No Cook? The oven mitts are off.

[JB <JBMetzEA@yahoo.com>]

   I heard Tony Delk on the radio yesterday and he is adamant about not
being a three point shooter. He will take them, he says, but he is happier
from 15-18 feet and made a strong statement that he has made a pledge, to;
"avoid the shot," as a stock in trade. If O'Brien insists he play that "go
to the corner and wait," game, they will clash. Tony will not sit and sulk
privately, like J.J. did.
   O'Brien, may be, gets it, that a major difference this season is Anderson
and Battie. Kenny is healthy and creating, Battie is healthy and when
active, can finish and defend a bit in the post. These are huge plusses.
   Many commenters on this board, will bust O'Brien for the three point,
stand around, offense. I don't like it either, but there is some sense that
he is also reinforcing Anderson's role as distributer? We've seen it in
games after losses and in the fourth quarter, in many of our wins.
   Is it possible to have it both ways? A running moving offense, with
several first options and then the kick out and open three? Why not?
   There is something else under the current here. At Shaw's, the coach and
Pappile were raving about Amin's game and the Jeckyl/Hyde performance of our
offense; with him and without him. A day later, Wallace, who wasn't at
Shaw's very often, but was holed up with Gaston, announced that having the
open roster spot, might be a good thing and they didn't want to guarantee
any money for Khalid. When Randy went down, the accepted the need for
another point guard and signed Herren, not a true point guard. Then they
signed Strickland, not a true point guard and released Herren. Now that
roster spot is open again, as we've traded two players, who were at least
supposed to be point guards; Palacio and Brown for another; Delk, who is not
a true point guard.
   Word was out on Wednesday, from Cook's agent that Omar was being
considered by Boston. Did he make that up, seeing a roster spot, on a team
that he perceived needed point guard help, or perhaps, did Leo Pappile, or
another scout, make a contact?
   What's with these guys? Is it O'Brien or is it really Wallace that's the
skunk at the garden party? That roster spot is open! Cook might become an
asset, a great one even. How much would it cost? 100,000? What possible
reason could they have to ignore the obvious need to loosen up the offense a
bit and give Anderson some rest, without causing the offense to flow, like
the fat at the bottom of the containers of left over Chinese food, in Red's
fridge? They see that even an aging Anderson, can fire up the troops at
times and help the role players get some production.
   Can they really think that all there is to this game is having a couple
of better three point shooters than the ones they traded? O'Brien played
point guard in college. Jason Kidd is earning MVP honors a few hundred miles
away, without having any semblance of an outside shooting touch.
   More power to Joe Johnson. I hope he scores 25 a night with 10 rebounds
and seven assists. We know he has those abilities, in an open court system
and perhaps our "BRAIN TRUST" will learn something. Perhaps Wallace will be
forced to resign Rogers, so he doesn't look like a complete idiot, for
trading an emerging All-Star; Joe Johnson and a #1 pick, for Tony Delk,
another tweener /off guard.
   Right now, I'm putting the blame on Wallace. He should be embarrassed by
Johnson's play in Phoenix. He should be embarrassed by his three draft picks
who all play the same position and most of all, he should be embarrassed for
not getting us another point guard, one who could be as good as Tinsley or
Parker, in a few years; right at the time when Anderson's contract expires,
leaving him to use our extra cash for the big man we also desperately need.
  
          JB



                  Unchain My Heart !