In his interview with Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen, Cleveland cavs owner Dan Gilbert did admit going overboard promising a title to C-Town fans (" I know I made that crazy promise," but it was more of a rallying cry to get people to rally around that message."), but the Cavs owner may bit a calmer, but does not back down from most of his comments:
"People know what the truth is," Gilbert said. "Because I say it or because I don't say it, people know what it is. All players are not alike. There are players who understand what it's all about. Could there be a few guys who don't want to come, like Chris Bosh? Probably. We're looking for guys who are tough and want to compete.
Dan Gilbert on trying to connect with Lebron before "The Decision"
Gilbert acknowledged that he was unable to reach James in the weeks before he left for Miami. He looks back on it and realizes as a new NBA owner that he didn't appreciate the need to establish firm guidelines from the beginning in his relationship with James.
"I asked [Bulls owner] Jerry Reinsdorf, 'Did certain things happen with Michael [Jordan]? Did he not return your calls?' " Gilbert said. "He said, 'No, that would never happen, never.' I did hear this was very unusual,'' Gilbert said of his inability to communicate with James.
Dan Gilbert On "The Decision" TV Program
"...The last few days when it got set up in Connecticut [to broadcast his announcement], we couldn't figure it out. It was just very bizarre. Why is he going to the Boys & Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn.? We started thinking to ourselves, It doesn't make sense. We can't think he's going to go on national TV and build it up and humiliate and disgrace Cleveland, Ohio, by saying he's leaving. The only way he comes out of this positive is if he announces he's staying, because otherwise he's going to destroy himself. That was our thought process"
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ian_thomsen/07/12/dan.gilbert/index.html#ixzz0tV960c00
No comments:
Post a Comment