Re: Antoine and the Boobirds

[Kestutis.Kveraga@dartmouth.edu (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:

Yeah, I'm a basketball purist too, and I can tell you I'm pissed that
they're 42-32 and heading into the playoffs. And I'll tell you, I don't know
how this team's won 42 games with that idiot coach and ball- hogging power
forward controlling things. Given how stupid O'Brien is and how much control
Antoine has over everyone on the team you'd think this team would be 1-73. I
just wish that basketball purist Pitino were still in charge. He knows how
the game should be played. There's a guy who, no matter what the team's
record, was right. And the thing I loved about him...the record REALLY
didn't matter. He was going to do things the right way...the purists
way...and if they were going to lose, so be it. <...>
--- end of quote ---

...and so on. What Paul is saying here with his empty sarcasm is, the
Obie/Walker way leads to better results than the crap we got with Pitino,
THEREFORE it's as good as it can be and who are we to complain?

Look, Pitino was a terrible NBA coach, and comparing the Obiewalker method to
Pitino's is like comparing a Chevy to a Yugo and saying you can't do any better
as far as cars go. There are other coaching/basketball philosophies other than
those two.  

The other thing is, your response to any criticism of Walker verges on
irrational. It's difficult for me believe that a rational person would think
any basketball player's game is beyond reproach. Everyone has flaws in his game
- Pierce, Kobe, KG, even Jordan. You act as if Toine doesn't.  Have Obiewalker
done some good things for this team? Absolutely! Is there room for improvement?
Your answer seems to be 'no'.  

Obie figured out that you needed the team's stars on your side to accomplish
anything as a coach in the NBA, and that you needed to play real NBA defense to
win. So he got on Toine's and Paul's good side and hired Harter. Nice job. Now
his challenge is to rein in Toine's worst tendencies without pissing him off.
If he pulls it off, the Celtics will be a playoff power, and Obie should win
Coach of the Year. No coach has successfully done it before, but I believe -
hope -  it can be done. Toine's showing signs of improvement, such as
occasionally turning down a three to drive for a higher-% shot or a dish. He's
just not there yet.

Kestas