Re: A bostonherald.com article

["James A. Hill" <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

What a hack Callahan is.

Pierce premature in demanding respect

by Gerry Callahan
Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Snip...
"On the basketball court, Bird demanded the ball in the final minute of
the big games, and his coaches and teammates generally obliged. Bird
earned such deference by winning three NBA titles, three MVP awards and
24 playoff series. Paul Pierce wants the same kind of respect from his
coach and his teammates, and some day he will no doubt get it."

Gee, did Bird earn those awards BEFORE they gave him the ball at the end of
the game or AFTER?  Think Pierce will win MVP before or after he gets to
take those shots?  Hack.

"But first thing's first, young Mr. Truth. How about you win one playoff
series before telling Jim O'Brien how to do his job?"

Because OB has won so many himself?

"According to Philadelphia forward Corie Blount, Pierce was taunting the
Sixers with shouts of ``Sweep! Sweep!'' during the final minutes of
Sunday's Game 3. Sweep? This was in Philly. In the first round. Against
the defending Eastern Conference champs. If there is a fine line between
good-natured trash-talking and taunting, Pierce didn't step over it. He
cleared it like Carl Bleeping Lewis. Maybe he saw what happened to Jersey
superpunk Kenyon Martin and is hoping for a Sports Illustrated cover of
his own."

Speaking of "trash" the Dennis and Callahan Show comes to mind.  I'm not big
on trash talking, but if your willing to take the pressure that goes with
it, (See L. Bird) so be it.  If it upset Blount, that's what it was intended
to do.

"Antoine Walker, a co-captain and six-year veteran who
had hit seven straight 3-pointers earlier in the game, missed a 3.
Pierce, who drew double coverage much of the game, threw his gum to the
floor in disgust and shouted, ``That's (expletive)!''

Maybe he was upset by the poor execution of the diagramed play, you think?
Since the play wasn't called for Walker what's his point about Walker taking
it?

"Unfortunately, the only thing that separated him from Scottie Pippen on
Sunday was that he stayed in the game. When Pippen was upset at Phil
Jackson for calling a last-second play for Toni Kukoc once upon a time,
he sat on the bench and sulked."

If Tammo's post was correct and Pierce wasn't throwing a temper tantrum,
then this is just a stupid comparison.  Hack.

"At this rate, the only thing that will separate him from Bird, Russell,
Cousy and Havlicek is the titles."

What a clever statement.  Pierce is playing with the equivalent talent
around him?  Hack.

The only thing that separates Callahan from great sports writers is great
writing.



<Jim