Re: The News Today Makes Me Sick

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wow maybe the list is beginning to get used to no banners for awhile. This
would be refreshing. We are in the very early stages of rebuilding. If Banks
can't contribute, look out below.

Bird is not the answer. After coaching an already made team he cut and ran.
Now he's back again with the team showing some promise. Good for him. We
have Ainge whose willing to roll up his sleeves for awhile.

DanF


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: The News Today Makes Me Sick


> Ray, you're right. The Celtics aren't in position to challenge the Nets or
> Pistons over the next three seasons, and probably aren't in position to
> challenge the Pacers. You can make good cases for Orlando and New Orleans
as
> well, and the Bulls are going to make a significant leap either this
season
> or next.
>
> BUT... There are no shortcuts for the Celts. If I'm Ainge, my goal for the
> next two years is getting Vin Baker off the books. That's it. I don't know
> if it's a buyout or attaching him to Antoine in some lopsided trade or
what.
> But my goal is to get him off the books at the same time Antoine's
contract
> is scheduled to come off the books. That would allow the team to be
serious
> players in the free agent market in 2005, hopefully with a nucleus of
> Pierce, Banks and an emerging Perkins. If they can't find the right deal
for
> Antoine this offseason, then try again next summer. Keep taking small
steps
> to change the team, until in position to make the big moves in free
agency.
> The key to accelerating that timeline is Baker. Get him off the books any
> way possible.
>
> IF a great opportunity pops up between now and then (Brand, etc.), great.
> But don't take your eyes off the bigger picture of clearing those two max
> contracts and becoming a player in free agency.
>
> As for Bird... He never would have put up with Pagliuca's meddling. Ainge
is
> friends with Pags, so he can manage that relationship better. Even if the
> new owners had wanted Bird, LB wouldn't have come. It just wasn't going to
> happen here unless he had been able to work with Belkin and buy the team.
> And that didn't happen. So Bird goes to a great situation in Indy,
probably
> to be reunited with Rick Carlisle next summer, at which point the Pacers
> become the team they should be.
>
> And as for Lampe... Be careful. The clips of the guy are less than
> inspiring. He looks like a big stiff. I have no doubt he can shoot, but
> there's a reason the Knicks are talking about making him a center-he's not
> nearly athletic enough to play anywhere else. I think Lampe may be a Chad
> Ford creation brought on by Euro fever. Jason Collier comes to mind-a big,
> slow-footed, sweet-shooting stiff. Maybe I'm wrong, and I'll admit it if I
> am. But be prepared to do the same if it turns out YOU'RE wrong about the
> guy.
>
> Mark