re: More on Baker, from Seattle, and it's not good

[bird <birdw@xxxxxxx>]

> From :Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)
> --- You wrote:
> Wow.  You guys give way too much credit to some sports email list.
> --- end of quoted text ---
>
> Bill, we were rejoicing over the outcry in the newspapers and 
> eletronic media,
> not on this list. Most of the list has been critical of Baker and the 
> BDT for a
> long time, it's nothing new around here. That said, it's not 
> inconceivable that
> the Celtics organization monitors such lists. I know of other teams 
> that
> routinely do it.
Sure, "monitor".  "Give a crap about", probably not.  And when I say 
"give a crap about" I mean "will allow it to affect policy".  I think 
you give the sports media too much credit, then.  Still, I do see your 
point, and it is possible that the media will affect policy (partially 
indirectly, through fan spending).  But I think these guys are going to 
do whatever at the end of the season, not now, and that a lot of this 
Baker bashing (maybe not so much the Wallace bashing) is bad for the 
team.  Criticizing Vin Baker publicly isn't going to help matters much.

> --- You wrote:
> why do you care what they say?
> --- end of quoted text ---
>
> It's insulting and it shows how dumb they really are -  that's what 
> bothers me.
> An intelligent person would find a better way to spin it, without 
> treating the
> fans and the media like idiots who'll believe anything. It's the 
> arrogance of
> the stupid, a deadly combination.
I get this, because I'm like this in every realm but sports teams.  
Because, really, sports is just entertainment (for the fans, anyway).  
It means little compared to "real-world" issues.  I want my political 
leaders informing the populace.  I guess I don't care about General 
Managers giving fans the truth.  If they gave me the truth, other teams 
could find out about that truth far too easily.  And it doesn't show 
that they are "dumb".  Political leaders have been doing this for years 
and coming out smelling like roses.  It's all the PR game.  It's very 
effective until the backlash develops, as it's looking like it has.  If 
he's smart, you would change his PR tactics, but, you see, this is all 
he's got.  He's got this and the truth, and the truth doesn't help him.

Look, I like Obie, even though his actions are sometime 
incomprehensible, but the reality is, we've still most of the guys from 
Pitino's regime.  That's probably the problem.  Papile's probably a 
decent scout.  Wallace may get to show he's a decent GM in another 
situation, or he go on to talk radio or something.  Obie's got skills, 
but needs to get even further away from Pitinoball than he already is.

Enough of this.  You really don't want to know what I'd do, but some 
steps that would be helpful is to bring in a Donnie Walsh-type to get 
Obie the guys he actually wants, and try it that way, or ditch Obie 
altogether and go with a more traditional-type coach.  Not sure how the 
players are going to like, or perform under, that, though.

> No, I don't propose that we tank the season, but if that's the price 
> tag for
> getting the BDT fired, it makes it far easier to bear IF it happens. 
> I'm just
> afraid that if we do OK, the BDT will stay on and keep ruining the 
> team.
You're probably right about about a little success helping them keep 
their jobs, but I can't get behind this sort of "get rid of these guys 
at all costs, even wins" kind of thinking.  That's just me.

I also think that Paul Gaston should be destroyed.

Bird