Re: Wesley and Fox

[kjgoo <kjgoo@worldnet.att.net>]

Dorine Pratt wrote:
> 

> That's what so many of us admired about Wesley and Fox.  They were
> always working with the kids and the community.  Good citizens.  I'll
> miss them a great deal.

I liked Wes and Rick too (and I still do -- I wish them much success in 
Charlotte and Wherever respectively, as long as it doesn't interfere 
with the Celtics' resurgence).  They were good citizens and they always 
gave an honest effort.  But I don't think their departure is anything to 
cry over; they were simply the best players on a 15-67 team.  In Wes' 
case, it would've meant another $3 million contract for a player who 
isn't a championship caliber starter.  It hurts to say that, because I 
do like his game and I think he deserves the contract he got.  If we 
weren't already paying 3 other reserve guards that money, I would have 
hoped the C's would've retained him.  But it simply wasn't feasible.

In Rick's case, he made the mistake of opting out of his contract in a 
year when few teams have any real cap room.  Unlike Wes, I think there 
is a place on a Pitino team for Fox -- and apparently, so did Pitino, 
who was going to re-sign Fox (and Marty Conlon) until Travis Knight 
opened his big fat yap (let's hope that's not the only think Travis and 
Alonzo Mourning have in common).  It's all about business, and as 
unfortunate as that may seem to a true fan like you, Dorine, it's hardly 
unprecedented.  As bad as I feel about losing Fox, renouncing him pales 
in comparison to the disrespect shown to Paul Silas and JoJo White -- 
both of whom contributed much more to Celtics glory than old #44, whose 
most high-profile moment in a Celtics uniform was a 10 second violation 
in the deciding moment of Kevin McHale's last game.

I'll miss Wesley and Fox -- but not too much and not for long, 
especially if Billups and Mercer develop on and off the court to the 
fullest of their apparent capabilities.

Michael Gooen