answering questions

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

see below

Josh,


I have a couple of questions, though....you were
really quite praiseworthy of Kedrick, even in games
where his stats were less than stellar...in your
conversations with Celtic brass or insiders, what were
their takes on his performance?  Do they envision a
starting slot next year?  Is the starting 3 his spot
to lose?

I think they would like to see him as the starting 3.  Papile and O'Brien both
told me that they plan to use him as a slasher (O'Brien) and coming off curls
(Papile.)  The only thing I'm worried about is his ankle, which is still
bothering him and which he is still rehabbing.


Also, per your scuttlebut, you mentioned that Vinnie
isn't the biggest drinker on the team.  Who do you
reckon it is?  My first guess was O'Brien (His
Heathcliffian--props to WayRay for such an apt
comparision--mannerisms and mood swings always raised
a red flag in my mind--).  Later it switched to
Antoine (there's gotta be some reason he hasn't
reached his full potential).  But, in the end, I
figured perhaps the scuttlebut wasn't referring to
drinking problem per se (I'm reminded of the bit from
Airplane regarding the pilot with the drinking
problem), but instead to someone who can really put
back the liquor without paying the price....someone
with a high tolerance.  IF that's the case, we'd
probably be looking for a tough guy...and there's no
tougher guy than E. Williams, or Walter....of course
it's stupid to speculate on something this impossible
to speculate on....so I'll quit now ;)

I myself thought it was Walker; I didn't know he didn't drink.
He's the only one who gains weight as the season goes on,
which is almost unheard of; and we know he likes to stay out late.  Walter I
think is an observant christian, and probably doesn't party that much.  I
don't know who it could be.

In closing, we all know that the Summer League means
nothing (a point almost every local sportwriter
patently made clear in their meager
columns....probably as some kind of unconscious
justification for providing such meager contributions
in the first place), but yet bad showings can kill a
career.  That said, are Bruno and Bremer gone?

Bruno yes, Bremer no.  J.R. can still D up.  As for his
shooting, I don't think O'Brien even noticed.  Half the
time he doesn't even watch the offensive end of the
court.


Bruno
played horribly, left for Croatia, and now his agent
has been advised to fish up a trade.  Bremer got hot
the first game, sucked completely thereafter....and we
all know how well Banks played.  Since we don't need
another rookie point (which is basically what Bremer
is....he only played half of last year), nor someone
who really isn't a point, but a small shooting guard
(which Bremer is), wouldn't it be more prudent to cut
or trade Bremer, and bring in a veteran back up point.
 Not only could this veteran mentor Banks (and if I
were Ainge, this potential mentorship with Banks would
be the most important component of the free agent
deliberation, i.e., when talking with free agent
points, I would be abundantly clear that their role
would be to provide guidance for Marcus during his
rookie year), they would also provide better point
play than Bremer ever could.  If they really wanna
improve the team for next year, this is something I
really think they should do...

Finally, this whole Cooke situation needs to be
addressed.  Josh, did you ever discuss with any Celtic
brass the role that Cooke was supposed to fulfill
during the summer league.  Over the years, the
Celtic's have made of a habit of finding these former
phenoms for their summer league teams and then not
playing them when the games start (specifically I'm
thinking Jaron Rush (Kareem's older brother, played at
UCLA), Omar Cook (last year's phenom, apparently
outplayed by Bremer, and benched after 2 games and
subsequently cut) and Lenny).  What is the point of
getting these guys and then not playing them?  It just
doesn't make sense....

I think they just fill out the rosters with guys who they
know through the AAU / Papile grapevine and who
they want to do a favor.  Terquin Mott was literally sitting
in the stands and they brought him in to replace Kendrick
Perkins.

Cooke isn't that good.  He'll get work somewhere, but I
doubt it will be in the NBA.  He has some talent, but there
are many better players needing work, esp. at his position.

Josh

p.s. I don't know if I mentioned this, but the best thing
sunday was a thirty foot skip pass in traffic by Jeff Blake.
This year's pepe sanchez!