Re: Baker article

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

The big thing that jumps out is Baker saying he will be 
one of the top four power forwards in the East. I wonder 
if he is lobbying not to play center, or if the coaching 
staff has actually told him he will start next to Tony 
Battie.

The second thing is his coachability/maturity. THANK GOD 
Red Auerbach isn't still the C's coach or Baker would be 
tearing after every motivational ploy or attempt at 
criticism. He sounds like an innocent 8 year old. Its 
strange to hear all these stories about him leaving 
practice to cry.

Obie is a good coach for him, but even he still strikes 
me as fairly no-nonsense, arched-eyebrows-if-a-player-
acts-like-a-baby type of coach. 

Atleast he's no Pitino. I can easily picture Pitino doing 
what Nate McMillan did. Baker wouldn't have lasted a week 
under Pitino. 

The coaching staff will have to be very sensitive about 
how they handle this player. He's really a special case. 
A 265 pound Michael Jackson. 

One rule Obie needs to enforce is "no trash talking" in 
practice. The way Antoine and Paul Pierce talk it up, 
they'll need to each carry mops to wipe Vinnie's tears 
from flooding and warping the parquet. The team should 
get cue cards saying "I'm proud of you, Vinnie" each time 
they are tempted to talk trash.

Baker does seem like a very moral person and sincere 
about getting better. I don't think he's just BS'ing. 

Spare the rod in practice and he'll hopefully be able to 
motivate himself. Obie's not the type anyway to single 
out a player for criticism.

As for the fans, I think/hope they'll lay off Baker if he 
can average 8 board while shooting 50%. Its the captains 
who will carry the brunt of fan expectations and 
criticism. And luckily they both have thick skins.

WEEI and Peter May articles will have to be made strictly 
off limits to Baker. NO RADIO...rip the antenna off his 
SUV. 

Just as pitchers prefer a certain battery mate, I think 
the Globe should only allow Shira Springer to cover Baker 
for the next four years.


 



 
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