RE: All You O'Brien Groupies Can Rejoice

[Ryan W <ubiquitous_am_i@xxxxxxxxx>]

A joint response to the Paul and Antione (you can
argue among yourselves who is who--although Kestus has
expressed a concern over being equated with Antione,
cause he doesn't want the inference to be that he only
performs well in writing his anti-Tione propaganda
half of the time... *smile*) of the list:

Mark and Kestus wrote concerning Tommy:

> As for Tommy... I agree with Kestas. His harping on
> the officials is so
> tired. The sad thing is he has brought Mike Gorman
> over to the same crap.
> Every time a whistle blows, Mike starts questioning
> it and Tommy starts
> blasting it. As for his constant "run, run run... "
> stuff. We'd all like to
> see it. But this is a half-court team and has been
> for a long time. It would
> be nice if he noticed that and started analyzing the
> team as it is and not
> as it was when he was coaching. I hardly ever get
> anything interesting from
> Tommy anymore.
> 
> Mark

>PS While I'm in my bitching mode, let me get this
>off my chest: I've stopped watching the FSNE
>broadcasts if another broadcast of the Celtics game
>is available. I'm so sick of Tommy's obsession with
>the refs. He adds nothing to the broadcast anymore,
>it's always the same old three things: how the entire
>officiating corps is conspiring against the Celtics,
>his RUN-RUN-RUN!!! paroxysms, and the Tommy point
>business. Some people gain wisdom and perspective as
>they age; others LOSE all perspective and become 
>cantankerous cranks fixated on some imagined ill or
>injustice. Sadly, Tommy is the latter. It's too bad
>really, because I've always liked, and still like,
>Mike Gorman, whom I find especially soothing if the
>Celtics are doing badly in a game. But Tommy needs
>to go. This probably sounds heretical to the Johnny
>Most fans and others with strong-prescription green 
>glasses, but I can't take it anymore. I much prefer
>the occassionally soporific, but always candid and 
>insightful Cooz. 

So basically you're both calling out Tommy because he
repeats the same three important points over and over,
without adding any new analysis?  Unfortunately, the
same criticism may be applicable to the two of you; in
that all you guys talk about is how much Antione is
controlling (and thus, in your opinion, ruining) this
team, and how much the BDT has to go, and how a first
round loss would be so beneficial long term.  

And while I haven't been able to catch the telecasts
this post-season because of the non-local blackout
restrictions and thus am not in position to comment on
Tommy's most recent outbursts, I do know one way in
which your comments and Tommy's comments are
unrelated.  Tommy is actually speaking the truth and
all you have to do is watch the other playoff games to
realize this...Minnesota was absolutely screwed by
horrendous calls in their game 3 win against the
Lakers (for which, the next day, the commish actually
apologized about--an apology, I'm sure, that wouldn't
have come unless the Timberwolves had pulled out the
game)....for the last two games, George Karl and the
Bucks have been taken to task by the flooping of Jason
Kidd and the rest of the Nets, costing one game for
the Bucks (George Karl, unlike our coach, wasn't
afraid to rip into the refs after the game)...and in
Sacromento, Bobby Jackson got fined for ripping into
the refs after Stockton and Malone were allowed to
flop their way to a win (and, as a side note, if you
watch Utah's games, notice how much argument and
general disrespect towards the refs Malone gets away
with without a technical foul being called--I beleive
it is because he intimidates them...watch his body
language next time you see him play...its the body
language of a wife beater...not to say that Karl beats
his wife...but he does put the fear of life into the
refs).  So yes the officiating in the NBA sucks and,
in fact, it is the worst officiating of any major
sport.  So yes Tommy can harp on it, because it is a
major problem and thus worth discussing (especially
when the Celtics are getting screwed because of it).  


Per the contract extensions of the coaching staff,
next year, the draft, and other tidbits, Mark wrote:

>I knew the Obie/assistant extensions were coming as
>soon as the C's took control of the series. I guess
>playing miserable, ugly basketball for six months
>regressing by five wins from the previous season are 
>outweighed by taking advantage of a favorable
>matchup and an inept opposing coach in the first
>round of the playoffs. If the Celts bow out quickly
>against the Nets, which I think most of us expect,
>and they're puttering along nextseason on a 43-win
>pace with Antoine shooting 38 percent and taking 
>eight threes a game while neglecting the glass,
>still with no point guard on the roster, and without
>a contribution from two more first-round draft 
>picks...  I guess we'll still have memories of the
>first-round win against the Pacers.  Apparently
>that's good enough for the Boston Celtics these days.

This argument, if it even is an argument, is built on
a faulty premise; that the extensions are a result of
the success of the Indiana series (which isn't over,
mind you).  These extensions were always going to be
tendered as long as O'Brien was coach; it was just a
matter of when.  And when Auerbach got in the owners'
collective ear, the time had come.  That is the only
reason.  O'Brien, unlike Wallace, has never been in
danger of losing his job.  As for our feelings this
time next year, you have nothing but an opinion; an
opinion again built on old prejudices.  Read the
newspaper.  This team made the conscious decision to
run in the post season and not in the regular
season...and they have been able to be successful
doing it.  Now all they have to do is get the
requisite depth and they can be like the Nets or Kings
or Mavs or Suns...all teams with exceptional depth
that like to run.  As for the Nets series, you are
making the same mistake that the Celtics made last
year (and that the Nets are going to make this year,
if they make it to the second round, that is)....you
judging everything on what happened in the regular
season and thus are getting an unreasonable
confindence that the Nets can win.  The playoffs are
different (so very very different) than the regular
season.  Plus you're forgetting the revenge factor. 
Additionally, this team, the Celtics, is a team that
is built for the playoffs and not the regular season
(that is, until they acquire some depth).  As for
adding the requisite depth, I fully expect us to not
fuck this draft up.  Either Wallace is gone and
replaced by someone else...or Wallace is kept and
works with the owners and the added scouts in Europe
to pick two good players....ideally a point and
four/five rebounding specialist.  

And who was not imbibed with confidence that one of
the co-owners went to O'Brien with his concerns
regarding Kedrick's playing time?  He may have done it
with a lack of tack, but nonetheless it seems that
they notice at least as much as the rest of us...and
that's a good sign.  It also allows one to suspect
that Kedrick won't be involved in any trades this
summer (any trade this summer involving Kedrick would
be bad...for the simple fact that without the
requisite playing time, he won't return equitable
compensation, i.e. we'd get screwed again).

Ryan







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