Steinmetz: Warriors Clear Lacob will be Involved

Nov. 17, 2010STEINMETZ ARCHIVEWARRIORSPAGEWARRIORSVIDEOMatt SteinmetzCSNBayArea.com
For all intent and purpose, it was Joe Lacob's first day on the job as owner of the Warriors on Wednesday. After consecutive days devoted to the media and a game against the Pistons, Lacob got to walk into the -his- team's downtown Oakland offices.What did he do?Well, for one, he addressed the team."It was good," Monta Ellis said of Lacob's 10-minute talk in the locker room before practice. "We know he's very excited and he wants to win. And he wants to turn this organization around. And that's a good thing."Lacob officially assumed control of the Warriors on Friday. He spent Monday afternoon at a press luncheon then went to the Warriors-Pistons game at Oracle. On Tuesday, it was another full day of media - which included seven half-hour interviews with television and radio at a San Francisco hotel, and then trips to other Bay Area media outlets. Lacob spent time onWednesday shaking hands and meeting with his new employees. -He wentaround the team office, introducing himself to many of the staffmembers, stopping by cubicles and offices alike."He wants to win," Ellis said. "He wants this headed in the right direction. He wants to bring a winning team to the Bay Area so that's something he pinpointed. He's going to do his job as owner, giving us what we need and we'll do what we need to do on the basketball court."Lacob's been an owner for less than a week, but it's apparent he's going to be involved. Already is."It's a good thing because you know he's got your back 100 percent," Ellis said. "When he says that we're a family, that's exactly what he means. Like I said, he's going to be there every home game. He'll be down here (on practice court) a lot. He'll be around most of the time. So he's going to be here with us. That's the kind of energy we need from an owner who wants to make this a winning organization."