Re: Bash Away, Joe!

[opi@unesco.org]

Michael Gooen wrote:

> Joe's designated whipping boy for 11/5, Tony Battie,
> responded with 18 points (9-13), 9 boards, 2 blocks, 2
> boards.

First it was Griffin shouldn't start, then Eric Williams is an expensive
flop, and then Tony Battie is Yogi "Martha" Stewart. What's really
screwy is that I next went ahead and called the Indiana game our only
winnable game of the week, even though it was against Larry Bird in his
new stadium. Doh!!

Have no fear, Michael,  my next rant will be aimed at Antoine Walker.
:-)  You'll have to wait for this rant until game day, though. I'm
superstitious that way. Trust me, this really tends to work! (at least
for me). I'm like the anti-George. :-)

---------------

I'm just catching up to the list, but here's some perhaps repetitive
thoughts (or perhaps not) regarding some of the nice things from our
very exciting 3-1 start:

1) Our Celtics are 3-1 in five nights against four full-strength teams
ranked ahead of us by, oh, everybody. None of these teams could really
stop our new Pitino offense (we've stopped ourselves though, which is
not quite as bad). The Celtics are ranked second in team FG% (.500) and
third in scoring (106.5). "Read 'em and weep".

2) Another of the most promising things about the 3-1 record is that
none of the players many of us thought held the key to a successful year
has gotten in gear yet. The biggest disappointment, Antoine Walker, is
so far at 5.8 rebounds (career 9.3) and 1.8 assists (career 3.2) despite
playing his usual power forward position (no excuses). I'll bet he'll do
a little better. Another key power forward, Tony Battie, is at 3.8
rebounds (career 5.6) despite our expectations of a break-out year. And
yet we are 3-1 without Fortson. The much praised Kenny Anderson is at
5.3 assists, nearly 30% off his career 7.3 average. Eric Williams is
racking up 0.3 assists and 0.33 steals per game (albeit in limited
minutes). Other guys we counted on a bit like Barros, Cheaney, Ellison,
Turner and of course Fortson have contributed only 35 points and 20
rebounds (combined) in four games. Paul Pierce is so far hitting 60% of
his 14 free throw attempts. My point obviously is that if any of these
guys can improve in on these key non-scoring contributions (it's highly
likely some of them will), our first place Celtics will play even
tougher basketball, rather than crash back down to earth. "First Place".
I like the sound of that. I want to hug everyone.

3) The Leprechaun factor. For the second year in a row, the Boston
Celtics have acquired by sheer chance (that BTW is the important thing)
one of the top three most valuable NBA rookies. It's not a stretch to
call Adrian Griffin one of the NBA's most valuable players of the week.
He is first on the Celtics in both FG% and FT%. He leads the team in
assists! He leads Antoine Walker in rebounds! He leads the team in
steals (including a true game saver), and is third in the NBA. He is the
single reason the Celtics are in first place. Yes, he is the one Celtics
player that could come crashing down to earth. But then I'll
sanctimoniously bash his game, and he'll be right back up again. :-)

So fine we lost "Timmy" Duncan. IMO, that was the Leprechaun's way of
not rewarding "Mo Lottery" Carr for throwing a season. Also, this
leprechaun guy needed a bit more time to get used to the Fleet Center's
new soul-less gimmicks, including our very own imitation leprechaun
idiot/mascot etc. etc.

The Fleet Center experience is akin to walking into the Notre Dame
cathedral of Paris just as the sunshine enters through the stained
glass, only to discover that a $5.99 "Best of Freddie Mercury and Queen"
soundtrack has replaced the pipe organ. I'm telling you guys, don't be
shocked if the new Fenway Park replaces the old organ with Queen's "We
will rock you". You say that could NEVER happen in Boston? Well it has
already happened at the Fleet Center.

I wish they would fire the 1980s loser guy who selects the Fleet Center
music soundtrack and the fireworks. I'm sorry if all he has in his CD
bin are "Loverboy" and "Billy Idol". That's just not an excuse. In an
effort to sound constructive for once, I'd favor inviting different
local NE college, or even HS, team bands to blow horns at the games to
create a college basketball ambiance. This would probably satisfy Rick
Pitino's "rah rah" college Midnight Madness fetish while still
preserving a sufficient degree of tradition in our basketball shrine
(see I blame Pitino, fairly or unfairly, for getting rid of the organ).
Something has to be done.

Joe

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