Bricklayer post-mortem (split)

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#3
Bricklayer and I have certainly had our differences over the years (99% arguing about DMC) but switching teams is really sad. I have no problem with Kings fans who are also huge DMC fans and follow him to see how he's doing but to just switch teams is just weird...and un-American. Okay that's the last I'll ever say on the subject.

Looking forward to seeing grades again. Props to whomever picks up the slack and takes that job.
 
#4
Bricklayer becoming a Pelicans could be the funniest thing I've read all week.
It's hilarious and sad at the same time. I've been on this site since 2001, and I have greatly enjoyed his basketball analysis over the years. Not to get too mushy, but he's probably one of the smartest basketball posters I've ever seen on the internet. The dude absolutely knows what he's talking about when it comes to hoops.
 
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#5
It's hilarious and sad at the same time. I've been on this site since 2001, and I have greatly enjoyed his basketball analysis over the years. Not to get too mushy, but he's probably the smartest basketball posters I've ever seen on the internet. The dude absolutely knows what he's talking about when it comes to hoops.
He's a numbers guy and great with stats but I didn't alway agree with his feel for the game. There is more to evaluating players than just looking at the stats.
 
#6
He's a numbers guy and great with stats but I didn't alway agree with his feel for the game. There is more to evaluating players than just looking at the stats.
Yep. Boogies numbers scream Hall of Fame like he argued, but his intangibles are some of the worst when it comes to star players. So is he gonna be a Pelicans fan forever? I can easily see that team imploding and Cousins being traded at the deadline.
 
#7
No one would fault Brick if he came back on this site. Once a Kings fan, always a Kings fan. If I were to jump ship, I definitely wouldn't become a Pelican fan though.. Warriors maybe? Pick a team I could at least get a taste of winning...
 
#9
No one would fault Brick if he came back on this site. Once a Kings fan, always a Kings fan. If I were to jump ship, I definitely wouldn't become a Pelican fan though.. Warriors maybe? Pick a team I could at least get a taste of winning...
Why not? From the time I've been here (Lurking since 2009((do tell me if this was different before then)) dude has a massive superiority complex. His posts were frequently filled with stroking his ego and/or talking down on people with differing views. There's very few posters I ever immediately think of when hopping on a forum, but one of those very few ones was when browsing here and that thought was "Bricklayer is insufferable". And this right here proves how badly he wants to be right about someone so he can say "TOLD YOU SO!".
 
#11
Brick, I miss your views your posts your knowledge and I didn't agree on everything you credited Cousins with but I respect your views. You all join us and our young kids.
 
#12
Brick is no longer here due to his own decision. Whatever reasoning he had, it was his choice to make. He was a knowledgeable fan and his insight into stats will be missed. No one is perfect and you gotta take the good with the bad. No need to badmouth the guy, let him be and let's move on to this new season with our new young star. We are better than this.

I would volunteer for the grades as I enjoy writing stuff up but due to work demands I simply would be unreliable 90% of the time. If anything changes on my end I will let you know VF.
 
#13
I can understand being upset with the Kings and jumping ship, but becoming a Pelicans fan? That’s hilarious. I love boogie but he isn’t worth that kind of loyalty.
Bricklayer and I have certainly had our differences over the years (99% arguing about DMC) but switching teams is really sad. I have no problem with Kings fans who are also huge DMC fans and follow him to see how he's doing but to just switch teams is just weird...and un-American. Okay that's the last I'll ever say on the subject.
I'm as big a fan of Cousins as anyone. And I know at different points in time I said I'd bail on this franchise if they ever gave him away. And when they did just that, I said I was done with them. But in the end, I just can't follow through with it. Switching teams just isn't an option for me. Never has been in any sport I follow. As inept as this franchise has been for most of 32 years, I still love them. I probably shouldn't but I do. Helping matters greatly is that the Kings drafted the player I coveted most -- DeAaron Fox. And I championed Justin Jackson too. I'm excited about all our young players, which has greatly eased the pain of losing Boogie. I'm getting over it, albeit slowly. But I'm still here to stay and on board completely with our new direction.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#14
Yep. Boogies numbers scream Hall of Fame like he argued, but his intangibles are some of the worst when it comes to star players. So is he gonna be a Pelicans fan forever? I can easily see that team imploding and Cousins being traded at the deadline.
To be fair, if the Pelicans implode and they move him to the Cavs or something for Kevin Love and a pick or something, I'm probably becoming a Cavs fan too
 
#15
To be fair, if the Pelicans implode and they move him to the Cavs or something for Kevin Love and a pick or something, I'm probably becoming a Cavs fan too
If the Big Fella is traded I hope it is to the Cavs or another Eastern Conference Team. The fewer times we have to watch him play the Kings the better IMO. I think the same with Mike Malone's much improved Denver Nuggets. Seems like anytime someone leaves your organization they will cherish a rematch and put in every effort in smashing their old team.
 
#16
Not to get all back into it but yes the team did Demarcus dirty and he deserved much better treatment on his exit. With that said, I can still watch him play on the Pels when I have time and root for his success while still being a Kings fan. It's not in my DNA to switch teams because of a player. I love Demarcus but not enough to stop rooting for the Kings.
 
#19
I'm sad to see any people trashing Bricklayer - I thought he gave "paid site content" for free, for many years, in the grades threads and was a great participant in off-season games too. I'd rather have him back than DeMarcus... by far.

Now I didn't agree with him, and I never won an argument with him, and he sometimes dug into positions that I thought were wrong. But - he was/is smart af and the board is worse off without him.

Hope he comes back with a guest-post from time to time, even if it is to say "I told you so"
 
#20
I'm sad to see any people trashing Bricklayer - I thought he gave "paid site content" for free, for many years, in the grades threads and was a great participant in off-season games too. I'd rather have him back than DeMarcus... by far.

Now I didn't agree with him, and I never won an argument with him, and he sometimes dug into positions that I thought were wrong. But - he was/is smart af and the board is worse off without him.

Hope he comes back with a guest-post from time to time, even if it is to say "I told you so"
Only problem with that is that we're saying the "I told you so".
 
#21
Okay, it's no secret that Bricklayer is no longer here. He is not MIA, however. He is alive and well at PelicansReport, having chosen to hitch his wagon to the DMC star.

This thread isn't about Brickie, though. It's in response to a couple of questions I've received regarding the grade thread for the coming season.

What do you guys think? While I don't know if anyone can do the grades with the same panache as Brick, I think there is an opportunity here for someone(s) to pick up the torch. It is a LOT of work, however. One thought I had was for different members to assess the performance of one player each over the course of the season, but that would mean a lot of work for those who pick starters. Another thought I had was to have interested parties toss their names in a hat, so to speak, and then we'd pick different members periodically to write on particular players.

I haven't talked this over with the other mods, so I don't know if any of them have thought about this.

Let's hear your ideas.
I'm not surprised to hear Brick went to the Pelicans. I think I predicted he would follow Cousins. He was so pro Cousins. Really I thought he worked for him. I know his membership is supposed to pre-date Cousins. I think we had this conversation before. It is a little strange though.
 
#22
We could have and should have done better with Demarcus.

I aint going to judge anyone who is sick of the incompetence demonstrated by the organisation to date and decides to leave. Yes the future is bright and thats all well and good but we were here 10 years ago also. No point beating a dead horse, i just hope we can build on some positive momentum for once because we as fans who are invested emotionally as well as financially have not been getting much of a return over the past decade.

Brick was a great contributor to this board and added immense value through his views. We are not any better off for his loss.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#23
I'm not surprised to hear Brick went to the Pelicans. I think I predicted he would follow Cousins. He was so pro Cousins. Really I thought he worked for him. I know his membership is supposed to pre-date Cousins. I think we had this conversation before. It is a little strange though.
Ob please. Bricklayer had been part of this forum for almost 20 years. You predicted he would follow Cousins? Brick MADE NO SECRET of his dissatisfaction with the front office and how they handled DMC - and that wasn't his only complaint with Kings management/ownership. He didn't work for Cousins.

I'm not going to argue Bricklayer with you or anyone else. I miss him even though we often butted heads. He truly loves the game of basketball and his contributions to this forum are/were undeniable. To think otherwise is just naive.
 
#24
Brick came off as a narcissistic know it all because, well, he is a very bright, knowledgeable, articulate, learned and confident fellow (and basketball fan). But I think each of us can come off that way at times when we're passionate about our knowledge and position on a particular topic.

While like many of you I often disagreed with him, and his approach at times, those that really know the game (and I'd like to think I do after following it closely for 30+ years) can easily recognize the knowledge and wisdom he brought to the table. I'm disappointed that he won't be frequenting this site anymore. As others have already stated, this site won't be better because of it. But there are so many knowledgeable and passionate fans still here that the site won't suffer either. We're all good.

Lastly, I think the idea of the collective collaborating on the grades thread is a great idea and will work really well. I look forward to reading them.
 
#30
I don't think Bricklayer left simply because Cousins was traded. I think it had something to do with a straw and a camel's back.
In my opinion, as someone who debated him often, it was his anger AND wounded pride over the Boogie trade that led to his exile from this site. He was wrong and it hurt his pride. This was as much a variable as his anger. And if he wants to log back on and defend himself he is welcome to do so. I welcome his return. Brick was convinced Vlade and Boogie had this "unbreakable bond". I was not so sure. That was NOT my perception. Brick was of mindset that Boogie and Vlade had this mutual respect and trust after the fiasco of PDA. As the theory goes, this "deep loyalty" was a two way street and there would subsequently be a "passing of the torch" from one great Kings center to another, and these two guys would be inseparable for the rest of their playing and front office career. Um, no.

This perception did NOT sit well with me. And I said so at the time. Boogie was not pleased with drafting of Papa G. He acted as if he was confused or perplexed, as if GM would have the audacity to draft a player who played the position of a "future hall of famer". Well, if Boogie and Vlade had this transcendent relationship WHY were the lines of communications NOT open enough to clear the air and get clarification on the GMs thought process? Why was Boogie not clued in on the machinations of the GM? Answer: Boogie and Vlade were NEVER that close. Vlade liked and support him as a player during his tenure. But he never saw him as indispensable as the behavioral issues mounted.

Fast forward to the trade. I did NOT see that coming. I admit when I am wrong. I was wrong. I don't mind admitting when I am wrong because I am usually not. :) What I said at the time was that Boogie's behavioral issues would depress his trade value AND his improved efficiency (career high TS% and assist to TO) would make Vlade more comfortable shelling out MAX deal. What I did NOT see coming was that Vlade would accept a depressed trade offer. I presumed Vlade would only pull trigger on a Godfather-type offer. In retrospective, it only takes one desperate team to make a deal, and the Pelicans were desperate to shake up their roster and extend the employment opportunity of coach and GM.

The other variable in this deal going down was the (justified) love affair with Buddy Hield. It's water under the bridge but I wonder if the Kings could have had Ingram and the Lakers pick if Vlade would have been a better poker player and patient negotiator? I think they could have. Regardless, I think Brick was shook to his core, the Brick was shattered into pieces so to speak because he presumed an undying loyalty by the GM to the player. Vlade's loyalty was tested one too many times and he had seen enough. He didn't get enough value in return but I don't blame him wanting to cut ties.

Now that time has passed I actually credit Vlade for having the courage to admit it was NOT working. It would have been nice to get the 2019 NOP pick. And it would have been nicer to get the Lakers #2 pick in this last draft, but still this trade is looking mighty fine with the #5 pick into a player who projects as just as dominant as Boogie and the #10 pick parlayed into JJ and the "future C-Webb"....It's too bad Brick does not want to acknowledge this roll of the dice is working out and to come back home.
 
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