Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature

[snoopy1@pig.net]

Not at all.  You have your opinion, I have mine.  If we weren't passionate 
about the Celtics, NEITHER of us would be on this list.  It's cool.  We'll 
both be rooting for them to win tonight (unless, of course, you bet the 
line on the Pistons...)  :>)))))))))))))))  .

At 02:59 PM 5/10/02 -0400, Dan Forant wrote:
>Good points, just overblowing nothing I guess.
>
>DanF
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <snoopy1@pig.net>
>To: <Celtics@igtc.com>
>Sent: Friday, May 10, 2002 9:10 AM
>Subject: Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature
>
>
> > At 09:26 PM 5/9/02 -0400, Dan Forant wrote:
> > >Evidently Bird isn't a basketball man anymore. He had a taste of coaching
> > >and that was it.
> >
> > Bird made it clear from the start he only wanted to coach for about three
> > years.  Later, it became known that he'd developed some kind of heart
> > problem (perhaps due to leaving so much of it at the Garden), that had
> > ended up putting him on medication.  I believe that had he not left, he
> > might well have died.
> >
> > >Gaston owns the team not Bird. Gaston can and will sell
> > >when and if he wants. He is a cold hearted business man, successful.
> >
> > Absolutely true.  The problem is, it's generally accepted that the reason
> > Gaston did not sell to Bird was because of the fact that Bird wanted to
>buy
> > the team.  The reliable word is that had another group made a similar
> > offer, he'd have accepted it.  Given how the Celtics were doing at the
> > time, that wasn't going to happen.
> >
> > >Now
> > >looks like he's going to be richer with the Celts moving up in the world.
> >
> > If I was as terrified of spending money on the team as he is, I'd be
>richer
> > too.
> >
> > >What makes you think Bird could put a team together. He took over a team
> > >ready for the nursing home. Never built one from scratch. It's all
> > >hypothetical.
> >
> > Indiana was a team of perennial also-rans.  Larry built a coaching staff
> > that relied heavily on Dick Harter and Rick Carlisle--remember those
> > guys?  He used their experience as coaches to offset his own lack of
> > coaching experience--and always gave them credit for that.  They narrowly
> > missed becoming NBA champions.  Not bad for a "hyopothetical", hm?  After
> > that tremendous season, the fans, management, and the team begged him to
> > stay.  He couldn't, due mainly, we later learned, to his health.
> >
> > >Bottom line, the fans and players would be honored with Bird's presence.
> > >Don't  think the players aren't wondering where he is. Hondo, Tommy H,
> > >Russell and Cous will do for now. That's where the real green flows.
> >
> > The players know where he is.  He knows his Celtics history and cares very
> > much for the team. It was a matter of personal pride that as coach of the
> > Pacers, he never lost against Boston--that's how much respect he has for
> > the Celtics.  Like many fans--myself included, the Fleet Center left him
> > cold compared to the Garden.  The Celtics play a new team in a new
> > building.  Perhaps he feels that "you can't go home again".  Perhaps he's
> > trying not to take the spotlight away from the players of today.
> >
> > Would I like to see him at a Celtics game?  Of course.  I'd also like to
> > see Don Nelson, Dave Cowens, K.C. Jones, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and
>a
> > host of others who are equally infrequent visitors.  Nobody questions
>their
> > loyalty, their heart.  I live in Florida, and haven't been to the Fleet
> > Center since it was built.  Nobody damn well better question MY support of
> > the team.
> >
> > I think you're letting your disappointment that Larry hasn't come to a
> > playoff game overflow into an extent that simply isn't warranted.  Of
> > course, you're entitled to your beliefs, and your opinion, even though it
> > may be unpopular--God knows, I bet some people on the list roll their eyes
> > when they see a post from someone named "Snoopy"--but I just think you're
> > treating Larry unfairly.
> >
> > Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
> >
> >
> > >DanF
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: <snoopy1@pig.net>
> > >To: <Celtics@igtc.com>
> > >Sent: Thursday, May 09, 2002 5:04 PM
> > >Subject: Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature
> > >
> > >
> > > > At 01:47 PM 5/9/02 -0400, Dan Forant wrote:
> > > > >Bird owes Boston everything. He could make an appearance for the
>troops.
> > > > >They paid him well for his services. He performed well. Bird is not
>what
> > >you
> > > > >would call an ambassador for basketball. He's had this complex all
>his
> > >life
> > > > >over something....I didn't believe it back
> > > > >when, but now after the dust has settled, Magic was better than Bird.
> > > >
> > > > And Bird GAVE Boston everything.  I clearly remember exhibition games
> > >where
> > > > he was diving for loose balls.  It's not like he was fighting for a
>spot
> > >on
> > > > the roster.  As a player he put everything he had on the floor,
>arriving
> > > > early to warm up before games, and working tirelessly in the
> > > > offseasons.  He made it clear that any season where the Celtics didn't
>win
> > > > it all might as well be a losing season.
> > > >
> > > > He only retired when his back problems wouldn't let him play the way
>he
> > > > felt the game should be played--all out.  Then, he moved to a nebulous
> > > > "front office" position with the Celtics, where it became clear Gaston
> > >paid
> > > > lip service to taking any of Bird's contributions seriously.  When it
>came
> > > > to coaching, Boston had it's chance to get Bird for the head job, and
> > > > Indiana made him a better offer--not just because he grew up
>there--heck
> > >if
> > > > that was his main reason, he'd have been traded to the Pacers as a
> > > > player.  But Out-of Gaston had no problem giving Rick Pitiful anything
>he
> > > > wanted--including forcing Red to step aside from day to day
> > > > operations.  Tell me you believe Bird would have done that, and I'll
>be
> > > > happy to offer some land here in Florida, cheap.
> > > >
> > > > Bird promptly coached in Indiana the way he wanted to in Boston, and
>did
> > > > everything but take the court himself to get the Pacers a
> > > > championship.  Simultaneously, ML Carr Crash and Ricky Retarded
>managed to
> > > > do what even the rightly despised John Y. Brown couldn't do--he made
>the
> > > > Celtics a joke in the NBA.
> > > >
> > > > Then, when Bird headed up a group to buy the Celtics, he practically
> > >handed
> > > > Gaston a blank check, but Gaston didn't want to sell to Larry.  So
>Larry
> > > > decided he was doing just fine living as a retiree in Naples, Florida.
>He
> > > > doesn't have heart palpitations anymore, he doesn't bang heads with
> > >Gaston,
> > > > and he plays golf when he likes.
> > > >
> > > > You want to damn him for not visiting Boston?  Feh.  If I'd given as
>much
> > > > to the team as he did, and was treated like that in return, I'd have
> > > > publicly told Gaston where to go and what to do when he got there.
> > >Larry's
> > > > got too much class for that, lucky bum that Gaston is.
> > > >
> > > > I think "thanksdad" ought to try thanking Larry for what he's done,
>and
> > > > apologize for the shabby treatment he gave Larry.  Perhaps that might
> > > > encourage the Legend to pay a visit to the Celtics.
> > > >
> > > > Snoopy the Celtics Beagle