Re: The Dell'Apa Article

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

To me the most heartening thing is that it turns out
that Twon was carrying ankle and thigh injuries
earlier in the season.  I don't know why athletes keep
these things a secret.  Is it better that we should
think that they are bad than that they have a bum
ankle?  Sheesh.  Twon looks so much better now.  How
do you think Paul looked?  He was so money in the
Denver game.  He's going to have his hands full with
Houston, though.  That guy gets my all-star vote for
Eastern conference pure shooting guard right now. 
Paul's better, but Houston has really come into his
maturity.


--- opi@unesco.org wrote:
>     I think the nice Frank Dell'Appa article posted
> below might help
> solidify and legitimize Antoine Walker's "new"
> approach to the game.
> Half the fans who will see this article will stop
> reading halfway and
> groan "this is a total propaganda puff piece" while
> others will conclude
> that "Antoine finally gets it!"
> 
>     I do think it is a helpful article for the kid,
> but unfortunately it
> isn't saying anything new. In fact, Antoine 1) has
> been quoted in the
> Herald saying pretty much the same thoughtful,
> intelligent things off
> the court over his entire career in Boston despite
> the tag-team
> character-assassination efforts of the Globe, and 2)
> he's sure to
> continue having his fair share of horrendous,
> butt-ugly games down the
> road mixed in with the rare performances like last
> night. It's the
> nature of his game.
> 
>     I've attentively watched a fair number of the
> games this year but I
> still don't think Antoine is that much more under
> control or less
> selfish overall than the second half of last year.
> The guy still has a
> long way to go. He's shooting A LOT more shots
> lately but when all is
> said and done, Antoine remains at his career average
> in shooting (.425)
> but has regressed in every other meaningful
> statistical category of
> "selflessness" this year.
> 
>     I think by far the most clearly identifiable
> difference this year is
> that the Globe finally recognizes how easy it is to
> applaud ignorance,
> monger hate and foster a mean-spirited environment
> toward a player
> through its so clearly calculated hatchet jobs on
> Walker, culminating
> these days in the most empty seats at the "Gahden"
> since the Bill
> Russell era (which in turn no doubt negatively
> impacts the Globe's daily
> circulation, since I for one would only buy it for
> its sports page
> anyway). I guarantee you the Globe hierarchy added
> Dell'Apa to the Celts
> beat only after reading Peter May's bafflingly
> sarcastic and
> bored-sounding coverage of our team over the first
> 10 or so very
> competitive games of this season. If they could have
> their way, they'd
> probably fire him (preferably to replace him
> immediately with Bill
> Cooper).
> 
>     I hope to see more balanced Globe coverage down
> the road, certainly
> not necessarily just positive puff pieces from
> Dell'Apa. But these no
> doubt well-educated writers should feel ashamed for
> putting themselves
> in the same company of the most close-minded of
> Boston society - the
> type of guys who think Bunker Hill was named in
> honor of Archie Bunker.
> Boston is one of the last places in America where
> people still think
> certain acts of narrow-mindedness and racism can be
> considered
> humorous...and certainly even patriotic. Whoa, sorry
> to get sidetracked
> into my own no doubt tiresome obsessions yet again.
> 
> Anyway, the article below is a good one and worth
> reading. Incidentally,
> "Dell'Apa" in Italian translates (roughly) as "Of
> the Monkey Outbreak
> Supporters".
> 
> -----
> 
> Walker settling into his role as leading man
> By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff, 1/4/2000
> 
>  Antoine Walker continued his prolific run as the
> Celtics took a 105-98
> win over Cleveland last night. But he is not
> expecting life to be quite
> as easy when the Celtics visit New York tonight.
> 
>  ''New York plays a stingy type of defense,'' Walker
> said. ''They are
> not going to let one guy score 30 or 40 points. So,
> it's going to take a
> team effort and we are going to need five or six
> guys in double
> figures.''
> 
> Such anticipation is a sign of Walker's leadership
> potential and
> motivational ability. After producing 32 points, 13
> rebounds, and 6
> assists against the Cavaliers, Walker had earned the
> right to bask in
> glory. But Walker realizes that he will not likely
> be able to
> single-handedly carry the Celtics every game, though
> that is precisely
> what he did last night.
> 
> ''That's as good as it gets, for the year or maybe
> his whole career,''
> coach Rick Pitino said. ''He's probably scored more
> points but he was
> outstanding on defense, and when you go to the line
> 18 times as a power
> forward, that epitomizes a power forward's job.''
> 
> Walker has led the Celtics in scoring seven
> successive games, averaging
> 25.8 points, and has gained the composure that was
> lacking during an
> inconsistent start to the season.
> 
> ''I feel a lot better,'' Walker said. ''I never make
> excuses, but my
> ankle was bothering me, my thigh. I didn't report
> that. But those things
> aren't bothering me any more.''
> 
> Indeed, Walker seems to be playing more
> aggressively, driving to the
> baseline and rebounding. But Walker is also
> performing with more poise
> offensively, instead of rushing into difficult
> situations.
> 
> ''We were playing with six new guys,'' Walker said,
> ''and trying to
> figure out an identity. That takes time, and that's
> why we play so many
> games.
> 
> ''Now, we are trying to make the game a lot easier
> for ourselves, making
> sure we don't beat ourselves. And as our defense
> gets better, we will
> get better as a team. This is the team we want.
> Everyone is rooting for
> each other, and we don't want anyone to get traded.
> We feel we can do it
> with what we have.''
> 
> Walker's flaws are still apparent, but he minimized
> them last night. And
> his persistence in driving to the lane placed
> pressure on the Cavaliers'
> unintimidating inside defense.
> 
> ''I had him in college and he was a devastating
> offensive rebounder,''
> Pitino said. ''What you have to do is treat every
> shot as if it's a pass
> to you. Plus, he is in tremendous shape and he
> doesn't fatigue. Antoine
> is a very, very bright man and when he does things
> that don't look good
> it's hard for me to fathom.
> 
> ''He is getting better and better and I love the way
> he is playing. He
> has become a playmaker. And with Kenny Anderson,
> Adrian Griffin, and
> Antoine on the floor making plays, we are getting
> easy shots and that is
> why we are shooting a good percentage.''
> 
> Walker's uneven performances last year and early
> this season seem to
> have been forgotten - at least for the time being.
> Walker is redefining
> his role and seems more than willing to take on the
> responsibility of
> team leader.
> 
> ''I didn't play well the first two times against
> Cleveland and I wanted
> to show I was capable of playing better,'' Walker
> said. ''But the main
> thing is getting the W. We are fighting like crazy
> to 
=== message truncated ===

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