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RE:
Tom,
I know what you mean about Pierce. He's actually been playing pretty well
-- I mean by that that he has taken some good shots, etc. But I think
Antoine and Ron are more aggressive to the ball, really. Why guys aren't
cutting, etc. is a mystery, but surely Pitino has told them he wants
constant motion on offense. I mean, any coach wants to see that. The guys
are very tired. That much is clear to me. As for Kenny, I've defended him
maybe more than any single person on the list, but he isn't penetrating to
pass off, which he could do with his passing skills. He penetrates for
himself, to get to the line. Not a bad idea, that -- but it hurts the team.
I think this needs to be a running team most of the time. This just isn't
our year. The guys are tired, and beaten down, and mentally disturbed.
They can't beat anybody right now. They can't put together one good
quarter. I don't know if it's anybody's fault. The one thing I want to see
happen this season is Pierce come back into form, however. I wonder if we
can turn this around. All I want is to be at .500 at the end of the season.
Joshua Ozersky
Marketing Communications
Environmental Products Division
Corning Incorporated.
HP-CB-02-C6A
Corning, New York 14831
Phone: (607) 974-8124
Fax: (607) 974-2233
> ----------
> From: Thomas Murphy[SMTP:tfmiii@worldnet.att.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 6:28 PM
> To: Celtic list; Ozersky, Joshua A
>
> Dear Josh,
>
> Thanks for turning me on to this list!
>
> Regarding Pierce, it doesn't surprise me that as his "touches" declined so
> did the rest of his game. I never thought of him as a 'saint' and didn't
> purposely try and depict him as a martyr. I wish we could get away from
> demonizing/sanctifying different players. I think that each of the
> players,
> as young players, need to get touches in order to prevent them from
> getting
> frustrated. I know that when I (try to) play that I find it just so easier
> to hustle (defense, rebounding, running the floor) when you have a
> reasonable expectation that you may get rewarded. I don't think of myself
> as a selfish player (with my shot I can't afford to be) but I know from my
> own experience that playing such a physically demanding game is so much
> easier psychologically when one gets touches. When you don't get touches
> you start to make bad decisions, bad shots - heck, it can even get
> difficult just handling the ball. I don't think Pierce, or Walker, or
> Mercer (how many times is he ahead on the break and doesn't even get a
> look?), or Potapenko are any different in that respect.
>
> Another potential problem related to ball distribution seems to be
> manifest
> in the cases of Walker and Mercer. The two together get the majority of
> touches and that seems to be putting too much pressure on the youngsters.
> They seem to try and do too much, forcing shots as a result. What is
> needed
> is more balance overall, for the benefit of each player's psyche and the
> team as a whole.
>
> As for defense, NO ONE has distinguished themselves. I'm beginning to
> wonder how much of the bad defense is due to the "system" (over-playing,
> double-teaming, rotating, pressing) and how much is a true reflection of
> each players' capacities. With Rick in charge we may never know!
>
> I found your post interesting and thought provoking, but I have a hard
> time
> agreeing with some of your points. I think you're right in asserting that
> there is a chemistry problem, but why make Kenny the scapegoat. OK, we
> know
> he can't play D, but we knew that all along, didn't we? And he is hardly
> alone in this respect. He dribbles the ball too much? Given the state of
> the "offense" there doesn't seem to be much else for the point to do, but
> dribble and wait for Mercer off the screen or 'Toine to establish position
> (where he will dribble the ball too much. . . ). It seems to me that EVERY
> player is coming out flat, with occasional exceptions. Anderson, like
> every
> other player, is trying to implement Pitino's offense. But if the plan
> stinks its always the workers, not management, that takes it in the
> shorts.
> Too much of the offense involves standing around and watching and this
> hurts everyone, but also leaves Anderson with the ball in his hands trying
> to get it to the ONE player the play seems designed for (and that the
> opposition is alerted to) or having to wing it with the clock winding
> down.
> For example, there was one sequence last night when the clock was winding
> down and Kenny took it into the lane. He got swallowed up and that would
> have been that except that at the last moment Minor cut to the hoop. Why
> aren't there more cutters, screens, pick-and-rolls, give-and-go's?
> Anderson
> doesn't turn it over much and doesn't launch it at every opportunity (like
> Van Exel), but there is only so much a point man can do.
>
> As you can guess, I disagree with you're assessment of Pitino's share in
> the blame - but I have to go. I'm sure I agree with you in that we're both
> hoping for something better tonight!
>
> Keep the comments coming!
> Best wishes and thanks again!
> -TomM
> ----------
> > From: Ozersky, Joshua A <OzerskyJA@corning.com>
> > To: 'tfmiii@worldnet.att.com'
> > Subject: Pierce
> > Date: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 5:06 PM
> >
> > Good post as usual, Tom, but I've watched these games. Pierce is
> playing
> > pretty well, and I agree he isn't getting enough touches. But that
> doesn't
> > explain why he is playing shitty defense and missing his free throws
> when
> he
> > gets them. Nor why he isn't snaking in for offensive rebounds, like he
> used
> > to. He also needs to work on getting himself open. Antoine and Ron
> both
> > work pretty damn hard to get open for passes -- Ron working around
> screens,
> > and Antoine on the block. Pierce needs to do that too.
> > Joshua Ozersky
> > Marketing Communications
> > Environmental Products Division
> > Corning Incorporated.
> > HP-CB-02-C6A
> > Corning, New York 14831
> > Phone: (607) 974-8124
> > Fax: (607) 974-2233
> >
>