Re: Bigger messups

["Kevin Robertson" <kroberts@asid.org>]

During the Championship years we had KC Jones coaching us (I'm sure you
probably know this but I don't want to assume) and he left in the 1988
season and handed an aging but still good team over to Jimmy Rodgers (look
in Celtics history books under: "egotistical jerk"). We lost Len Bias, our
incredibly talented 1987 first round draft pick, to a suspicious cocaine
overdose (see in Celtics history under "beginning of the end"). and
subsequently had a rough season. Many believe Len Bias was talented enough
to switch with Larry, which would have taken the burden off his back (no pun
intended).

Rodgers didn't get along with Ainge, who was taking too many risky shots,
but our ranks were depleted due to injury and he was just trying to save a
sinking ship. Rodgers answer was to package Ainge and Brad Lohaus (who Larry
felt could be a good addition to the Celts) for Joe Kleine and ? (help me
out history buffs). Rodgers was fired a year later. If we hadn't lost Bias,
we would have had Bias, Ainge, Lewis, Mchale and Parish.

I think with some interesting moves in the early 90's (one of which being a
straight up trade offer in 1995 of Sherman Douglas for Christian Laettner; I
beleive ML Carr didn't want to make it because he was a head case in
Minnesota. All-Star in Atlanta, head case in MN and we didn't take it.
AAGGGHHHH!!!!!!!), we wouldn't be in the position we're in. Just a little
bitter pill Celts history for you.

To answer your literary question: There is an autobiography of Larry Bird,
written with one of the Globe columnists; The Banner Years; and if you want
to see the greatest Celtic in action, there's a great video called "Larry
Bird: Basketball Legend."

Here's definitely hoping we win big tomorrow. Cheers.

Scrod.




-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Odegaard <gmodegaa@longvred.rmc.com>
To: Kevin Robertson <kroberts@asid.org>
Date: Thursday, January 29, 1998 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: Bigger messups


>Kevin thank you for your reply.  I thought I had a pretty solid handle on
>Celtic history, especially for the last 20 years (personnel moves, etc.),
>but the REAL reason we traded Ainge, and the timing, must have slipped by
>me.  Can you elaborate at all on the subject or refer me to any writings
>(books, etc.) that can fill in the obvious gray areas of my knowledge on
>the subject.  BTW what is opinion on draft picks like Smith, et al.
>
>Have a good one, and hears to another win tomarrow night,
>Greg
>
>----------
>From: Kevin Robertson <kroberts@asid.org>
>To: celtics@igtc.COM
>Subject: Bigger messups
>Date: Thursday, January 29, 1998 7:16 AM
>
>I agree with you that the signing of those overblown biddy league players
>was probably our biggest mistake, but I have always felt that in the 80's
>our GM (I don't remember who?) made a huge mistake by reacting to the loss
>of Len Bias by trading Ainge. But then again I always loved Ainge's scrappy
>nature and would have loved to see him retire with us... but that's just
>me.
>
>Scrod
>
>
>Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 09:09:09 -0800
>From: "Greg Odegaard" <gmodegaa@longvred.rmc.com>
>Subject: Re: trade
>
>I agree totally with this well thought out analysis.  Trades or moves of
>any type probably won't or definately shouldn't happen until the
>off-season, unless we can get a used team bus in trade for Brown or Minor.
>I unfortunately see Tri-Captain Brown being around until his contract
>expires.  Are there any ways under the complicated cap rules to dump a
>player without eating it both in real and cap dollars?, without wrapping
>him up and shipping him to Greece?
>
>I personally think the signing of these 2 bloaks to long term deals is the
>greatest mistakes made by this storied franchise in easily the last 10
>years and maybe longer.  What bigger mistake has the Celtics brain trust
>made (Michael Smith?) since the championship years or ever?
>
>Later,
>Greg
>
>
>