Re: Re: Fortson

[kevin lok <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

> Joe H wrote:

> From: opi@unesco.org

> Subject: Re: Fortson
>
> When all is said and done, what should be surprising to Celts fans is not
> that Fortson is averaging around 19 rebounds per 48 minutes and hitting .606
> from the field with a decent array of moves that all our big guys could learn
> from. What's most surprising IMHO is that he plays backup to a certifiably
> crappy bench that would benefit from having him or Griffin getting more minutes
> there.
>
>     But none of the media in Boston ever call Pitino on this particular issue,
> do they? They take at face value that Walker and Griffin have squeezed all the
> available minutes out of Fortson.  That's not the case at all.
>
>     Nor is it the case that Battie and Potapenko have eaten up serious minutes
> in our system. Combined (42.7 minutes) they don't even fill up the center
> position's allotment of minutes per game.
>
>     So in other words, Danny Fortson can still be getting close to 17 minutes
> per night just by backing up the leftover center and power forward minutes on
> the team without Antoine playing even a nanosecond per game at small forward.

Joe,
your post was a real eye (read: brain) opener for me as to where to find minutes for
the Fort. It does not necessarily only had to come from AW's expense/minutes.

I could not comprehend/believe that we (or rather Pitino, definitely not us) are
giving up such a effective rebounder/blue collar worker. The last few games I heard
live over the internet, always goes like this

"Boston miss, and the rebound goes to ... Fortson... foul. Fortson will go to the
line for 2"

"Fortson with the offensive board, gets up, foul, he'll go to the line for 2..."

I don't hear V or Battie's name called in such situations. Where are they? They're
supposed to be playing inside, isn't it? Fortson definitely knows his role, get the
rebound, put back, get foul, shoot the FTs, very simple basketball, celtic
basketball . I never heard Fortson being stripped of the ball. I remember preseason,
Pitino saying the C's were missing a rebounder/enforcer type and they got a great
deal when they got Fortson, and now the Fort is playing like advertised and Pitino
says no PT available.

I couldn't think of any other excuse/reasons except the following tho speculative:

1)Salary numbers - Probability : high
Fortson changed agents. Maybe Pitino already had a wink wink deal with the old agent
on some numbers and now Fortson's new agent wants to redo it. Maybe Fortson is "show
me the money type"?

If this is the problem, then trade is the only way.  I last checked, we are already
11mil over the cap.

2)Fortson got attitude problem.- Probability : low (make that very low)

Does he "demands" the ball? Is he a ball hog? Is he lazy in training? Does not work
out?
If this is the problem, then trade is the only answer.

3)Fortson's not effective when playing - Probability: super low

Some of you want to shoot me, right?
If this is the case, I need to purchase a bullet proof vest.

4)Fortson physically not right - Probability : unknown.

Such huge body mass? Can his legs carry him? Maybe the stress fracture is just the
beginning?  I mentioned this possibility after reading
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf?/cavs/pdnews00/s06roger.html on Cav's Z,
seemed like he is losing bone matter (like old people).
This might be the reason becos pt, effectiveness, salary, attitude just does not
seem to be the reasons/excuses.

News gets worse for the Cavs’ Ilgauskas
Sunday, February 06, 2000
ROGER BROWN
PLAIN DEALER COLUMNIST
Sources whisper the career of injured Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is in far
greater jeopardy than has been suggested, and not merely because he is recovering
from yet another foot operation.
In addition to rehabbing a fractured navicular bone in his left foot, Ilgauskas also
is reportedly being treated at Cleveland Clinic for osteoporosis. A condition that
normally afflicts women and the elderly, osteoporosis causes a person’s bone mass to
decrease and become increasingly vulnerable to breaks.
That certainly applies to Ilgauskas: Since joining the Cavs in 1996, he’s missed
most of the last four seasons, including the current campaign, with repeated
fractures and breaks in both feet. And with the cloud of osteoporosis apparently
looming over Ilgauskas, it’s unrealistic for the Cavs to assume there won’t be more
bone-related problems down the line. ... Insiders suggest this as one reason for the
largely poor play of Cavs shooting guard Wes Person this season: Too often, he’s a
no-show at the team’s weight-training workouts. ... What’s Cavs President Wayne
Embry been up to since being pushed out of the team’s inner circle last summer? He
represents the team at various functions - and is preparing material for a planned
autobiography. ...