Thursday, March 1, 2012

LA Clippers Want ‘Clipper Darrell’ to Drop His Name

 
 
As an NBA junkie, I love the spirit and vigor of super fans. I love that they will cover they bodies in paint, show up at games in grass skirts, just the fact they seem to have no conscious. The epitome of the super fan is none other than 'Clipper Darrell'. His real name is Darrell Bailey, but as a Los Angeles native, he is a long time (15 years),devout super fan of none other than the Los Angeles Clippers. To call him hard core would do his passion no justice, to say he loves his Clippers is an understatement. He is more of a Clippers icon than the team's own mascot. He represents what every NBA fan should inspire to be, maybe not with those lovely blue and red suits, but the fact he has stayed steadfast with his team through all those craptastic years and, FINALLY, this year is being rewarded with some TRUE BLUE basketball.
 
What's the problem, then??
 
Clipper's front office is the problem.  
 
Here is a snippet from FishBowlLA:
 

Carl Lahr, senior vice president of marketing and sales, eventually returned Bailey's call last week and informed him that the organization didn't need him doing stories or speaking to the media on behalf of the team.

"We got to talking and I said the way I feel, you don't want Clipper Darrell no more," Bailey told FishbowlLA Wednesday. "You want Darrell Bailey back. They said, 'You would do that?'"

According to Bailey, the Clippers offered him an additional free season ticket if he dropped the Clipper nickname.

"That's when everything went haywire and they said I was trying to make money off sponsorships," Bailey added. "If people are going to pay me to do some things, why not do it? I don't see any harm in it as long as I'm not hurting the brand itself. I'm going to high schools, charity events, I do it all. They told me at the end of the conversation that, 'We would like you not to be Clipper Darrell anymore and would like you to go back to Darrell Bailey.'"

Lahr could not be reached for immediate comment.

Instead of wearing his customary red and blue suit, Bailey wore all black to Tuesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. When the Clippers return home from their six-game road trip on March 11, fans shouldn't expect to find a vocal Bailey cheering on the team.

Of course, the Clipper's PR sent out a statement:"The Clippers have done absolutely nothing wrong or inappropriate as it concerns Darrell Bailey. His claims are absurd and unfounded. He has never been an employee or representative of the Clippers organization, and therefore cannot be terminated. The Clippers have never engaged Mr. Bailey's services. When he has been in need, the organization has regularly provided him a seat for games. No good deed goes unpunished.

We have had multiple conversations with him concerning his inappropriate use of the Clippers' team name and trademark for his own unmonitored commercial gain. We have spoken to him repeatedly about his desire to make public appearances in ways which improperly suggest that he is officially affiliated with our organization. In all cases and over a long period of time, he has consistently rejected our efforts to operate in consultation.

In a conversation with an authoritative and tenured Clippers' executive last week, he was asked again to either consult with the team on all public appearances and/or commercial ventures, or stop undertaking those opportunities representing himself inappropriately. His response was an offer to stop representing himself commercially in that way and his offer was accepted in principle.

The next thing we heard was the baseless claims he has made today and the ensuing media rush to judgment."

We hold all of our fans in the highest esteem and we have been patient and generous with Mr. Bailey. He has not returned our support in an honorable way. He is not actually a fan of the Clippers, but a fan of what he can make off of the Clippers. We are no longer interested in that kind of association with him, and that is why we accepted his offer to remove our team name from his stage name."

I get what the Clippers organization is saying, I do. Clipper Darrell has his own website, ClipperDarrell.com, where he sells his own merchandise, he speaks to schools, invited to charity events, you get the gist. However, the Clipper organization, in turn, has used him for their own purposes especially in advertisement. Where was all this "stop using the 'Clipper' name and saying you're an official member of the organization" last year? 4 years ago? 8 years ago? Furthermore, where or rather when does Darrell EVER say he is, indeed (That's how it is spelled Wilson Chandler) an OFFICIAL member of the organization??  When Blake Griffin and Chris Paul show their support on a social media site in favor of Darrell, yeah, you know the Clipper management is fucking up .......... in a HUGE way.

Was it all fine as red wine that Darrell embraced the 'Clipper Darrell' moniker when the team was the laughingstock of the NBA?? Wouldn't one say that the Clipper organization were the ones that used Clipper Darrell rather than the other way around?? Wouldn't one say the Clipper Organization is a huge pile of douche??

Here is Clipper Darrell's response via his website.

I feel his anguish through his post and this is what makes the Clipper's organization truly sad.

One final thought:

Here's a chair I brought for the Clipper's management. Now, SIT YO ASS DOWN!!!

Until next time,

Mrs. NBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
\
 

Welcome Back, Voltron NUggets

What's better than a win?? A "First-game-back-from-All-Star-break-against-a-Northwest-Divison-rival" win. Yes, the Denver Nuggets of old, think January 2012 old, are back. They ousted the Portland Trail Blazers 104-95.
 
Yes. Voltron is back!
 
My game ball has to go to Kenneth "Manimal" Faried. It was Double-Double Manimal last night who acquired 13 points on 6-for-6 shooting and 10 rebounds, which included 7 OFFENSIVE rebounds, which is the most ANY Nuggets player has seen this season. He set the tone from the get, he has insurmountable energy, and all this in 17 minutes?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Yes, Manimal is invigorating, robust, and dynamic. It sounds as if I am describing a bottled jar of Ragu sauce. Naw, this is the bottled energy of Manimal, George Karl, let's open that jar for a full 30 minutes, okay, baby...
 
This was close to a solid game as I can remember, of course there were things that could have been better, there are always things I can be overcritical on, but a 9-point win over a division rival, well I can't piss, bitch, moan and complain about that.
 
What about Jordan Hamilton, sure he has negative, but bear in mind he is a rookie. Despite this, HAM can go, well..... H.A.M. Yes he took some horrible shots, BUT had 3 smooth assists, but was able to make a few of those horrible shots. I'm going to reiterate that Hamilton's release is so quick, and better yet, his shot, is silky smooth. I want to lick and taste that smooth shot.....yes, I really did just say that. However, he was benched because of him not boxing out Batum in which he scored. Nonetheless, Jordan's positives outweigh the negatives.
 
I know I was reactional for a few moments when Manimal was not in the game down the stretch, but Kosta was the better fit for the Portland matchups. Kosta did a phenomenal job defending down the stretch and his hard work has earned him that spot. It paid off, not only for him, but for the team as well. He was on the verge of a double-double. Welcome back, Al Harrington!! Yes, he missed his first field goal, but the man logged a double-double as well. His shot selection was better than what fans have seen, and he had his legs under him for most of the game. Al Harrington, back? Time will tell.
 
Ty Lawson!!! DEAR LORD. SWEET BABY JESUS!! HOLY MOLEY!!! It was ORGASMIC to see Ty Lawson take over in the 4th quarter like he did!! He only had 6 points before the 4th quarter but ended the game with 18 points with just 6-for-9 shooting in JUST the 4th quarter, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and just 1 turnover. He brought home that win for Denver. His offense was pure RAZZLE DAZZLE!!!
 
This was just a solid game of team basketball. OH! All without 3 KEY rotation players (Gallo, Rudy and Nene).
 
THIS IS NUGGETS BASKETBALL!
 
Until next time,
 
Mrs. NBA