Re: mean people who pick on Chauncey

[KK <6166kkver@umbsky.cc.umb.edu>]

Erik A. Estes wrote:

>       Do you know for a fact that he or anyone else isn't spending extra time?

(I knew someone was going to ask this :)) For a fact, no. I was simply making a
reasonable inference from Billups's comment.

> If not, then you shouldn't be making posts like this.

Fair enough. However, rather than baldly accusing Billups et al. of not putting in
extra work outside of practice, I was challenging his attitude that extra work on
individual skills (e.g., shooting) should take place during team practices. I think
that the Celtics have plenty of things they need to work on collectively, and that
the practice time should be devoted to that. Practicing jumpers, free throws,
dribbling, lifting weights etc. should be done on personal time. This is not Junior
High.

> But if you have
> heard someone from the team say "No one is spending any extra time after
> practice."  Then fine.  I assume what Chauncy meant by that comment is that
> no one on the team was shooting well.  That they all need to work on it.

I assumed differently - perhaps it is just my mean attitude towards Chauncey :)).
It was all but dissipated last night by Billups's play. Poor shooting and a couple
of boo-boos notwithstanding, Chauncey was at last exhibiting some point guard
skills. Interestingly, his passing seems at his best  (and worst!) when he jumps in
the air and lays it down to a cutting teammate. When it works, it's spectacular;
when it doesn't, spectators in the expensive seats are lucky recipients of his
passes (and people like me post mean comments about him to the list). Perhaps his
lack of passing success stemmed from the ban Pitino imposed on his jump-passing -
Billups seems congenitally unable to make productive passes when he's on the ground.
However, if he can get 9 assists and keep his TOs down to 2, what the heck!
Random thoughts:
- It seemed to me that Billups was hell-bent on outplaying Daniels last night. Of
course, I don't know it for a fact, but I'll say it anyway.
- If Pitino could figure out a way get Minor's head in order, that guy could be a
player - he's got the tools.  Obviously, the previous administrations counted on the
same thing in giving Minor that relatively fat contract. Or, maybe they felt sorry
for his kids.
- Billups, at 6-3, managed to collect 7 'bounds, while Travis, at 7-0,  chipped in
with 1. True, he only played 12 min.( I wonder why?), but: see Thomas. I don't know
it for a fact, but I think Brad Sellers (or Lohaus) was Knight's role model  when he
was growing up. Worse, we know he can do it, as evidenced by his 10 rebound
performance a couple of games ago, but lately he just doesn't seem to be willing.
- Bowen, even at 0 for 10, is very valuable to this team. He's the epitome of
Celticness, and I would be upset to see him traded.

K. Kveraga