Re: GOOD TO HAVE THE LIST BACK

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

Great post IMO, Dorine (really). It expresses a valid point of view
impressively, even though I can't share your unease with Antoine's act (being
that I'm a young whippersnapper).

Anyway, I'm glad I meet people like you on the Internet. BTW, do you know the
expression: " I don't care to be part of a Global Village populated by Global
Village Idiots"?  A physicist at Los Alamos (I don't remember his name) used
that line at a UNESCO conference I covered some time ago.

Just for the record, though, I don't believe Antoine Walker was named the sole
captain of the Celtics. Actually, both Dee Brown and Pervis Ellison were also
named co-captains. This illustrates Pitino's dillemma: he didn't/doesn't have
any veterans who merit being named captain. Although he's been criticized for it
by the media, Pitino actually had his reasons for naming Antoine into a
leadership and responsibility role, and I believe Antoine's behavior as captain
(at least during the season) has been surprisingly mature, team-spirited, and
beyond reproach. If the players themselves voted, don't be surprised if Antoine
were still named captain. It's hard not to notice the strong mutual rapport he
has with both Pierce and Mercer, and nearly everyone else (Ringo loved bumping
chests with Toine) except maybe Kenny. Both Pierce and Mercer rushed to Toine's
defense after the Atlanta game, which was nice to see. By contrast, FWIW, I've
so far never seen Pierce and Mercer embrace or show any on-court "luv". Have
you?

Toine's got a soft, no-movement technique of slapping five that I've emulated
with my friends. Of course it doesn't look quite as impressive when I do it.
Only my dog "Puccini" enjoys returning my five with any sincere degree of
enthusiasm.



****

Dorine wrote:

> (snipped) Many times last year, Walker wiggled or jumped on tables at very
> inappropriate times.  The fans have not forgotten that.  It will take time,
> and alot of winning, and some more maturity shown by Antoine before they
> will.  That act would play alot better in LA than in Boston, that's also
> true and we all know that.  In Boston all teams have tough acts to follow.
> When they had the big win, Antoine was pumped, and rightfully so, and the
> wiggle was fine, but I drew the line on the jumping on the table bit,
> myself, because it was as though he was taking all the credit. Granted, they
> could not have done it without him in that particular game, but believe it
> or not, I would have admired it more had he not jumped on the table.  He was
> eating up the attention after some very bad nights - also understandable in
> one so young, but it was still a team effort.  And, it was rubbing it in to
> the visiting team.  There's that element, also.  I also admit it probably is
> a generational thing - I admire the Russell type more than the Antoine type,
> like it or not - I admit it and don't apologize for it.
>
> Maybe some of you can understand this analogy a little better.  Paul Pierce
> waves at the crowd to get them going.  He has the enthusiasm too, but he
> shows it differently.  I just liked Pierce from the beginning and I didn't
> like Antoine.  Has nothing to do with his talent or the fact that he's a
> very important part of this team.  I like what he can do on a basketball
> floor and I admire the obvious work he's done to improve his image this
> year.  Having said that, I still don't like him.  I can't explain that any
> better, and only hope that as time goes on I will learn to like him.  It
> might help if I could understand half of what he says in an interview.  Rick
> didn't do this young man any favors when he appointed him Captain of this
> team.  He was not, then, up to the task.  At the very least there should
> have been co-captains.
>
> I don't like being called a “basher” - who does?  As fans, we have every
> right to criticize the players if we want to, and to praise them, too.  Even
> I admit it's not fair to not like someone whom I don't even know - and not
> like me, really - but I can't explain it any better than I have.  Maybe it's
> because Rick has protected him and always given him special privileges.  I
> know that has something to do with it.  The one who bears the weight of my
> wrath now is not Antoine, but Pitino.  Maybe he needs to stop treating these
> players like children, and stop yelling the whole game long.  I also
> question the roster moves he makes.  I think perhaps Ellie was right - give
> the current team time to get some experience and not mess with the
> chemistry.
>
> Whatever, I've had my say, and thanks for reading this, if you managed to
> get all the way through.  Sorry for the long post, folks.
>
> Dorine