Re: Tommy agrees with me

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: Kestas <Kestutis.Kveraga@dartmouth.edu>
>
> But it makes one feel better...:) That's (partly) what this list is
> for...Besides, I'm not sure how anything we say on this list helps or
> hinders the productivity of the coaches and players, unless they read this
> list for suggestions on how to play basketball (hey, Jimmy did pull Delk
> from the starting lineup and did play Toine and Rogers at the forward 
> spots
> for a brief while :>). Anyway, instead of calling Obie an idiot, I'll call
> him a master at player relations and a poor basketball strategist/in-game
> coach, but one who has the ability to learn from his mistakes. Is that 
> better?

It's probably more accurate.  Anyway, you're right about the productivity 
question, but I menat "productive for this list" as in, I don't mind some 
good ol' fashioned "bitchin' and moanin'" from time to time, but 
simplistic name-calling gets tiring.  Being critical means attempting to 
be accurate, and I think if one *really* believes Obie is an idiot or a 
moron then the likelihood that that person him- or herself is below 
average intelligence grows.  A certain amount of frustration-venting 
name-calling is OK in my book, it's just that if someone were to 
characterize this list as a place where dissention is frowned upon, and 
the like, while spouting off "moron" "bonehead" and the like all the time 
... well, let's just say there's more to being critical than just 
assigning derogatory names to people.

> After last night's game, I'm no longer angry at Obie or anyone else, I'm
> very concerned. I'm not sure if it was the trade that screwed up the
> chemistry, but the two events coincided. Of course, the slide also
> coincided with playing top teams, or teams that have begun playing at 
> their
> true level of ability.  The Celtics are not playing defense as hard as 
> they
> were earlier, for whatever reason. And since it's a non-linear phenomenon,
> a bit less effort on D results in disastrous increases in opposition FG%.
> The rebounding has been disastrous. Pierce has not been as assertive, and
> the new guys have not really filled the gap on offense. Is it just a 
> matter
> of integrating Delk and Rogers and thus will straighten itself out with
> time, or something more serious?

Good question.  You might think it's the trade, because it happened at the 
same time, but accurately attributing the reason for this decline is 
probably more difficult.  The defense has been worse, and offense is 
stagnant at some of the most inopportune times, and then there's the whole 
issues of using guys effectively.  I think this is what a lot of us were 
worried about when we didn't want any trades to happen -- it throws things 
into flux.  Pierce has been trying to get Delk involved from news reports 
-- I'm not sure that's the best idea, either.  Delk will get his, 
eventually.  And the team *needs* Pierce to think "score".  Obie had these 
guys overachieving earlier in the year -- is this just things averaging 
out, or can the team pull out a decent run or two to end the season on a 
positive note (closer to 48 wins, say, than 40).  Watching this team all 
year, I wouldn't bet against them.  Look at Detroit, they went through a 
real rough patch and then bounced back.  Only thing is, the timing of 
their downturn was probably better.

Bird