Re: "You didn't turn around, to see the frowns, on the faces of the jugglers and the clowns...."

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.eastlink.ca>]

You're fully entitled to whatever belief you have about Walker embellishing
an injury so as to win over the fans, if that is your point.

But you should understand the logic behind the posts which confronted your
comment.  This guy has been a true warrior throughout his career and has not
ever looked to do such a thing in the past.  With this team playing better
than it has during his tenure, he has nothing to gain from being hurt and
surely those fans who are knowledgeable about such things have great
appreciation for his effort.

I note that you still believe he embellished the injury.  Perhaps it was
really bothering him and you mistook that for embellishment?  Isn't it a
possibility?  The fact that he had to have an MRI in the first place would
indicate the severity of the strain, even if temporarily.

What's with the "trying to please the crowd" theme?  This point is basically
groundless.  You think he improved his free throw shooting because of boos
from the crowd?  I could just as easily disagree and say that he worked on
the elements of his game which could raise his game to a level which would
most help his teammates win.  That is what most athletes worth their salt
want...to help their team win...to win the NBA title.  Why would Toine be
any different?  Did he spend all those hours with Michael Jordan last summer
to garner support from fans or did he actually think that it could help him
improve in a number of areas which would benefit himself as a professional
and his team as a result?

But that's just my impression.

Cecil








Cecil




----- Original Message -----
From: "JB" <JBMetzEA@yahoo.com>
To: "Celtics Stuff" <Celticsstuffgroup@Yahoogroups.com>; "Celtics@igtc"
<celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2002 6:04 AM
Subject: "You didn't turn around, to see the frowns, on the faces of the
jugglers and the clowns...."


>    The title of this piece is taken from a Bob Dylan song, which played in
> my head this AM, as they are wont to do, since, as I wrote last week, my
13
> year old son, has discovered the works of the bard from Hibbing.
>    I had been searching, in my mind, how to expand the concept of Walker,
> over dramatizing his injury. I still believe it to be true. The notion of
> Walker as an entertainer, seemed to show this in a different light.
>    As I posted this observation, without malice towards Walker, nor
thinking
> that there were any nefarious motives, I was taken aback by the hostile
> reaction to that post.
>    I think I was able to convey, that I wasn't accusing Walker of faking
it,
> I have no doubt that his knee is sore and that he will play through
> tremendous pain, because he loves to play, but I want to explore the
reasons
> for his love of the game, as it might relate to his flair for the
dramatic.
>    Walker loves the three ball. The home run, you could see it in his eyes
> last night, after passing up several opportunities early in the game, he
got
> a few passes, in position, on the perimeter, late, with the outcome
> determined and his eyes gleamed. What I saw was a player who loved the
> interaction with the crowd. Some have this, they want the approval of the
> home crowd and to silence the enemy fans, but mostly they want to be the
> show. They feed on the crowds reaction and I believe its instinctive,
hardly
> conscious, there's a connection. Do you ever walk through a door and think
> that everyone is watching you? Well, they probably are. Most people get
shy
> and close up a little, a person with a flair for the dramatic, revels in
it
> and uses that energy to build a relationship and starts acting with that
> crowd and it's energy, as part of his motivation.
>    Remember Bird, talking about how much fun it was, to go to opponents
> arenas and silence the crowd? Remember Jimmy Brown, after a run, laying on
> the ground like he had just broken every bone in his body, slowly getting
to
> his feet and walking back to the huddle like a Palm Beach octogenarian?
Some
> players have this quality, most don't.
>    I believe that Walker's penchant for this type of bonding with the
fans,
> led to what I perceived as an exaggerated limp, going out to fire the two
> three point shots he took in the last two minutes of the Spurs game.
Imagine
> the crowd's reaction , if he made one or both of those shots, on one leg?
I
> propose it was his flair for the dramatic, not any sense of him "dogging"
> it, or looking for an excuse.
>    Having been trained in the theatre, lo, those many years ago, is
perhaps
> why I picked up on this. A great actor, from the minute he walks on stage,
> feels that the audience is watching his every move and revels in it,
trying
> to carry them to emotional heights, that feeds on his desire to entertain
> and perhaps enlighten them.
>    Why has Walker never gotten down from the boos of the Fleet center
crowd?
> Why did he work on his foul shooting? I suggest, that it is this feeling
of
> wanting to pleas the fans more than anything Pitino, or the present
coaches
> are trying to do to him, that has led to his constant refining of his
game.
> Most players would have sulked and demanded a trade, Walker just keeps
> trying to please.
>    In a way, if this team does develop into a championship team, it is the
> great history of unselfish Celtic players and the Celtic nation's
relentless
> insistence on the same standard, for it's stars, that will inspire Walker
to
> take his play to that level.
>         JB
>
>
>
>                   Unchain My Heart !