Re: why did we re-up OB?

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First--and I realize I should have mentioned this when I referenced your 
post--I was using your post as AN example, not by any means the ONLY 
one.  I wasn't trying to single you out, I just found yours first.  Further 
replies as you read on down...

At 01:34 PM 5/28/03 -0400, Stephen Beauregard wrote:
>"I refer you to the recent post by Stephen Beauregard, entitled "Bad timing
>once again... trying to "shove Obie and his
> >best two players out the door"? " , in reply to the news that Larry Brown
>had resigned as Sixers coach." --
>
>Hey, Snoop, I said it before and I'll say it again...why did we re-up OB? So
>far I am unimpressed with DA. Why resign OB? He is under contract and damn
>lucky to have a job running a team, imo. Is there anyone out there, BUELLER?,
>looking to steal him, ala Jimmy Rodgers? Don't think so. Especially when all
>DA did was criticize the C's for their BORING play every time he called a game
>on TNT.

Yes, he did criticize their play.  He then specifically stated he felt that 
Coach O'Brien was "doing an amazing job with what he had".  That would say 
to me that whatever his problems with the style of play, he didn't blame 
O'Brien for instituting it--there was, realistically, no other option at 
that time.

>Fact is DA came into this situation with hand. HE could have put
>coaches/players on notice. He came in with power. So what does he do? He says
>his first priority is re-upping OB. He had no urgency or need to do that. If
>that was his wish he could have done that at any point next season or this
>summer. Brown was the perfect fit for the C's 6 years ago and he still is. He
>makes chicken salad out of you-know-what.

By this time, you know that Obie did get an extension.  At the time Obie 
was re-signed, Larry Brown had NOT resigned from the Sixers.  Had there 
been interest from either party, word could have been quietly sent.  Brown 
didn't express interest in coaching Boston, and Boston--in the person of 
Danny Ainge--had already stated he wanted O'Brien.  And I never liked 
chicken salad anyway.

>Then he says he WILL not trade Twoine. Why is that? Twoine win a title, win
>the MVP? His numbers improving? Have they stopped decreasing? Unless Chris
>Wallace has donned a #44 uni I don't get what I see. Maybe someone else can
>explain.

Antoine needs someone else to bring up the ball so he can concentrate on 
scoring.  If Pierce were bringing up the ball and feeding Antoine, I think 
the two men would have traded stats.  Antoine did what was asked of 
him.  He functioned--better than I would have given him credit for--as a 
"point forward", which really doesn't suit his style of play.  Yes, he 
likes to shoot from outside, but he has also stated he knows there are 
times to zip inside.  I think if he has a chance to play his position more 
normally, he will be a much more effective player.

>BTW, I did not realize I was trying to "shove Obie and his
> >best two players out the door"? I think you need to be let outside, Beagle.

As I said at the beginning of this post...

>All I'm saying is why commit to OB and Twoine when you did not have to?
>Especially this early in the process, when you think the style of play is
>b-o-r-i-n-g. If you think a style of play is not working then it is either the
>fault of the coaches and/or players. If htat is your belief, you certainly
>don't reward the two most responsible for it. No?

Except I DON'T believe it's the fault of players or coaches in this 
case.  I blame Gaston, and to a lesser extent, Wallace.  One of the points 
of my post--which you either missed, disagreed with, or ignored--was that I 
felt that O'Brien and the team deserved a chance to show what they could do 
at the outset of a season with new, responsible ownership.  If they don't 
improve, then next summer they can make those kinds of changes.  Until 
then, O'Brien is still the guy who took half a team to the playoffs two 
years running, and deserves to have an opportunity to fully institute his 
game plan with a proper team.

>Peace...out!

Peace to you too...IN!

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website