Richard Peddie Quotations

What we're missing out on is the single game sales and when you start the season 1-15, that doesn't get the heart racing. People aren't engaged yet.

We're in very, very serious discussions with Brian.

We're getting near the end of the process, but obviously it is not over yet,

If we have to, absolutely. (We'd have) no fear at all.

Bryan was our No. 1 candidate for the job right from the start.

He has complete autonomy for the basketball operation.

He may look like a big, blurry Irishman, but he's not as tough as he may seem, there's a side to him that a lot of people don't see.

I said we were going to go out and get the most proven, experienced GM that we could and I think we have.

We have all been moved by the human tragedies that have occurred to our neighbours in the southern United States.

We are looking for just a general manager, ... He will set the strategy and the tone. We are just hiring one person.

We would do that for everyone from Jeannie at the reception desk to John Ferguson and the vice-presidents. Good companies do that.

We also feel that in moving Wayne into the role of general manager on an interim basis we will be better able to develop (coach) Sam Mitchell's growth toward being a very good NBA coach during the second half of the season. Wayne has the leadership qualities and league-wide credibility that we need to get to the next level. He has the full powers of a general manager.

This was a tough decision, but one that we feel is in our best long-term interests. We recognize Rob's efforts to clear cap space and bring in young talent, but it's time to bring in someone with proven experience as an NBA general manager to take us to the next level.

We look forward to working with the three levels of government as we prepare for construction of the stadium in early 2006 and while we finalize our franchise agreement with Major League Soccer,

We have to do a major course correction. We used to follow a buy strategy and now we have to follow a build strategy.

First of all, typically people you would be interested in would be tied up through the end of the season and when we were allowed to talk to Bryan in February, that was unexpected. When your top person gets available months earlier than expected, you jump at that chance.

I've been reviewing (the performance) of senior people since the start of April. That will have an end date and a whole written component.

It was a tough decision, but one that we feel is in the best long-term interest of our franchise.

The investment community follows those stocks and scrutinizes quarterly earnings reports very carefully. The fact that we're privately held means we're not under the same scrutiny and our ownership isn't under as much pressure to produce quarterly profits,

In all, we get about one/30th of what's sold outside our building (divided among all teams), ... I don't think that would even amount to six figures. What's important to us is the brand recognition when people wear them around town.

I like to think this is a 10-year hire, ... A couple of more weeks is nothing.

A general manager is evaluated in large part by the results of his decisions. Unfortunately, those results have not met our expectations.

(The CSA) will probably need some help, ... I don't want to show our hand. It won't be (the bulk of the) $25 million (that MLSE commits), but we can help in many ways.