[LA Times] Steve Ballmer in 2018 : “We’re going to be good our way. We’re not going to show up and suck for a year, two years. I think we got higher expectations on us than the long, hard 5, 6 years of absolute crap like the 76ers put in. How could we look you guys in the eye if we did that to you?”
Steve Ballmer bounced out to center stage, punching his fist in the air and soaking up roars from a gathering of Clippers’ season ticket holders and fans. “Let me be clear,” the team’s owner proclaimed in a booming voice. “I’m fired up tonight.”
He wasn’t kidding.
The event Wednesday night at Novo at L.A. Live was billed as “The Playbook,” a conversation with Lawrence Frank — the Clippers’ president of basketball operations — and icon Jerry West, a team consultant. Ballmer made it feel more like a pep rally crossed with a tent revival, complete with devout responses from the Clippers faithful. “We know we’ve got to earn everything in life,” he said at one point, and someone in the crowd yelled, “Yes!” When he said, “Nothing comes to us for free,” an emotional voice cried, “Right!”
He held an audience of about 2,500 in the palm of his never-still hands. He promised no miracles, more hot dogs and a tough-minded team backed by a front office that finally has salary-cap flexibility and is eager to dive into the anticipated 2019 free-agent bonanza. “You’ve got to take the payroll down to take it up. We’re going to recruit our asses off, whatever it takes to give you the best team that we can give you year in and year out,” he said.
Ballmer also vowed that the Clippers won’t tank to get a better draft pick. “That ain’t us. Nuh-uh, no way,” he said. “People can do it their way. We’re going to be good our way. We’re not going to show up and suck for a year, two years. I think we got higher expectations on us than the long, hard five, six years of absolute crap like the 76ers put in. How could we look you guys in the eye if we did that to you?”
West, subdued by nature, enjoyed Ballmer’s animated delivery. “Being around him is like a breath of fresh air,” West said, smiling. “He’s like this all the time. I told Lawrence, ‘If he goes home, can you imagine his wife having to hear this all the time?’ She’s very quiet, by the way.”
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With less flair but more detail than their boss, Frank and West praised guard Jerome Robinson, drafted 13th by the Clippers, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the No. 11 pick whom they acquired from Charlotte. Both emphasized the team’s depth. “I’m not here to blow smoke toward anyone. I think this team is really going to be fun to watch,” West said. Frank added, “I think we’re going to put ourselves in great position to compete for the playoffs.”
Fans seemed to buy into the Clippers’ reinvention after the flameout of the Lob City era, a five-year period in which the Clippers clearly outperformed the Lakers but still didn’t get a championship banner. “I think they’re just moving a lot of money for cap space in order to probably get Kawhi Leonard. We’ll see. We can be patient,” said Chanda Rutherford of Compton, a seven-year season ticket holder who attended with her Laker-fan husband, Travis.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-fan-reception-elliott-20180816-story.html