Re: Why The Celtics Won't Likely Make The Playoffs

[kevin <bostonceltics17@yahoo.com>]

"Robert Chin" <bobchin@shore.net> wrote:

>Wallace and Papile got a reprieve, because a.) it was generally accepted
>that decisions were made by Ricky despite objections by Wallace and Papile,

I agree Pitino got veto rights power and also the final vote authority
over the roster. Wallace and Papile did the groundwork preparing as
much information about the player they want to trade for. I think
ultimately the stench stems mostly from how Ricky misuse the players,
mismanage the roster and cap. Rightly so, ML's parting shots were on
the money.

>and b.) to clean EVERYONE out was to run the risk of bringing someone in
>totally new that would have demanded the right to shape the roster as they
>pleased.  THAT would have been too expensive.

I agree reshaping the WHOLE roster would even set us further back. But
i don't agree it being too expensive. Without a care as to what you
get back from any trades, as ridding ALL players is the primary
concern, in theory, everybody would be traded for ending contracts +
picks (if lucky). We still pay the same this season, but really would
be under the cap by very much next year.

Unless you mean expensive in the loss of talent, not monetary loss. Is
that it?


>OB got extended for the wrong reasons, IMHO.  The first was the .500%
>record, 

besides the .500% record, you can see the players rallying behind him.
They were playing FOR OB (and their pride after getting out of jail
under Pitino)


>and the second was the realization that no coach worth his weight in
>salt would come in.

I think chemistry wise, our team was more together than say Detriot or
Portland. Both got young inexperienced coaches. I think Carlise or Mo
would love to change places with OB, IMO.

Hey, Dick Harter wants in, Jack Ramsey wants in. Next up, I am betting
Russell with take a more active role, than the ceremonial tasks he's
doing now.

>I disagree with this statement.  I think it was pretty evident that Pitino
>had lost control of Antoine, almost before the ink on the contract dried.
>There were many times that Pitino was trying to tell AW through the media,
>and I'm sure in practice too, that he didn't need Antoine to play the way he
>was playing.  There was one season, I forget which, where Pitino said
>something to the effect that the C's would be more successful if Walker were
>scoring 16/18 points a game and shooting close to .500 FG% and setting up
>other players better.  AS MUCH as I hate what Pitino did to the C's, I
>begrudingly have to admit he was not so stupid that he wanted Walker to play
>the way he does.

sometimes a person can only take so much *different* instructions from
the same instructor, eventually they'll just give up.

I remember Pitino very publicly asked Antione to come in Malone shape,
then Pippen shape. He also wanted Antione to increase his assist (or
something like that). If I were Walker, I'll simply give up and play
the game undiscilpinely (got such word?).

>And what is Walker himself going to say?  If you're Walker, with the big
>contract, getting 40 minutes a night, taking whatever shot he wants, what
>has he got to complain about?

If you noticed ,under Pitino, no PLAYER speaks more than a few lines.
Pitino has got everybody underwraps tightly.  Under OB, you already
seen a whole Herald/Globe article on Kenny whinning.

Nobody speaks except the emperor.


>I absolutely LOVE Forte.  He's got the bloodlines (UNC).  Many nights, he
>carried the team when Brendan Heywood disappeared.  He's got great heart AND
>talent.  Having said that, I am glad they took him with the 21st pick, and
>if they never picked him at all, then that would be fine too.  I don't know
>how good a pro he will be, and this is coming from a BIG fan of his.  The
>big problem is his size.  At about 6'4", he is about the same size as a lot
>of HS centers!

I think if Forte has the tools (savvy, iq, work ethic, humbleness) to
be to be successful (and I am quietly optimistic), his height is not a
factor. I have see players of the same height successfull - Joe
Dumars, Mike Finley, Cuttino , Michael Dickerson

>As for JJ...most reports have him being a good pick, so I will defer to
>those reports.  I personally don't know anything about him.
>
>I look at all three picks, and I say to myself, REALISTICALLY, there is one
>"good to great" pick (Johnson), one "gamble, but is the upside worth it?"
>(Brown), and one "maybe he'll blossom" (Forte).  Having a couple of months
>to digest it now, I can't say what we got was worth spending three picks on.
>There is a good chance one pick won't make the roster, another will hang on
>for a few years, and the thrid could be a solid pro.  That's not the kind of
>payoff to spend 3 first round picks on.


We had 3 shots in the draft, as had the Nets or the Rockets. Let's see
if our investments is more valuable than the rest, end of season. It
should be interesting.

kevin