No Subject

[bird <birdw@aloha.net>]

Here is a response I wrote a week or so ago.  Because for some time a 
thread titled "I'd trade Bill Bird for a pile of Shit" -- oops, I 
meant "$h!t" there -- was bandied around on the list while I was 
unable to reply to it, I thought now would be a good time to post it.

Original message follows:

>From: Ryan Lee <rlee_at_channing@yahoo.com>
>
>If someone says something
>you disagree with, you go out of your way to try to
>embarass that person so that you come out looking the
>more knowledgeable person about Celtic matters.

If someone says something I disagree with, I often tell them I 
disagree with them.  It's very difficult to look more knowledgeable 
than a lot of folks on the list.  Not so hard for others.

>I'm sure you
>know about little insignificant things like when
>Pervis was still in Boston, he would work out in the
>health club member area with the rest of us common
>folk.  He's actually a real nice guy, you should meet
>him.

I know lot's of trivial things.  But one thing I know about Pervis is 
that he never really lived up to his potential as an NBA player -- 
while showing you just enough to be really irritated that he didn't. 
Ellison had a lot of raw talent and ability, but, because, he could 
never stay heathly, he never got the chance to sustain that ability 
throughout a span of 2-3 years.  Too bad ML Carr signed him for so 
much money and for so many years.  He really hampered the 
organization with that signing, and others.  Then again, in his own 
way, so has Pitino, but to a lesser extent, in my opinion.

Anyway, even when Pervis was a nice guy, he shot himself in the foot, 
so to speak.  Like when he was helping a teammate move and broke his 
foot or something.  That's the kind of luck Pervis had.  I don't 
think Pitino was spinning when he said, at one point, that Ellison 
was the best center the team had.  He was right, as far as talent 
went, but of course Out of Service could never really be counted on.

I'd rather have a guy like Mark Blount anyway.  He's young, hopefully 
driven because of the adversity he's faced in getting to the NBA, and 
very athletic.  I was hoping to see more of him, even this early in 
the season, but with Battie playing pretty well and V, too, there's 
been few minutes for him.  Still, I sure would like to see any two of 
our centers in at the same time: Blount (or Battie) and V make an 
interesting combination that can make up for the other's 
deficiencies, and Blount/Battie would really be a long, athletic 
2/3rds of a frontcourt.  Since I agree with other people that 
interior defense and rebounding are two real weaknesses of this team, 
maybe that would help.

But that means Walker moves to the three, at least part of the time. 
However, I think it's clear that Pitino would rather play him at 
backup point rather than move him from the power forward position. 
In that scenario, I hope that one or two of our big men improve their 
game to such an extent that they become good contributers to the 
teams (something like 15ppg, 10rpg, 2-4bpg would be great!).  Or, 
maybe we can move 2 of them for a legit big man -- though, who that 
would be I really don't know.  Walker at the four with a solid center 
would be much more palatable for me.

>the Celtics group should be
>reformed.  It should only have people that aren't anal
>retentive overbearing jerks like yourself.

I'd happily fall on my sword if it would get rid of all the 
"overbearing jerks" on the List.

Bill, the Celtics "Tird"