Re: McHale Puts Pierce And Walker In Their Places

["Dan F" <dforant1@nycap.rr.com>]

Well, I agree with McHale entirely. He was always spoke his mind. Pierce is
no Bird (or many of the others yet). Paul is developing fast no doubt. He at
this point lacks floor vision, and  defensive skills, mentally not
physically,, Triple doubles may be in his future, he will need them to be
mentioned in the same level as Bird. As far as Walker is concerned he's a
*good* player by today's standards but below Pierce's level whose a many
accomplishments below Birds. Bird may have gone 10-24 a lot but the last 4
baskets usually had something to do with the outcome of the game (wins).

DanF

"Way Of The Ray" <wayray@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
3C5C2914.BB3531A6@ix.netcom.com">news:3C5C2914.BB3531A6@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.