Vin Baker

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

The best play of the Knicks game was Pierce finding and 
feeding Battie for a dunk within seconds after he checked 
in. We all heard the boos before Vin had even stepped on 
the court. Those kinds of things never make sense to me.

I guess this tells you the influence that Callahan's 
columns have. This year's Celtics have been about team, 
and I'm glad Pierce did what he did.

One thing I'd point out, Vin Baker (while clearly an easy 
target for non-basketball sportswriters) hasn't regressed 
from recent seasons in terms of 48 minute performance.

To wit, over a full 48 minutes Vin is still averaging 
14.5 ppg with a (by far) team leading 6 offensive boards. 
We all should hope for more, but IMO fans should be able 
to live with that level of production to date. 
Considering the few touches he's been getting, Vin's been 
self-generating a lot of offense through his own efforts 
on the boards. 

Baker's 11.8 boards is higher than the prolific Pierce 
10.0)or Walker (8.8) over 48 minutes. 

Remember that Vin Baker is averaging just 17.8 minutes. 
Double that to a measly 35 minutes, and he'd be back at 9 
rebounds. He's improved in that department.

I don't feel like defending Baker. I'm just saying he 
hasn't sucked, in the games I've seen. We shouldn't get 
so influenced by Callahan, who knows nothing in depth 
about sports (especially basketball) other than how to 
use it for faux-populist rabble rousing and smug fratboy 
put downs. It's his living. But IMO fans shouldn't take 
Callahan so seriously, on the subject of sports.

Not to state the obvious, but the reason most Celtics 
fans haven't been too down on Vin Baker up to now is 
because they probably have the common sense to notice 
that:

1)the Celtics are winning. Vin Baker is one of only 8 
guys that have contributed to that. This season isn't 
about Baker or Walker, its been about team.
2)Vin's clinically depressive and hyper-sensitive. That's 
been directly linked to his rise and fall as an All Star.
3)Vin's got a hard enough contract to move as it is. 
Screwing with Vin Baker now is like gratuitously throwing 
the future (through 2006) away. 
4)Vin is helping people in our community that we would 
never have the means or inclination to help.

There has to be a good reason to be going after Vin Baker 
right now, with the team winning. You can't tell me Gerry 
Callahan had a good reason. That guy has too much wise 
ass and too little sense in him, generally speaking. But 
obviously, his influence on Boston fans is great.

Joe H.

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