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RE: Isiah Thomas fired
He could bring in Red Auerbach and it wouldn't make this a championship
team. As I said, there's nothing Ainge could have done to turn this into a
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, THIS SEASON. In my opinion, he could have sped up the
process of making this a championship team by dumping Obie and finding a
good deal for Antoine. I say that because I don't believe this team will
ever win a championship with those two. So the sooner you start the process
of significant change, the sooner you reach the destination.
The reason I say I'm not upset with the direction of the team is because my
only beef is with the timing. I believe Ainge sees the same things many of
us see about Obie and Antoine. I believe he'll do something about it. I wish
he would have done it this offseason, but I'm content in the belief that
he'll do it no later than next summer. My satisfaction with the direction of
the team stems from that belief-that even though it didn't happen as quickly
as I would have liked, I do believe it will happen. And, in the meantime,
Ainge appears to have had a hell of a draft (although time will tell).
None of that changes the fact that I don't believe the team is any better
off THIS SEASON in relation to the Eastern Conference.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Niles [mailto:shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 4:25 PM
To: Berry, Mark S; celtics@xxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Isiah Thomas fired
But don't you see how you contradict your own statements? First you say:
"There was nothing Ainge could have done to turn this into a championship
team. Nothing."
But then you bring up Bird and Dumars firing coaches, hinting that the C's
would be better off if Ainge had fired Obie. You can't have it both ways.
Either there was nothing Ainge could have done, and if thats the case then
you can't complain that other teams made moves and we didn't. Or, you say
that Ainge firing Obie and dumping Walker would have improved the team. But
you can't play both sides of the fence because then your stating that you're
not upset with the direction of the team doesn't pull a lot of weight.
>From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'Shawn Niles'" <shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx>, celtics@xxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: Isiah Thomas fired
>Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 14:15:40 -0400
>
>I give up. I come right out and say I'm not upset with the direction of the
>team, yet the "way" I say it isn't right. There was nothing Ainge could
>have
>done to turn this into a championship team. Nothing. I do think we're
>spinning our wheels for a season, because I happen to believe nothing will
>really change as long as Obie and Antoine are here. By contrast, Bird was
>willing to take the heat that will come with the timing of the Isiah firing
>because he didn't want to waste this season. Dumars was willing to fire a
>guy with a better resume than Obie, because he felt he had a better option.
>It took guts. If I had to guess, and it's an educated guess, I'd say
>Ainge's
>first instinct was to fire Obie, but he didn't want to be the guy who fired
>a coach coming off two straight playoff appearances. And it would have been
>a tough sell. But I'll bet that deep down, Ainge would prefer to have his
>own guy right now. And he tried all summer to trade Antoine. Ainge sees the
>same problems many of us do. Unfortunately, he didn't/couldn't get them
>corrected this summer. I wish he could have, simply because it would have
>made the reshaping of this team happen a little faster. But that doesn't
>mean he won't get them corrected. I believe he will, and that will be
>another step toward building a championship team.
>
>I'll say it again: I'm OPTIMISTIC about the future of the team. I'm just
>not
>sold on THIS YEAR. I expect a lot of the same things we saw last year, and
>that adds up to a slightly better than .500 team. Someone said the Celtics
>were only eight games behind the Pistons. True. And how many games out of
>the lottery? It works both ways. The Celtics are trying to get better. So
>are other teams. We'll see how it plays out. But if another season goes by
>with Antoine and Pierce dominating the ball, shooting under 40 percent,
>playing 40-plus minutes a night, Banks ends up taking 400 jump shots while
>losing time to Tony Delk and Mike James, while Kedrick, Jumaine, Hunter and
>Perkins fail to progress, I think we'll all concede that some significant
>changes need to be made. My ONLY complaint, is that I think Ainge already
>knows that. It's a shame to waste a season watching it again.
>
>Mark
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: Shawn Niles [mailto:shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 1:04 PM
>To: Berry, Mark S; celtics@xxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: Isiah Thomas fired
>
>But the way you say it suggests that you are dissapointed in Danny for not
>making moves to turn them into a championship contender NOW. The fact is,
>there were no moves available that would have done that. So it should be
>expected that maybe a few other teams might make moves that look better
>than
>
>anything the C's have done, even if it's debateable if those moves are
>better.
>Personally, I don't see the team being any worse than last year. Who did we
>lose that contributed? No one. And they added a number of players that
>potentially could add quite a bit. And even if they don't, the C's still
>haven't lost any ground because the core is still in place. Of course, that
>core is only good enough to get to the 2nd round of the playoffs and maybe
>the ECF. The real moves that make us a title contender are still a few
>years
>
>away.
>
>
> >From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: 'Shawn Niles' <shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx>, celtics@xxxxxxxx
> >Subject: RE: Isiah Thomas fired
> >Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 09:05:35 -0400
> >
> >I'm not upset! How many ways can I say that I like the draft picks and
>the
> >direction Danny is taking the team? All I said was there were several
> >Eastern Conference teams putting some distance between themselves and the
> >C's-THIS SEASON. I think Ainge is doing things the right way. I just
>don't
> >expect a huge difference this season. Not with Obie and Antoine still
> >around
> >and no significant roster changes (as I said, Banks will take time).
> >
> >"Most of us" may figure the C's are where they should be. But there are
> >plenty who still see this team on a par with the Eastern Conference's
>best.
> >They're not. Not this year.
> >
> >Mark
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >From: Shawn Niles [mailto:shizzjr@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> >Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 8:45 AM
> >To: Berry, Mark S; celtics@xxxxxxxx
> >Subject: Re: Isiah Thomas fired
> >
> >And isn't that wher emost of us figure they should be? When a team is as
> >flawed as the C's have been the last few years, you can't change that
> >overnight. It's going to take a little bit of time. For the life of me I
> >can't understand anyone being upset that Danny has not already turned
>this
> >team into a championship contender.
> >
> >
> > >From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >To: "'celtics@xxxxxxxx'" <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
> > >Subject: Isiah Thomas fired
> > >Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 16:39:00 -0400
> > >
> > >I guess we know where Rick Carlisle will end up. It's time to take the
> > >Pacers seriously. All that talent, Bird and Walsh running the show and
> >now,
> > >assuming Carlisle is the guy (heck... anyone is an improvement; is
>Sidney
> > >Lowe available?), the Pacers should become the third power team in the
> > >conference over the next couple of years (along with the Nets and
> >Pistons).
> > >
> > >Some on the list wonder why others aren't more optimistic about the
> > >Celtics'
> > >offseason. Here's why: The Nets added Mourning, the Pistons added
>Darko,
> > >the
> > >Magic added Howard, the Pacers dumped Isiah... Those four teams
>finished
> > >ahead of the Celts last season and made more significant positive
>changes
> > >than the Celts. They increased the gap between us and them. Meanwhile,
> > >teams
> > >like Chicago are closing the gap from behind.
> > >
> > >I like the draft and I like Ainge's direction for the team. But with
>the
> > >same coach and basically the same players, things aren't going to
>change
> > >that much this season. I think we're in for some more ugly basketball
>and
> > >some significant roster/coaching changes before things really start to
> >get
> > >better.
> > >
> > >Mark
> >
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