RE: Tommy is getting critical

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

I hope you're right Cecil, and I admire your loyalty. As I've said, I was
with you right up to this season, when I finally jumped ship. Aren't you at
all concerned, however, that the water is poisoned beyond repair for Toine
here? He is hated by most of the Fleet crowd and I can only wonder how much
that disdain for him also causes the apparent disinterest in this team. Do
you think fans (admittedly, not good fans) are having trouble avidly
supporting the Celtics because they absolutely can't stand their "best"
player? 

Mark 
	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Cecil Wright [SMTP:cecil@hfx.eastlink.ca]
	Sent:	Wednesday, December 22, 1999 1:55 PM
	To:	Berry, Mark  S; celtics@igtc.com
	Subject:	Re: Tommy is getting critical


	----- Original Message -----
	From: Berry, Mark S <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
	To: <celtics@igtc.com>
	Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 1999 2:14 PM
	Subject: Re: Tommy is getting critical


	> Cecil wrote:
	>
	> "I think his lack of a more impressive rebounding statline can be
	> attributedto the emergence of Adrian Griffin who has done a fine
job as a
	> rebounder,as well as bringing an educated all-round game to the
fore. It
	> appears thatthe stat driven will make a case based upon whatever
stats
	they
	> want to use.Battie, to a small extent, and Pierce when healthy,
would also
	> contribute onthe boards."
	>
	> This is true, and I'll turn it around to make a point I've finally
come to
	> believe this season: Antoine is a classic example of a guy who put
up big
	> numbers on a terrible team because he was allowed to.
	>
	> We didn't have any reliable scorers, so he shot and scored a lot.
We
	didn't
	> have any other rebounders, so he ended up with a lot of rebounds.
Now, we
	> have other scorers and rebounders and Toine isn't getting the
number of
	> shots he used to get.

	*That's right Mark.  And there should be nobody to blame for this
since the
	team did stink.

	Unfortunately, his efficiency hasn't gone up. He isn't
	> taking better shots, just fewer. He isn't a 10-rebound a game
player on a
	> good team. He is what he is: An inefficent 19 ppg, 6 rpg player
who isn't
	> nearly as good as any of us thought he was. And he certainly isn't
worth
	> the maximum salary. (BTW, argue the merits of a Hughes trade if
you will,
	> but Hughes is locked up for three seasons beyond this one at
Pierce
	money.)

	*I don't blame Toine, or any other athlete, for getting the best
contract
	they can get.  I can't even put Hughes in the same sentence as
Pierce or
	Toine.


	> And, to answer Paul's question as to whether Toine has been
selfish or
	> uncoachable this season: Whether he has or hasn't, the perception
is
	there.
	> People see a guy jacking up 25 shots to get 20 points, hear about
him
	> skipping voluntary minicamps and coming to camp out of shape and
they form
	> their own opinion. Even the most ardent Toine supporters must
admit,
	> employee No. 8 isn't going to get anyone's vote for Employee of
the Month.
	>
	> Mark
	>

	*Neither is Forant's new buttboy, Ron Mercer.  He has been jacking
it up
	frequently.  I am a Toine supporter who recognizes he has weaknesses
to
	improve.  I think he is taking steps to make improvements, like his
free
	throw shooting for example.  (Hope I didn't just jinx his ass)  But
he IS
	respected by his mates and when he's on the bench, I don't think
we've seen
	a bigger cheerleader since, dare I say it, M.L.

	I'm telling you all, when Pierce and Fortson are healthy, Toine will
be the
	biggest benefactor.  And I hope those who have been quick to slam
him will
	admit that they were a little hasty in their criticism.  I know
there is one
	cranky New Yawkah who won't be courageous enough to make such an
admission
	though.

	Cecil