Re: Rodney Rogers

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

I agree with you about Rodney Rogers.  Pitino is looking for
bulk and scoring off the bench, and Rogers before he entered the
Clippers morass was a good player.  It was also noted in one
of Peter May's columns that Pitino has his eye on underachieving
players, looking at them as potential reclamation projects.
Rogers is one of them.

As far as the big defensive point guard goes, Peter May mentioned that
Pitino was focusing on  Wayne Turner from Kentucky, who plays
excellent defense and knows Pitino's system.  His shooting range
is limited, but that's not my problem to solve.
Ray
 
> Subject: Rodney Rogers
> Date: Tue, 06 Apr 1999 01:56:00 +1000
> From: Warwick <giants@eisa.net.au>
> To: celtics@igtc.com
> 
> Hey all,
> 
> I think you've all been pretty harsh on Rodney Rogers.
> 
> Sure we dont want to see him go for Ron Mercer and I dont blame you, but
> if you all remember the deal that was going to go through, Battie and
> Bowen for Rogers and if its still on with a sign-and-trade then I think
> this is a positive move for the team.
> 
> If you really think about it, Rogers has never had a quality coach in
> his entire NBA career, except perhaps Dan Issel when he was a rookie and
> they had the shock victory over the Sonics in the first round of the NBA
> playoffs (1993-94 season).
> 
> The analysis on Rogers after his first season in the NBA was a positive
> one. Since then hes had to deal with the resignation of a coach, a new
> coach coming in mid year and a trade to the Clippers where as we all
> know it is never stable.
> 
> Give the guy some stability, solid teammates inparticular Antoine
> Walker, Paul Pierce and hopefully Ron Mercer and you may have yourselves
> one of the better teams in the league.
> 
> Now if only we can find that defensive minded point guard.
> 
> I along with many have aluded to Charlie Ward being the perfect answer
> to that position. Ward is a good 6'2" and a very strong 190 pounds. To
> his credit he has won the 'Heisman' trophy as the nation's top
> collegiate football player after leading the Florida State Seminoles to
> the 1993 national title as a quarter back. Now, think about it. The star
> Quarter Back for a national champion must mean that the guy is
> tremendously gifted as an athlete and also strong (and tough) enough to
> maintain his body for the daily grind of an NBA player.
> 
> Work ethic is one of Ward's strongest assets and thus would work in a
> Rick Pitino style of game. The Knicks also have another defensive minded
> point guard in Chris Childs who the Knicks have tried shopping
> previously. Childs is also a rather large point guard at 6'3" and 195
> pounds.
> 
> If they would accept a package of Kenny Anderson (home town point guard
> would be a tremendous marketing object for them) and Greg Minor for both
> Ward and Childs then the Celtics may have themselves a fine lineup.
> 
> Center - Vitaly Potapenko
> Forward - Antoine Walker
> Forward - Rodney Rogers
> Guard - Ron Mercer
> Guard - Charlie Ward
> 
> Key Players on the Bench
> 
> Guard/Forward - Paul Pierce
> Guard - Chris Childs
> Guard - Dana Barros
> Forward - Walter McCarty
> Forward - Popeye Jones
> 
> Injury List
> 
> Pervis Ellison
> 
> Free Agents
> 
> Eric Riley
> Dwayne Schnitzius
> Marlon Garnett
> 
> I certainly think that if we had that team [and mark my words for it -
> it is possible] then we're a playoff bound team in Pitino's third year
> as coach.
> 
> Also, you can take your pick as off guard and sixth man - Mercer or
> Pierce? Both will play the same amount of minutes (around 30) and each
> will have a major affect on how this team performs.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Warwick