Author Archives: Kent Sterling

Pacers legendary leader Donnie Walsh leaving franchise – he was my favorite interview

[I apologize in advance for referring to Donnie Walsh in this post as “Donnie” and not Mr. Walsh or Walsh.  I have never heard anyone refer to Donnie as anything but Donnie, and it seems somehow rude to use his last name.  I do not mean for you to infer he and I are friends.  We spent an hour together a couple of years ago, as you will read, but we are not friends.]

There are benefits to hosting a radio show.  Chief among them is the opportunity to speak at length to brilliant people as they discuss their philosophies, accomplishments, challenges, and failures.

Donnie Walsh was the architect of the Indiana Pacers as the franchise went from small-market bottom-feeder to historically successful franchise.  Today, his departure from the team in his role as advisor was announced, and an era ended – unless he returns, again.

Beginning in 1984 as an assistant coach, Walsh crafted a legacy of caring and empathetic excellence.  He became general manager in 1986, and was then named CEO and team president.  During those years, the Pacers went on a seven-year run where they played in the conference finals five times and reached the NBA Finals once.  Then, Donnie rebuilt on the fly without missing the playoffs until the post-brawl fallout decimated his roster.

Just as interesting to me was the demeanor of his staff that operated behind the scenes.  They worked hard, smiled a lot, enjoyed each other’s company and virtually never quit.  It seemed like the perfect place to work.  On several occasions, I sat in seminars at which Donnie was a panelist because I wanted to learn as much about his management theories as I could.  If I ever got the chance to lead a company or department within one, I wanted to build a staff as competent and happy as he did.

A couple of years ago, I requested an interview with Donnie.  I thought I might get 15 minutes to quiz him about basketball and leadership.  When I walked into his office, I asked how much time was blocked out so I could be respectful of his time.  I tend to take interviews long, especially with someone I admire at the level I admire Donnie Walsh.

“I blocked out an hour.  Will that be enough time?” Donnie offered.

The truth was that I could have talked to Donnie about leadership for days and basketball for weeks.  My only concern is that he would grow tired of my insatiable curiosity about his motivation, tactics, style, and ability to appraise fit for those on his staff.

I trusted that my questions would elicit the level of deep wisdom I knew Donnie possessed because a guy that smart didn’t require genius level interrogation.  All I had to do was listen and  ask questions that moved the ball up the court at the tempo at which Donnie wanted to play.

What followed was an hour that flew past.  I learned a lot about Donnie’s life and the respectful modesty that makes him effective as a leader.  His humble sagacity was remarkable, as was his ability to listen and respond cogently.

That I got an hour to pick the brain of someone who is among the most capable leaders of a sports franchise in American history will always be a gift I will treasure.  Pacers owner Herb Simon said in a statement that he is “excited for him as he transitions to his next chapter.”

I’m excited that Donnie is looking ahead to his next chapter, whatever it is as he prepares to turn 80.  I’m also excited for anyone who gets to spend time learning from him as I did.

If you never find yourself in that position – here is the link to the podcast of our interview:

Guaranteed correct Colts, Hoosiers, Pacers, and NCAA predictions for 2021!

Time for some predictions for 2021.

It would likely be better for traffic if I made a bunch of crackpot guesses that spark outrage and disbelief – like Archie Miller earning a pink slip, Victor Oladipo being traded to Dallas for Porzingis and draft picks, and Jacob Eason being the Colts starting quarterback in come September.

I don’t operate in the Skip Bayless sphere of purposeful idiocy, so these five predictions are honest, sober, and likely to come to pass in 2021!

Archie Miller will be back as Indiana’s coach!  There is no way new athletic director Scott Dolson burns through one of the hires he will be allowed without being certain Miller should be dispatched.  The buyout for terminating Miller without cause would be 100% of the money owed over the last three years of his seven-year contract, and that is a steep price when an obvious upgrade is going to be difficult to manage financially.  Unless the Hoosiers go on an unexpected run over the next two months, an extension is also unlikely.  After next season, the buyout is reduced to 50% of the money owed over the final two years – approximately $3-million.  That is when Dolson will need to make a decision.

Colts will draft a left tackle in the first round.  To hell with drafting the best player available.  With Anthony Castonzo entering the last year of his contract – and likely the final year of his career – a replacement needs to be identified, selected, and groomed.  There is just no way to get a franchise level left tackle other than through the draft.  Teams are loathe to allow one to leave via free agency, so that leaves either the draft or an internal candidate as the source of a replacement.  Maybe Quenton Nelson could shift one spot to his left, but the risk is turning the best guard in the NFL into a slightly above average LT.

Pacers will hold onto Victor Oladipo through the season.  This is a big decision for both Pacers president Kevin Pritchard and Oladipo.  For the Pacers, this season will be too successful for Pritchard to embrace swapping their mercurial all-star for some guaranteed future assets.  Watching Oladipo bounce to Miami or Dallas without something coming back would be a setback, but if the Pacers appear ready to compete in the playoffs, it may be worth the loss.  For Oladipo, his value might be greater in Indy than anywhere else, so signing an extension might be his best longterm play.  If the Pacers see an extension as doable, look for them to deal someone else (Myles Turner?) to free up the cap space needed.

Colts will sign Philip Rivers to a one-year extension.  Rivers has proven doubters (including me) wrong by putting together an age 39 season that shows no backslide at all.  Interceptions and sacks are down, and wins, yards, yards per attempt, passer rating, and other metrics are right where they have always been.  The Colts will be thrilled to finally have a little continuity at the quarterback position, and Rivers likely views Indy as his best last chance to get to a Super Bowl.  Plus, what’s the alternative?  The best healthy free agents available are Mitch Trubisky, Jameis Winston, and Cam Newton.  Jacob Eason is not ready to start, and who would they draft after taking a LT in the first round?  This decision is easy.

State of Indiana will get four teams into the NCAA Tournament.  I can’t predict that Indiana will miss the NCAA Tournament.  I just can’t.  Is there a basis for my optimism?  No.  IU’s offense sucks.  Beyond Trayce Jackson-Davis and Armaan Franklin, the Hoosiers can’t score and their desire to win appears wanting, but I can’t predict against them.  Purdue is going to the tournament.  Their defense will improve because that is what Matt Painter‘s teams do, and the offense is actually better than I expected.  Butler has a shot in a down Big East, where almost every team other than Villanova and Creighton are picked to finish at or near .500.  I believe Ball State will win the MAC.

Can’t wait for 2021 for a variety of reasons, and Indiana’s sports future is one of them.

Chicago Cubs fire sale starts as Ricketts lowers costs to fill wallet with more of our cash

Cubs fans misery – thy name is Tom Ricketts. Hope dies where he treads.

Evil pinheads own my favorite baseball team, and they traded away their best pitcher today for four teenage prospects and a starter who makes Greg Maddux look like a body builder.

The Ricketts Family, led by world class profiteer Tom, have correctly assessed the Cubs fanbase as rubes eager to dole out cash for the Wrigley Field experience regardless of the quality of the on-field product.  They manage their message well, even as key components quietly vacate the premises, but the truth is the bottom line they care most about shows dollars, not wins.

There is nothing wrong with making a buck – or millions of bucks – but to do it while knowingly providing a lessened product stoops to a level of villainy Cubs fans must reject with prejudice.  Incinerating a roster capable of winning a division to stuff money in Ricketts’ pockets is the kind of crass short-term bloodsucking I hoped would never be seen at 1060 West Addison.

We have seen incompetence from a variety of Cubs front offices, and accepted it as part of the fabric of the franchise, but never evil.  For laughs or tears, here is a partial list of some of the most egregious moments of stupidity in Cubs history:

  • General manager John Holland passed out in the middle of negotiations to acquire Frank Robinson from the Reds, which led to the Orioles trading for him and winning two World Championships and playing in four World Series appearances in the next six years.
  • Drafted Shawon Dunston with the #1 pick of the 1982 Draft rather than Dwight Gooden.
  • Traded Lou Brock to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens, and Bobby Schantz.
  • Traded future MVP Josh Donaldson to the A’s for Rich Harden.
  • Every MLB 1st Round Draft Pick from 1986-1994 and 2002-2010 (Minus Donaldson).
  • Passed on an opportunity to buy Joe Dimaggio for $25K in 1934.

I could go on and on adding items to the list of silly moves that doomed the Cubs to relentless failure for 108 years, but you get the point.  The Cubs weren’t tight with a buck as much as they were stupid.  Not anymore.  The switch has been flipped to smart but cheap.

The difference between Ricketts and the Wrigley Family and Tribune Company ownership eras is in intent as well as execution.  Ricketts knew he needed to win to earn, so he hired Theo Epstein to build a winner.  That chummed the water for a generation of Cubs fans eager to finally invest in a bonafide contender.  Despite Joe Madden’s efforts to tank game seven of the 2016 World Series by misusing his bullpen, the Cubs won their coveted World Championship.  From that moment forward, the Cubs were guaranteed to print money faster than Ricketts could possibly spend it.

Ricketts spent nearly a billion buying buildings surrounding Wrigley, launching the Marquee Network, and rehabbing the ballpark.  He extolled these moves as a holistic measure to ensure Wrigley Field’s sustainability because of its beauty, heritage, and historical import.  The truth, we understood as we are not as gullible as Ricketts believes, was that the Cubs without Wrigley would draw 13,000 fans on a good day.

Because Ricketts didn’t sleep through classes at the University of Chicago, he grasped that buying the Cubs was the first of a series of shrewd real estate deals that would earn his family hundreds of millions in the short term, and billions if they ever divest.  Players like Darvish are poor investments because no one buys a ticket to watch him pitch.  The Cubs have drawn a minimum average of over 32,000 fans every season since 1998 whether Darvish or Ted Lilly pitched and whether Javy Baez or Neifi Perez played shortstop.

Winning might be fun, but it is no more profitable than losing.  Ricketts is no dope.  He might be an evil exploiter of Cubs fans’ love, but he knows what moves the needle on Chicago’s Northside – sunshine, beer, and friends & family.  It’s where we gather through thick and thin, and pay through the nose to do it.  Who the guys in Cubs uniforms are is irrelevant as long as we have a great time.

So to quote the awful Scandal song from the mid-1980s, “Goodbye to Yu!”  And it’s goodbye to Kyle Schwarber.  Soon, it will be goodbye to Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras, and hello to .500 baseball.  The Cubs will still draw three-million and make Ricketts richer and richer.

The only hope to force a change of attitude among the Ricketts and chief financial goon Crane Kenney is to demand winning as a condition for our attendance.  Better baseball can be had at the other end of the Red Line as the White Sox rise from mediocrity with big bats and Tony LaRussa’s return, so maybe we will opt for sunny afternoons at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Surely, there has to be a less painful way to prod Ricketts to invest – or cease divesting – in winning players than taking the El to the south side to watch the pale hose, but I can’t think of one.