Voisin: Kings face painful process

[VF21]

Ailene Voisin: Kings face painful process
By Ailene Voisin - avoisin@sacbee.com
Last Updated 12:21 am PST Sunday, November 11, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C7

One week into the 2007-08 season, it doesn't take a philosopher to explain what's wrong with the Kings. Life among the masses – the majority of NBA franchises that win for a while, then lose themselves in the lottery for a few seasons, all in the natural order of things – is solitary, nasty and brutish, and too short to include a postseason run. Reality, that's what's wrong with the Kings.

The foreseeable future features excruciating losses, lottery selections and available seats. It's not terminal, but it will be painful...

...This entire rebuilding process in essence is a three-pronged exercise: improve the product on the floor; rekindle the emotional connection with one of the league's most impassioned fan bases, to the point where people again are willing to sacrifice summer vacations to purchase season tickets; and learn from all those other organizations that have endured similar struggles and responded with innovative ways of selling tickets and marketing the product to the community...

The rest of the article is here.

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I think Voisin made some very good points. I think right now is the time when Kings fans can truly make a difference. We need to respond to the effort being shown by the players and Reggie Theus, and give them our support as much now as ever before.

 

[6th]

Excellent article by Voisin.

Yes, we got used to winning and raised our expectations. Now, for those of us who have lowered our expectations (at least where wins and losses are concerned), we can adjust to just enjoying the youngsters giving us hope for the future. Years ago, that was all we ever had.....hope for the future.

 

[Glenn]

Well, VF21, given that the fans at Arco Arena seem to be in a stupor most of the game, I think it will take far more than fan support as the fans don't seem interested.

My first reaction to the article is that I thought it was totally out of place given the last two games. She paints a picture so morbid that I felt like I should start braiding the rope to hang myself. It seemed to me that when the Kings finally are showing some optimistic play (Artest will be back, yada, Miller's play, yada, Beno, yada, Bibby, etc.) something a little more upbeat was warranted. Maybe she wrote the article before she left town for the weekend. Maybe the Kings will suck totally but I think I'd save an article like this for when that was absolutely clear - not after two wins with the excitement (naive or not) of finding Beno.

I normally like her articles but I think this one missed the mark and perhaps indicated she reads KingsFans.com.

 

[kgrichwine]

The Maloofs priced the product out of reasonable expense. It will take years to get the product back in line with the cost.

 

[VF21]

Well, VF21, given that the fans at Arco Arena seem to be in a stupor most of the game, I think it will take far more than fan support as the fans don't seem interested.

My first reaction to the article is that I thought it was totally out of place given the last two games. She paints a picture so morbid that I felt like I should start braiding the rope to hang myself. It seemed to me that when the Kings finally are showing some optimistic play (Artest will be back, yada, Miller's play, yada, Beno, yada, Bibby, etc.) something a little more upbeat was warranted. Maybe she wrote the article before she left town for the weekend. Maybe the Kings will suck totally but I think I'd save an article like this for when that was absolutely clear - not after two wins with the excitement (naive or not) of finding Beno.

I normally like her articles but I think this one missed the mark and perhaps indicated she reads KingsFans.com.

The article is truthful, IMHO. And factual. Things aren't going to be all sunshine and joy with capacity crowds and noise from beginning to end. But you know what? That's okay with me.

I had a fantastic time on Tuesday, enough so that I'm already making plans to attend MORE games than I had originally thought I could get to see. And I'll do it because of the effort and energy being shown.

The foreseeable future features excruciating losses, lottery selections and available seats. It's not terminal, but it will be painful...

Yes, the foreseeable future will at times be painful. We aren't going to beat the powerhouse teams. We aren't going to end up in the WC finals. BUT there will also be times, like Tuesday and last night, when the fans who are in Arco will rise to their feet and applaud the efforts. And some will be able to do so because suddenly seats are available again, throughout the arena.
I don't see this as a morbid picture. I've been very critical of Voisin in the past, but this isn't one of those times. She's saying this season is going to be painful, but if you never experience pain how can you truly appreciate joy?

 

[kennadog]

The Maloofs priced the product out of reasonable expense. It will take years to get the product back in line with the cost.

Not necessarily years. They've dropped in 4 years from 3rd to 9th. If they product improves, which is the goal, then the two will come together again. Unfortunately, the expenses didn't decline for MSE, just becasue the team went downhill.

 

[keflanag]

Maybe she wrote the article before she left town for the weekend. Maybe the Kings will suck totally but I think I'd save an article like this for when that was absolutely clear - not after two wins with the excitement (naive or not) of finding Beno.

Just a little tidbit of info. She did write this article prior to the Minnesota game, so they only had one win. My friend was the one quoted in the article and he talked to her during the Cleveland game.

 

[6th]

Just a little tidbit of info. She did write this article prior to the Minnesota game, so they only had one win. My friend was the one quoted in the article and he talked to her during the Cleveland game.

Cool, keflanag! Tell Bryan he did a great job and spoke for many.

 

[Mozart]

I don't think that...

...this year is going to be a long, drawn-out rebuilding process at all.


It'll be a partial re-tooling process, a refinement process and one which will likely result in a playoff berth with this year's Kings.


I'm tell'n ya, this year's team has a serious potential to really jell well and play well with the current mix of vets and new dudes, along with more new dudes with potential near-future trades.


I still see Bibby being traded off (too-big contract), along with Thomas in a package deal eventually--Bibby being currently injured is no big deal, as he's established a solid record of consistent performances and, at some point, some team somewhere is likely going to be desperate for a quality PG, due to an injury to a critical PG starter.


SAR is dead weight right now, but he may be well enough by the end of this season to actually play well with the use of his vet expertise in spot use; I hope that he could also be traded off to a situation that could use his kind of skills, as he's like a fish on land in the Kings' run 'n gun scheme.


Moore is better than people are giving him credit for--let him continue to play and he'll settle in soon, I think; his offensive record is better in the past than it is now, so, chances are that he'll upgrade his shooting % once he settles in and plays with steady confidence without losing his wild energy.