Couldawouldashoulda

[Michael Gooen <callmebogie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Joe Hironaka wrote:  

<<But looking at the latest Dream Team roster, I did note 
that Boston could have easily shown up with 1/3rd of the 
roster:

1) Paul Pierce
2) Andre Miller or Shawn Marion (Potapenko trade)
3) Ben Wallace (invited to camp but released by Pitino)
4) Jermaine O'Neil (for last year's three first rounders)

That's in addition to Antoine Walker, of course.>>

Not to leap to the defense of the Pitino regime, but that's not entirely
fair.  If we've heard the history right, Pitino offered the 3 #1s for
Jermaine O'Neal; Portland rejected that offer and took Dale Davis instead.
 Considering Davis had just come off a strong season on a team that went
to the finals, I'm not sure how the Cs could have topped that offer
without including Walker or Pierce, which would have been a mistake.

As for Wallace, Pitino did cut him in favor of Eric Riley.  In hindsight,
that was a huge mistake.  At the time, however, Wallace wasn't showing any
indication of the player he became this year -- he was just an undersized
power forward, while Riley was 7 feet tall and had some skills (although
not the inclination to use them productively).  I can't remember the last
NBA player who's "blown up" the way Wallace has.

As for what Wallace would bring to the Celtics, I couldn't agree more.  I
think we'll have to put him in the Duncan category and declare a
moratorium on hand-wringing about him.  At least with Wallace, we have
company -- all those Orlando fans who chortled over how lopsided the Ben
Wallace/Chucky Atkins for Grant Hill "trade" was.  

Hey, if we want to cheer up, let's make a list of all the 4/5s Orlando has
given away over the years and mail it to Tracy McGrady.  Let's see...
Wallace, Bo Outlaw, Brendan Haywood, Borchardt, Doleac.... we'll leave
Amaechi off because he was only decent in Orlando.... probably unfair to
include Shaq.  Am I forgetting anyone?

And their big guys now.... Ringo?  Don Reid?  Steven Hunter?  Rashard
Griffith?  Horace Grant?  Patrick Ewing?  George Mikan?  

Hey, whatever happened to that "Big Continent" guy?  Or maybe they can try
to get the 7'8" dude from North Korea.  

Now don't you all feel better about Battie/Potapenko/Blount?

Michael Gooen

P.S.  Just to illustrate that nice things to happen on this list....  Last
month I discovered that not only is Joe Hironaka a worldly gentleman, a
witty albeit acerbic writer and a true Celtic fan, he's also a college
classmate of mine.  The other day we had a very nice lunch across the
street from his office at the UN and I'm looking forward to risking my
life with him the next time the Cs visit Madison Square Garden.  I hope I
get to meet more of you someday.
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