“We just can not get rid of this guy,” Mark Reschke writes for TGAAP. “Like a nagging winter cough, a bad back or rheumatoid arthritis, Steve Ballmer’s need to be relevant seems insatiable.”
“With his recent overpaid L.A. Clippers acquisition, it sadly appears he will be in our consciousness for some time to come,” Reschke writes. “Yesterday, at the Clippers Fan Festival, Steve Ballmer brought out his nearly trademark maniac appearance. Going quasi-crazy on the fans, followed up with a 13 minute speech that did not excite anyone, but probably scared many. Some say Ballmer is simply an extremely passionate guy in whatever he gets into. That’s one apologetic opinion. The other is Ballmer simply cannot get over himself, and since his rise and reign at Microsoft is over, he needs the spotlight now more than ever.”
“One thing is abundantly clear: until Steve Ballmer squanders all his money away, he seems bent on spending it to stay relevant in his own mind, one way or another,” Reschke writes. “It was certainly more fun watching him run Microsoft into the ground, because I was beginning to like the Clippers, and I fear he will Microsoft this rising franchise.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take:
In sports, money can buy you championships (see: the New York Yankees), although it’s far more elusive than an amateur like Ballmer might think (see: the New York Yankees). Meddlesome owners of sports teams tend to muck up the works (see: the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Knicks). Do you think Ballmer is the type of owner who will bankroll the operations and smartly leave the sports decisions to the professionals? With his narcissist desire to control and to be seen, we think not.
Ballmer is a used car salesman who got lucky. In college, he jumped on the coattails of that thief Gates, sold the world on a upside-down and backwards Mac, and rode to massive ill-gotten gains. His knowledge of basketball rivals his knowledge of how to run a tech company vs. the likes of a Steven Paul Jobs.
Good luck, LA Clippers! You’re gonna need it.
Related article:
Steve Ballmer goes ape at Clippers’ Fan Festival – August 18, 2014
“…I fear he will Microsoft this rising franchise.”
Ooohh. I LIKE it: “Microsoft” as a verb. Very nice! 🙂
Synonyms: Trash, destroy, crush, obliterate (getting the idea?)
It could also stands for unethical business practice, cheating , maleficioulsly deceiving , double-crossing , untrustworthy partnertship , etc…
OMG, I didn’t even pay attention to the story yesterday or Monday… The mock Clippers logo featuring Clippy the Office Assistant is frickin’ hilarious.
Please, please, please Monkey Boy… I beg you to stay in the spotlight so we all may continue seeing this new twist on the old meme. Clippy the Clipper for as long as it takes!
The next time I’m shooting photos at a Clippers game, I’m going to look for someone wearing that t-shirt.
Steve Ballmer, the narcissistic sociopath.
You know, in time he absolutely must buy a cruise liner. He’d rename it Clippy Ship. He’d rearrange the deck chairs. His memos to employees would be voluminous enough to serve as sails if need be. Hey, there’s an Italian cruise liner available, experienced in running aground, and quite costly to boot!
I’d think he’d want a clipper ship.
That would fit the Clippy better but I didn’t think the size would fit his ego nor hold enough deck chairs for him to feel important.
sigh…
he was the best friend Apple investors had.
The should put his picture on the wall of Spaceship Apple HQ with a plate saying “Thanks” .
Balmy is afflicted with terminal narcissism. For those who enjoy his antics, this is quite reassuring. As a result of his condition, he is incapable of seeing himself as the buffoon he is. So he will likely be with us in some form or fashion for years to come, in an ever more pathetic display of his egotistical preoccupation with himself.
“although it’s far more elusive than an amateur like Ballmer might think (see: the New York Yankees)?”
Name ONE other team that’s even close to the 27 World Series Championships that Yankees have won………I’ll wait. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Whether from a result of $$ or talent (or both), the Yanks rule. And if it’s a matter of money, then they’re only doing what they’re paid to do.
Well, actually, if the basis is championship win percentage, the Boston Celtics have won 17 championships since their founding in 1946, a 25.4% record. The Yankees have won 27 championships since their founding in 1901, a 23.9% record. By and large, the Celtics did not buy their way to legendary status – they drafted well and were coached even better.
Really? You want to compare winning percentages? Come back to me when your franchise has been around 113 years and let’s see what your winning percentage is then!
But if you really have to compare percentages, then let’s look at a fair sampling. Since the Celtics have only been around 68 years, let’s look at the Yankees first 68 years. 20 championships in that time frame!!!Obviously that’s more than 17, so if you haven’t figured it out yet, the winning percentage is higher as well. 29.4% to your 25.4%. And let’s remember, in those first 68 years the Yankees weren’t “buying” championships, as some would like to put it. They had legendary teams with legendary players. Boston … SMH!
Contrary to popular belief, money doesn’t buy you championships. If that were the case, there would be a lot of teams in a lot of different sports that should have a lot more championships than what they currently have, Yankees included.
This is a myth that is perpetuated by fans of losing teams with cheapskate owners. Matter of fact, the Yankees never won much once George got involved and started throwing money around. Just take a look at the spending for the 80’s and 00’s teams. 2 – 3 billion dollars+ in salaries and just 2 championships!!! And, one of those were against the Mets, so that’s more of a gimme than anything else!!!
From 1999 through 2013 the Yankees had the highest payroll in baseball, and during that time only accumulated 3 World Series pennants (and again, one of those were against the Mets.) Most of that success was actually due to the core of the team and the management that started with the win in 1996, not with the fact that they were throwing money around.
During this time, the money they spent allowed them to retain their players, not “buy” championships.
It wasn’t until 2002 that the Yankees started to grossly outspend the entire league, and try to “buy” a championship. And even then it didn’t work because they didn’t win anything until 2009!
Money is no guaranteed factor to success in sports. Last year more teams from the bottom 6 payrolls made it to the playoffs than those with the top six highest payrolls. The Yankees had the highest payroll last year did not even make the playoffs. Money don’t buy you squat, so quit crying in your Wheaties!!!
New York vs Boston, I love it! Anyone have some popcorn?
i think there is another baseball team a bit north and east of the yankees that decided to buy championships too, and their success rate isn’t all that different from the yankees. at least the yankees came up with the idea way before this other team, which apparently decided to copy the yankees a la microsoft, samsung, etc. so i guess we could say this team north and east of the yankees is the samsung of baseball.
heh, they ain’t doin’ do good this year.
Fortunately that team North and East of the Yankees is trailing.
ALL is not lost
Ballmer is not in the industry anymore. He can do what he wants with impunity.
One simple way to “get rid of this guy” is to stop writing fluff pieces about him and linking to them.
BBB! Bring Back Ballsmear!!!
Repeat 1000x!
NOTE: To Clippy Coaching Staff
NAIL chairs to floor, don’t want Stevie throwing chairs at games. 😊
The Clippers, The Clippers, The Clippers, The Clippers. I LOVE CLIPPY! YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!
I agree 110% with the MDN take… The news folks loved him here in LA yesterday. Never seen anything like it before..BUT, if you’ve ever spent ANY time in the tech biz, you just hung your head, mumbled under your breath and changed the channel.
Bomber is a KLOWN. After 30 years of this douche, i’ll pass on EVER watching a Clippers contest…..EVER.
You’ve been MicroSofted!
Why the hatred toward car salesmen?