Big Nellie Out, Little One In???? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

FishForLunch · 07-01-2002, 01:17 PM

The Ticket is saying that Big Don has bowed out for Little. Can anyone confirm it

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 01:22 PM

Whoa Nellie!

Haven't heard a word. Not on NBA.com, ESPN, CNNSI, etc....

grbh · 07-01-2002, 01:25 PM

Just turned on the Ticket about 5 minutes ago. No mention.

Yet

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 01:31 PM

I think fish is on crack. I just called a friend of mine at the DMN and they are reporting a story on little Nellie POSSIBLY going to Denver. No mention of anything else.

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 01:39 PM

db.com still has the story about little whistle going to Denver.

probably fish misunderstood the report?

FishForLunch · 07-01-2002, 01:42 PM

I did hear it on the stupid Ticket ticker. Maybe it is was a Tease. Their tease worked though. I am listening to the ticket now instead of Rome

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 01:44 PM

A lot of folks are reporting the possibility. Could you have read it wrong?

FishForLunch · 07-01-2002, 01:49 PM

I will switch over to Fish at 2:00 and maybe I will get the true story then.

Murphy3 · 07-01-2002, 01:55 PM

i think you misheard what was said...it was a question they were posing, not a statement.

Don Nelson was on the ticket today (norm's show) saying he didn't need to coach any longer and would step down if that's what it took to keep little nellie here...

Dooby · 07-01-2002, 02:24 PM

I assume this ahs been debunked.

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 04:25 PM

debunked, thunked, and slam dunked

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 04:34 PM

Mavs press conference announced for 5 pm according to Rob....

might be something to this after all.

LonestarROB · 07-01-2002, 04:35 PM

<< Mavs press conference announced for 5 pm according to Rob.... >>

Via Newy on NBC. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Don't blame me if nothing happens [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] .

Dooby · 07-01-2002, 04:37 PM

A Mavs press conference means 1 of 2 things:

1) Nellie is stepping down now and Donnie is in charge.

2) Nellie is stepping down in a year and Donnie is taking over then.

There are no other options. Denver is not having a press conference (that I know of, and it would have to be before a Dallas one), so Donnie isn't leaving.

This preempts Denver saying yea or nay on Donnie. A nay vote coupled with an announcement would be bad PR for the Mavs and Donnie.

So, we got 2 choices, folks. What do you think?

Dooby · 07-01-2002, 04:41 PM

5:15 means possibly live on local news. Gives barely enough time to put a package of tape together for Hansen, et al. at 6. I think Donnie Nelson is your new head coach.

FilthyFinMavs · 07-01-2002, 04:52 PM

What channel does this come on? NBC? at 5:15?

Bayliss · 07-01-2002, 04:54 PM

Go with 1. Give Dobbie a year to develop while Shaq and Kobe are going so well. Donnie is not going to win his very first coaching and right now even with him as head coach we are still behind LA, Sacramento, & the Spurs. But a year under his belt will throw the coaching learning curve on a slower slope. And that would be a great thing for us.

FishForLunch · 07-01-2002, 04:57 PM

I hate to do this to the Doctor but here it goes

I TOLD YOU SO, I WAS NOT SEEING AND HEARING THINGS

Just Kidding Doc!

FilthyFinMavs · 07-01-2002, 04:58 PM

<< Go with 1. Give Dobbie a year to develop while Shaq and Kobe are going so well. Donnie is not going to win his very first coaching and right now even with him as head coach we are still behind LA, Sacramento, & the Spurs. But a year under his belt will throw the coaching learning curve on a slower slope. And that would be a great thing for us. >>

Im in no rush to win a title but another year off of Finley and NAsh's prime? Winning it all is gonna takemore than one year with Lil Nellie but I still wont count the Mavs out with as much talent as the Mavs have. And I think we are in front of the Spurs our main concerns should be Kings and LAkers IMO.

Dooby · 07-01-2002, 05:04 PM

Text of 5:10 Ticket Ticker (decifer for yourself):

MONEY WHIPPING LITTLE WHISTLE

THE NUGGETS WANT DONNIE NELSON TO BE THEIR NEXT HEAD COACH...LOWES COMPANIES AND SMU ATHLETIC DEPT...THEY DRAFTED A COUPLE OF FOREIGNERS WITH HIGH PICKS AND THEY HAD HIM IN FOR A QUICK INTERVIEW ON FRIDAY. HIS DAD WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM STAY IN DALLAS AND TO THAT END HE TOLD NORM HE WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A CHANGE IN HIS EMPLOYMENT STATUS
-TAPE-
CUBAN IS SAID TO HAVE OFFERED...INCREASE IN PAY AND ADDED RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY WITH THE MAVS
-0-
RANGERS ARE OFF. WELCOME THE D RAYS TO TOWN TOMORROW NIGHT..ROGERS SCHEDULED TO START
-0-

Hoopsmeister · 07-01-2002, 05:12 PM

So--any word on the press conference yet for those of us at work and unable to follow?

LonestarROB · 07-01-2002, 05:13 PM

<< CUBAN IS SAID TO HAVE OFFERED...INCREASE IN PAY AND ADDED RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY WITH THE MAVS
- >>

Yep, Donnie staying in Dallas for atleast one more year. And is becoming the President of Basketball Operations. Hes getting a pay raise too.

Hoopsmeister · 07-01-2002, 05:25 PM

<<

<< CUBAN IS SAID TO HAVE OFFERED...INCREASE IN PAY AND ADDED RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY WITH THE MAVS
- >>

Yep, Donnie staying in Dallas for atleast one more year. And is becoming the President of Basketball Operations. Hes getting a pay raise too. >>

Who had that job before? Was it part of Nellie's portfolio?

And I really wanted to keep little whistle, but I also wanted Nellie to have at least one more season to see what he can do with this team, so the result is all good to me.

FilthyFinMavs · 07-01-2002, 06:04 PM

<<

<<

<< CUBAN IS SAID TO HAVE OFFERED...INCREASE IN PAY AND ADDED RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY WITH THE MAVS
- >>

Yep, Donnie staying in Dallas for atleast one more year. And is becoming the President of Basketball Operations. Hes getting a pay raise too. >>

Who had that job before? Was it part of Nellie's portfolio?

And I really wanted to keep little whistle, but I also wanted Nellie to have at least one more season to see what he can do with this team, so the result is all good to me. >>

I agree with your whole post and I feel the same way. I want NEllie to atleast get 1 ring before he leaves us. And was alos wondering who had the job.

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 06:23 PM

Fish- no problemo!

Glad to see Little Whistle staying put. Even if it isn't as head coach. He will be next year.

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 06:38 PM

OK WTF?

Why is NOONE reporting on this move? db.com, ESPN, CNNSI, DMN...not a damn one of them. Someone yanking some chain here?

MavKikiNYC · 07-01-2002, 06:42 PM

eastern media bias...

not a story if it doesn't happen east of the mississippi by 5:30PM (eastern time)

<kidding of course>

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 06:43 PM

Did anyone actually hear a news conference?

LonestarROB · 07-01-2002, 07:32 PM

<< Did anyone actually hear a news conference? >>

Bits and pieces. Little of Cuban, 'lil of Nellie, 'lil of Donnie and some from Fin.

MavKikiNYC · 07-01-2002, 08:15 PM

Is Keith Grant still with the organization?

What is/was his title?

DTL · 07-01-2002, 08:29 PM

AP link at Yahoo! Sports

Younger Nelson named Mavs' president of basketball operations
By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer
July 1, 2002

FRISCO, Texas (AP) -- Donnie Nelson won't consider his life a failure if he never becomes an NBA coach. He's more interested in helping his father win his first championship as a coach, and in being part of the reason for it.

So after interviewing for the coaching vacancy in Denver, Nelson dropped out of consideration Monday and instead accepted an offer to become the president of basketball operations for the Dallas Mavericks.

Nelson already was an assistant coach and director of player personnel in Dallas. The new title has no new duties, but gives him the authority to take ideas directly to owner Mark Cuban instead of having to go through his father, coach-general manager Don Nelson.

``Are you my boss now?'' said Don Nelson, who tried buttering up his son just in case by apologizing for ever having spanked Donnie.

Donnie, 39, has spent 18 seasons in the NBA, mostly working for his father. They've been together in Dallas throughout the team's turnaround from one of the worst to one of the best.

The younger Nelson long ago erased any notions of nepotism, making his mark primarily through scouting and recruiting foreign players. His work overseas can certainly be considered groundbreaking, especially in light of the international tilt to last week's draft.

Nelson also knows Xs and Os. He went 15-8 as interim coach the past two seasons.

GM Kiki Vandeweghe worked with Donnie Nelson in Dallas before becoming Denver's GM. He put Nelson on the short list of candidates in his first coaching search.

They met for six hours Friday. When Donnie Nelson returned, he was stunned to see his father quoted as saying he was willing to step down and give the Mavs coaching job to his son if that's what it took to keep him.

He went to dinner at his father's house to talk things out. Cuban got involved, too, e-mailing him proposals on stepping up his role in the organization.

``The whole thing was about keeping the braintrust together,'' Cuban said.

They finally nailed it Monday afternoon, then quickly called a news conference at Stonebriar Country Club, where much of the team was gathered for Michael Finley's charity golf tournament.

``I've been dreaming about this since I was shagging balls with the Celtics when my dad was playing,'' Donnie Nelson said. My ultimate dream was to win a ring with him and I think that in the next couple of years we'll be in position to do that.''

The deal was done on a handshake and has no expiration date. There's also no secret plan to make Donnie Nelson the successor to his father, who has one season left on his coaching contract but several more as GM.

Donnie Nelson will be involved in naming the next coach, whenever that is, and will put his name on the candidates list ``only if it makes sense for me to be on it.''

He's not sure whether he'll remain on the sidelines or concentrate more on front-office duties. The flexibility excites him, and reminds him of the do-it-all role Cotton Fitzsimmons had in Phoenix when Nelson was an assistant there.

``I'm a great utility guy, a troubleshooter,'' he said.

Nelson already has been doing plenty of GM-like work, but his new role gives him the authority to get more things done. Other GMs will return his calls quicker -- ``They don't always take a call from an assistant coach,'' he said -- and foreign teams will be more apt to deal with someone whose business card has the word ``president'' on it.

Best of all, Nelson said, is not uprooting his family and letting his 9-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son spend plenty of time around their grandfather.

``I'm a happiness guy, not a money guy, not a title guy,'' Nelson said. ``I was scratching my head, wondering why I would want to leave this utopia. This thing has the whole package. I realized I'd be crazy to leave.''

Drbio · 07-01-2002, 08:53 PM

Thanks for the article!!!!

This is GREAT news!

jacktruth · 07-02-2002, 12:00 PM

I like to see people making decisions for the right reasons. It makes me proud to be a Mavs fan.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

FilthyFinMavs · 07-02-2002, 12:51 PM

Anybody see Finley with the corn rows? I dotn know why he doesent have it like that every game but maybe its to hard to keep up.

MavKikiNYC · 07-02-2002, 01:14 PM

Pink sponge curlers are so passé.

Drbio · 07-02-2002, 04:09 PM

LOL!