Fw: Your hoopsworld.com reports

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Thought I'd send this along, as it summarizes
my point of view better than most of my recent
columns (except the current one, which was a beaut.)
I just like to see that I'm not alone in my Obie fixation.

Josh

----- Original Message -----
From: "Al"
To: <jozersky1@nyc.rr.com>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 3:14 PM
Subject: Your hoopsworld.com reports


> Hello Josh,
>
> I've read your Celtics reports for a few weeks and have been both shocked
and
> pleased that a sportswriter shares my unpopular yet growing opinion that
> neither Chris Wallace nor Vin Baker are to blame for the team's
> inconsistency.  As you stated, coach O'Brien has made little effort to
> incorporate Vin into his offensive "scheme", but when this is mentioned
> amongst the Boston sports media it's always mentioned with a sarcastic
smirk.
>  The fact shines as bright as Jim O'Brien's shiny pate under the Fleet
Center
> lights, but it remains largely unacknowledged by the Boston sports media
and
> the fans--even some of the most intelligent, who rarely question Gerry
> Callahan's schizoid ranting--that the Celtics coach can no longer hide his
> inexperience and mediocrity behind two superstars.  On the subject of
> offense, O'Brien has been quoted numerous times as saying, "Move the ball,
> shoot the open three."  And he's often summarized this as the bulk of his
> offensive advice to his players, unwittingly exposing his lack of
expertise.
> Predictably, these warning signs drew no reaction from fans and media.
Not
> surprising since none seemed concerned that the team passed an entire
> offseason without installing a true offense.  I had raised these issues on
> the online Celtics forum at realgm.com in response to a generic "smash Vin
> Baker and Chris Wallace" thread and the subsequent reaction was a bit
> disturbing, but typical Boston.  To summarize, I'd questioned God in the
> Church of O'Brien, thus flooding the topic with the self-righteous views
of
> its parishioners.  "After all Jim O'Brien has done. . ." is an all too
> familiar introduction, don't you agree?
>
> Celtics nation refuses to stare the problem in the eye.  They'd rather
weep
> over what might have been.  We could've signed Keon Clark.  We could've
> traded for Theo Ratliff.  We could've drafted Andre Miller.  Vin Baker
ruined
> us.  But Vin Baker has had nothing to do with this and his status as a
> non-factor was decided by Jim O'Brien, leaving Vin as a walking open
wound.
> His playing prior to the DNPs and suspension received irrational
criticism:
> he consistently shot 50% and was a key offensive rebounder in limited
> minutes, but his personal fouls cost him, right?  Wrong.  O'Brien had no
> intention of using Baker and gave him no chance to redeem himself.  As
> surfacing reports detail a grudge match between Wallace and O'Brien over
Mark
> Blount's departure last year, O'Brien's misuse of Vin Baker is better
> understood, but hardly justified.  To add, Baker's "alcoholism" should not
be
> taken so seriously.  I sincerely doubt Baker locks himself in the bathroom
> with a bottle of brandy, mired in depression.  During his stay in Seattle,
> alcohol-abuse rumors surfaced but were quashed as gossip fueled by
frustrated
> fans who'd seen Baker partying regularly with Gary Payton at local bars
and
> clubs.  Is it any surprise these rumors would resurface in a city
legendary
> for its frustrated fans, writers, and radio talk show hosts?  The official
> reason for his suspension may be alcoholism, but I sense this to be a
cop-out
> for a more frivolous underlying truth.
>
> There are quite a few knocks against coach O'Brien.  Thankfully, you've
cited
> many of them in your previous weekly reports, so there's no need for
> repetition here.  And I'm sure you've noticed the bizarre regression of
J.R.
> Bremer, our unheralded blessing this season who, despite a noted aptitude
for
> scoring and drawing fouls off the dribble and drive, has since been
chained
> behind the three-point line by Jim O'Brien.  This adds to the growing
concern
> that O'Brien is incapable of nurturing and developing talent and natural
> ability (see "Kedrick Brown").  Miraculously, J.R. has played well in this
> wacky system, albeit inconsistently.  But Jimbo must beware:  the eastern
> conference is evolving; Indiana, New Jersey, Milwaukee, and Orlando are
> slowly but surely beginning to resemble their high octane west coast
> counterparts.  Detroit has dominated with suffocating defense and has been
> the rare exception, but there's an undrafted, afro'ed, 6' 7",
center-playing
> reason for this.  As O'Brien continues his frustrated focus on developing
the
> best team defense sans defensive stopper and neglecting the Celtics'
serious
> offense problems, Orlando and Milwaukee will surely cruise past the
Celtics,
> if not this season, than with 95% certainty in the next.
>
> Celtics fans and media have not been honest in their observation of the
> Celtics.  Vin Baker hasn't been a "cancer", a term with which he's most
often
> reviled.  Honestly, I just don't see it and I bet you don't either.  At
> worst, he's been an average contributor--if you had never heard of Vin
Baker,
> his numbers would tell you this.  If anything resembles cancer in the
> Celtics, it's been O'Brien's offensive scheme.  Just as cancerous cells
> multiply and the cancer ultimately dominates the victim,  the Celtics'
> frenzied, low percentage shot attempts comprised largely of 3 ptrs. grow
> uncontrollably throughout the quarters until the team ultimately shoots
> itself dead.  There has been concrete evidence to support the theory that
> O'Brien's coaching strategies have been ill-conceived as of late, but our
> shared views are vastly under-represented.  There must be continued
support
> for these opinions in a well-known venue so that these issues receive the
> attention they deserve.  Though the new ownership was not responsible for
the
> Baker trade, they should recognize O'Brien's misuse of a $56 million
dollar
> investment.  Furthermore, they should recognize that Jason Kidd is only
half
> the story to New Jersey's success.  He may be good, but credit Byron Scott
> for organizing a team of scrubs no better than the supporting cast in
Boston.
>  Scott has exhibited continued trust and patience in his youngest players.
> Why won't Jim O'Brien do the same?  Hopefully, ownership can extricate the
> true cancer before our team is dead and buried.
>
> Thanks and sorry for the length and seriousness of this letter--I think
love
> the team too much,
> Al
>
> PS:  Keep up the great reports at hoopsworld.com and The Boob.  Fantastic
> stuff!