LPKingsFan
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From espn.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2784401
TUALATIN, Ore. -- With the Portland Trail Blazers headed in a positive direction, billionaire owner Paul Allen shook off one more remnant of the team's recent -- albeit troubled -- past.
Team president and general manager Steve Patterson abruptly resigned Thursday after Allen refused to renew his contract.
Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of the Seattle Seahawks, will take over while a full-time replacement is found. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, also owns the Seahawks.
Leiweke will also head a new company that will oversee both teams.
The move comes as part of an ongoing process to recapture "Rip City" and Portland's fervor for its team. Leiweke praised Patterson for his work in righting the Blazers, but suggested there was more work to be done.
"I have a mandate to work with this management to find someone to push this franchise to where it once was," Leiweke said.
Patterson had been the team president since 2003 and became the GM after John Nash was fired last May. The resignation came hours before the Trail Blazers (24-34) hosted Charlotte.
The Blazers, fourth in the Northwest Division, have regrouped after finishing an NBA-worst 21-61 last season. The improvement has been sparked by a flurry of draft-day trades and an infusion of young talent, including Brandon Roy.
Patterson took over a franchise that was burdened with a high payroll and a sullied reputation from a chain of player arrests and bad behavior.
Fans turned away from the once-beloved team that had won the NBA championship in 1977.
He said he was proud of the Blazers' turnaround under his watch.
"Now we got a young exciting club of folks that represent the community well and want to live here as opposed to a number of the guys that didn't share this community's values and didn't represent it well," Patterson said.
However, the team also had some troubles during Patterson's tenure. There was Allen's decision in 2004 to throw the Rose Garden Arena into bankruptcy and surrender ownership of the building, only to recently announce plans to but it back.
Allen also indicated that the team was up for sale last year, then abruptly pulled it off the market.
Leiweke will remain in his role with the Seahawks.
"Putting the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks under a common management umbrella underscores my commitment to the future of both franchises," Allen said in a statement. "Tod has done great things for the Seahawks, and I fully expect similar results for the Trail Blazers."
Patterson said his contract was to expire soon.
"I think you get to the point you have a certain number of successes and you know it gets to the point that sometimes it's better for somebody to take the ball the last 10 yards than somebody's who's taken it the first 90 yards," Patterson said.
Leiweke said the search for a new president and general manager would begin immediately, with the intent of having both positions filled by the offseason and in time for the draft.
"This is not going to be about micromanagement," he said. "We're going to hire quality people to take this franchise back to what it once was."
Leiweke also will become the CEO of a newly formed management company, Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, which will oversee both the Trail Blazers and Seahawks organizations.
He will retain that position after the new management for the Blazers is in place.
_____________________________________________________________
If things sour with the Maloofs, will Geoff bolt home?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2784401
TUALATIN, Ore. -- With the Portland Trail Blazers headed in a positive direction, billionaire owner Paul Allen shook off one more remnant of the team's recent -- albeit troubled -- past.
Team president and general manager Steve Patterson abruptly resigned Thursday after Allen refused to renew his contract.
Tod Leiweke, chief executive officer of the Seattle Seahawks, will take over while a full-time replacement is found. Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, also owns the Seahawks.
Leiweke will also head a new company that will oversee both teams.
The move comes as part of an ongoing process to recapture "Rip City" and Portland's fervor for its team. Leiweke praised Patterson for his work in righting the Blazers, but suggested there was more work to be done.
"I have a mandate to work with this management to find someone to push this franchise to where it once was," Leiweke said.
Patterson had been the team president since 2003 and became the GM after John Nash was fired last May. The resignation came hours before the Trail Blazers (24-34) hosted Charlotte.
The Blazers, fourth in the Northwest Division, have regrouped after finishing an NBA-worst 21-61 last season. The improvement has been sparked by a flurry of draft-day trades and an infusion of young talent, including Brandon Roy.
Patterson took over a franchise that was burdened with a high payroll and a sullied reputation from a chain of player arrests and bad behavior.
Fans turned away from the once-beloved team that had won the NBA championship in 1977.
He said he was proud of the Blazers' turnaround under his watch.
"Now we got a young exciting club of folks that represent the community well and want to live here as opposed to a number of the guys that didn't share this community's values and didn't represent it well," Patterson said.
However, the team also had some troubles during Patterson's tenure. There was Allen's decision in 2004 to throw the Rose Garden Arena into bankruptcy and surrender ownership of the building, only to recently announce plans to but it back.
Allen also indicated that the team was up for sale last year, then abruptly pulled it off the market.
Leiweke will remain in his role with the Seahawks.
"Putting the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks under a common management umbrella underscores my commitment to the future of both franchises," Allen said in a statement. "Tod has done great things for the Seahawks, and I fully expect similar results for the Trail Blazers."
Patterson said his contract was to expire soon.
"I think you get to the point you have a certain number of successes and you know it gets to the point that sometimes it's better for somebody to take the ball the last 10 yards than somebody's who's taken it the first 90 yards," Patterson said.
Leiweke said the search for a new president and general manager would begin immediately, with the intent of having both positions filled by the offseason and in time for the draft.
"This is not going to be about micromanagement," he said. "We're going to hire quality people to take this franchise back to what it once was."
Leiweke also will become the CEO of a newly formed management company, Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, which will oversee both the Trail Blazers and Seahawks organizations.
He will retain that position after the new management for the Blazers is in place.
_____________________________________________________________
If things sour with the Maloofs, will Geoff bolt home?
