RE: FW: [Celtics' Stuff ''He's in fantastic physical condition,.. ."

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

It's just a pattern, Joe. Why all the attention on him? Because he's a
roster move. It started with the Randy Brown injury and led to Herren
signing with the team. The rest of the roster has been set practically since
draft day. Plus, he's a local kid. Of course the Boston papers are going to
pay a little more attention to him.

He may or may not help this team at all this year. But it has nothing to do
with his color. Like I said, I like Chris Herren for the same reasons I like
Khalid El-Amin-they push and pass the basketball. Would you rather they sign
Doug Overton? Wayne Turner? I mean we're talking about the fourth point
guard on the roster. Maybe they just wanted someone who knew O'Brien and his
system, who was comfortable with the players on the team, would understand
his role and wanted to play for the Celtics. Maybe it had nothing to do with
the fact he's white.

I really enjoy your posts Joe, even the ones I don't agree with. It's just
this one theme that continues to pop up that bothers me. When you lob
broadsides at "fans" who like Herren or dislike Walker and raise the issue
of race, I take offense. Are there some out there? Sure, but some of us like
Herren because he pushes the ball and some of us don't like Walker because
he refuses to run the floor, shoots 40 percent from the field and takes 600
three-pointers.

Are the racist Boston fans the same ones who prayed the team wouldn't take
Chris Mihm, Joel Przyzbilla or Jake Tsakalidis? I read more than a few "big,
white stiff" comments leading up to those drafts. Same with the Van Horn
draft, when everyone seemed to want Billups and Mercer.

My point is this: There are racist fans out there. Fine. But it's not always
the issue. You think it's "obvious" that the only reason Herren is back with
the team is because he's white. Then why wasn't he here earlier? They had
the roster spot. If Dallas cuts El-Amin and Boston picks him up and cuts
Herren, what will that mean?



 -----Original Message-----
From: 	j.hironaka [mailto:j.hironaka@unesco.org] 
Sent:	Thursday, October 04, 2001 12:25 PM
To:	Berry, Mark  S; 'celtics@igtc.com'
Subject:	Re: FW: [Celtics' Stuff ''He's in fantastic physical
condition,.. ."

	Mark, as a fan I printed out and read maybe half dozen articles on
Chris 
Herren from the Globe, Herald and Projo, and here I'm talking about just 
the past two days. Call it what you want. I'm reacting to something I 
regard as fairly obvious, even if you tell me other fans don't.  I'll just 
take the color out of this equation and call him the "great.....hype", 
since it has nothing to do with color.

	I think we might agree Chris Herren got a "reasonable" tryout last
year 
(16+ minutes is a high average for an injured and statistically 
inconsistent player). He shot .302 from the field with 2.2 points per game 
overall.

	Yes this is purely a basketball decision. He earned another chance.
He's a 
promising .302FG% (.291 3-point) shooter. Sure there are a lot of 
26-year-olds (and younger) out there that have done a lot more in the game 
and paid their dues honestly. There are no character issues since he quit 
on Bologna or in the past. None.

	In terms of fan support, I don't find any of this condemnable much
less 
"racist". You've got to believe me, if he were of my heritage I'd probably 
be able to recite his stats in the Washington and LA and preseason games 
just as easily as you do.

	But here's my point. In this context, if there ever existed such a
phrase 
as "great yellow hope" I'd refer to it because that's exactly what this 
would be. Laugh about it....realize it...call it like it is.  What's the 
big deal in that? I enjoy supporting all the Celtics players who deserve it 
and so do you. We all do.

Joe

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