RE: C's Sign The Strickland Like Bremer

["Orion" <jlyell@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

If he was fourth in the Nation in scoring I guess you don't do that without
some offensive skills.

Seems similar to when Jerry West took a guy named Derrick Fisher nobody had
heard of.


This does not bode well for  Rogers, Strickland, or Cook who I still believe
is a better fit, although you can always use perimeter help. If we sign
Damon Jones,what does this mean for Kenny? Forte? Delk? I would expect/hope
a trade is in the works. We have not addressed our interior weakness while
others in the East work with their rosters.


I wish we could package Anderson. Battie and Delk.


John







-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@igtc.com [mailto:owner-celtics@igtc.com]On Behalf Of
Way Of The Ray
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 5:42 AM
To: celtics@igtc.com
Subject: C's Sign The Strickland Like Bremer


- Omar likely heading elsewhere.
- Bremer, a good signing, basically a replacement
for Strickland at 1/6th the cost, if he makes the team.
- Is Damon Jones next to be inked?
- And wither Kenny?


Celts land barnstorming Bremer

by Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, July 17, 2002

J.R. Bremer is a point guard by trade, but lately he's been more of a
human pinball on a board that stretches across the United States.
Undrafted out of St. Bonaventure as the nation's fourth-leading scorer,
he's been ringing up air miles and good impressions far and wide.

But after working for three teams in the last week, the Celtics pulled
the plug before Bremer could bounce to a fourth as scheduled. The C's
will sign the 6-foot-2 point guard and offer him guarantees that will
get him into the regular training camp.

``I'm definitely happy,'' said Bremer after going for six points and
five assists in Boston's 75-67 win over Washington in the Shaw's Pro
Summer League last night. ``That's what you want to do - get somebody to

keep you. Luckily it's here.

``It's a great situation. I have a chance to come in and get some
minutes and help the team as much as I can.''

Bremer has been spreading his help around of late.

``My agent thought it would be best if I worked out with a lot of
teams,'' he said.

The odyssey began in Memphis, where he went to minicamp with the
Grizzlies, and continued in California with two games for the team in
the LA Pro Summer League. Bremer then flew to Boston for practices last
Thursday and Friday. Then it was on to Minnesota for two weekend
practices. The T'wolves wanted him to stay, but he'd made a promise to
the Celts and he flew back to Boston, went through a Monday shootaround
and went for 12 points in 19 minutes in a win over New Jersey that
night.

Before learning the Celtics made a commitment, he said, ``From here I go

to Toronto. . . . I mean, I go to Utah to play for Toronto.''

Forgive him if he knows his way to the hoop but doesn't know what city
he's in. Now, however, he'll get the rest of the week here and a return
trip for camp in the fall.

``There's going to be a new point guard on this team - if we lose
(Erick) Strickland,'' said general manager Chris Wallace before last
night's game. ``And with Erick getting hit on by a lot of people, that
could easily happen. So it's going to be someone and maybe it's him.''

Omar Cook was in the lead for that position, but his star has dimmed. He

needs to be on the Celtic roster on Aug. 1 to get guaranteed money, and
that is now doubtful.

``He's an intriguing player,'' said Wallace of Bremer. ``He was
under-recruited at St. Bonaventure, but he was very highly regarded by
both coaching staffs he had there.

``He's got toughness, can shoot the long ball (24.1 ppg as a senior).
He's played both backcourt positions in college. He defends. And he's a
very high-caliber person. We've been very impressed with him. He tested
very well in Chicago (at the predraft camp). He's a hell of an athlete
(Bremer can bench press 350 pounds). He's somebody I really think has a
chance to play in the NBA.

``I expected him to be drafted. We were looking very carefully at him at

50, and because of (Darius) Songaila's size (6-9) we decided to go that
way. But J.R.'s come in and done a great job.''

Bremer now is looking for stability.

``It can be good and bad,'' he said of agent Craig McKenzie's plan.
``You get a lot of exposure in different places. But you don't get much
of a chance to relax. You're either playing or on an airplane.

``When I was in LA and I came over here to Boston, I was messed up
because I couldn't get used to the three-hour time difference. I
couldn't get to sleep, and then when I got to sleep and woke up I still
felt crazy. After that it was fine. I think I got over the jet lag
situation.''

And took advantage of it. Bremer hastily signed up for frequent-flyer
programs. ``I got me a couple of them,'' he said with a smile.

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