Re: I have a bad feeling about all this.

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

OK, I'm one of the knuckleheads who is sure O'Brien is blind and that I know
more than he does. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but that's me.

Here's the thing: You're right about Delk. He's a shooter and he doesn't
help much if he isn't hitting. That's why he's a valuable 20-minute bench
guy and not a starter. For Pete's sake, that is all he has ever been and
that's all he should be now. See... Obie's blind and I know more than he
does...

Obie sees this trade as "Tony Delk, starting shooting guard, and Rodney
Rogers, backup power forward." Anyone else who has watched NBA basketball
since Delk's final college game-the NCAA title game in '96-can tell you
this. Unfortunately, Obie still sees Delk as the MVP of that Kentucky team
he coattailed...er, uh, coached... But he's not playing Syracuse anymore.

The most important player in this trade should be Rodney Rogers. He should
give the Celts a presence at the SF/PF spots. Instead, Obie wants to turn
him into a little-used backup power forward. Instead of taking advantage of
this opportunity to get bigger-Pierce at SG, Rogers and Walker at SF/PF-he's
actually going smaller-Delk-Pierce-Walker (with a dash of Rogers at center
thrown in for good measure).

Whereas a week ago, right after the trade, I was optimistic, now I'm turning
downright gloomy. This trade wasn't about landing Tony Delk to start at
shooting guard, but that's what Obie is boiling it down to. He's going to
mismanage this roster right into that 41-41 neighborhood you're talking
about.

And you're right about last night's loss. This team is beyond moral
victories. Why shouldn't they be ready to beat the Bucks at home? The teams
have comparable records. The Celtics were rested. The Bucks weren't. These
aren't last year's Celtics. It's time to step up and win these games.

One more thing on last night: The Celts held the Bucks in check. It was the
offense that let them down. The Bucks are one of the worst defensive teams
in the league, but once again it was 50 points from the captains and
scraping for the rest. Once again it was 41 percent shooting. Gee, I wish we
had a guy who could give you a good 12 points per game and do it with
efficient shooting and add some bulk to the front line and help the
rebounding woes. Why can't we ever get guys like that?

Mark

--- --- --- 

Paul M. wrote:

This team is too far into the season and the playoff race is too tight to
make
a home loss against the Bucks acceptable. While everyone is giving their
opinions about who O'Brien should play against whom, for how many minutes,
coming off the bench or not, certain that these suggestions and strategies
will definitely work and that only a blind would miss it, let me suggest
that
it doesn't matter who Delk plays against, or when he plays, because when he
shoots 1-8 he's worthless at shooting guard and at the point. He's not a
point
guard unless you want a point guard on the floor who looks for his own shot
every time down and that shot is going to be a jumper so someone is going to
be setting him up anyway. And if he's not on, what's the point? And where
did
the idea that he could play defense come from? But tomorrow he might come in
and light it up so all will be forgiven, until the next time you waste a
player on the court expecting him to contribute. Wallace got him to score,
period. And it doesn't matter whether he plays point guard against Bimbo
Coles
or Andre Miller, coming off the bench or starting, if he's not scoring he's
worthless, and he can be just as effective or ineffective against either
one,
because all he's going to do is shoot anyway. Put him at shooting guard, at
point guard, he can score against anybody and can stink it up against
anybody,
but don't ask him to do anything else. I'm old, cranky, and bitter today.
One
more thing. Did you see the quote from Kenny about how his feelings are hurt
because he was almost traded to Denver for Van Exel. Kenny's joking right?
His
feelings are hurt? Ok, it must hurt knowing that the biggest locker room
a-hole in the league is more valuable on the court than "Mr. Nice Guy"
Kenny,
but it's also the truth. And yes, the truth hurts sometimes, but I'm not
sure
Kenny should've been surprised by the move. Wallace has been saying for
weeks
that this team needs a point guard. Maybe Kenny doesn't actually think he
plays the point. Anyway, all year I've read onlist this team needs a point
guard and a power forward meaning "help inside." I'm still waiting. I know,
I've become a jerk. But that's what this list is for. I hope this team goes
15-10 the rest of the way. I kid because I love. I complain because I love
too. I'm full of love, but I have a bad feeling, a very bad feeling, that
started with this trade (and last night didn't help) that they're going to
finish the season 41-41.
Cranky, old, bitter and tired.