several points

[JOzersky@aol.com]

I don't know why my mail isn't hitting the list -- it must be in Bartleby's
"dead letter office."  here are some observations

1)  Van Horn is the real deal.  I know i said he was a scrub and everything,
but it would be even dumber to not admit Im wrong.  The player he most
reminds me of is neither Bird nor Ferry, nor Laettner, nor any other white
guy, but Danny Manning. They are very similar players, although I don't see
VH having Manning's first step.  Otherwise, they are identical

2) Re the draft:  I feel more and more that, if we don't get Duncan, we have
to get star power with one of the picks.  I think in this draft that means
Van Horn or Mercer, both of whom looked like superstars last night (at Van
Horn did until his game turned to shit in the last five minutes).  THe other
pick we can go big, and get Foyle or Battie.  The problem, if it is that, is
that Battie is now so highly regarded (scouts say he's making "a McDyess
move" i.e. a huge draft rise) that he may go in the top five, as might Foyle
in the top six (i am assuming Dallas will pick at seven.)  So the plan may go
to shit -- if we take Mercer or Van Horn, we may be stuck without a center at
dallas' pick.   On the other hand, if Battie pans out at the draft camps and
workouts, he might make a superb consolation prize himself, allowing us to go
for a stellar shooting guard at 7.  If we get the top pick, of course, all
this is moot ... we can take Reggie Freeman or Antawn Jamison in good
conscience.

3)  See peter may in the current sporting news:  "David is the indispensable
game-in game-out player, rick is the glue, antoine is the future."  Very
true, I think.   If we have to take Van Horn, rick might have to go though,
but VH is a glue-type player too.  Eric would do much more damage as a sixth
man too.

4)The quality of discussion on this list is so high that it has spoiled me
for talking to normal fans.  The other day I met a celtic fan in a bar, and
he started to tell me Duncan wasn't "our kind of player."  I guess he meant
he wasn't white, but I don't really have a problem talking to bigots -- just
stupid ones.  This guy and many like him know nothing about the game or our
players.  I just cant talk to them anymore.

5)  If we don't draft a shooting guard, I think we should find a way to keep
Todd.  I bet nobody in the NBA thinks as highly of him as we do, and rightly.
 We just have to get rid of Dana to make it work -- he is a luxury we cannot
afford.  I'm sure someone would take him, esp if we sweetened the deal with a
2nd rounder and a big suitcase full of money.

any respones?