Post about Bob Johnson IN THE CHARLOTTE Paper

[aggieman007]

think that BET (Black Every Time) Johnson should sell this African American Run Team to Jerry Richardson. Mr. Richardson really cares about the people of the Carolinas. He has found a way to finance a stadium without any help from us tax payers. You sure can't say that about Mr. Boob Johnson. Does Boob even pay any taxes in North Carolina. I wonder how many PS L's BJ could sell for this joke of a franchise. It was only a short time ago that he went crying to David Stern about how he was losing money. However now he is ready to pay Kobe 86 million dollars. Can we really believe anything that comes out of this man's mouth or his bros?

Posted by: Bring Back The Charlotte Hornets

[DECKS]

This is some racist crap but it's also the truth. Bob Johnson & MJ are running this franchise like idiots. They have totally turned the local caucasian population against this franchise with their hirings. The imbeciles obviously haven't figured out who buys the tickets around here.

[aggiejazz]

Johnson has to think customers first. Johnson knows how to squeeze a nickle and make a dime. His customers in Charlotte are quite different than his BET audience. I thought MJ was not the right guy bring in as President when I first heard the news. It had PR pacifying written all over it. Johnson will be in a tough position if the Bobcats don't challenge for a playoff spot next year.

[Bigboy]

Is something wrong with their hiring practice because they are hiring too many black people??? If this is the case and the white fans are staying away because of this then it sounds like the white fans are the idiots. These same white fans chose to stay away from the Hornet's games right before they moved to N.O. They said it was because of the owner. Was it because he was hiring too many white people?

[aggierattler]

As a former "director" with the old Charlotte Hornets, owner George Shinn did everything possible to turn the city against the franchise: rape trial, snooping on employees, meddling on basketball decisions and "low-balling" player contracts and employee salaries.

Bob Johnson seems to be doing the right things to cultivate this franchise into being a major player in The Association. He has brought in good people (Fred Whitfield, Michael Jordan and Rod Higgins) to run his organization...and if he will get our-of-their-way and let them do their jobs, the team will flourish. He seems to be on the right track.

All-in-all, having lived there for 18 years, I know that Charlotte really doesn't create racial lines in sports as much as other cities do (such as my hometown of Pittsburgh). I think that white fans will support a good product on the court, regardless of who owns the team.

[DECKS]

bigboy said:

Is something wrong with their hiring practice because they are hiring too many black people??? If this is the case and the white fans are staying away because of this then it sounds like the white fans are the idiots. These same white fans chose to stay away from the Hornet's games right before they moved to N.O. They said it was because of the owner. Was it because he was hiring too many white people?

Nothing wrong with the hiring practices but you have to realize who it is that buys the tickets. The Bobcats suffer from very low attendance and part of the reason is perception by white males that the organization is not diverse enough. Never mind the lack of AA front office representation on the other pro sports teams here, but i digress. Last year there was a whole show devoted to this topic and a lot of em basically had the same opinion as the letter writer. The sad truth is no major sports franchise can make it in Charlotte without the support of white males 18-54. Bob johnson and MJ have to realize this isn't BET.

[Bigboy]

I guess the rude awakening is that this is still the "south". I guess "MJ" might find out that he is not as beloved in N.C. as he thought he was!!!! If they create a winner all fans will come, no matter what color.

[AggieMike]

I think the Bobcats mess up because they are hiring the best black candidate and not best overall candidate, they've established the fact that they were a black owned and operated business when they were founded now it's time for them to operate like the rest of the NBA and do their due diligence not just finding the best black people but best people period. If you remember they had Sam Mitchell tapped to replace Bernie Bickerstaff, he was one of the best open coaches that's why Toronto scooped him. Sam Vincent is one of Jordan's boys with minimal experience. It's definitely a Fobbs' style hire but I'll wait and see what he does.

[AggieMike]

Correction, I meant to say they started out hiring just black people period! Bernie Bickerstaff was statistically one of the worst coaches in NBA history when he got the head coach and general manager job

[aggie82]

no matter who you hire to run the team, at some point you have to get some players...one way that i evaluate players on weaker teams is to ask the question, What good team could they go to and start, or be in the rotation? take a look at LeBron and the Cavs, probably one of least talented teams of the 16 teams that made the playoffswe all know they want to upgrade and improve....Is there anyone on the Bobcats roster who could help the Cavs? Three of the Bobcats starters, Felton, Okafor and Wallace could contribute, and maybe Felton could start...Matt Carroll could knock down some shots. other than that, the rest of the guys are spot players at best....Bottom line, you have to spend money to get players, and thus far Bob Johnson has not shown that he wants to spend the bucks and acquire players via free agency.,...so it really doesnt matter that Mike hired his boys...if things dont change financially for the team, Bob Johnson is going to sell anyway..