response to mark's posts

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

1)  I think both you and Ford are underrating Sofokles.  Watch his Miami heat
workout video and tell me you think he has bad hands.  This guy is a monster.
He's not a sure thing, but he has an incredible physical talent level for his
age, and should be able to make things happen right away in the league.  How
fast does a guy who weighs 300 pounds of solid muscle have to be, anyway?  He
is said to be explosive around the rim, and that matters a hell of a lot more
than foot speed down low.  (Just ask Antoine).  Sofokles' biggest weakness is
his shooting, but that's a  different story.  I agree about Ridnour.  If you
watch his college games on video, you can see that he makes a lot of circus
layups and running fallaway hooks because he seldom beats anyone cleanly off
the dribble.  (Reece Gaines must want to put his fist through the wall when he
sees Ridnour projected ahead of him.)  Luke reminds me of receivers who can
(barely) turn the corner in Division I football but who just can't do it in
the NFL and get left behind in training camp.  His passing skills are superb,
but as we know from Kenny and how many others, you have to be able to get to
the rim for your passing to open up.  Combine that with Ridnour's white guy
defense, and I don't thing the Celtics would take him with the 16th pick if he
is the one who drops.  Hence Ainge's interest in Diaw, though that may be a
smokescreen for a trip to scout out another player, such as Pietrus.

2) as for the Antoine Trade, I'm really sold on Ford and could be sold on Bosh
as another star in waiting, so I think they should really try to make this
happen.  But it is true that Antoine will have a lot more trade value at this
time next year, and we might be able to get an established star for him rather
than a potential one.

3)  Obie:  Fire His Ass.  What a dope...I'd like to see him try to freeze out
Sofokles, Banks, West, or the other guys that don't fit his "system."  Left to
his devices, he would probably draft Brian Cook, because the Celtics don't
have enough finesse,
perimeter-shooting forwards.  How did somebody as dumb and
stolid as Obie ever fall in love with such a gay, baroque brand
of basketball?  Wow.