McHale Puts Pierce And Walker In Their Places

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Interesting comments by Kevin, another guy who wanted to remain with the

Celtics in a magnagement capacity, and was scorned by Gaston.....

McHale quite forward on Celtics greatness

by Karen Guregian
Bosston Herald Sports
Saturday, February 2, 2002


The question seemed innocent enough. Kevin McHale was asked where he'd
rank Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce in the pantheon of Celtic greats.

Let's just say the most outspoken member of Boston's famed ``Big
Three,'' who was in town last night with his Minnesota Timberwolves,
still loves to stir a pot.

``(Expletive), c'mon. They couldn't carry Larry Bird's jock around,'' an
incredulous McHale said of Walker and Pierce while sitting in the
visiting coach's room prior to last night's 98-95 overtime victory over
the Celtics.

Well, that saucy retort is probably not as inflammatory as it sounds,
because few, if any players, could hold - a candle - to Bird. The
Wolves' vice president of basketball operations then put his remark into
a little better context, although not by much. McHale classified Walker
and Pierce as ``good'' players, but wouldn't put them in the same
stratosphere as Bird or other Celtic legends.

Why? Because Walker and Pierce still haven't put up a banner in the
rafters.

``I hope the standard hasn't (changed so much),'' McHale said. ``If you
win championships, then you become great. You don't become great if you
don't win championships. You are considered a great player when you win.
Bill Russell, (Bob) Cousy, (John) Havlicek, (Dave) Cowens, Jo Jo
(White), the Jones boys (Sam and K.C). That's elite company. You win
some championships, then you mention their names. Prior to that, it's a
tad premature.''

Championship-less wonders such as Ernie Banks, Ted Williams, Carl
Yastrzemski, Dan Marino, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone would have just
cause to disagree about the definition of greatness. Not surprisingly,
Pierce didn't want to engage in any part of McHale comments following
the team's fourth loss in five games.

``No comment,'' Pierce said when apprised of the jockstrap remark. ``I
don't want to be compared to them. I'm here to make my own name. They
did what they had to do in their time. I'm here to do what I got to do
in my time.''

Walker, on the other hand, waxed poetic on the subject after the game.
He didn't seem at all fazed by the comments. In fact, he agreed with
McHale's premise and chuckled over the Bird comparison.

``I think it's right. I think that's good,'' Walker said of McHale's
remarks. ``I think that's more motivation for us to continue to get
better as players. That lets us know we're a long way from being where
we need to be as players and as a team.''

Leave it to McHale to spice up an otherwise dull affair. It's obvious,
though, in between putting Walker and Pierce in their rightful place in
history, he still bleeds green, even if it is bad form to diss fellow
Celtic family members. McHale is genuinely pleased by the club's
turnaround this season. And he didn't totally dismiss Walker and Pierce,
the first Celtic duo to make the All-Star team since 1991.

``I usually watch the first half of all of their games, so I've seen
them a lot,'' said McHale, who watches on his satellite dish. ``It seems
like (Jim) O'Brien has been a breath of fresh air for everyone around
here and the players are responding to it.

``They got Pierce and Walker playing very well for them. The rest of the
guys are filling in . . . so I'm happy for them. I'll always watch for
them, and pull for them.''

McHale wasn't surprised the Celts had come of age with little turnover
from last year. In the Auerbach tradition, he too is a believer in
keeping his teams together.

``We've had the same team together for essentially four or five years,''
McHale said. ``Believe me, the guy that used to run this place, Red
Auerbach, he won 16 banners, believes in keeping guys together. When you
get guys you like, keep them together. That's not in, in today's
(world). You have to turn your roster over every other year. That's a
bunch of B.S. You win when you get key people together and develop some
chemistry. That's what I believe in. That comes from my days here.''

And many of those days were spent winning championships. Maybe that's
why he expects so much more of Walker and Pierce.