Re: FW: [Celtics' Stuff HOOPSWORLD @ BskBALL.com | The NBA Information website

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: W <wwfjericho@iprimus.com.au>
>
> I'll do it again for you - While I admire Kevin McHale and love Larry
> Bird, Walker and Pierce should not be used in the same sentence as those
> two former Celtic legends. For one, neither Paul and Antoine have
> cheated the NBA like McHale while neither of them have reached the
> glamorous heights of being a recognised All-Time great like Bird.

"Cheated"?  That's a harsh word.  Especially when used about my third 
all-time favorite Celtic player.  Hey, loopholes are made to be used, by 
Celtics at least.  I'd use all I could to my team's advantage, too.  I 
realize that he's helming another (read: rival) team, but it helps that it'
s a team that doesn't have a longterm beef with the C's, and is in the 
Western Conference to boot.  Plus, they ain't been out of the first round 
anyway.  Cheated?  I think not, sir!  Let's just say the leprechaun was 
there drawing up the papers -- worked when the Celtics used him an excuse.
   And by that I mean "creatively using the rules to your advantage and not 
the other team's".  I mean, what are these things you call "rules", anyway?
   Nebulous, at best.  Mere guidelines, you see.

While I'm not talking about actually cheating, I *am* talking about say, 
timeskeepers creatively working the clock on the Celtics' behalf.  (But 
not against the C's, of course.  Because *that's* a violation of the rules.
)  As for Joe Smith, who knew he'd be the object of such scrutiny?  
Certainly no one who remembers he was a number one pick (how *do* you pick 
a Joe Smith at #1, anyway?).  I guess I really don't care if NBA execs 
make under the table deals about paying guys a minimal amount for a year, 
then ballooning it in the years after that.  The player gets paid what he 
wants to (or close enough to sign) and the team gets what it wants (or 
close enough to sign).  Either way, it's their agreement.  The other teams 
had their chance, like all free agent signings.

"Cheated", indeed!  Harumph!

Bird