Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@nycap.rr.com>]

I'll be there. Sect. CLB, row c,seat 3.

DanF
----- Original Message -----
From: <snoopy1@pig.net>
To: <Celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Friday, May 10, 2002 3:11 PM
Subject: Re: Just sit back, enjoy Celtics double feature


> 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