Another ringing endorsement of Baker

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

JB posted this to his yahoo list. I don't think he'll mind if I do the same
over here.

Anyway, it's another perspective from Seattle on Vin Baker. Did the Celtics
do any homework at all on this guy?


MEDIA BLITZ
Posted: Monday November 4, 2002

Seattle radio personality blasts Celtics' Baker....

By John Molori

If you think the Boston media has been tough on new Celtic Vin Baker, 
you should talk to a few people in Seattle, Baker's home city for the 
past five seasons.

"It was one of the greatest days in Sonics history when Baker was 
traded," says Dick Fain, sports director at Sports Radio 950 KJR in 
Seattle, "(Sonics' coach) Nate McMillan's game is one where you take 
responsibility for your man. It's not possible to play that way with 
Vin Baker."

Fain, who has covered the Sonics since 1996, says that Baker was quite 
the actor. "Vin does a remarkable job of pretending that he is working 
hard. He says all the right things to the media, but if you focus on 
his game, you'll see a complete lack of effort."

According to Fain, Baker never got back in shape after the 1998-99 NBA 
lockout. "He got ripped to shreds on our station, but the fans never 
booed him. It's funny. Seattle fans will boo (Seahawks QB) Matt 
Hasselbeck mercilessly, but at least he is trying."

"Baker is absolutely lazy. You have a backup power forward who is 
capable of playing no more than 15 minutes and getting 6 or 7 points."

"Most of his rebounds are off his own missed shots. We're loving what 
he's done in Boston so far." Baker is averaging 8 points and 4 rebounds 
in just over 21 minutes per game.

His ineffectiveness became almost legendary in Seattle. "A colleague of 
mine and I decided to just isolate on Baker for 5 minutes in a game 
last year," Fain explains, "It was unbelievable. He was always the last 
one down the floor and never got in position for a rebound."

"I sat in McMillan's office and he had a game tape playing in the 
background. Baker did about five negative things in the span of two 
minutes."

Fain is blunt about the trade that brought Baker to Boston. "The 
Celtics really didn't give up much. Joe Forte is terrible. Vitaly 
Potapenko is still hurt and Kenny Anderson doesn't want to be here."

"His agent is looking for trade options as we speak. All Kenny says is 
how much he misses Boston. The Sonics will probably trade him for 
nothing and eat his contract."

Fain calls Shammond Williams, another player acquired by Boston in the 
deal, a fan favorite. "He's a bench guy at best, but he'll come in and 
score 8 points in a minute, kind of a poor man's Dana Barros."

Fain has no personal issue with Baker, but does question his 
commitment. "Baker was not a bad guy at all, but he would routinely 
stay out and party until the wee hours of the morning. He just got 
progressively worse. The Celtics could have given Seattle a bag of 
garbage to get Baker."