Problems in Nashville?

[cardinal]

Check this out:

http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/64904608.shtml?Element_ID=64904608

Nashville is one of the stable franchises, but this is discouraging.

[Sam Hill]

Paging Houston Caldwell...Houston Caldwell, please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone....Houston Caldwell.

I mean, this league is bizarre. But this is perhaps the most bizarre thing ever.

I don't understand. She didn't want the guy playing----why? Didn't he have like 30 points in his first game or something?

Sounds like Sally Anthony was off her meds or something. Man, that's bizarre.

Even funnier in retrospect is this recent quote from Anthony in the Daily Herald newspaper:


"I'll be at every game and if I see anyone give Ashley a hard time, I don't care if it's some big 6-foot-8 guy, I'll walk right out there and yank him off the court," Anthony told me this week. "I'm serious. Come to a game, maybe you'll see. I wouldn't care if we both got technicals. I will not let Ashley be disrespected by anyone.

Except, you know, me.

[dshaw62197]

What a shame. Nashville seemed to be one of the more stable franchises; however, after reading about the owner, I have my doubts... hopefully HC will drop by and give us some info on the situation.

Until then, DON'T DISS ASHLEY! :)

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Sally Anthony was right to fire the coach!

Who is Matt Freije and why was the other Nashville owner willing to pay him $5,000 a game for only two games? I've never heard of him. Front office types make too much of the notion that home grown talent draws fans. Take Gary, Indiana for example. Three time CBA all star Jemeil Rich is home grown talent. Heck! I never even heard of Jemeil Rich until he started playing for the Steelheads. Fans like myself cheer on Rich, Clark, Jones, and Graves because they produce--not because of where they were born.

The coach owed everything to owner Sally Anthony--and this is how the owner is re-paid.

[Sam Hill]

Yes, because the last thing on Earth you want is a guy who (a) was good enough to start in the NBA (even if it was for the worst team in the league) and (b) dropped 30 in his first ABA game after arriving at 5 am after driving all night from New Orleans. Can't have that on our team, no way.

Hey, I'd never heard of Sally Anthony before this team.

And even if you disobey your boss (and the story makes it seem like we don't know the whole story ---- like, WTF? You signed the guy to a 2-game contract, and the owner comes on the floor and tells you not to play him in the second game? During the second game? WTF is that?), your boss can't be doing that stuff during the game and then getting into an altercation with someone in the stands.

Just based on what's in the story, sounds like she's got issues.

I mean, how many stories have there been in the Tennesseean the last few days about them pursuing this guy? Does Sally Anthony not read the papers or consult with her GM-in-law before they sign a player?

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Heck! Sally proved she had issues long ago when she hired a 22 year old female to coach her team, thus alienating a huge chunk of the team's potential fan base by bypassing more qualified African-American coaches in the Nashville area. At least one member of the black media called for a boycott of Rhythm games for just that reason.

Heck! Sally proved she had issues (and several others along with Sally proved likewise) long ago when she (they) invested $10,000 in the ABA--knowing that the ABA had past and present credibility problems. Steve Chase of the Jam (arguably the most successful ABA franchise) offered warnings about impending ABA doom 12 months ago--a full twelve month advanced warning! Dang! What he's saying now is nothing new. Yet people like Sally went full speed ahead with their seasons--without so much as a final schedule.

My point is that Sally Anthony has obviously wasted money before and she is the boss. Go for it Sally!

[Pounder]

If the GM was spending Sally's money, that's one thing. It's easy to see how things like that may have been discovered late in the game.

However, good luck finding more coaches and players. If your owner needs meds to restrain herself from questioning on-floor decisions in the middle of the game, would you really want to play or coach for her? Any stability this team had just went out the window.

Put it this way- I found out about this on CNN Headline News. You know it's bad when they devote their precious few open seconds away from the Iraq vote and Michael Jackson pre-trial fireworks on this.

[Sam Hill]

Okay, that's fine, but put it this way:

1 - In addition to the myriad of articles written in the last few days in the Tennesseean about the signing, Nashville had a press conference to announce the signing (which the guy didn't show up for), so do you think at some point someone in the organization would have let Sally know that, oh, by the way, we're spending $10,000 on this guy for two games?

2 - WTF were they doing spending $10,000 on this guy for two games? You can't do that unless, a la Dennis Rodman, you expect to get increased ticket sales to get that money back. And considering the short time period between the announcement and the games, I don't know why you'd expect people to rush right down to see a guy they just saw play at Vandy for four years (or however long he played there) so you could make up that money. It's insane.

3 - Boy GM said "We really want to sign him. We have plenty of room under the salary cap." Well, hell, that tells me you're skimping on the other guys. But you have $10,000 just sitting around to give this guy? What's up with that?

4 - If the guy had a two game contract for $10,000, I'm no lawyer but depending on how it reads, they may have been obligated to pay him the second $5,000 for Saturday whether he played or not. Just a guess on that. But once he stepped on the floor for that second game, I'd say he had a pretty strong case for the extra $5,000, and at that point you don't cause a scene on the fricking floor in the middle of the game towards the coach you said you'd "never let anyone disrespect." You wait until it's over, you call her in, and if you fire her tomorrow and call it "philosophical differences," it might leak out that it was because she played a $5,000-a-game player when she wasn't supposed to, but so what? That doesn't make CNN Headline News. This does.

Congratulations, Nashville. You're now officially an ABA franchise. You were trying hard not to be, and were doing a good job until last night.

One question - was this, by chance, the ABA Game of the Week on the High School Audio/Visual Club Television Network? Not that anyone would have seen it, but there would be video in existence.

[Sam Hill]

Meanwhile, the ABA put out a release today (http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3121966) that Ashley McIlhiney would be one of the coaches for the All-Star Game in two weeks.

Guess not!

Guess they greenlighted the release without, oh, reading Oursportscentral first! :roll:

[Houston Caldwell]

25 games of good coaching, good play, and competent front office management could be headed out the window with this snafu. I have as many unanswered questions as the rest of you, because Dan Bucher's cellphone has been disconnected (evidently since last night).
1- Evidently the Rhythm agreed to pay Freije, Vanderbilt's all-time leading scorer and the hero of last year's Vandy NCAA Sweet Sixteen team, $10,000 to play 2 games (which doesn't make a lot of economic sense on a team with $120,000 salary cap for the whole team for a season). The Rhythm desperately needed another good post player with Adam Sonn injured and Dontae Jones leaving the team to play in Korea, and Matt is a 6-10 player with inside/outside skills; he scored 44 points in the 2 victories over the Knights this weekend; Matt's a good player,but IMO, is not as good a player as Dontae Jones, who was,IMO, was the ABA's best player prior to his departure. Supposedly, Sally herself told team management to do "whatever it takes" to sign Freije.
2- Evidently, the Rhythm did "whatever it took", and IMO, paid above market value to sign Matt; would like to hear from Ken or someone else knowledgeable about the CBA about what maximum salary levels are in that league. If you're going to pay that kind of money to an ABA player, he'd better be (A) one of the league's 3 or 4 best players or (B) a player whose presence will increase your attendance by a minimum of 500 per game. Matt is a valuable player but NOT one of the ABA's 3 or 4 best players at this point. The Rhythm, going into this weekend, were averaging about 1150 fans per game at Allen Arena; Friday night, they drew 901 for Freije's debut. I was at Saturday night's game, and attendance was stronger than Friday night, but I haven't been able to obtain a crowd count, it would have taken about 2400 to bring the weekend average to the 1650 needed to meet the criteria I described, and I am confident that there were not that many fans there. So, frankly, I think the Rhythm overpaid for Matt's services (especially when you consider that they probably could have paid HALF that and kept Dontae Jones). However, a deal is a deal, even if you made a bad one. And if Sally was the driving force behind this signing , as it appears on the surface, she shouldn't be blaming the hired help for the result (what appeared to be average crowds and 2 victories against one of the ABA's best 7 or 8 teams). For the record, DB thought we were probably going to lose both of those games.
3-Freije is good enough that I wouldn't have a problem with his being the highest-paid Rhythm player, if this were at a level commensurate with the top CBA/NBDL salaries, but $5000 per game is way above his current market value to an American minor league basketball franchise.
4- It will be interesting to see where things go from here. Team ownership has some PR damage to repair, but that's not impossible. Restoring Ashley MacElhiney as HC would be a nice start, as she has done an excellent job (18-7 record, with 6 of the losses being to Arkansas/Mississippi, who have clearly more talented rosters; after last weeks' loss to the Rimrockers, I made the observation that Dontae Jones was the only Rhythm player who would be a starter for the Rimrockers, and I stand by that statement).

[Sam Hill]

Sally Anthony, quoted in Thursday's Nashville City Paper:


"We have been looking to sign the player of Matt’s quality and ability for the past several months," owner Sally Anthony said. "We are hoping that he is the one who pushes us over the top toward our winning the ABA championship."

Sally Anthony, quoted in Sunday's Nashville City Paper:


“I had no idea [the Buchers] signed him. That was totally beyond my knowledge,’’ Anthony said. “I called Ashley [Saturday] and told her I didn’t want him on the court.’’

Hee. Lair. Ee. Us.

[Houston Caldwell]

This morning's City Paper account put Saturday night's attendance in the 1200 range, so it is safe to say that the Freije signing did NOT result in significantly improved attendance. When you've payed a minor league basketball player $10000 for 2 games, I can see where the Rhythm did not regard this experiment as a success (with the rest of the team making an aggregate of maybe $6000 for the same 2 games); the Rhythm owner could have handled this in a more professional manner, but I can understand the sources of her frustration. When the confrontation reportedly took place at halftime of the Saurday night game, the highly paid player in question had scored all of 5 points in the first half. I am older than the Rhythm owner, and somewhat calmer, but still a believer in the idea that when much has been given, much is expected.

[Sam Hill]

More fun in today's Tennesseean:


At some point after the incident Anthony wound up at Vanderbilt Hospital.

''I tripped on some stairs and hit my head last night,'' Anthony said yesterday afternoon. ''Some people think that I did it on purpose, but I just tripped.''

No, I think you're bipolar and you were off your meds and you fell down.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

There is no hard salary cap in the CBA. The owners generally abide by a $120,000-ish total limit on players' salaries. Nowadays, they don't seem to be in some big hurry to fold because of overspending. There's no substitute for experience.

Funny, but Gary had a somewhat similar incident to Nashville last season. Olden Polynice, 12 year NBA veteran, played a few games for the Steelheads last season. Playoff time comes around, Olden demands more money for his services two games into the playoffs. By the way, the Steelheads lost both of those games at Idaho. Coach Ticknor told Olden to take a flyin'...leap, although Olden showed-up to the Genesis Center in street clothes. Ticknor added that Olden was an idiot. Gary won that night without Olden and Olden Polynice has not been seen at the Genesis Center since.

Coach Ticknor took charge of the situation that night. The Nashville coach should have taken charge of the situation that night. The boss tells you to do something within the morals of our society and within your job description--then just do it! When the coach scrapes-up $10,000 to start her own ABA team, then she can decide to play whomever she wants whenever she wants (until of course the team folds because of low start-up capital :? ). Until that day arrives, do your job! A lot of embarrassment could have been avoided.

...and another thing. We are talking about a female boss (I know I'm not being politically correct here). A young female boss still in her child-bearing years...enough said about that.

[Sam Hill]

Like I said, it's possible that they were on the hook for the other $5,000 whether he played or not, and Anthony may not have realized that. Possible, I don't know.

But I do know that a lot of embarassment could have also been avoided if Miss Bipolar would have just waited until after the game to throw her fit, and if she'd realized that once the guy played, she was going to be on the hook for the other $5,000 regardless and hadn't gone after her coach during the game.

[Sam Hill]

http://www.kansascity.com/images/kansascity/kansascitystar/news/Freije.jpg

More on this from the Knights' perspective:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/sports/10775515.htm?1c


“I briefly talked with Matt before the game and he told me they handed him a check, but he didn't have to play,” (Knights' coach Bob) Sundvold said. “He told me, ‘I want to play.' ”

So.....they handed the guy a check and said he didn't have to play?

WTF are these people smoking?

[Houston Caldwell]

Ken, after what you've told me, if Freije wanted to stay in the US and were offerred ,say, 1000 per game to continue play for the Rhythm instead of 5000 (and we presume that if he gets an NBA callup he's going no matter what), he would be intelligent to take the money (the CBA/NBDL is not going to offer more)?
Matt is probably a good enough player and can attract enough fans at Rhythm prices to justify that, if some cooler heads get into play around here.

[Pounder]

Well, Sally's now threatening to do the ABA errrrrr shut down.

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=7&screen=news&news_id=38920

Damn right it's an economic decision, Sally. It smells, however, like the whole management is using recreational "meds." Are we really talking about Sally's husband here?

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Matt Freije was a NBA second round pick. He may never see the NBA again because of that. Nothing is guaranteed after the first round.

There are a lot of ex-NBA types floating around the CBA. Matt would be considered just another rookie and would command a rookie's salary in the CBA. 1K per game would still be too much for this guy. 1K every week would be more appropriate...still a little high for a rookie, maybe okay for the ABA depending on budgetary constraints.

I read one of Freije's quotes. He needs to eat a little humble pie and take less money to stay in front of the NBA scouts. Otherwise, he should go overseas if he wants big money.

...and another thing. Sam was right! This guy was cut from the lowly Hornets. It's not like NBA teams will be knocking down doors for his services.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

This is the first time I have actually read an article on the Nashville incident. Sally thinks like me. Dresses like me too--except my jean outfit would match, would be a heckava lot baggier, and my boots would not have all that funky fur on them. 8)

From the article above:
“To show you how dumb I was, I had not even heard of Matt Freije before,’’ Anthony asked. “But you know, we had 1,200 fans there Saturday, and we had 1,200 the week before he got here.’’


See what I mean. I had never heard of this dude Matt Freije either...not until Nashville tried to sign him.

[patmc16]

Anthony added she was just protecting her players. Most ABA players make considerably less than $5,000 per game. Some are paid as low as $250 per week.

Ya, and some don't get paid at all. I think that "most" should be "all." This was suppsed to be a model franchise for other ABA teams to emulate? Looks like they just jumped sides of what I consider to be a George Carlin classic quote, "a few winners, and a whole lot of losers."

Not that I want to kick someone when they just suffered a stair fall, dog bite, sore back, short supply of xanax, etc., but, man, that chick looks like she belongs on an episode of Cops!!!! Bleach blonde hair, blue jeans, a jean jacket and snow boots, while screaming in another female's face doesn't exactly shout "pro franchise owner." All that was missing was a half empty bottle of Jack in her hand and a long hair, toothless, scruffy looking guy in a wife beater standing next to her. :lol:

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do.........

[Sam Hill]

Well I ain't never
Been the barbie doll type
No I can't swig that sweet champagne
I'd rather drink beer all night
In a tavern or in a honky tonk
Or on a 4 wheel drive tailgate
I've got posters on my wall of Skynard, Kid and Strait
Some people look down on me
But I don't give a rip
I'll stand barefooted in my own front yard with a baby on my hip

Cause I'm a redneck woman
And I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raisin'
And I say "hey y'all" and "Yee Haw"
And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long
And I know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song
So here's to all my sisters out there keepin' it country
Let me get a big "Hell Yeah" from the redneck girls like me
Hell Yeah
Hell Yeah

[patmc16]

Dresses like me too--except my jean outfit would match, would be a heckava lot baggier, and my boots would not have all that funky fur on them.

Thanks, Ken, for the best laugh I've had all day. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Sam Hill]

Meanwhile, this sums it up (with a couple of jokes that I made already - what, does the guy read OSC?):

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/chris_ballard/01/31/daily.blog/

[patmc16]

Thanks, Ken, for the best laugh I've had all day. :lol: :lol: :lol:

You too, Sam.

Man, this has to be some kind of record for the fasted growing thread.

[dshaw62197]

So this is how the ABA finally merits the attention of the national media... through an embarrassing, ridiculous on-court scuffle between a team owner and her coach. Never mind that the Rythym is a decent team that was winning games. Instead, all anyone will now hear about is this sorry episode.

Well, it'll be interesting to hear what Joltin' Joe has to say about all this. :?

[Tryptoboz]

I live in Nashville and one of our local TV reporters thinks this whole thing was a publicity stunt by Sally Anthony. One thing that makes you think that is because on the Nashville Rhythm website http://nashvillerhythm.com/ there is a banner promoting her new CD "Vent" which is exactly what she did on the court to say the least. People who purchased two tickets to either of the last two games would receive an autographed copy of her new CD. I don't know if it was a publicity stunt, but like the reporter said "if it wasn't, then it should have been."

Here are two must read stories:

Paramedics called for Anthony, a 911 tape obtained by The Tennessean of a possible drug overdose:

http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65000825.shtml?Element_ID=65000825

Antics put ABA team in peril, from reporter Joe Biddle who saw the whole thing from press row:

http://www.tennessean.com/sports/columnists/biddle/archives/05/01/65000906.shtml?Element_ID=65000906

[Sam Hill]

Wow. Classic.

One thing - people rarely lie on 911 calls.

I didn't realize Sally Anthony was 30. Holy Cow, I thought she was like early 20s. I must have misread it back when she first took over the team.

As for the Joe Biddle column:


Anthony never gave McElhiney a reason to bench Freije. As the coach, McElhiney decided to play her best player. Freije's contract had to be paid in full whether he played in the game or not.

Told you.

[Chris]

I'm not going to repeat everything that was said here, other than to say I agree with most of it. I do feel bad for the ABA, because as I believe someone said they finally get national attention and it is for this. I'm working on a story, and from my sources I believe Nashville is backpedalling hard right now and Ashley is still/will be again the coach.

You know one of the most ironic things about this? I believe (Houston correct me if I'm wrong) that the Rhythm's next home game was going to be in McElhiney's hometown (in Tennessee), as a "fan appreciation" game.

For those of you (like me) that got a kick out of going to the Sally Anthony website and checking out the message board there, well, fun's over. Most likely because of the very mean-spirited Sally bashing that was going on, the site administrator's have pulled the message boards off. It was fairly amusing - there was likle 20-25 people that registered for the board the day after the incident, and just let Sally have it. Then there was one 20-year-old Sally Anthony (music) fanatic named Casi that had more than 6,000 posts, and you could almost see the tears streaming down her face as all these random people tore apart her idol. She begged and begged for everyone to stop posting mean things, but they just wouldn't.

[Pounder]

This stream of info is just flat out of hand.

It can now only get weirder if Joe Newman is Sally's pusher.

[Sam Hill]

Then there was one 20-year-old Sally Anthony (music) fanatic named Casi that had more than 6,000 posts, and you could almost see the tears streaming down her face as all these random people tore apart her idol. She begged and begged for everyone to stop posting mean things, but they just wouldn't.

In other news, there is someone who cares enough about Sally Anthony to have more than 6,000 posts on her message board.

[Sam Hill]

The transcript of the call to 911 by Sally's sister-in-law:

Caller: My sister-in-law is in her apartment right now and she has taken some pills and mixed them with alcohol and she has taken scissors and cut up her arms.

Dispatcher: Where is she?

Caller: She's in her apartment.

Dispatcher: What's your name?

Caller: This is Susan. And just to let you know, she will put up a fight. I mean, she'll resist it the whole time.

Dispatcher: Do you have any idea what she's taken?

Caller: It was like Xantex or Xanax or …

Dispatcher: Xanax?

Caller: Yeah.

Dispatcher: So you think she might be overdosed?

Caller: Yeah, I do.

Dispatcher: And you're not with her now, you're at a different location?

Caller: Right. There is somebody with her right now though.

Dispatcher: Who is with her?

Caller: Her name is (inaudible).

Dispatcher: And you said this is your sister-in-law. Does she have any weapons?

Caller: No, not that I know of.

Dispatcher: OK. How old is she?

Caller: Uhhh, like 29, maybe 30.

Dispatcher: Is she conscious?

Caller: Yes.

Dispatcher: And she is breathing?

Caller: Yes.

Dispatcher: OK. I'm getting an ambulance, so stay on the phone with me, OK?

Caller: OK.

Dispatcher: Do you think this is accidental or intentional?

Caller: It was intentional.

Dispatcher: Is she violent?

Caller: Umm, could be.

Dispatcher: Do you think she probably will be?

Caller: Yeah.

Dispatcher: Is she completely alert?

Caller: Umm, no not really. I mean she'll pass out every couple of seconds and then wake up.

Dispatcher: Do you know if she is breathing normally?

Caller: Yes, she is.

Dispatcher: You said you thought she took some Xanax?

Caller: Yes, I don't know how much.

Dispatcher: And mixed it with alcohol?

Caller: Yes.

Dispatcher: Do you know when she took it? Was it less than 30 minutes, more than 30 minutes?

Caller: No, it was longer than that.

Dispatcher: Two hours or more?

Caller: Uh, I don't know.

Dispatcher: And you think this is a suicide attempt?

Caller: Umm, I, I don't know if she really meant to kill herself.

Dispatcher: OK.

Caller: She definitely meant to hurt herself.

------------------------------------------------------

But no, didn't happen, goodness, no. :roll:

[Sam Hill]

More fun from Joe, speaking about the Nashville situation.


"I have six, eight people who would move in there [and buy the team] in about six seconds," Newman said.

Story here (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/cs-0502010273feb01,1,1619960.story?coll=cs-basketball-print&ctrack=1&cset=true).

Which is, of course, like everything Joe Newman ever says, a complete and utter bald-faced lie.

Joe always has "great owners" a phone call away. He's full of it. He's a crazy old man.

And something else funny from that article:


Newman was especially angry because Nashville general manager Daniel Bucher promised a statement Monday addressing the incident, but did not comply.

"I'm really not happy at all with the fact that they haven't answered and I had to speak on behalf of the league," he said. "I wanted to give them [Monday] but I won't give them [Tuesday]."

That is hilarious. This is a league that's never once made a deadline, that never releases a statement when a team goes under or switches its name or its venue or doesn't play a game, and he's angry when a team says it's going to issue a statement on Monday and doesn't? Leaving him to "speak on behalf of the league?" YOU'RE THE FRICKING FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE LEAGUE, JOE! WHO ELSE IS GOING TO 'SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE?'

God, what an imbecile.

[wazzie]

You won't have anything to say if the league keeps on making poor choices and their are only 7 teams left (just like last year).

Creepy Used Car Salesman Joe says, "Buy really cheap and keep what you bought forever.....or until you can't pay the utility bills.....and players....but it is still yours!"

[preeths]

A somewhat vague apology, which doesn't address the coach's future, was just issued by the team. We've posted the link on our Rhythm page.

[dshaw62197]

And now, Joltin' Joe has issued an apology for the Nashville fiasco. Perhaps now that one of Joe's owners has made the ABA look like such a mockery, perhaps he might use some more prudence when allowing new teams into the league. Apparently $10,000 isn't enough to guarentee that a new team will be stable.

Oh, and as a way of saying sorry to the fans of Nashville, Joe is donating a bunch of red, white and blue basketballs to area youth basketball leagues. Look for 'em to turn up on ebay someday soon.

[Common Sense]

I am new to this message board and hope to simply add some common sense to this whole world of professional minor league basketball, it's leagues and those that pretend to be.
Can someone tell me what kind of league has owners that live in apartments? Sounds like dependable, "deep pocket" type investors I'd like to take $10,000 from...... hey wait a minute.............
Can someone tell me why people talk about the ABA as it is still the same league of the 1970's or has any relation to it at all. Get is straight. Only the name is the same, other than that, there is nothing in common with it. It's just around to bilk wannabe owners out of 10k and ruin every potential market for legitimate sports leagues. Yes Joe Newman was with the original ABA, but if the janitor from TWA's corporate office says he's starting a new airline and calling it TWA with an airplane made out of paper, would we pretend it was the real TWA?
And finally, why do people keep saying that Ashley McElhiney is having a good/credible season in a league that often has unheard of players and some wins come at the hands of forfieted games that were never played. Everything about the ABA is a joke, none of it counts as credible or true professional experience. For the very few good players that have sorry agents that didn't try to get them signed with the CBA, NBDL or overseas, I hope you enjoy running roughsod over inferior competition, wasting away a year of your career and probably not getting paid for it in the end!

[Houston Caldwell]

For the record, not one single one of Ashley MacElhiney's 18 victories as head coach of the Nashville Rhythm was a forfeit.

[Houston Caldwell]

And Sam, you're right; Joe presides over a league where game forfeits from teams not willing to pay for a road trip were common, where many teams did not pay players, staff, or vendors, where several teams folded in 5 games or less or didn't go to the post at all, and where the likes of Spider Ledesma were routnely ripping off players for tryouts for a team that would never play. Nashville was never guilty of ANY of these sins, But WE'RE an embarassment? Makes you want to puke.
I feel right now for Dan Bucher and Susan Bucher, for Coaches MacElhiney, Flatt, and Allen and for the Rhythm players and Dance Team who went out there every day against big odds to do honor to their team and their community. You are still appreciated and honored by all that knew you and saw you go about your business; you will not soon be forgotten, whatever the future may bring. You all took on a big challenge, and acquitted yourselves honorably. There is no reason for you to feel shame.
And to "Common Sense", come to Nashville and I'll let you play a little one-on- one with the Rhythm player of your choice. I need a good laugh right now, and I'll let your humiliation provide it.

[dshaw62197]

HC, as I said somewhere earlier on this thread, it's truly a pity that Nashville, one of the more stable teams in the ABA, has been thrust into the spotlight by this sorry debacle. However, I think you would agree that, had Joltin' Joe done a better job of screening potential owners before allowing them into the league, this might not have been the case. Like I said before, $10,000 is not enough to guarantee secure ownership groups. We can only hope that more sensible individuals will take control of the Rythym, reinstate the coach, and spare the team any further embarrassments.

[Houston Caldwell]

The Nashville Rhythm website, which has worked perfectly well since several months prior to the season, is suddenly "under construction".
Something is going on here--------

[Sam Hill]

More classic Joe Newman.....

Monday he said, of thoughts that Nashville would fold:


"I have six, eight people who would move in there [and buy the team] in about six seconds," Newman said. (Story (http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/cs-0502010273feb01,1,1619960.story?coll=cs-basketball-print&ctrack=2&cset=true))

Then yesterday, he said:


''I can't imagine them still (deciding to fold),'' Newman said. ''I have 30 people that would step into Nashville in a minute.'' (Story (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65061009.shtml?Element_ID=65061009))

He can't even keep his own lies straight anymore.

Which is it, dude? Is it six or eight people or is it thirty people? Is it six seconds or is it a minute? What are they doing with the other 54 seconds?

[dshaw62197]

Sam, Uncle Joe is too busy thinking about next season to keep the little details straight. Although I'll say this: if the people currently running the Nashville team are the BEST he could come up with, what in God's name will he replace them with? At this point the Marx Brothers could run a team better than two-thirds of the current ABA owners.

[Common Sense]

Houston, you are totally missing the point. I am not saying every player in the ABA is worthless. I am saying that some good players are wasting a year of their career in a league where tomorrow's paycheck may never come and who knows if the next game will either.
For you to say you want me come to Nashville and play a little one on one, it proves you continue to make comments based on your hopes & dreams for the Rhythm, rather than on fact & evidence as you have no idea what my ties are to professioinal basketball or my talent level as a player. You, like Uncle Joe, just make comments up off the top of your head. I will say this, I might come and play some of your players one on one in one of your city parks, since the team will probably be playing there soon to help honor the Rhythm's homeless fans. Haven't they found about every other "honor" game excuse to play in small high school gyms, they might try outdoor parks.
Open your eyes and take a look at your league. 50 year old granfathers dropping 20 some points on another "pro" team. The league promoting Oliver Miller and Cedric Ceballos as stars, yet they were both released from the CBA over the past two seasons for being horribly out of shape. You have teams giving press releases that NBA teams are calling their players up and the NBA teams laughing at the lies. (As happened when the Tycoons said the Pistons were calling up Oliver Miller) You have an undefeated team, that according to the Calgary paper draws 300 fans a game, some of which might get killed by flying chairs, thrown by the coach/owner's brother. You have a Nashvile team with a wannabe pop singer owner that can't make the early rounds of American Idol firing her 23 year old coach during the game and then getting bit by a dog while she falls up some stairs!!!!!! If you aren't laughing at all of this already, we can go on and on and on and on. You don't need to see me play one on one Houston for a good laugh. Just stop and take a long look at the ABA. If it doesn't make you laugh (or cry), you better check your pulse.

[Houston Caldwell]

The 50-year old grandfather to whom you refer DID take the court against the Rhythm- and scored 7 points.
The game to which I think you are referring (in Gleason, TN, Ashley MacElhiney's hometown) is actually officially a ROAD game on the Rhythm schedule.
This fiasco has unquestionably done damage to this organization, maybe fatally; that remains to be seen. But your comments about the Rhythm are uninformed, to say the least. If the Rhythm continue play, it won't be at homeless shelters; it will be at Allen Arena.
There haven't been any missed paychecks in Nashville, so talk about the other ABA cities if you wish, but up until Saturday's blowup, Nashville had a franchise that met every standard of a well-run minor league professional basketball franchise; Sam Hill and dshaw aren't exactly ABA "homers", but I think either of them would have told you that.
That is what makes this situation suck all the more; this franchise had a lot of good people in it that didn't deserve this black eye.

[TEN]

I think is IS comical that after all of the unbelievable stuff that we have seen from the ABA this season, Joe Newman puts out a release apologizing for the Nashville Rhythm!

Heck, it got them great media coverage and has nothing to do with screwing players, cancelling games, etc.

I, for one, cannot believe that the national media takes the league seriously enough to give this story any coverage.

[Chris]

I, for one, cannot believe that the national media takes the league seriously enough to give this story any coverage.

If you don't think the national media would be interested in this story, you don't know much about the national media.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Sam from another thread:
And yet, Ashley Mac should have just done what her boss said, just because.

Inconsistency, anyone?


Utah obviously made the smart play. What did they have to gain by sending representatives to an ABA all*star game? Exposure on the OBE (Original Black Entertainment) channel shown only in Africa and Europe? :?

Sally Anthony may be into self-mutilation and poor fashion sense, but she IS the CEO and majority owner of the Nashville Rhythm (48% out of three owners).

...and another thing. Adam Sonn should be fired as well for holding an unauthorized press conference. Since when do minor league players bad-mouth (well, kinda bad mouth) management/ownership and keep their jobs?

Just an observation.

[Houston Caldwell]

The Rhythm have announced that Ashley MacElhiney is still the Nashville Rhythm head coach.

[Sam Hill]

And that Sally Anthony is now working three days a week doing Ashley's laundry and clearing snow off her driveway.

[Pounder]

So our wanna-be rocker with a possible (if not surprising) drug issue and a 48% stake (do you call that a plurality stake) just got outvoted on the coach... yet proves to have better financial sense than her partners.

Life is truly, undeniably, and in this case extremely rich. :D

[Sam Hill]

From their latest release:


Regarding the Rhythm management structure, Tony Bucher will assume the CEO position going forward. Daniel Bucher will report to him as General Manager.

In other words, "Sally, take your butt out of here."

[ugkf23]

...and another thing. Adam Sonn should be fired as well for holding an unauthorized press conference. Since when do minor league players bad-mouth (well, kinda bad mouth) management/ownership and keep their jobs?
What? That makes no sense. Unless there's an ABA contractual constraint, he's apparently answering reporters questions for his response. If he's actually calling a press conference, that's different but my guess is that the reporters are jumping on anyone who'll speak on the record hence the high profile of his comments.

Players in every league respond to events that directly/indirectly affect their team & sport. Big deal.

I just don't get the Sally support. She was out of bounds since she didn't have the authority to fire the coach, nor was she the majority owner who can make snap decisions about folding the team.

And come on, in what universe can a team owner go out there and publicly berate a coach? Especially in the middle of the game. Even Marge Schott, Al Davis & that nut in DC wouldn't stoop that low. Sports don't work that way and you can't expect to keep a coach who'll tolerate it.

For that matter, so what if she was responsible to some degree for MacElhiney's hiring and technically is above her in the team management? It doesn't excuse her actions and bad management decisions.

Come on, even the manager of a Burger King won't chew you out in front of the customers or coworkers. At least a semi-decent one.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I viewed the Nashville situation from a Cause and Effect point of view with the information at hand. Sally Anthony was CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and 48% owner (out of three owners) of the Nashville Rhythm. CEO means you’re the boss, right?

What caused Sally to charge the court in a rage? The available information suggests that Sally Anthony gave her coach a directive to bench Matt Freije long before this infamous incident took place. Had Coach Ashley complied with Sally’s executive decision at the time, nothing embarrassing would have happened in public later (and we wouldn’t be discussing Nashville).

According to the information at hand, Sally Anthony is still the Rhythm CEO when injured Nashville player Adam Sonn makes comments critical of Sally to the national media. CEO still means you’re the boss, right? If so, Adam Sonn should have been fired immediately in my opinion as a form of damage control. I cannot think of any minor league players that were critical of their bosses to the media, then continued to receive paychecks from their bosses. Maybe someone else can recall such instances, but I can’t think of any.

I know of several minor leaguers who took parting shots on their way out the door though.

Obviously, a lot of information is missing from the Nashville saga. It appears that Sally and her husband have some sort of rocky relationship going on. Hubby sided with the third owner to overrule his own wife. Hmmmm. I expected the husband to align himself with the wife’s 48% for majority rule. Guess I have a lot to learn about male-female relationships. I would side with my wife on ALL public matters and would expect my wife to do the same for me. Otherwise, why bother going into business together?

[daytonadan]

I'd be thanking God every 5 minutes for the past week.

You can't even think about getting this positive publicity for someone on this scale from a situation like this.

[ugkf23]

According to the information at hand, Sally Anthony is still the RhythmHad Coach Ashley complied with Sally’s executive decision at the time, nothing embarrassing would have happened in public later (and we wouldn’t be discussing Nashville).

If so, Adam Sonn should have been fired immediately in my opinion as a form of damage control. I cannot think of any minor league players that were critical of their bosses to the media, then continued to receive paychecks from their bosses. Maybe someone else can recall such instances, but I can’t think of any.
I don't buy that. Sally was responsible for acting unprofessional. Period end of sentence. If she didn't like what McElhiney did there are other ways to handle it without giving the league a black eye.

It doesn't matter what her employee did, she embarrassed herself, the team and league by acting in a unprofessional manner. Regardless if she's the CEO, owner or grand poobah, you don't throw a temper tantrum more or less center court and the league rightly called her on it.

And so far, I haven't heard of a comparable public act by another team owner that was condoned by that team's league, the press or fans.

Frankly, as critical as Sonn's comments were, I hardly think that they are a firing offense and firing him would have caused even more damage to the franchise's reputation.

[Sam Hill]

The question is moot now because the Buchers have stepped away from their involvement with the team (http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=7&screen=news&news_id=39086) and will be "turning the ownership over to a new group in the future."

I wonder if it's one of the six or eight people that Joe Newman had who would move in and take over the team in about six seconds.

One....two....three....four....five.....still waiting, Joe....

[Pounder]

Disclaimer time.

Anything you've read from me implying anything positive about Sally Anthony's actions in this situation should be taken with "the" Salt Lake. Throw in the Salt Flats if you must.

I agree with ugkf23 about how Sally's actions undermine credibility, but there's no humor in keeping that line. You could argue that Ken has an unhealthy firing fixation (except to say that firing is something you can and should EXPECT), or you could argue a line of facetiousness on Ken's part... which is why I'd have more fun with his comments on the matter... you know, if I were funny and all that. :D

[Houston Caldwell]

Well, basically this answers the question of Ken's about how Tony Bucher can stay involved with Sally Anthony NOT involved. The answer is, HE CAN'T.
The hope here is that the team is purchased by persons who are local to the area.
Any new owner should seriously consider (1) the retention of Daniel Bucher as GM and the MacElhiney staff; these people did an effective job.
This might not be as hard a sell as the typical ABA franchise.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

No, no, no...I don't condone public displays like Sally's...but I know where she was coming from. As a matter of fact, I would not have stopped at firing Coach Ashley and Adam Sonn. I would have looked those security guards (the guards who escorted Sally away from the court) right in their eyes and asked, "Hey! Who's paying your salary anyway?"

A lot of heads would have rolled that night! :shock:

There have been newer developments (since my last post) in this story to help support my position, but I don't have the time to comment on them now. :?

[ugkf23]

I would have looked those security guards (the guards who escorted Sally away from the court) right in their eyes and asked, "Hey! Who's paying your salary anyway?"

A lot of heads would have rolled that night! :shock:

There have been newer developments (since my last post) in this story to help support my position, but I don't have the time to comment on them now. :?
Fire the security guards? I don't see it. It's their job to make sure that there aren't any disruptive persons/incidents in building game and Sally certainly qualified. Also, I'm not sure that Sally would actually pay their salary, probably hired by a contracted security force which may have been hired by the league/facility. Heck, she didn't even have the authority to fire Rhythm employees apparently.

And now I'm curious what kind of "support" you've found since the last post.

[Houston Caldwell]

Actually, I think the security guards are Lipscomb employees.

[Sam Hill]

Hey, it's 2:09 Eastern time - haven't they found a new owner yet? I thought Joe had tons of people who wouldn't bat an eye before they'd just jump right in and buy the team!

The other thing this proves (besides Joe being having veracity issues) is the age-old saying that you don't go into business with your wife. Especially if she's prone to mixing Xanax and alcohol.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

...my supportive evidence came in the form of Sam's last post on page 4 of this thread--the link to the Nashville City Paper article Anthony's husband steps down as owner. Apparently, the other two owners finally realized they could not make it without Sally Anthony's 48% share of the team (contrary to their original thoughts). Hubby finally sided with his wife. Smart move (this time) Tony!

It may seem like I am coming across as a pro-management hack, but I wholeheartedly agree with Sally Anthony's statement below:

http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65279905.shtml?Element_ID=65279905

What were these people thinking? Just do what the lady says...the lady, who by the way owns 48% of the team. Bench the overpaid no name guy and keep your organization intact. He (Matt Freije) proved that he wasn't worth the fuss anyway.

Let's face it! This team is toast now.

On the security guards:
They had a job that night because the Nashville Rhythm were in town. Let's see the security guys try to log some hours if the team has to fold.

[ugkf23]

...my supportive evidence came in the form of Sam's last post on page 4 of this thread--the link to the Nashville City Paper article Anthony's husband steps down as owner. Apparently, the other two owners finally realized they could not make it without Sally Anthony's 48% share of the team (contrary to their original thoughts). Hubby finally sided with his wife. Smart move (this time) Tony!

It may seem like I am coming across as a pro-management hack, but I wholeheartedly agree with Sally Anthony's statement below:

http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65279905.shtml?Element_ID=65279905

What were these people thinking? Just do what the lady says...the lady, who by the way owns 48% of the team. Bench the overpaid no name guy and keep your organization intact. He (Matt Freije) proved that he wasn't worth the fuss anyway.

Let's face it! This team is toast now.

On the security guards:
They had a job that night because the Nashville Rhythm were in town. Let's see the security guys try to log some hours if the team has to fold.
That's how you're reading it? Fine, if you feel that supports your view. I suspect that the majority of people see it as a face saving exit where they're no longer welcome. Frankly I think her husband should leave too, sounds like he's got his hands full given his wife's state. There are just too many contracting things about her overdose.

We probably won't know due to disclosure agreements all around but I suspect that Sally tried to make her stand behind closed doors and failed, hence her departure. For all we know that may have been conditional for McElhiney to stay. Given the choice between the two women the league, mgmt & players may have made their support clear.

Her statement also doesn't excuse her actions or the temper tantrum with an indirect party in public during a game instead of handling it w/ her co-owners. As far as bad communication with the other owners, what does that say if one of them is her husband? Kind of ironic that a team owner doesn't appear to be a team player.

And give me a break, it doesn't matter if the lady owns 48 or 100% of the team, that doesn't allow her to act like that nor should a coach have to put up with that.

If the team fails, I think that a lot of the blame will fall on Sally.

And hey, as far as those guards go, better that they escorted Sally out than the cops. Wouldn't that have been classy?

[Sam Hill]

What were these people thinking? Just do what the lady says...the lady, who by the way owns 48% of the team. Bench the overpaid no name guy and keep your organization intact. He (Matt Freije) proved that he wasn't worth the fuss anyway.

Yeah, 30 points 14 hours after you drive from New Orleans to Nashville. What a stiff.

Look, what purpose was going to be served by benching him? Not only had he already played in the game when she threw her tantrum, but they were on the hook for the $10,000 anyway. Why not play him?

If your boss tells you to do something so completely counter-productive to your organization, do you just do it because "she's the boss?" Got a mind of your own there, Ken, or did you lose it somewhere?

Seems to me the coach's job description starts with "win basketball games." If the coach can't do what she or he thinks is best in that regard, given that Sally Anthony (a) obviously wasn't in her right mind anyway and (b) wasn't going to have her organization hurt more by playing the guy because they were going to have to pay him anyway, I would think ignoring such an obviously stupid, counterproductive, and, in fact, crazy "order" from the owner would be worse.

You'd make a good soldier though, Ken. Don't think, just do what authority tells you to do. Don't think for yourself. It's easier that way, I guess.

[meyes]

Sam, I am in complete agreement with your last post.
I once disobeyed an order from a superior because he was wrong. He told me to do something unethical. He fired me and I have not been able to find a job in that profession since, but I have never had trouble sleeping a night. My point is, everyone must do what they believe is right when management is clearly wrong. This world can't afford any more Mussolinis, Hitlers and Saddam Husseins.

[meyes]

Sam, I am in complete agreement with your last post.
I once disobeyed an order from a superior because he was wrong. He told me to do something unethical. He fired me and I have not been able to find a job in that profession since, but I have never had trouble sleeping a night. My point is, everyone must do what they believe is right when management is clearly wrong. This world can't afford any more Mussolinis, Hitlers and Saddam Husseins.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

meyes,
Management clearly wrong? Unethical? Hitler? Geez! :?

Just for the record--I would have benched Freije in a heartbeat. Finding a new job in this economy is difficult. Finding a new job in this economy that you want is extremely difficult. Finding a new job in the ABA in this economy (that actually pays) is beyond extremely difficult.

Sometimes you have to make putting food on the table your highest priority. To bench or not to bench would have been a no-brainer for me.

[ugkf23]

Sometimes you have to make putting food on the table your highest priority. To bench or not to bench would have been a no-brainer for me.
Depends on where you work. An under the table low paying back room job, sure.

A coach with an inch thick contract in a relatively high profile public job that has a modicum of ethics & standards of behavior, not so much. And since she didn't lose her job, she made the right decision.

McElhiney handled the situation well. She didn't react to the screaming, took the smart "wait/see" attitude w/ management & realized that shooting her mouth off after the incident was only going to hurt her position.

If only Sally had tried that. . .

[Sam Hill]

meyes,
Management clearly wrong? Unethical? Hitler? Geez! :?

Just for the record--I would have benched Freije in a heartbeat. Finding a new job in this economy is difficult. Finding a new job in this economy that you want is extremely difficult. Finding a new job in the ABA in this economy (that actually pays) is beyond extremely difficult.

Sometimes you have to make putting food on the table your highest priority. To bench or not to bench would have been a no-brainer for me.

So you're basically saying you'd be too scared to do what you think is right?

http://www.spinelesswonders.com/images/swtitle.gif

Ashley Mac is 23 and single, right? And was working in a tanning salon 12 months ago, right? It's not like she has kids to support (I don't believe). And with the publicity she's received from being the first female coach of a men's team, I'd say her profile has been significantly raised to the point where she probably doesn't have to worry about the ABA going away, and probably would have been fine had her firing stuck.

So considering she did what you wouldn't have done in her situation and it has worked out kind of puts paid to your point of view, now doesn't it?

Now if you've got kids to feed and you wouldn't jeopardize a job, that's different.

But there's a fine line between my dad's old saying that "discretion is the better part of valor" and my dad's other advice that standing up for principles can be worth more than any money or any job.

Taking the easy way out is just that - the easy way out. I can't sit here and pretend to make those decisions for you or for anybody else, but I've got kids at home, too and I wouldn't have hesitated to tell Sally Anthony where to stick her CD.

[ugkf23]

I hadn't realized that they were already near meltdown before hand:

Click quote for source:Unknown to most of the public, the Rhythm's trouble with the local media actually began earlier in the week during a news conference to announce the franchise had signed former Vanderbilt star Matt Freije to a two-game contract.

Anthony showed up nearly a half-hour late for the news conference, which Freije didn't attend. When the news conference finally got under way, Anthony said, ''Did you enjoy the wait?'' WSMV-4's Steve Wrigley shot back, ''We've got other places to be.'' (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65519903.shtml?Element_ID=65519903)

Whatta diva. I can imagine them all thinking "No! We don't need to wait a wannabe pop singer w/ delusions of grandeur to chew through her straps. We've got real sports to cover!"

[Sam Hill]

Maybe that's why she had no idea they'd signed the guy. She missed that part of the press conference.

Knowing TV people, where they most likely had to be was at lunch, the lazy bastards.

[Houston Caldwell]

Work commitments usually keep me away from Friday night games, so I have no idea what attendance was; but this was a win over the league's 10th seeded team without Dontae, Adam, Matt Freije or any post player of note. Ashley Mac is still getting it done on the court wiith a very size-challenged team. The Rhythm are now 19-8, and I'll be there tomorrow night.

[Sam Hill]

Tennesseean said fewer than 400:


"Almost two weeks after the firing and re-hiring of Coach Ashley McElhiney, less than 400 fans saw the Rhythm earn a 99-94 victory over the Atlanta Vision (5-13) last night in Allen Arena."

Well, they would have said "fewer" if they'd paid attention in English class.

Did Sally scuttle the franchise's hopes with that whole escapade or is it just a blip? They sure have gotten a bunch of negative publicity lately and despite what some would like you to believe, that's not always good for interest or ticket sales.

[Houston Caldwell]

The Tennessean have not always been accurate in their head counts at Rhythm games (such as Game 1) and have omitted crowd figures on some of the Rhythm's better nights; their coverage of the Rhythm has been anywhere from indifferent to outright hostile all season.
But it wouldn't surprise me if that count is accurate, as they have access to official counts provided by the team. If there had been 2,000, though, I'll bet the Tennessean would have omitted this. I have cancelled my subscription to the Tennessean, mainly due to their coverage of the Rhythm.

[Sam Hill]

Owners look to sell Rhythm (http://www.tennessean.com/sports/localsports/archives/05/01/65757673.shtml?Element_ID=65757673).

Joe Newman, February 16:

"I have 30 people that would step into Nashville in a minute."

Joe Newman, February 1:

"I have 30 people that would step into Nashville in a minute."

Joe Newman, January 31:

"I have six, eight people who would move in there in about six seconds"

The number of people who would step into Nashville seems to be growing exponentially, but the amount of time they'll need to get there seems to be growing as well.

Well, Joe - WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?

If you have the owners, where are they? Six seconds are over. A minute is over. Can you not get them on the phone for one of your patented due dilligence sessions?

Or are you lying? Again?

[Anonymous Hardhat]

I think Sally Anthony and her husband are still on the same drugs she was using when she fired the coach. Why would anyone pay more than $10,000 for this franchise? A new owner (one of the 30 in a minute or 6-8 in 6 seconds that Joe is aware of) can simply buy a new franchise for $10,000 and place it in a suburb of Nashville. Just look at Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. This is only the start of legal problems to come for this league. It sells the franchises to well-intentioned owners that believe they are buying exclusive rights to a market. All in all, the exclusive rights aren't worth more than the paper that they are written on. We don't give "Crazy Joe" and "Tricky Dick" enough credit on this messageboard. My advice.... Sally and her husband need to re-read their franchise agreement and operating agreement before they get in trouble with a prospective buyer by selling that person the same bill of goods that were sold to them by Joe.

[Anonymous Hardhat]

I think Sally Anthony and her husband are still on the same drugs she was using when she fired the coach. Why would anyone pay more than $10,000 for this franchise? A new owner (one of the 30 in a minute or 6-8 in 6 seconds that Joe is aware of) can simply buy a new franchise for $10,000 and place it in a suburb of Nashville. Just look at Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. This is only the start of legal problems to come for this league. It sells the franchises to well-intentioned owners that believe they are buying exclusive rights to a market. All in all, the exclusive rights aren't worth more than the paper that they are written on. We don't give "Crazy Joe" and "Tricky Dick" enough credit on this messageboard. My advice.... Sally and her husband need to re-read their franchise agreement and operating agreement before they get in trouble with a prospective buyer by selling that person the same bill of goods that were sold to them by Joe.

[Sam Hill]

Today is February 22nd. Have they not sold the franchise yet?

What about the people Joe said would move right in there and buy it? Where are they?

[Houston Caldwell]

I wish I could enlighten you, Sam, but the truth of the matter is that I hope the buyer is NOT someone with connections to Joe Newman. I, as a Nashvillian, would rather see a local, appropriately funded group take the reins of the franchise, hopefully with ties to the Vanderbilt University fan base (the largest BASKETBALL fan group in town, and the group most upset about the Anthony incident).
Some examples of the kind of people that would re-energize fan enthusiasm about the Rhythm would be, say, Charles Davis (whose charitable foundation is well-known and respected in the area)or Ron Mercer/Drew Maddux (I know Mercer played at Kentucky, but Vandy people think of Ron as family; his NBA career is on its' last legs, but he would be an interesting player/owner and would have the money). Either of these would retain Coach MacElhiney unless she got a much better offer; another possibility would be Jan Van Breda Kolff, now living in the Nashville area again and in the business of conducting coaching clinics, which would work well with ownership of a local hoops franchise.
Guys like these could actually make this franchise profitable, while I don't think a Newman crony could.

[Anonymous Hardhat]

You have referenced people that are are fairly successful and intelligent. Based on that alone, I don't see any of them buying an exisiting ABA franchise or a new one for that matter. This league is in shambles. There is no one in their right mind that is going to throw money at it.

[Anonymous Hardhat]

You have referenced people that are are fairly successful and intelligent. Based on that alone, I don't see any of them buying an exisiting ABA franchise or a new one for that matter. This league is in shambles. There is no one in their right mind that is going to throw money at it.

[Sam Hill]

So Nashville opted out of the playoffs?

WTF is that?

Wow. They had promise as an organization and they blew it.

[Tha Man*]

Looks as though someone didn't tell the Nashville City Paper they weren't apperaing playoffs this season.

[Houston Caldwell]

I see the logic (you guys treat me as though I'm a Rhythm spokesman sometimes, but I'm not). The Rhythm have lost every quality post player that's played for them this year (Sonn to injury, Jones to Korea), plus they had lost Odell Bradley and now Josh Cooperwood to Europe. I don't know if you've noticed, but since the Anthony incident, the Rhythm haven't been able to beat anyone but the 2 Atlanta-area teams. The #16 seed beat us by 16 in Ashley MacElhiney's hometown in front of a partisan Rhythm crowd. So it was going to be one and done.
Then, moneywise, what is our 15% of a trip to HARLEM going to be?

[Sam Hill]

I see the logic, too....ON THE BIZARRO PLANET!

Ever heard of a professional sports team declining to go to the playoffs because they figure they won't win anyway? WTF is that?

Oh, wait, it's the ABA. And they're "owned" by a bipolar wannabe "entertainer" and run by a near-teenager.

I can hear Mike Eruzione now: "You know, these guys beat us 10-3 a few weeks ago. Thanks, but we'll just bow out of the Olympics now."

[Common Sense]

Houston, you see the logic in Nashville declining to go to the playoffs? You see the logic!!!!! Wow, that is a great lesson to teach any young fans of the ABA. That is, if there really are any. If you don't think you can win just quit.
Can you imagine if every NBA player had this same logic as you do Houston, when Michael Jordan played? He'd have been the only player in the NBA! There is zero logic to this. If the team is for real and played hard all season, the remaining players from this season should have been given the chance to play for something they helped earn, a playoff spot!
I hope you use better logic to run your semi-pro football team.

[Houston Caldwell]

Sam and CS;
I feel you; you may be confusing my interpretation of a team's thinking with my opinion, and yes, I see where you come from on this and agree. It is my hope that the players, at least, had a voice in this decision. Ditto for coaches. I may never know the answer to that.
My team PLAYED 4 playoff games last year and this year, intend to play 5 (which means the National Championship). This thinking will NEVER come into play for the Nashville Storm. EVER.

[Houston Caldwell]

This decision was made by TONY Bucher/ Anthony, and made BEFORE last weekend's games. Nashville would, absent this decision, have played in the first round AT HOME.
Dan Bucher, Denise Farrell, Ashley MacElhiney, Scott Flatt, and the Rhythm players HAD NO SAY.
Here's to you, Sam and CS.
I want to puke.

[Houston Caldwell]

This explains a lot of "post-Anthony blowup" decisionmaking. The Rhythm, after Dontae's Korea departure, had obvious problems at the post position (Marcus Williams, a 6-6 3-player had to take on 6-9, 250 lb post players in game after game, which should earn him hero status for playing out of position); there were opportunities to remedy this (Jeremy McNeil was released by the Kentucky Colonels averaging 15 and 10; he is 6-9, 270, played on Syracuse NCAA champs); no late signings.
The Rhythm would retain Ashley as Coach, all right, but not give her one whit of help winning games. Obviously, the grudge never died.
Dan, I don't blame you, you are always welcome at Storm games as my guest. And Ashley, we have a #22 Storm jersey waiting for you. To Scott and Denise and all the Rhythm players, you are special in my heart.
To the ownership group who let all of these good people down, GET OUT OF NASHVILLE AND STAY OUT.

[Common Sense]

You are a true fan Houston and that is extremely commendable. I am sorry for the situation the ABA and Rhythm owners have put you the fans through. I wish you the best with your football team and Nashville finding a proper home (league/owners) for a professional basketball team in the future.

[Sam Hill]

Says Joe, with his typical spin:


''What people don't quite understand is when you're living the nightmare that occurred a month ago relating to the owner and Ashley, there is not a lot of joy going through something like that,'' Newman said. ''From a human standpoint, ending the season is probably the nicest thing that could have happened for them.''

So let me get this straight...this is professional basketball...where people get paid and real competition takes place, supposedly, but let's be nice so that Ashley doesn't have to go through more of this torture?

Ashley's the only one in the whole scenario who seemed to have it together and had moved on.

I gotta admit - I was way wrong about her. She seems like the goods to me. Class act. I admire her for the way she handled a tough situation.

But I reckon the bottom line is that "ownership" didn't want to spend one more dollar on the team so they came up with some cockamamie excuse and Joe spins it even further for them.

What bull****. Complete and utter bull**** this league is.

[dshaw62197]

What bull****. Complete and utter bull**** this league is.

Amen, Sam. Amen.

[Houston Caldwell]

Surprisingly, I don't believe this ugly end to the Nashville soap opera was about money. It wouldn't have cost Rhythm ownership big bucks to play in the playoffs, with the high likelihood that there would only be one playoff game, and that at home.
From the KC game where the Anthony blowup occurred on, it was as though there was a complete disconnect between team ownership and the team/coaching staff. Sally Anthony really couldn't afford to FIRE Ashley MacElhiney (she would have faced a team mutiny had that happened, and a complete collapse of fan support, some of which occurred anyway). But, make no mistake, the owner/coach relationship ended in permanent enmity that night against KC.Noone talked publicly about it, but the situation was there. After Freije's 2-game stint against KC (Dontae Jones had now left for Korea), the Rhythm was in desperate need of post players (Terrance Van Lier and Marcus Williams, both 6-5 wing forwards were forced night after night to take on 6-9 and 6-10 post players, who consistently had field days against the Rhythm; Pig Miller of the Vision had 27 boards in a game the Rhythm WON, and Shawnson Johnson of the Rimrockers had a night where I don't think he missed a shot; in a loss to Kentucky, the Colonels outrebounded the Rhythm 67-40; I could go on ad infinitum with this), but there were no signings after the KC game, even though quality ABA post players were available to the Rhythm for ABA-type money. Ashley would stay as coach, all right, but Sally wouldn't lift a finger to help her win games. This should have been no problem; for their other faults aside, Rhythm management had an impeccable record for paying bills.
The bottom line is that Ashley MacElhiney made an enemy in Sally Anthony, and this was Sally's final slap at Ashley and the team who supported Ashley.
Here's to hoping the right local group, hopefully including a local basketball figure who will inspire confidence, will come in and take the helm.
IT CAN WORK HERE.

[Sam Hill]

make no mistake, the owner/coach relationship ended in permanent enmity that night against KC

As well it should have. Kudos to Ashley for taking the high road through the whole thing and not mixing Xanax with alcohol and trying to slit her wrists. I hope that if she wants to be a coach, she gets to coach. I think she'll be a fine one, and much wiser for the experience.

[Houston Caldwell]

Ashley MacElhiney, as the first-ever woman coach of a men's professional basketball team, has covered herself with honor and glory. She will be long-remembered, and with affection and respect.

[Sam Hill]

So, after saying it would take about a minute, Joe finally found an owner for Nashville, three months later:

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3159364

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

Quote from Debbie Larry:
"Whatever happens in the dark will eventually see the light of day".

She was SO right.
http://www.tennessean.com/sports/columnists/biddle/archives/05/03/69392957.shtml?Element_ID=69392957

Quote from the article above:
I question how Watkins, or anyone else, can make a financial go of this venture.

Don't look for Lipscomb University to make Allen Arena available. Lipscomb officials confirm they are still owed money by Rhythm I.


The Sally Anthony incident and the Rhythm decision NOT to participate in the playoffs was all about money (or the lack thereof).

Another quote from the same article:
Derek Watkins denies that any part of the previous Rhythm regime is involved in ownership.

''I'm in this myself. Nobody from the previous group is involved,'' he said. ''It's a little steep for me, but I think everything will work out. Being from here, I feel I have a little more insight on what people want.''

A little steep for him? Who's been advising this guy? This team won't last past the second game of the season...if it even makes it to the season.

[Sam Hill]

Also said they're going to have 25-35 employees including players and coaches and stuff.

So figure 12 players, a couple of coaches and an athletic trainer. That still leaves 10-20 office employees.

No way. There's no way he's going to hire 10-20 front-office people and be up and running at full steam in 15 days, and pay 10-20 front-office salaries for five months with no revenue coming in. No way. Do you know how much money that is? For a guy who says this is a little steep for him?

Of course, I don't really know anything. I'd have to check with all the illiterate CBA owners I can find to really tell me how things work.

[Houston Caldwell]

Hope that figure included interns and salespeople paid on a straight commission basis; I could see that, but I can't see carrying that number of people on straight salary.
The 2004-5 Rhythm operated decently with only 2 full-time non-coaching employees; Dan Bucher and Denise Farrell. Denise is still with the Rhythm, performing operations for the new ownership.
Derek Watkins is a respected name in Nashville basketball circles as the head of the Music City Pro-Am League (a summer "stay in playing shape" league for high-profile college and pro players from the Nashville area that includes several NBA players); the Nashville Storm will be sponsoring a team in this league this summer. Now that I've said this, I don't really know much about him financially or the identities of any partners he may have.
The jury is out.