We are three games into the preseason and so far it isn’t painful to watch these guys play (sorry Bobcats, but it was kind of painful at times last season). In fact, I think these guys are actually doing pretty good considering the changes they’ve gone through.

Working with a new head coach is always a challenge, but the Bobcats have another challenge facing them that most teams will not. They have a lot of new players to work in as well. So it’s not like they cohesiveness of an existing core can help speed up the learning process or any familiarity with the coach.

In a way I think that is good, but in a way it can also be bad.

With so many new faces to the team (roster and head coach) there really will not be any need to un-learn the old ways since as far as these guys are concerned there really aren’t any. So far the starting line-up has had at least two guys that played for a different team last year in it.

On the flip side of that there is the time that is necessary for a bunch of players to learn their new coach’s scheme. To compound that there is the time that it takes for the players to get to know each other as well.

During the whole learning process there will be times where the team will look good like in the win over the Washington Wizards in the first preseason game. There will also be times where they will be wildly inconsistent–like in the two games against New Orleans Hornets where they had one abysmal quarter in each game.

Never, let me repeat, NEVER, have I been this optimistic before the NBA training camp started. Honestly, I don’t know where to start. Well, let’s just start at the top. Micheal Jordan, hey what can I say? He truly made several outstanding decisions this offseason. Here’s the top four in my book:

1. Signed Coach Dunlap – I haven’t had the priviledge of meeting him yet, but I can already tell you, this guy is the real deal folks. He’s a runner and in great shape, so he leads by example, not with his chops. He has that Drill Sergeant look and demeanour, but is a people person at the same time. He will fire up the troops, and get them ready for battle!
2.  Great Draft  (even if it wasn’t his pick) he still allowed Cho to draft Kidd- Gilcrest and Taylor, arguably, our best 1+2 picks in any draft we’ve ever entered. (No knock on Kemba and Bismack, these are two future “very good” players, I just think these 2 guys will have a larger impact their rookie seasons than they did. Seeing all 4 of them on the court at one time during some game is something I’m really looking foward to. That’s when I’ll know, we are on our way!)

It may seem a little strange, but the basketball season is not that far away folks. Training camp is right around the corner (early October I believe). First up for our Bobcats in the preseason will be the Washington Wizards. We open the regular season at home against the Indiana Pacers on November 2.

That’s not a whole lot of time.

Now the NFL has been kind enough to play some games of their own leading up to the beginning of the season to keep us occupied (thanks guys!) so before you know it will be time for tip-off!

Personally, I can’t wait for that first game to start for a couple different reasons. First and foremost so we can officially put that dreadful 2011-12 season behind us for good. I guess technically it already is, but I think we will not really be able to put it out of sight and completely out of mind until the new Charlotte Bobcats step on the court for the first time.

We’ve got reason to be a little excited this year folks. It would be pretty difficult for the team to match last season’s record so we can only get better. Like you I’m not looking to except a slew of 10 point losses over the 20 point ones, but I don’t think we are going to be that bad this year.

I think we can surprise some folks.

I have to admit. I haven’t been keeping up with the latest and greatest on the good ole Charlotte Bobcats as well as maybe I should. With the post season race heating up in baseball and football starting up (I enjoy watching preseason games; it’s better than no football) there have just been other things.

I wasn’t sure what I’d uncover when I turned my computer on tonight, but what I did find was kind of interesting.

For those that don’t follow politics all too closely the Democratic National Convention is being held in Charlotte this year (September 3-6) in the Time Warner Cable Arena, home of our Charlotte Bobcats. If it wasn’t bad enough that the NFL was forced to start the season on a Wednesday for the first time in the history of the league since Obama is speaking on Thursday (wait—I guess we should be saying thanks) the Bobcats have been kicked out of their home.

To prepare for the DNC the facility pretty much got gutted and reconfigured. Even the team store had to be cleared out to make room for the Democrats.

After hearing about that Obama’s catch phrase—change we can believe in—popped into mind. That got me thinking about the overhaul that the Bobcats have undergone this offseason.

Some of you may have read part 1 of mine and Christian “Bodin” Norway’s Q & A session earlier in the week. However, the response was great the only way we could answer all the question in the detail they deserve was to split the article in two, so here it is. Part 2.

1) Isguros: What’s your opinion about not re-signing Derrick Brown, was it to clear cap space in order to sign a big free agent or do the bobcats think Jeff Taylor will be a better player this season?

James Plowright:  One thing Cho has repeatedly emphasized is he wants is flexibility, this is why he was rescinded rather than going for a big FA signing. I think just having the roster spots open and saving 3 million on CAP space is the reason. Derrick Brown was never going to be the make or break of this franchise, I mean as much as like his pre game dancing and his highlight dunks he is a rotation player. I actually think he made quite a few strides last year, he started rebounding at a better rate and began to hit the midrange jumper. But, you can see the roster changes we have made this offseason, it has been close to a total overhaul and for that to happen you need flexibility. We had not drafted Jeff Taylor (28^th June) when we rescinded Derrick Brown’s QA (18^th June). So it is not like the front office picked Taylor over Brown. However, in answer to your questions, yes I think Jeff Taylor will be a better player this season and throughout his career. Taylor is a much better defensive player, can guard 1-4, is a better shooter and is still pretty athletic.

Christian “Norway” Bodin: I’m not sure I like it really. He is showed a lot of promise last year and could be a valuable rotation player this season, especially if injury strikes either MKG (which is likely with his slim body at this point) or Jeff Taylor. I personally think Jeff Taylor could come in and do as well a job, if not better than Derrick Brown, but Brown is bigger and better inside, where he could play some 4 when going small. I thought we would keep him to play the scrap minutes at the three. As far as clearing cap-space, he would still be in his rookie contract if he resigned. It was a qualifying option, and it doesn’t seem like a lot of teams are willing to pay a significant amount of money on him. It might have been that they were trying to negotiate for someone, but failed to get it through, and maybe they will invite him to training camp and give him a new contract, who knows. Either way, I think giving him a final year would benefit us so I didn’t really get it.

Can a full changeover in culture come to the team who put up the worst winning percentage in NBA history?  One season removed, will things just get gradually better or is there a sea change coming?

I wonder who the first guy to say “Oh, we are bringing in a culture change.”  Or “What we really need to do is completely change the culture.”  It must have been a new coach somewhere who came in and he was asked “Well coach, what do you bring to the team.”  It’s a great way of saying “Everything you didn’t have before.”

If you think about it, it’s a really great way to put how big of a change you want to make.  The key word there of course is “want” because cultures aren’t things that are moved or just changed.  They are built and influenced and steered but never just changed.  If you think about cultures in general, you think of nations or ethnicities but cultures are so diverse you might say that families or even individuals have cultures all to their own.