Re: sorry about that.

[opi@unesco.org]

Jim Meninno wrote:

> Have you been able to see any of the games yet this year?  I only ask
> because your observations are often very objective and based on impressions
> gleaned from analyzing game tapes (e.g. the way Antoine pounds the ball into
> the floor on his dribble), whereas this season they have tended to be almost
> exclusively subjective ones based on statistical analysis. I certainly don't
> mean to suggest that people who can't watch the games have nothing to
> contribute to the list, but I think there's a danger that one can fall into
> assumptions if all there is to look at is a box score.

El Jimbo Loco Meninno is right on again that I haven't received my games yet
this year because I'm ordering them in bulk from Ed Ag during the regular season
to make it affordable. Assuming we win against Denver, I'll have the first
shipment of nine games sent (all wins in this case). I am naturally very anxious
to watch these games, but since they are wins in which Antoine probably played
relatively well, I'm sure my analysis may still be somewhat skewed.

The hunch I'll take into watching these games is that the easy excuse that
Antoine is retrieving fewer of his own bricked shots on the offensive glass
probably isn't a factor which contributes that significantly to his drop in
output on the offensive glass, nor is taking off on the fastbreak early instead
of hanging around the paint on defense to retrieve loose balls. The drop could
be attributed to his hip pointer, but it's not like he could jump much anyway.

One thing that's clear, Antoine was a dream role player back when winning was at
stake at Kentucky in 1996 and probably can be again. He averaged 8.4 rebounds
and 3 assists in something like 25 minutes per game, which is precisely one
reason why his coach and those familiar with him demand 10 boards and 5 assists
in a higher scoring, longer minutes NBA setting. From 1996 through his three pro
seasons, Antoine has always easily led the Boston Celtics in rebounding, not by
a small margin but by pretty significant ones. This was a given, it is what made
his flaws forgiveable. His anticipated improvement in other areas was a bonus
more than anything. For whatever reason, this no longer is the case.

You know at the start of the second Rocky flic where Sly Stallone buys that
embarrassingly tacky Camaro and matching black silk jacket? That's exactly the
space Antoine Walker is in right now.

I'm waiting for freaking "Adrian" to tell "Rocky" to go win, then to hear that
theme music start playing in the background along with the Antoine jogging up
the city hall stairs sequence etc. Basically, Antonio McDyess is in town to slap
Toine around and outplay him thoroughly at power forward, and Toine will again
act like he doesn't give a damn about his play. That's what is going to happen
tomorrow night, yet I've seen what Toine is capable of in the past against
purported All Star opponents and so it pisses me off royally to see his 6.5
rebounds, 2.3 assists and falling .408 FG%.  Toine needs to finally wake up and
start fighting back hard on those boards....if not tomorrow night then at least
in time for the second showdown with "Mr T" (Tim Duncan) or in the Lakers game.

Look Jim, this guy literally sees million dollar monthly checks drop into his
bank account, before taxes of course, which is a big improvement over his first
contract. I wonder if he even cares to make the extra effort this season to turn
things around? Let's face it, the guy is slumping so bad even Peter May won't
bother rubbing. Antoine has amply proven the point of all his critics, so why
even bother? He's just another overpaid, bad sport, snot nosed, statistically
average NBA forward.

------