RE: May article/Celtic Walker MVP!

["Greg Odegaard" <gmodegaa@longvred.rmc.com>]

 Paul hits on many good points regarding AW.  I chuckled in the last few
 weeks about the team MVP debate.  This was close to being an argument as
to
 whether Jordan or Pippen is the Bulls team MVP, let alone the league MVP
in
 the case of MJ.  Walker is clearly the team's MVP for the past two years,
 and is the player this team has the keep.  This does not discount the
 ability nor potential of the obvious #2 guy on this team, Ron Mercer.  But
 in the definition of MVP, Walker is the poster boy for the Boston Celtics.
 
 I have a good friend who is not a Celtic fan, yes I said good, who
strongly
 believes that AW should get votes for LEAGUE MVP and should be assured a
 spot on the ALL-League First Team.  He puts it in terms of who helped
there
 team succeed or improve the greatest, from across the league.  Beyond MJ
 and Malone, and maybe a Robinson/Duncan combo who else has been a single
 player on any team that has made the most impact like Antoine Walker? 
 There is no "one" player from the other strong teams, Pacers, Fakers and
 the Sonics.  Nor the middle of the pack teams, like the Nets, Cavs,
Hornets
 and Suns.  Think about it.  
 
 Of course with the apparent lack of respect AW gets from his fellow
players
 in the league and certainly the refs, let's hope they don't have any
votes,
 Antoine has a ways to go in the maturity, to achieve the perceived team
 leader role.  Whether he is all the way there now is unclear, he will be
 there by 2000, and because of this he must be payed what the market will
 bear. Arguments against are just plain foolish.   
 
 I believe the team should bank roll one of the obvious list of FA's this
 summer, and get Walker onboard for the future before he can even think of
 becoming a FA himself.  If he continues to improve he will cost more next
 summer, and with Falk behind him he might do something stupid like want a
 trade or want to test the waters.  We need to ban this boy from the pool
 now, and hopefully start reserving a place for his #8 in the rafters. 
With
 this plan, we would have no choice, being at or over the cap, to do the
 same with Mercer the following summer.  With a healthy Anderson, and smart
 draft choices, we should be set for the Banner raising ceremonies in a few
 years to come.
 
 Sorry to be preachy, but I felt it was time to come clean on Mr. Walker's
 value and importance to this organization.
 
 Rafters in 2000 Baby,
 Greg
 ----------
 > From: damekmo@teleport.com
 > To: celtics@igtc.COM
 > Subject: Re: May article
 > Date: Tuesday, April 14, 1998 8:44 AM
 > 
 > >A sober article by Peter May on the Walker situation:
 > >
 >
 >http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe/globehtml/104/No_need_to_hurry_on_Walker_
c
 
 > >ontra
 > >ct.htm
 > >
 > >K. Kveraga
 > 
 > Just read the article and yes, it was sobering, but unfortunately, I
> think,
> > it's also way off the mark. Antoine as Dominique? I think an argument
can
> > be made that Abdur Rahim is more Dominique-like. We can bad-mouth
Walker
> > all day long, and in many cases we'd be right, or at least have a
> > legitimate argument for our criticisms. However,....I've said all year
> long
> > that the Celtics have played with one legitimate NBA starter. They
played
> > for the vast majority of games with no point-guard. Their only
legitimate
> > three point scoring threat comes off the bench so that for most of the
> game
> > they don't have a real three point shooter on the court. Knight?
Please,
> > he's been a major disappointment if you expected anything at all. Their
> > offense at center has been a joke. They don't have a consistent,
> legitimate
> > scoring threat at small forward. In other words, nobody is staying up
> late
> > worrying about covering the Celtics front court players except
> for....This
> > team has won, what, 36 games? Look at this talent and tell me that's
not
> a
> > miracle. Say what you want about Walker, he's a multi-talented player
> who's
> > spent this year making up for the weaknesses in his teammates' games.
> > Abdur-Rahim? How many wins does Vancouver have? Walker as 'Nique
because
> we
> > don't know if he's a winner? Totally absurd. Walker's the only reason
> this
> > team hasn't been a pathetic mess all year long. He's 21, he needs to
grow
> > up just like every other 21 year old on the planet. He's exteremely
> > talented and in some ways flawed. But,.....is he a winner? Absolutely.
> One
> > more thing. I think May said the other players in the league don't like
> > him. Yes? Jesus Christ...who cares what the other players in the league
> > think? As far as I'm concerned, I hope other players continue to hate
> him.
> > I love Peter May. Good writer, but he's wrong. I'm not sure the team
can
> > take a chance on losing Walker. Pitino's right, he is the franchise. If
> > they lose him, they're screwed for another decade. I have other things
to
> > say, but I'm late for work. Later.
> > 
> > Paul M.
> >