Re: Momentum For Bird's Return Increases/Wallace Lame Duck/Don't Expect Any Major Moves This Season

["Greg Odegaard" <grodeg@xxxxxxxxxx>]

All hope does spring eternal when you once again can envision the Boston
Celtics becoming the Clippers Branch East.

Just when you think it is safe to go back into the water, someone drags us
back in.

Got to give points for persistence though. Let's hope LJB moves north again to
truly revive the future. Now that requires hope.

Take care all,
Greg
"Way Of The Ray" <wayray@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
3D979FC3.625C22B8@ix.netcom.com">news:3D979FC3.625C22B8@ix.netcom.com...
> With the momentum for Larry Bird's return building, and the possibility
> that Chris
> Wallace's role this season will be that of a lame duck caretaker,
> don't expect any earth shattering moves. That will be for the new Bird
> led
> management team to undertake. Wallace's role will be to mind the store,
> not expand the team's cap liability, and put on a happy face, as he
> ponders
> his exit strategy.
>
> As far as whom, Head of Basketball Operations Bird, could peg as the
> new GM to run things day by day and evaluate International Talent,
> my guess and Jackie MacMullan's thoughts lie toward Donnie Walsh,
> the Indiana GM, a great talent evaluator and a long time admirer
> of Celtics ways. Then of course, there's Bird's best bud: Quinn Buckner,
>
> who should also be considered heavily in the running.
>
> Now as to the coach, O'Boring could survive, if the team
> does well this season; and the offensively limited one, does have the
> respect of Pierce and Walker (and why shouldn't he, as he
> coddles the two of them to no end), but it will be
> Bird's call, and no matter what Pierce or Walker want,
> they are peripheral to Bird's pull. Pierce and Walker
> can whine, pout, cry to the Lama, and threaten to go on hunger strikes
> to try to save O'Brien's job, and it still won't matter, if Bird
> wants a new coach.
>
> And that's the nice thing about having a Bird in charge. He'll have the
> Big MO
> to just about do what he wants, including pulling off a major deal,
> involving Walker or Pierce, if it improves the team.  Something
> Wallace/Pond/Gaston would never have done/allowed.
>
> For instance, if Baker is rejuvenated, and Olowokandi and.Miller become
> available
> after the season, a three-team deal that sees Walker and others from the
> Celtics
> exiting and Olowokandi and Miller arriving, would be a stroke of genius.
>
> All in all, hope spring internal, rather than eternal these days, and
> that's a good sign.
> Ray