Simmons in ’09!

Bill Simmons (aka ESPN Page 2’s “The Sports Guy”) http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/simmons/index has just thrown his name into the ring to be the next Minnesota Timberwolves General Manager.

Simmons announced his candidacy via Twitter and his podcast (the BS report).

Courtesy of Twitter:
– Hey T-Wolves fans: I am ready to launch the \”Simmons for GM\” campaign if you are. Already on record as loving \’Sota.
– PS: Here\’s my offer to the T-Wolves. 3-year deal, first year for free as long as I can write a book about Season 1. I am dead-serious.
– Minny\’s attendance in 2008-09: 27th overall. Even with tons of family packs & discount deals.
– Minny\’s record from 2006-2009: 111-217, no playoff appearances. PS: I am inviting Britt Robson to be my assistant GM. Simmons-Robson 2009!
– Guys I would build around: Jefferson, Love, Brewer, Foye, 2009 No. 1 pick. My game plan: Emulating how Presti rebuilt the Zombie Sonics.
– T-Wolves prez Chris Wright: wright@timberwolves.com. Lobby him on my behalf. My question to Minny: Why not? You are irrelevant right now.
– First big Minny idea: If we get eliminated from playoffs, tix rest of the way are half-price and season ticketholders get half-price refunds
– 2nd big Minny idea: Anyone who bought season tix in 1987 and kept them since, I am taking you to dinner. Groups of eight per dinner.
– 3rd big Minny idea: I promise to trade with Chris Wallace and Mike Dunleavy as much as I possibly can. Will e-mail \’em every day with offers
– 4th big Minny idea: Any T-Wolves fan can trade in a jersey of a player no longer on the team and get 40% off their purchase of a new one.

My initial thought was: hey, that’s a great idea. Simmons knows basketball (from an off-the-court perspective) as well as anyone. I actually read his less as of a late because he focuses so much on basketball. Regardless, there is no denying his passion and knowledge.

But then I started thinking about it. Bill Simmons has never worked in an office, let along the front office of a sports franchise. He hasn’t had an office. He hasn’t had a 9-5 job, let alone a job that is basically 24/7/365. He hasn’t had people report to him. He doesn’t have an MBA in sports business. He hasn’t … etc.

So no way, it doesn’t make sense. You can’t have a guy who has no business background run an NBA Franchise. The GM isn’t there to be just a figurehead who brings in people and sells tickets just because of “who” he is…

(Ahem… Kevin McHale, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, John Paxson, Joe Dumars, Chris Mullen, Steve Kerr, Danny Ferry, Danny Ainge, and so on)…

Oh… hmm… yeah… well… ok, so most of those guys also had never had a 9-5 job, or an office, or had people report to them, or had an MBA… they basically played the game, which is very different than managing the game, or they were big names used to draw in fans.

Ok, maybe this isn’t such a ridiculous idea after all. Some of the more successful GMs of today haven’t had a management background (of course some of the worst GMs of today haven’t had a management background). The bottom line of this is that bringing in Simmons doesn’t have a downside. He would immediately bring media coverage and interest to a franchise the desperately needs both. The T-wolves have some talent in the front office that would help Simmons (or any GM out), like Fred Hoiberg and Jim Stack.

There are some other candidates out there (including Hoiberg and Stack, but outside blood is definitely needed at “the country club”) such as David Kahn (who hasn’t worked for a team since 2002) and former Miami Heat GM Randy Pfund (who was dumped in favor of Pat Riley… that should tell you all you need to know).

It’s an intriguing thought (even more than Favre to the Vikings), but I keep coming back to Simmons’ own argument: why not? Exactly… why not? I can’t come up with a good reason. C’mon Glen… at least listen to what The Sports Guy has to say.