Re: Obie/Pierce

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark,

How do you figure we weathered the storm with Toine out? Is he coming back
early? Will he be full strength? Rusty? You obviously have seen the next 5
games on the schedule.

DanF

----- Original Message -----
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 10:19 AM
Subject: Obie/Pierce


> Count me on Obie's side in this one. The point is winning games. That game
> was won. If Pierce had been hurt in the final two minutes trying to pad
his
> stats-with Walker already out-Obie would have been crucified
(justifiably).
>
> Who cares if he scores 45 or 50 if the final five points are scored in
total
> garbage time against a truly terrible team? It doesn't matter. I was
> surprised but pleased that Obie took Pierce out at that point. Typically,
he
> gives the captains everything they want. Thankfully he used some common
> sense this time.
>
> The Celts are catching a huge break during Walker's injury. Denver is a
> wasteland, and Orlando isn't much better without  McGrady and Hill.
Whether
> Antoine comes back against Detroit or not, they've weathered his injury
> nicely. It didn't happen the way we'd all hoped-with increased production
by
> Brown, Baker, etc., but the wins still count. But think about these games
> without Antoine the next time you use playing time, lack of shots, etc. as
> an excuse for some of these guys. It's just not that simple.
>
> On a non-Celtics note... Did anyone read the Vecsey piece about the
> Warriors? Apparently Gilbert Arenas and Jason Richardson skipped a pair of
> practices to protest their decreased playing time. It's crap like this
that
> makes me wonder why I invest in sports... That team is finally showing
signs
> of life and has been playing .500 ball since an 0-5 start. They're finally
> doing something. And these two second-year guys-two of the three leading
> scorers on the team-pull a stunt like this because their playing time is
> down a little. They're going to submarine the best thing that has happened
> to that franchise in years-new coach Eric Musselman. And Vecsey basically
> plays mouthpiece for the malcontents with the argument that winning a
little
> more now isn't worth it if you're not developing your young players. The
> whole thing really strikes a nerve with me.
>
> Mark