Re: Larry Brown is Officially Team USA Coach

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

> ---------- Initial message -----------
> Antoine really is a good fit for international play. If 
he would adapt his
> game to fit with all the great scorers, he'd be a great 
addition.
> 
> Mark
>

I think it will depend on who else backs out of a two-
year commitment. If as many as 75% of the best NBA guys 
enlist, I think there may still be a strong case for 
inclusion of both Antoine and Pierce in the core nine 
players. 

My bet is many players that have even already expressed 
interest will drop out, not so much because of the two-
year commitment but because of nagging injury risks (T-
Mac's back, Shaq and Grant Hill's feet etc.)

But Walker's situation (his game and perceived 
personality) might be a bit analagous to a young Charles 
Barkley, who was cut by Bobby Knight from the 1984 
Olympic camp despite dominating Waymon Tisdale and the 
others. 

As great as that team was (arguably the best amateur team 
ever?) Knight went with four or five relative stiffs like 
Jon Koncak (sp?) Alford, Joe Klein, Leon Wood etc. over 
the "Round Mound".

As for Larry Brown's "don't act like you've never done it 
before" admonition, while I don't entirely condone 
Antoine and Paul's victory celebrations, the reality is 
that the Celtics hadn't "done it" (won a first-round 
playoff series)in a decade. 

Gimmie-a-break, they should be allowed to celebrate. As 
tough as it always is to lose, I'm sure Larry Brown will 
take that into account eventually.

That was a pressure game (off two straight losses to the 
defending conf champs). I know I was celebrating, and I'm 
older and "more mature". 

(Incidentally, am I the only guy that suddenly feels old 
and underachieving, following yesterday's news about 
Epstein getting hired as Red Sox GM? I thought I'd start 
feeling my age the day that Celtics players my age 
started retiring, but this takes the cake.)

Anyway back to the Walker thing, I'm sure the selection 
committee may be holding their nose on this one, but when 
a guy volunteers to play, its their duty to take it 
seriously. He can dribble and pass and shoot like a young 
Charles Barkley. I'd argue that Walker is the most 
talented dribbling big forward that has ever played the 
game. Give me a counter-example, if you want to debate 
that. I hope he's chosen. 

I wrote earlier that, in the specific context of the 
World Championship in Indiana, Walker would have helped 
the team just as much as Jason Kidd would have.

I felt that no one stepped up alongside Paul Pierce 
against the weak defenses and candy-from-a-baby three-
point distances. Call it "selflessness" by the others, 
but everyone else played like crap except Paul. 

And while some of us notice that Paul has added passing 
to his game this season (just as he has added something 
new every year), IMO that began this Summer, not at the 
start of this season.

Specifically, it was the bailout and wrap-around passes 
off of broken drives that impressed me as something new 
and improved. 

I don't think anyone who watched the games that can 
remember a turnover that came out of that context. And 
the raw numbers, probably an increase at Indy by 100% in 
assists per 48 minutes, reinforce this.

When Paul touched the ball in Indiana, one of three 
things tended to happen: a score, a shooting foul or an 
assist. He was up over 5 assists prior to the Spain game, 
and led the team in the majority of game I'm pretty sure.

Given his expressed willingness to participate in the 
Olympics, I think it would be a travesty if Paul gets 
left off the team by some backroom committee who want to 
side with their fat "homey" George Karl. 

Bear in mind that Paul Pierce was the third player (not 
the first) to publicly embarrass Karl by saying he 
wouldn't play if he were coaching. Shaq was the first to 
name Karl, Baron Davis was the second.

Ultimately, I don't expect the committee to scapegoat 
Pierce. But they haven't invited him yet, and if they 
don't, this would be an outrage. In my view, its already 
an outrage that they've forced him to publicly beg for a 
spot. 

Joe H.








 
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