Bulpett's comments; nothing new on the trade

["Jim Meninno" <Jim_Meninno@hotmail.com>]

Bulpett's comments:

 

Finances are important to the Celtics.  Team makes a few dollars (600,000), and get a draft pick which is what they wanted for Fortson, but it's a Utah pick, so how good will it be.  [sounds like the pick might be Utah's own?  That might actually be better than Pheonix's]

 

Bulpett questioned the money and years given to Randy Brown.

 

Called the trade a lateral move.

 

Deal is not completed yet.  All the players haven't accepted deal yet.

 

Eddie asking about next year's cap situation.  Bulpett sets him straight.  No cap relief fromt his trade.

 

Says the Celtics have to "improve from within".  Antoine has to come in with "his head on straight"  Rick needs to "dig in his heels" and "win with what he has".

 

Eddie did the Paul M routine, saying Pierce needs to show more considering improvement from Vince Carter, etc.

 

Bulpett said that Pierce is the Celtics' best player, and claimed that Pierce doesn't get as many plays run for him as someone like Carter.  Certainly sounded like a big Paul Pierce fan.

 

Bulpett says they have enough talent to make the playoffs, though.  He says the NBA is not the same as "the last time you were paying attention to it", i.e. it's a weaker league. Says the Celtics need to "stop making lateral moves".

 

Compared this trade to the Red Sox.  Called Hot Rod the right guy at the worng time (i.e. too old). [like it matters]

 

Eddie laments the negative situation around the Celtics.  He suggests that Gaston is going to sell.  Bulpett says itthe logical thing to happen, but thinks that Gaston doesn't want to sell, he "cares about the team".  Bulpett doesn't see anything the Celtics can do to "make people want to pay attention".  Ron Hobson calls it "sad indifference".

 

Bulpett says that Boston crowds are larger and better than crowds in many playoff cities, e.g. Charlotte and Detroit.  The (NBA) game is not as good and the pendulum is swinging back away from the NBA.  Ticket prices are such that a generation of fans are priced out of the arenas.  He thinks this will lead to people not caring about the sport because they don't go and have no connection to the sport.

 

In closing, Bulpett calls the trade "much ado about Fortson".  Ouch.

 

Jim