Re: Cocaptain appreciates reassurance

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well if Ainge is at least not shopping Toine get ready for more of the past.
If Danny wants to come in to the Celtics and just cut his teeth Pierce will
be the one to pay the price. Already sounding like he may not walk the walk.
Toine is a popular fellow and has his lobbyists working for sure.

Well I'm off to the Muni Tour of Golf. I'll be checking on all your posts of
wisdom though. Basketball for all intensive purposes is over. Will be
checking in draft time. The real man's sport is upon us.

Fore,
DanF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Beauregard" <sb@maine.rr.com>
To: "celtics list" <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 7:17 AM
Subject: Cocaptain appreciates reassurance


> Cocaptain appreciates reassurance
>
>
> By Shira Springer, Globe Staff, 5/15/2003
>
> ntoine Walker planned to play his first round of offseason golf this
morning,
> joined by the Celtics' travel and equipment manager, John Connor, and
''the
> boys.''
>
>
>
> The group affectionately referred to as ''the boys'' usually includes a
few
> members of the Celtics' staff who work at the team's Merrimac Street
offices,
> showing just how thoroughly invested Walker has become in the
organization.
> The Celtics' cocaptain has become good friends with guys in sales and
> marketing, operations and team services.
>
> So, it was with understandable relief that he learned from new executive
> director of basketball operations Danny Ainge that he would not be shopped
> around this summer as part of a trade. Ainge gave Walker the news Tuesday
> after a team meeting.
>
> ''Obviously, I'm excited to hear that, especially from the guy that's
taking
> over the team,'' said Walker, reached at the Waltham-based venture capital
> firm he shares with business partner Eric Williams. ''I'm just happy for
the
> reassurance. I've spent a lot of years here. The last three years have
been
> very good for me. I just want it to continue. The way I look at the
situation,
> I watch basketball and I follow it, and I would like for me and Paul to go
> down like Stockton and Malone and finish our careers in one city
together.''
> Walker knows firsthand what it's like to deal with offseason trade rumors.
He
> had that under former head coach and president Rick Pitino. But Walker is
> looking past this summer -- he has two more years on his contract, but the
> Celtics have the option to extend his deal this summer.
>
> Negotiating an extension will be left up to Walker's agent, Mike Higgins,
and
> Ainge, though Walker said he wants to finish his career with the Celtics.
> Walker hopes management will recognize what he brings on and off the
court,
> from points, rebounds, and assists to leadership. Walker provides a voice
> everyone in the locker room listens to, including coach Jim O'Brien.
>
> ''At this point in my career, I don't even worry about it,'' said Walker.
''I
> understand it's a business and anything can happen. I think I've shown
that I
> can lead this team in many different ways, on and off the court. I hope
that
> obviously management would take that under consideration. I've got an
> opportunity coming up this summer, in July, to get an extension. My goal
is to
> be here and finish my career here. Hopefully, that takes place. Obviously,
> that remains to be seen. I'll be anxious to see that.
>
> ''If it goes the other way, I'll just play basketball. I'm still a Celtic.
I
> still think we've got an opportunity to get to the Finals the way the
Eastern
> Conference is. I don't think the Eastern Conference is going to change all
> that much besides guys individually getting better. So, we'll be right
back in
> the same position, hopefully again next year.''
>
> Walker has confidence Ainge can improve the team without a wholesale
overhaul.
> In addition to hearing positive comments about his new boss from former
> Celtics, Walker was encouraged by their first meeting. Walker also looks
> forward to playing a more uptempo style next year, knowing it will create
more
> easy baskets for himself and Paul Pierce. Aside from morning rounds of
golf,
> Walker plans to dedicate himself to his summer conditioning program.
>
> ''I was impressed,'' said Walker. ''We talked a lot about basketball, his
> basketball knowledge of the team, about my game. Everything I've heard
from
> M.L. [Carr] and a lot of people say he's a good guy. I'm looking forward
to
> the opportunity of him building our team. I don't think it's necessarily
me
> having a personal, one-on-one relationship with him. I think we have to
have a
> working relationship and respect each other. Obviously, as we go along,
our
> relationship can grow.
>
> ''I just want him to do what's best for this team and the organization. I
> think we've worked very hard to rebuild this team. I think a lot of people
> right now are saying we're rebuilding. Well, the rebuilding process is
over.
> We're in the playoffs now. It's not like we're getting in and losing in
the
> first round. We're getting in there and advancing. Now, it's time for us
to
> add pieces to the puzzle, to where we can take it to that next level and
> compete for No. 17. We're right at the door.
>
> ''All of us, starting with myself and Paul, we have to work out very hard
this
> summer and get ourselves in great shape so we can come in and give
ourselves
> the best opportunity to win.''
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
> sb@maine.rr.com
>
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