Geiger

[Patrick Goggin <gogginpd@email.uc.edu>]

	Greg Odegaard wanted some Geiger supporters to step forward and state their postition.  I'll state up front that I'd like to see us sign him although I'm not flat out in love with his game which makes me a borderline Geiger supporter.  We need to clarify a few things:  He does not have a bad back and his "chronic back" should not be compared to the one that curtailed Larry's career. . .he has a pulled hamstring--not an uncommon or career-threatening injury.  I do no support his"antics" of the last two weeks.  There is no excuse for questioning your coach in the media and he should have been with his team at halftime BUT if we had decided not to aquire DJ or the Chief because they ate a candy bar on TV and skipped a halftime of a game they weren't playing in, we would still have 14 championships.  They carried much more baggage than does Geiger.  The last three weeks haven't made Geiger less of a player but take heart, they may have bought his ticket out of Charlotte and decre!
ased his value by 1 or 2 million a year.
	I'll also say that I'd rather we go after a marquee 3 or 4 instead but I just don't think we have the money for Pippen, Gugliotta, or McDyess so it's irrelevant.  I also don't think we'd have the money for Jayson Williams who seems destined to stay in the Swamps.  Then there is the talk of Vin Baker.  Once we sign Walker to big bucks this summer, how can we expect to sign Baker the next summer although we'll alreay be about 15 million over the salary cap?
	The last point I want to make is that like it or not (and I detest it), the road to the Championship will travel through the Forum for the next 7 years.  We need to start thinking of that.  I'm not saying Geiger is going to shut down shaq but I'd sure as hell want him bodying him up than most of the others.  Can you imagine Radliffe or Stewart trying to box him out?  In closing, I still think Geiger is AN answer, not THE answer.  There are better options out there but most of the alternatives on this list are pipe dreams--we just don't have the money you guys think we have.

Goggin in Cincinnati