Re: Antoine's $$$

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.andara.com>]

Paul, I agree with much of what you say.  I guess my main point is that, at
this time, Walker isn't the utopian team player right now and his stats bear
this out.  I hope to God that he's in the gym like he says working hard on
his game.  Maybe he's hitting that wall that Dorine mentioned, but
regardless, right now, he's not where I thought he'd be as far as team
progress is concerned.  It's only fair that if Chauncey got raked over the
coals for his inconsistency, why should Antoine be immune from the same
criticizm?  He has weapons to work with in Mercer, Anderson, Barros, and
occasionally McCarty.  Not to be confused with the Celtics of old, but a
scrappy bunch when you include DeClercq.

Though I would not be in favor of this swap, I'll bet that many fans would
trade Grant Hill for Antoine.

Cecil

-----Original Message-----
From: damekmo@teleport.com <damekmo@teleport.com>
To: celtics@igtc.COM <celtics@igtc.COM>
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 1998 9:11 PM
Subject: Re: Antoine's $$$


>>> From cecil@hfx.andara.com Tue Feb 24 14:05:27 1998
>>
>>>
>>> I was being one dimensional because the comment revolved around Bryant
being
>>> called a ball hog.
>
>Cecil, sorry, I didn't make myself clear. I wrote "ball hog," placing the
>phrase in quotes trying, badly apparently, to signal that this is an often
>stated description of Bryant's game by others on the list and the media.
>I've often heard him called a "ball hog." I also placed it in quotes to
>signal that these aren't my words, my thoughts. I don't think he's a ball
>hog at all. Who would you rather see shooting the ball at the end of games,
>Bryant, Eddie Jones, or Shaq. The first will either hit an unbelievable
>shot or shoot an airball, the second will have a play called for him and
>pass it or shoot an airball, and the third will get fouled and shoot an
>airball. I brought up Bryant to address your comment about Walker still
>having a lot to prove. So does Bryant but he's going to get a ton of money.
>Have you noticed his game has also suffered since the break. Rasheed
>Wallace still has a ton to prove, and I would argue, much more than Walker.
>The kid plays under zero pressure by the way. And he got a ton of money.
>And I agree that Walker doesn't have a complete game yet. But he's also the
>only one of the three who HAS to play well every night, and play hard every
>night, and play major minutes every night, and excel at every facet of the
>game every night (to make up for other players' deficiencies) just to give
>their team a CHANCE to win.  He's 21. He's in a funk. It happens. If the
>Celtics get Walker for $10 mill. or under, your original point was that
>he's not worth 10-20 mill. I'll get down on my knees and sing Pitino's
>praises. But...I just don't think it's going to happen. But...nice
>discussion. Liked it a lot. One more point...I love selling this one. Grant
>Hill. Great player. Great all around skills. Fantastic numbers. At the end
>of close games. Clank...pass...turnover...clank. The best 36-40 minute
>player in the league. Walker in four years? 48 solid minutes of an
>unbelievable game.
>
>Paul
>
>
>