloofs didnt want to let go.. I can absolutely see it going down this way. Petrie tells them its not working anymore, and the Maloofs say make it work, fix it. So Geoff does this patchwork we have been seeing up until the Bibby trade.

I dont need to list all the bad patchwork signings the Kings have made over the years, and I just find it hard to believe that Geoff was the driving force behind some of these moves. If he was, I honestly dont think he would be here anymore. Doesnt that make sense?

If Petrie was the guy behind all this, I would hope the Maloofs would fire him, but I think there finally realizing that they need to stay out of the way.

Everything we know Petrie has had a real hand in has worked out ( the draft ) but when money is involved ( trades and FA's ) its hard to say it was all him.

And finally, One backwards reason why I support him as our GM, and im not saying I support all his moves, is that im honestly worried about what his replacement would do. David Kahn? Isaih Thomas? Chris Wallace?

The Maloofs wanted Muss and Theus, can you picture what kind of 'yes man' GM we would have when there in charge of the hire? are you kidding me? Thats why I like this article and thats why I hope Petrie is here for a long time.

 

[Chupacabra]

I approve this message on multiple levels. Cheerio.

 

[kennadog]

Your main point of having owners that will spend money to no end is an exaggeration. I dont think the Kings were ever beyond 7th or 8th highest team salary.

Wrong. At their peak in 02/03, Sacramento had the 3rd highest payroll, after the Knicks and the Blazers, who had ridiculously high payrolls relative to the rest of the league.

http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-team-salaries.shtml

I think the Kings were around the 20th this last season.

 

[Kingster]

Wish I had a job where I could make bad decisions that set back my organization for the better park of a decade, and get promised a job for life.

Try the Federal Reserve.

 

[Kingster]

No! It was on Webb coming back and screwing up the chemistry of the team when he just wasn't ready. I'm not blaming Webb here. I can't blame any player for wanting to play. I can blame the coach for playing him when he shouldn't have.

It wasn't as simple as Webb wanting to play. It was a question of his attitude and it's negative effect on the team if he didn't play.

 

[Kingster]

Mixed Record

Geoffs biggest mistake was that he didnt realize when the run was over.

But at the same time, even if Petrie knew the team needed to be blown up, there is a good chance the Maloofs didnt want to let go.. I can absolutely see it going down this way. Petrie tells them its not working anymore, and the Maloofs say make it work, fix it. So Geoff does this patchwork we have been seeing up until the Bibby trade.

I dont need to list all the bad patchwork signings the Kings have made over the years, and I just find it hard to believe that Geoff was the driving force behind some of these moves. If he was, I honestly dont think he would be here anymore. Doesnt that make sense?

If Petrie was the guy behind all this, I would hope the Maloofs would fire him, but I think there finally realizing that they need to stay out of the way.

Everything we know Petrie has had a real hand in has worked out ( the draft ) but when money is involved ( trades and FA's ) its hard to say it was all him.

And finally, One backwards reason why I support him as our GM, and im not saying I support all his moves, is that im honestly worried about what his replacement would do. David Kahn? Isaih Thomas? Chris Wallace?

The Maloofs wanted Muss and Theus, can you picture what kind of 'yes man' GM we would have when there in charge of the hire? are you kidding me? Thats why I like this article and thats why I hope Petrie is here for a long time.

Your explanation of why Petrie opted for the "refurbish" instead of the "rebuild" does make sense. The coaching decision explanation also makes sense. Whether it is true or not, who knows? If it is true, at what point does a GM, in order to retain his own integrity, decide to step down?

The demise of the Kings is mostly just due to the natural life and death cycle of an NBA team. The "refurbish" (in lieu of the rebuild) extended the cyclical decay for much longer than it should. The pool of free agents wanting to come to a team on the down side of the curve was obviously limited. One move that seems very unlikely that the Maloofs were involved in was Beno. That move seemed born of desparation. Now that Petrie (and the Maloofs) have opted for the rebuild, Petrie's strength - drafting - is becoming more prominent. As it should be. Petrie will begin to look more and more like a genius rather than a dunce as the FA money becomes available, as he gets another very talented player in the draft, as the team matures, and possibly as he makes a trade or two.

 

[swisshh]

No. Miller had to go. He was acticely interfering wiht everything we should be tryign to do here -- lose, develop youth. The mistake wiht Miller wasn't moving him too early, it was moving him too late.

I would say that is the mistake with about every move he has made. He bought high and sold low on Miller, Bibby, Webber and Peja. Only the Peja deal was somewhat an even trade. And that says something when trading for Artest is your most sensible trade in years.


At this point, I am hoping for an ownership group that seems intent on staying in Sacramento to buy the team. Not that I think the Maloofs are looking to sell in a market like this, but that it is the only hope for the franchise. Ownership and management has proven themselves outdated and outgunned.

 

[USNAVY15]

I would say that is the mistake with about every move he has made. He bought high and sold low on Miller, Bibby, Webber and Peja. Only the Peja deal was somewhat an even trade. And that says something when trading for Artest is your most sensible trade in years.


At this point, I am hoping for an ownership group that seems intent on staying in Sacramento to buy the team. Not that I think the Maloofs are looking to sell in a market like this, but that it is the only hope for the franchise. Ownership and management has proven themselves outdated and outgunned.

I have no problem with ownership. They are not at fault for anything going wrong. The G-off in charge of the making of the team has too many strikes next to his tenure as GM and VP. If he re-signs Bobby Jackson for 2 years, it will help his case. I have no problem with him staying another decade, but he has used up all his "oops, i did it again" draft night errors.

 

[kennadog]

At this point, I am hoping for an ownership group that seems intent on staying in Sacramento to buy the team. Not that I think the Maloofs are looking to sell in a market like this, but that it is the only hope for the franchise. Ownership and management has proven themselves outdated and outgunned.

While I wish the Maloofs would stay out of the operations side, they are otherwise fine owners and have always been generous to the community.

The Maloofs really want to stay in Sacramento. They just can't get an arena deal. We're are incredibly lucky they've stayed here while trying to get an arena deal done for 10 years. Anybody who buys the Kings will want to move to good, existing NBA-eligible arena or a city willing to help build one.

I doubt the Maloofs want to sell the team, anyway. After the family had to sell the Rockets when dad Maloof died, they waited a long time to get a team again. Its much more likely they eventually give up waiting for Sacramento and find a city that will welcome them with open arms.

 

[Miko]

I think the Kings were around the 20th this last season.

And that's not a bad place to be this year with the sheer volume of free agents available next summer.

I'm not saying they'll get LeBron but as the pieces start to fall, it's nice to have cap room and the ability to pick up more than one piece.

Here's the list of potentials as it stands today (right column has 2010 list)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=freeagents-09-10

 

[VF21]

I trust you're not aiming that at me, or off my bow, or even at a 90 degree angle to my position.

Do I support Petrie? Yes, I do. I support him because I believe that he is one of the better GMs in the league. "God" doesn't even enter into it.

One of the major reasons I think Petrie is one of the better GMs is that I believe that he is (if such a thing can be measured) probably one of the top 5 drafters of the past 15 years, and I believe that the best way to build a championship team is through the draft. I recall that you yourself are of the opinion that superstars are more likely to be found in the draft than through trades or free agency, so I would think that his draft record should sit relatively highly with you as well.

And while his recent record of signing players with the MLE has been mediocre (I actually think Salmons was a good signing), I also think that MLE expectations are a bit high around here. You just don't get to sign top starters to the MLE on a regular basis - you get mediocre starters and rotation players. No great shakes, no reason to condemn.

And as for trades - great trades in the past (getting Webber, Bibby, Christie) offset by recent rebuilding trades that don't look good on paper but were cost-cutting...

You've heard it all before. It's the same litany of "excuses". But it's hard not to try to step up and defend a person you think is a good GM when there are constant bitter and inaccurate snipes against him. Case in point: "a decade straight of failure". Ten years ago, we had just completed the lockout season and made the playoffs for only the second time in 13 years. Webber, Divac, Stojakovic and J-Will had each just completed their first season as Kings. Christie had not played a single game as a King. That's where we were a decade ago. It has not been all failure from that point. In fact, we made the playoffs 7 out of 10 years in that "decade of failure", and should have had about a four-year window (cut short to two by Webber's injury) where we had a chance to win it all. How is that failure?

Maybe Petrie should have blown it up earlier, I can see that. But that's a minor strike in my book against the man who 1) put together a championship-level team in the small market of Sacramento and who 2) has continued to be an astute drafter after all these years.

I believe he can eventually build another championship-level team in Sacramento, and I'm going to support him and defend him. But I do not believe I have ever once made an "I told you so" post on this board, and whatever happens in the future I don't plan to start.

Now you may not have directed your comments at me, but I am one of the more outspoken Petrie proponents here, and it's hard to see my general position (if not my own words themselves) dismissed to nothing more than the strawman "bleating about Petrie being a god" and just sit silently. I have a position, I have articulated it time and again, and I don't think it's fair for people who have a different opinion to come out and take swipes at a caricature of it.

Sign me on with your crew, Capt.

I think Geoff Petrie has done as good a job as any considering everything he's had to work with. It's really easy to take potshots at someone when there's no chance in hell you'll ever have to prove you could, in fact, do the job. But criticizing Petrie is easy and so a lot of people seem to buy into doing it.

Not me. I respect him, I will be forever grateful for THE TEAM, and I look forward every year to a new group of Kings. Petrie wants what we want - he's just the one on the hotseat trying to get it done.