Re: Vin Baker

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Josh wrote:

Not only that, but Mark is dead wrong.  The trade was
a mistake, but Vin Baker is a good teammate who has
contributed in some small way to the Celtics this
year, and deserves greater respect.  Obie is a
frigging moron for not making an effort to make him
more involved and confident; I would fire him before
Wallace, because he is the primary author of what is
going on now, which I by the way predicted months ago.
 Give the guy the ball ten times a game, and you'll
get 10-12 easy points, and a few turnovers.  Let him
shoot a 12-footer facing the basket, or drive.  He can
do all these things -- but even if he couldn't, it's a
shame and a disgrace to treat a player the way Baker
has been treated.  Everyone knows he's psychologically
fragile, and they treated him like an old dog they
wished would die.  The Baker "disaster" has been a
self-fulfilling prophecy. 


--- --- ---

Josh, I couldn't disagree more. There has to be a certain amount of personal
responsibility assumed by Baker. He let down his teammates and organization
repeatedly in Seattle. Whether it was getting grossly out of shape, not
playing hard, you name it... Baker did it. He's "psychologically fragile."
They used to call guys like that gutless. He has no heart and even less
professional pride. Yesterday was just another example of that.

I'm no Obie fan, but one thing he has done exactly right is handle the Baker
situation. Seattle spent five years trying to cajole and baby Baker into
caring. It didn't work, and in fact was counter-productive. The team
suffered while they bent over backward trying to accommodate Baker. The
worst thing Obie could have done was repeat Seattle's mistake. Josh, I know
you watch the games. You can't honestly believe all Baker needs is more time
on the floor or more opportunities. You can't. Not deep down. He bobbles
balls out of bounds, commits fouls, gets his shot blocked... I can't believe
anyone who watches the game can honestly believe this guy deserves more
playing time. He has been terrible. And on top of his lousy performance on
the floor, he's a heartless non-competitor and making him a key piece to the
team would have been a disaster. Because you know he's going to let you
down. That's his history. It's what he does. Obie handled it exactly right. 

Obie didn't want Baker. Wallace forced Baker upon him. Obie's job is to
build the best team he can, not to make Vin Baker feel better about himself.
Do you honestly believe Baker has earned more minutes? Would you rather see
him out there than Battie? Walker? Where do those minutes come from? 

Baker a good teammate? Was he a good teammate yesterday, when he was crying
in a hospital room while his teammates played without him? Baker is a
polite, probably nice guy, but he is a disgrace as a professional basketball
player and has been for years.

Mark