PATIENCE!

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@yahoo.com>]

Can we all just calm down a little -- please?  In this miscarriage of
a season in which ALL teams pretty much suck, I think there's a very
important statistic that's been lost in all the "trade Antoine",
"trade Mercer" and "trade everyone except Pierce" frenzy....

Ron Mercer:  5/18/76.
Antoine Walker:  8/12/76.
Paul Pierce:  10/13/77.

It's too easy to point out that the rookie Larry Bird was more mature
than Antoine because Bird was, in fact, OLDER then than Antoine is
now.  It's ridiculous to compare Antoine Walker to Larry Bird, other
than to point out that they're the same height and both look very good
in green.  Antoine is an exceptionally talented 22 year old who
happens, like most of his spoiled NBA cohorts, to be woefully out of
shape.  Mercer is coming off a scary knee injury.  They will be fine. 
The Celtics will be fine.  GIVE THESE GUYS A CHANCE TO GROW UP
TOGETHER ON THE COURT.  I suspect it will be marvelously entertaining
to watch in the not too distant future.  THEY MIGHT EVEN WIN.

Would be nice if the Celtics had an actual point guard, though,
wouldn't it?  Even there, I'm willing to wait and see if Anderson can
get in shape (although I hope the C's can pick up one of the nice 1s
in the draft).  

Have to confess, though, that seeing Anderson, Bowen, Battie, McCarty,
a radically slimmed down Popeye Jones and even a skinnier Schintzius
on the same roster makes me kind of nostalgic for the Thomas Hamilton
era.  Does Pitino still own that restaurant in Lexington and if so,
can he send his players there in the offseason to fatten up a little
bit?

Michael Gooen

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