Pierce needs to sit

[Jamey Rallis <rallis@vgi.com>]

Anyone who wants to know why the celtics lost, just needs to listen to
Tommy H.  So much for being the team's cheerleader.

How many times is Tommy gonna get the chance to flay Pierce for not
hustling back on defense (and Walker)?  I have the feeling Walker may have
been the wrong role-model for Pierce.

How many times will the cameras focus on Pierce driving into 3 players,
get stripped, and then watch for 2 full seconds before he even STARTS to
run back on defense, and then non-chalantly skip steps to start jogging
slowing to half-court?

How many times will opponents race down the full length of the court
before Pierce travels 10 feet?

How many times will we see Pierce jack up a shot against 3 defenders, and
then complain to the refs while the other team scores?

Tommy made a great point about why Pitino needs to go.  A real coach would
bench a player that didn't hustle back on D.  But when you're 2 offensive
players, Walker and Pierce, are the main culprits, how much does trying to
win offset discipline?  Personally I think Pierce especially needs to be
benched.  Start Williams and Stith and bring Pauly-Girl in in the 2nd
quarter.  And yank him first time he fails to hustle back.  And as Tommy
says, if you're gonna let the leaders of the team do it, everyone else
will start doing it.

That's why teams are shooting 20 layups a game.  That's why teams are
shooting 60%+ at times.  Headless chicken is bad enough, but these easy
layups while Pierce and company lollygag up the court is embarrassing.
And THEN he usually can be seen holding up his arm to get the ball
fast-breaking back because he failed to run back on defense.  Give me a
break.  I never pass the ball to buttheads like that.

If Pitino can't or won't sit Pierce or any other player that feels like
defense is a waste of energy, and I mean the simple act of getting back
there, nothing more, then Pitino has to go.   He talks about loving his
players, screw that, show them some tough love AND START BENCHING PEOPLE.

The Celtics are a league joke for one reason, Pitino has no balls.  He
can't discipline anybody.  Get Cowens.  Get anyone with balls.

And BTW, I love the fact that Tommy seems to be drawing the cameras to
look for this.  How embarrassing will it be for Pierce and Walker to have
everyone constantly seeing this crap every broadcast?  They should show it
on the jumbotron.

Who cares if Pierce scored 41 points the other night?  he's giving up at
least that much in fast breaks himself.  Girly-Paul needs to get with the
program.  And Pitino needs to show him the program, ie riding the pine can
cause serious splinters, not to mention serious stat-cramping.

JMMMR (Just my monday morning rant)

-Jamey