« On Flatbush Avenue, small plazas slated for an upgrade; unlike plaza slated for arena block, this involved community consultation | Main | Arena/ A.R.E.A Bagel Battle Back On? »
November 28, 2010
New Jersey Nets: 3 Men Get Thorn Out
Bleacher Report
by Leslie Monteiro
Former Nets President Rod Thorn must really miss working with marketing "genius" Brett Yormark.
When Rod Thorn left the Nets this summer, something was not right. He would not have left the franchise in turmoil. He's not a quitter.
Thorn was eager to work for Mikhail Prokhorov, the Nets' new owner. He knew he could win with the billionaire's money. Unfortunately, that marriage was shorter than Tony Parker and Eva Longoria's.
When Thorn took the Sixers job this summer, people had questions about his decision. The answer came when he told New York Post's Peter Vecsey that he hated working for Nets CEO Brett Yormark.
Yormark fired back, saying the Nets have work to do after Rod's 12-70 season last year. Those were fighting words by both men, and it became clear that Thorn's departure was ugly.
...Yormark's assertion on Thorn is amusing. Only he knows why he thinks he is the expert. He was hired to market the team, but he failed miserably. Now he thinks he can operate a franchise?
If one guy has to go, it's Yormark. He embarrassed the organization by yelling at a fan last year. He ripped fans for not going to games. He did everything possible to alienate people in New Jersey by marketing to New Yorkers.
What does Prokhorov see in him? Yormark has done a fine job of BSing his way for years. He is part of the problem. Unless he goes, this franchise will go nowhere.
Posted by eric at November 28, 2010 9:35 PM