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September 21, 2012
While flawed, this Charlotte Bobcats draft documentary is worth an hour
I just reviewed an advance copy of “Driven,’’ SportSouth’s documentary on the Charlotte Bobcats’ 2012 draft. They’ll be showing it a lot the next few weeks, and it’s worth an hour of your time if you follow the Bobcats.
The best thing about this work is the Bobcats granted SportSouth massive access behind the scenes. There are segments in the middle of the program that eavesdrop on pre-draft debates about certain prospects.
Two good examples: General manager Rich Cho making the point that Connecticut center Andre Drummond is so raw, it would be hard to play him and Bismack Biyombo together. Or the front office discussing whether drafting Kansas’ Thomas Robinson would cause such a log-jam at power forward, they’d need to seek a trade.
It was also interesting to hear Michael Kidd-Gilchrist say he was “shocked’’ he was drafted second overall. Obviously the Bobcats didn’t tip their hand as they considered trade offers on draft day.
Now the however…If you’re expecting something like “Hard Knocks,’’ HBO’s annual peek inside an NFL team’s preseason, “Driven’’ falls short. In tone it leans toward an infomercial for the Bobcats. Team officials and owner Michael Jordan were given a lot of latitude to make their case for improvement without anyone questioning their perspective.
Almost like that 7-59 record was an aberration, rather than a reality.
SportSouth holds the television rights to the Bobcats, so promoting the product is understandable. I never expected a 60 Minutes interview, but go in knowing this program isn’t about scrutiny.
I did chuckle a bit when Jordan said, “I want to be as transparent as possible.’’
I get more access to Jordan than any other local journalist, and that’s slim pickings. He gave me an interview late last season and he spoke briefly at a charity golf tournament in July. He didn’t make himself available after the season, after the coaching hire or after the draft.
I hope Jordan speaks before next season starts because he’d do himself and the franchise some good, addressing all that has transpired this off-season.
Upcoming air times for 'Driven'
SportSouth
9/28 @ 5:00pm ET
9/28 @ 11:00pm ET
10/3 @ 5:00pm ET
FOX Sports Carolinas
10/12 @ 9:00pm ET
10/13 @ 12:00pm ET
10/27 @ 10:00pm ET
Posted by Observer Sports on September 21, 2012 at 01:56 PM | Permalink
Comments
When does it air? So i can record it
Posted by: Tiny Tom | Sep 21, 2012 2:38:19 PM
Why does it have to be Jordan that speaks? Why not Cho or the head coach? Jordan doesn't have to do every interview. He's the owner.
Posted by: amosby | Sep 21, 2012 3:21:04 PM
"DRIVEN: Tougher, Faster, Stronger, the 2012 Bobcats Draft" Premieres on Saturday at 10 p.m. on FOX Sports Carolinas
Posted by: Meagan | Sep 21, 2012 4:17:24 PM
Amosby, this is because Jordan (unlike Bob Johnson) is a very involved owner on every important basketball decision for this franchise. Cho and Higgins have their input, Jordan has the final say. That's why more openness to the media on his side would be very commendable indeed.
If he said "I want to be as transparent as possible", then Rick Bonnell has every right to expect him to live up to this statement a little more than he did so far.
Posted by: Sandy | Sep 21, 2012 10:56:37 PM
Please stop acting as if you want jordan to speak to the fans. You want it for yourself. It's in your best interest period. And sandy why are are you now saying mj has final say when every media outlet is reporting that mj has given control over. No other owener is required to talk to the media as much as mj. Why? Because the media knows talking to mj brings them attention. That is all they care about NOT THE FANS!
Posted by: crymeariver | Sep 22, 2012 3:51:03 AM
Crymearivee is so right. How many times does Peter Holt or Arinson or Jerry Buss talk about their teams. If Jordan is taking a step back to be an owner, that is great. I don't believe they have done anything like this, maybe that's what he meant by transparency, but Rick has to turn it not something about himself. Why won't he talk to me? Boo hoo.
Posted by: Clutch | Sep 22, 2012 6:01:09 AM
News flash. I don't need to hear from Jordan. What he says is irrelevant. What he does is important. These media types are so self important.
Posted by: Skip | Sep 22, 2012 8:49:53 PM
I read too those media reports you mentioned, crymeariver, and I think they are at least partly distorting the facts, by exaggerating some things.
Hey, have you ever heard such a thing, that some media reports are distorting the basic facts ?! (hint: about every day...).
I think that MJ hired Rich Cho in order to give him a big role in player personnel decisions. I also think that MJ is stepping back from picking BY HIMSELF players for the team. He must've had enough of hearing about using a 1st pick overall on Kwame Brown, or trading a rising, young, team oriented Rip Hamilton, for an injured, older, primadonna (Jerry Stackhouse) in his days with the Wizards, or, picking Adam Morrison 3rd overall, against Bernie Bickerstaff's advice.
So, he's not picking by himself any longer, he gives a lot of responsibility to Cho and Higgins - and yet, he has the final say. That's how it was with Larry Brown too: LB came up with his requests, but they couldn't really happen without Jordan's approval.
I can't see him giving up on this involvement (I'd call it his veto power). He has basketball in his blood; he's a businessman too, but his passion for the game is above anything else (unlike Bob Johnson).
Also, the idea of taking this course - dismantling the 2010 playoffs team and rebuilding with youth - was his idea. Cho was hired because he agrees with this thinking.
That's why I totally agree with Rick; not only the journalists, the fans who care to know and understand better what's going on with this team should also expect more openness to the media from Michael Jordan.
Posted by: Sandy | Sep 23, 2012 12:57:39 AM
If this was any other owner there would be no discussion about being seen. But because it's Jordan, everyone thinks he has an obligation to do interviews and be more open with the fans. Those days are gone. He did that when he played. As an owner, it's the reverse. People just don't get that.
Posted by: defensewinsgames | Sep 23, 2012 6:12:24 AM
DWG is dead on. Media clowns think he is still a player or team executive. He is the owner. Huge difference, if they are following the OKC model, Clay Bennet rarely talks about the team. Jordan can't win. Too involved, not involved enough. It looks like he finally has a plan. And part of it is acting like an owner does. Now if only the media will let him.
Posted by: Skip | Sep 23, 2012 8:00:57 AM
jordan has been better than johnson and he's moving things in the right direction. ticket prices are down, deals and sales are up, coaching hire looks to be a great one, draft looks solid.....
while I don't give cho the same presti r.c. buford credit some people think he deserves, there's no way he can be worse than rod higgins. no effing way. higgins made david kahn look genius.
Posted by: charlottean | Sep 23, 2012 6:22:22 PM
Every owner in this league has veto right but that does not mean that they don't let their gms do what is best for the team. Cho himself told a portland newspaper that mj has moved on and is letting them make decisions. All they have to do now is let him know. That is it. True, it was mj's plan to start over but he found someone with the same believe to execute that plan. How many times do we have to hear him explain why the team was dismantled. Cho is who we need to be hearing form often not mj.
Posted by: crymeariver | Sep 23, 2012 6:23:38 PM
The Bobcats should seriously consider Donte Greene and give him a 1 Year minimum contract, and perhaps a 2nd year team options (in case he actually improves). He will be able to prove himself in a new enviroment, new team and new coach. The kid is 6-11 with some upside since he is only 24.
Also, as crazy as it sounds, signing Tracy McGrady won't be a bad idea. He will only play 10-15mpg the most and he can play SF, SG and can actually be the teams 3rd PG. He will also provide some leadership and mentoring for the young kids in the team and it will be another 1 Year veteran minimum contract. An even at his age, he still ranks higher than more than half of the team (Based on ESPN Rank#).
The Bobcats Team will be:
Walker(199), Sessions(146), Gordon(154)
Henderson(184), Williams(283), Carroll(446)
Kidd-Gilchrist(128), Taylor(416), McGrady(240)
Biyombo(222), Thomas(253), Greene(336)
Haywood(260), Mullens(317), Diop(440)
Jordan Williams could be another guy worth of a 1 Year contract.
Posted by: Rob C | Sep 25, 2012 11:18:43 AM
I don't need to hear from Jordan. If he has given the decision-making to Cho, that's the best move he's made since 1998. Cho took a Seattle/OKC team that hadn't been worth a crap in years, and in 3 years he had all the pieces in place for the team to be what it is now. For whatever stupid reason, he was only given 9 months to repeat the feat in Portland. Last year was the final year of getting rid of all the dead weight, we have a new coach with an exciting style, we have some exciting young players, and for the first time in forever, a player who shoots 3s that have at least a decent shot at going in (Gordon).
I hope MJ lets Cho keep building, that we can manage to win 30 games this year and keep building.
Posted by: J | Sep 25, 2012 5:56:14 PM
The Bobcats Team will be:
Walker(199), Sessions(146), Gordon(154)
Henderson(184), Williams(283), Carroll(446)
Kidd-Gilchrist(128), Taylor(416), McGrady(240)
Biyombo(222), Thomas(253), Greene(336)
Haywood(260), Mullens(317), Diop(440)
THAT TEAM IS TERRIBLE! How does a team assembled by "professionals" become this bad?
Posted by: Sambo | Sep 26, 2012 10:51:03 AM
Sambo -
That is Lottery Team indeed, but is not worst than last season. And although many can disagree...I don't think the Bobcats will be the worst team in the NBA next season. It's very difficult for me to think that Orlando, Detroit, Toronto, Sacramento and even Houston are that much better than the Bobcats. I think these six teams are the worst in the NBA right now and I don't think the Bobcats will end up in the worst 3 teams.
Even if they do, next year for the first time since 2006, they will have not only a ton of Cap Space, but they will also have some solid young pieces and some draft picks, even if they end up giving Chicago they protected pick they owe. The Bobcats potentially have Portlands Pick (Top 12 Protected) and may even have their own pick since it's Top 12 Protected in 2013, before it goes to Chicago. And more important, for the first time in team history, they have a credible GM (Rich Cho) that actually seems to know what he is doing.
Posted by: Rob C | Sep 26, 2012 1:18:25 PM
Detroit and Houston are appreciably better than the Bobcats.
I'm not saying there is not a plan in place to improve the team, I'm saying that the team as constituted is laughable. Absent the draft pick that fell in their laps, they don't have a player on the team in the top 150! All 30 teams could fill out their starting 5 without a solitary member of the Bobcats cracking it. That's pathetic.
I'm a homer and a Bobcats fan, but you're drinking the Kool Aid if you think that is a team that may potentially jeopardize a top 12 protected pick this year.
Posted by: Sambo | Sep 27, 2012 9:48:41 AM
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