TheHRR.com Basketballs 4 Thought: Dear Hilton

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Dear Hilton

This is a simple open letter to the owner of the Houston Comets, Mr. Hilton Koch.

Dear Hilton,
Please do something. Anything. Pronto.

Your team is the only winless team in the WNBA. Currently, your team is 0 and 10. Your team leads the league in turnovers per game (nearly 20 per game). Your team allows the most points in the league (85 ppg). Your team, as we've been told ad nauseum, cannot play well for a full 40 minutes.

Yet, the Comets' fans have not heard from you. Send them a letter.

Before forward Sheryl Swoopes was diagnosed with a bulging disc in her back, the team was not in a "rebuilding mode". However, without Swoopes, the team's woes on offense continue in an ugly, and almost dark comedic downward spiral; and, the team's defense collapses when an opponent begins to impose its will.

Hilton, let your fans hear from you. Tell them you apologize for the awful start. Let them know the team is indeed rebuilding. Ask the fans to be patient. Encourage them to not give up on the Comets. Assure the fans better days are ahead.

Do something.

Write a letter to the Chronicle's sports editors and address it to the fans of the Houston Comets.

The WNBA's regular season is only 34 games long. Ten games have come and gone; and, the Comets have yet to earn a victory.

Tick, tock, Hilton. Take some type of action. Please.

15 Comments:

At June 17, 2007 10:52 AM, Dr. Kay said…

Yes, Kris - these fans are sitting out here, paying for tickets, buying food, and no message from the owner.
Also when $50 tickets are being given away to ushers' families while some of the fans pay for those $50 tickets, that creates ill will also.
I thought the Stealth was run badly, but this is worse.
KVC
At June 17, 2007 12:43 PM, Anonymous said…

What's the point of advising Hilton to send a letter to the fans or write some apology to be published in the Chronicle? He's not the GM or the coach or a player on the floor who can possibly influence the outcome of games. What should he apologize for - his choice of GM/coach? Honestly, I just don't see the point.

Dr. Kay, I would prefer to see people in those seats, whether they received comp tickets or paid for them. If people are just "moving over/down to better seats", then I might understand your "ill will" comment, but honestly, who cares if the comp tickets are given to ushers' families or T-Mac's buddies or a bunch of kids from the Y?

The Comets have a lot of problems, many of which would be relieved somewhat if they would just get a win. Come on, Coach! Put together a lineup, come up with a game strategy, and actually inspire your team to play for 40 minutes.
At June 17, 2007 4:07 PM, Coopsback said…

A win won't help anything. We didn't get "A" win on this 3 game road trip as Karleen hoped for.

If we are to salvage the season, a GM with an eye for talent and players that will work together must be brought in immediately, before we are stuck with players' salaries the whole season (June 30th).

This experienced GM Hilton will go and get may or may not make any changes for this season, but Karleen will make no more personnel decisions. Oh someone wake me up.
At June 17, 2007 5:12 PM, Kris Gardner said…

'Take some type of action.'

That is what I suggest Hilton do.

He has done nothing while Rome burns.

He hasn't even offered the proverbial kiss of death to a head coach -- offer his support.

You know the line:
"(Insert name here) has my full and complete support."

If Hilton wants to keep the fans interested, he needs to do something.
At June 17, 2007 6:27 PM, SORF said…

I'm not sure the letter should come from Hilton...at least alone. If anything, he should direct Karleen to answer to the fans and explain why the team is doing as lousy as it is. She needs to "own up" to her mistakes and apologize to the fans. I don't believe we are in a rebuilding phase. I think we are in last place due to mistakes made with drafting, free agency, coaching, and team chemistry.

Hilton should also place Karleen on the firing line...improve this team pronto or there is the door. It is her job to MAKE the team play for the full 40 minutes, to cut down on the turnovers, to play defense they WHOLE game, and to motivate the players. And she hasn't done it in the last 10 games.

As much as we thought a change was due in coaching last year, one thing is certain. With this exact team we would not be 0-10 with Van Chancellor coaching. He would have found a way to turn this team around and we would have had a couple of wins by now.
JMO
At June 17, 2007 10:47 PM, Anonymous said…

IF the coach/team leadership is saying the Comets are in rebuilding mode, and the team is buying into that mentality, then I wouldn't expect to win ANY games this season because they have given themselves an excuse for not achieving a damn thing this season.

IF the PLAN was to rebuild this season, then why was Byears brought in, why was Tari brought back (since sources say her contract was not in fact guaranteed), why will we most likely be seeing the return of Tamecka Dixon in a few weeks (if reports are correct), and why didn't Karleen keep any of the promising young players other than Ashley Shields, players like Robbins or Newlin or Neaves or Grant or ....? You get the idea, right?

What a joke. Sorry, Hilton, it seems like you have wasted your money and time and effort to keep the team here. You have had your motives, finances, and integrity questioned when all you were trying to do was fulfill what you perceived to be your duty to keep the team here, to inspire children, to entertain the fans. The fans won't come - or return - if the team doesn't win a few games now and then.

We didn't need to have a championship - or even a playoff - team this season, but we do need to have a team that plays as a team, shows that they can focus for 40 minutes, and wins some games, not a team with a losers' mentality. Rebuilding, yeah right.
At June 18, 2007 7:36 AM, Kris Gardner said…

I don't believe the plan before the season was to rebuild.

Re-tool, yes. Rebuild, no.

As I mentioned in the article, the team's sentiments may have changed to "rebuilding" when Swoopes went down with her back injury and the losses piled up.
At June 18, 2007 7:04 PM, Anonymous said…

Kris,
Before I respond I would like to address Kay Van Cleaves comment about the Stealth. I love Kay, she is one of the best women's issue supporter out there but, No one should attack the Stealth - ever. Compared to the Comets 07 season the NWBL was far ahead - and that sad.

At least the players got paid, they had Van and Johnny as coaches, they had a community rep, a booster club, a generous owner who actually had money (Roy Marsh), a great all-volunteer staff and boosters (Ryan Mac, Kris Gardner, Darrell Linden, Susan, Paige, Stalker, Margo, Dusty, KVC, Martha, Mona Lisa, and even Setta (who would not be dumb enough to pass over Latta). If the Stealth would have been given the STH database of the Comets the league would still be here - and that's a fact jack!

I agree with you 100% because of what has transpired. He has done "something" but none of it that good. If you told me that all of our hometown mgmt would be gone by now I would have called you a lie. We loss Kris G. as Media Rep, April, Darrell, Paige, the girl who used to do the community promos, tony the equipment mgr, the sales rep who went to the Monarchs, Samantha the trainer, and many more. I heard Reggie the globetrotter used to help Van for free in practice and now since be hired/fired from the Comets he has been banned from the building. As Kobe Bryant said, "the front office is a mess". Who the hell are these people. Who is the tall chick always kneeling by hilton during games? Who is the idiot who made those stupid looking billboards with "mini-me Swoopes" that had to be corrected after me and several others called? Where is NK when you need him to get the "real" inside word? How much does Karleen make? Is it really only $95K? Is it really only a one year deal with options? Did Swoopes sign for 3 years? What is going on with the players union after the deal expires this year? Where are the new jerseys in Academy or Toyota Center? Where is Camino? Did we send someone to visit her? Kris, can you start a mail campaign to Camino and send us her team address? I met Darrell Linden and he is a smart guy with some experience and good ideas at the shrimp boil, what really happened to him. I know I am rambling but I am pissed about the 0-10 and I could not take it no more. And finally, I am not racist and I have some black friends but at this point I would like to see more than one white face on the bench besides Coach "Babyface" Ryan. Dear Hilton - help us the F$%# out! RIP Houston Stealth I miss my nights at Autry meeting the players personally.
At June 18, 2007 10:26 PM, Anonymous said…

Anonymous,

I agree with the majority of your comments and was with you until the the race comment. Why is it a problem that the majority of the coaches are African American? Having some black friends does not exclude you from the racist category! I am not saying you are a racist, but your comment is a little misleading. The problem with the coaching staff is not race. KT is an inexperienced coach, that should not have been given GM responsibilities. Her assistant coaches are not that strong, which ultimately leads us to the situation we have today- 0-10 to start the season.

I generally do not comment on message boards, but I felt a need to share my thoughts.
At June 19, 2007 11:28 AM, Anonymous said…

And that's the bottom line it's all about race because KT is black she's a failure I was wondering how long it would take the racist comments to come out and here they are (sad)! I wish that Hilton would sell this damn team and put them out of their misery with fans like this.
At June 19, 2007 4:34 PM, Anonymous said…

PLEASE...the team is 0-10. How does criticism of the coach and GM in this situation equate to racism? Maybe you see it that way through your own filters/experiences, but that doesn't make it so.
At June 19, 2007 4:47 PM, Kris Gardner said…

Though some people may believe racism is an issue with the Comets, I don't one bit.

The team is 0 and 10.

That's all I see.

I'm simply urging Hilton to take some pro-active action -- however, he sees fit.
At June 20, 2007 7:15 AM, Anonymous said…

Please what? had it been Ann Donovan,Bill Lambieer, Mike Thibault or anyone other white person you would not be hearing half of the things you are hearing about KT Van jacked up this team for a long time and everyone was still supporting him until he left some of you were not willing to do anything to get rid of Van and complained about the others who were trying to get him and his "C" play out of Houston.
At June 20, 2007 12:46 PM, Anonymous said…

I didn't know 0-10 had a color. I'd be and AM more concerned about the team's record than about how someone might or might not have misinterpreted someone else's post. Damn. The only thing that's black & white to me is the number in the W column & the number in the L column.
At June 20, 2007 5:36 PM, Coopsback said…

Hilton is expressing support for Karleen because he says, "She knows what she is talking about".

I think you have gotten the wool pulled over your eyes, Hilton. lol.

0 and 10 and the reason IMO is the team Karleen put together and the lack of getting a point guard early on.

She has wasted a year of Tina and Snow's career. I would say Sheryl too but she is out hurt.

We have a small window with Tina and Sheryl, the only superstars we have.

Thanks a lot, Karleen. Hilton may support you but I am angry with what you did to my team. Believe me, if a white man or white woman made the same moves Karleen has, including Byears, I would be the same with them.

It's sad to see some turn this subject into a race issue, and ridiculous.