a few comments...

[snoopy1@pig.net]

At the risk of someone whacking me off my doghouse, I wanted to reply to a 
few comments and make a few of my own.

"A Matter of Heart"
Bob Cousy is an honest-to-God old fashioned New Englander.  He's the sort 
that buys a new house and is always waiting for the roof to cave in.  He's 
what we used to call "cautiously optimistic".  Keep in mind, the poor guy 
had to work Celtics games during some of the most horrendous seasons the 
Celtics have ever had.  He loves the Celtics, he just doesn't get swept up 
in the emotional tide, and he's not a demonstrative person in general.  In 
my own limited experience, after I first moved to Florida, I went to see 
the C's play Orlando, and after the Game, Cooz was talking to fans, 
answering questions, and signing autographs.  He was nice enough to sign 
one for me to send to my mom (who taught me about the Celtics and loves 
Cousy's game).  If he praises Kidd, it's because Kidd did something 
praiseworthy.  It's hardly a case of badmouthing the C's.  Like it or not, 
Kidd has carried the Nets this season, and it's inevitable that people have 
at least a few good things to say about him.

Speaking of Jason Kidd, his heart is also in the right place--even if his 
body needs to be with a better team.  Here's where I will spark some 
controversy and outrage: Jason Kidd today is where Antoine Walker was when 
he fist came to Boston.  Kidd was brought in specifically to save the 
Nets.  He was handed control of a team nobody wanted and nobody expected 
anything from.  He pronounced that the Nets would win 40 games this year, 
and everyone laughed hysterically, thinking that ol' Jason made a 
funny.  Not so funny after they blew the doors off the Eastern Conference, 
was it?  Jason spent the year getting respect for himself and his team, and 
here they are in the Eastern Conference Finals.  His teammates are 
talented, but not yet able to bring their games up in pressure 
situations.  Basically, Kidd either drives to the hoop, draws a foul while 
throwing up the ball in the general direction of the basket--whereupon he 
promptly nails the free throws, or draws the defense and shovels the ball 
to the nearest open man.  The problem is there's nobody else in NJ that is 
stepping up.  Kidd simply cannot do everything and while one might ask him 
to perhaps yell at his teammates once in a while, "you can't shine shit," 
as the saying goes.

Walker had the same situation years ago--he was to be Boston's salvation 
and got the bucketloads of money to show it.  The problem was much worse 
for Walker, though--he wasn't as mature then as Kidd is now (not his fault 
by any means, we all mature at different times), and frankly, what he had 
to work with for teammates was enough to make anyone shudder.  The whole 
organization was in total disarray, and would rapidly get worse.  Even the 
addition of Pierce wasn't initially enough to in any way overcome the 
situation.  It wasn't until late last year that the C's got a coach who 
wouldn't embarrass the players to wear paper bags on their heads in 
public.  Now, Walker has the chance to make things happen.  Sometimes he 
overdoes it, but I WANT a player to be emotional about the team, the game, 
and life in general.  Walker essentially got in Pierce's face and told him 
he wasn't trying hard enough, and the Nets were laughing at him because of 
it.  Good thing Kenyon Martin fouled out later, because if he'd tried 
anything on Pierce, he'd have ended up in the 4th row.  Walker has heart, 
and the C's have the bodies to support it.  You can't reasonably fault Kidd 
for not having the same options player-wise.

"High above the Parquet floor"
Ok, I'm biased.  REALLY biased.  I loved Johnny Most's radio work.  I used 
to turn on the TV for the televised games, kill the volume and crank up the 
radio.  Was he biased?  Of course!  He was firmly in the Celtics corner and 
God help the player, team, coach, or opposing fan who went after the Good 
Guys.  Johnny let them have it.  I EXPECT the announcer for the team to be 
rooting for the team.

What bugs ME is those idiots from various networks (though calling TNT a 
"network" is like calling Keyon Martin a "Franchise player") who are so 
obviously biased against Boston.  At the Network level, an announcer should 
be expected to be impartial, at least not to make it painfully obvious who 
he wants to win.  I got really tired of Hubie Brown constantly telling 
everyone how "the Nets could still win this if..." a few nights 
ago.  Hubie, baby--or is that "crybaby"--give it up, Boston doesn't like 
you either and you're about as likely to get an NBA coaching job as Rick 
Pitino is to be welcomed back to Boston.

General Gripes and comments...

Will someone, anyone, PLEASE find another description for the Celtics 
besides "storied franchise"?

We KNOW it's been years since we hit the playoffs.  Stop reminding us every 
quarter.

Wouldn't it be nice if some of those "NBA-Love it Live" commercials on NBA 
featured the Celtics?

It's not fair that the announcers refuse to discuss the ramifications of 
not having Vitaly Potapenko in the playoffs just because they can't 
pronounce his name properly.

Somebody listen to Jim O'Brien and rename the "Fleet Center" to the proper 
name--"Boston Garden".

TNT needs to understand that most basketball fans couldn't care less about 
"Witchblade", and NBC needs to stop interviewing people while the game is 
being played.  Well, one problem solved by next season, at least.

Jason Kidd isn't kidding anyone when he says the Nets "didn't lose control" 
of game 3.  When you blow a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter to lose the 
game, it's safe to say, you were not the captain of your destiny.

Someone tell Hubie Brown that the tribble on his head died.  Please.

If Byron Scott gets anyone to swallow that bunk about Game 3 not being so 
important, he's got a future in politics--or as NBA commissioner.

If I were the Mayor of Charlotte N.C., I'd tell David Stern to his face 
that there's no new arena without a new team committed in writing, and this 
team isn't going anywhere for 20 years no matter HOW much money they lose. 
They're not about to bend over for the kick in the pants and then say thank 
you anymore.

If I were Stern, I'd fold the Clippers, the Grizzlies, and the Suns; then 
tell anyone from those teams who wants to stay in the NBA that they're 
going to Charlotte.  Then I wouldn't take calls from Larry Bird until he 
calms down...  :>))

The Western Conference doesn't want Minnesota to switch to the East--they 
NEED a sparring partner.

At the VERY LEAST, it'd be worth winning it all just to say "nyahh, nyahh" 
to everyone who has been ready to declare the Lakers the NBA champs by 
acclimation.  I'd like to think we have a some input into that notion.

and that's the view from the doghouse...

onward to #17!
Snoopy the Celtics Beagle