Are Stars Necessary?

["Gene Kirkpatrick" <gkir@tjc.tyler.cc.tx.us>]

Looks like the Detroit Lions are better after Barry Sanders left.  The
Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers have performed better since Alan Iverson
went down.  The Knicks are doing better, I think, with Ewing on the
bench.  But, notice the careful wording.  Are these teams actually
better without these stars?  Against the top competition, for the long
haul, in the playoffs--are they really better?

I don't know.  I hold on to my belief that we need Antoine because if
he performs within the team concept he can do so many good things. 
Without him we may produce better team play, have fewer turnovers,
fewer technical fouls, etc.  But will we have someone to provide his
various plusses in the crunch?

So, I'm for him staying.  If he can't step up to the level of
consistent production, I suspect something will be done.  

Gene  (not confident about tonight)

By the way, if we stopped playing altogether we might make the
playoffs.  Notice how we move up in the standings when we're idle?