on a variety of Celtics comments...

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was impressed with several things in the article about Coach O'Brien, the 
owners, and Red.  First, they're right about the too-large numbers of 
people in the locker room after the game, prompting Walker, at one point, 
to plead for some space to finish getting cleaned up.

The owners were up front about realizing they likely had, and likely would 
continue to, make mistakes.  They're enthusiastic, and I think they wanted 
to make clear off the bat that they were, unlike Gaston, personally 
interested in the team.  Maybe the effort was a little overzealous, but it 
was appreciated nonetheless.  Not everyone can be Mark Cuban.  They were 
forthright in taking the blame for not dealing with the coaching staff 
contracts sooner, and quick to correct the error, once they realized that 
it would be more of a distraction than they expected.

Jim O'Brien--to my knowledge for the first time in public--openly 
criticized Gaston's and Wallace's personnel moves (or lack thereof), 
declaring it a potential "disaster".  It's also the first time he has 
retrospectively expressed dismay at the acquisition of Vin Baker.  That 
doesn't bode well for Vinnie.

Red is taking more of an active interest in the team once more.  I had 
wanted him to do so sooner, but I realized that losing his wife and brother 
was tough on him.  He's not in the best of health, but I noticed he made it 
out onto the court recently sans cane.  He may be slowed, but there's a 
sharp mind in there, and the owners should do their best to consult Red 
when necessary.

In other matters--

Why no Larry Bird in Boston?   Because if he DID show up, everyone would be 
besieging him--and the owners--about Larry taking an office job with the 
C's.  Larry has made clear that he wants to essentially be Red Auerbach, 
and have a large degree of control over the team.  He won't get that in 
Boston, and everyone knows it.  So he's wise to head off any 
speculation.  He wants to run a team SOMEWHERE, and the loss of the 
Charlotte franchise was a bitter pill.   I'm content that many other 
Celtics greats have returned.

Last night, on ESPN, someone finally said publicly that the C's would win 
this series.  Gee, what a limb to go out on, guys.

Speaking of ESPN, they had the same problem as ABC in Sunday's 
broadcast.  Said problem being that they spent the whole game shilling for 
the Pacers.  How they could stop Boston.  How to come back.  How much 
chance they had to win the series.  What, journalistic integrity doesn't 
apply to spots announcers?  Not one word of how well the C's played, how 
they WERE stopping Indiana, and the fact that not only statistically, but 
by virtue of outplaying and outcoaching the Pacers, the Celtics had just 
about put this series away.  I hope they at least have the guts to go to 
the Pacers payroll office to pick up their checks.

NBAtv.com--as of now (12:26pm EDT), still no word, still no channel.  Bleah 
to the NBA for trying to play hardball with the cable companies, and double 
bleah to Cox Cable for not telling people what happened.  Triple bleah to 
both of them if I miss tonight's game and the C's win it here.

Bleah, bleah, bleah.

Everyone has focused recently--with good reason--on the Pacers' inability 
to play a full 48 minutes.  The fact is, the Celtics have the same 
problem.  Boston needs to avoid spotting Indiana these double-digit 
leads.  This can happen with the old-fashioned "you're gonna have to donate 
blood to get past me" defense.  Let's put the Pacers down hard and fast.

Speaking of hard and fast, I reiterate that the C's should be careful of 
how the physical game is established in tonight's game.  The Pacers have no 
reason to hold back, and with Artest out there, perhaps Pierce should wear 
a helmet.  As a side note, I've wondered several times this season if the 
time hasn't come o start making players wear SOME hind of protection for 
their heads.

The game may end up being a foulfest, or the refs might overreact and put 
players in early foul trouble.  Either way, the C's should expect some 
really nasty treatment.  From the Pacers, too.  :>))

Boston has done an overall great job about picking and choosing when to 
argue a call, and there's been a great deal of restraint on Walker's part, 
to say nothing of Pierce.  If they keep their cool, Artest might just flame 
out tonight.

Well, I've rambled on enough.  Back to the chocolate chip cookies.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website