RE: Pierce

["R. Singh" <keltsfan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sean,

In this respect, no I don't expect O'Brien to be here long term, but I
didn't expect him to be re-signed either. Given that he is here and
because I am a Celtics fan, I have to hope for the best. Am I
optimistic? Probably not, but I am hopeful...

While I don't know if O'Brien claimed that he couldn't  develop a
running game, or establish an NBA offense for that matter, because
Antoine Walker was here, I really do believe that O'Brien thought that
the three point, isolation offense was the way to win in this league.
Not because of the cards he was dealt but because he believed in it.
Many have tried to blame Chris Wallace for not giving O'Brien the
players he needed to establish a running/motion based game but O'Brien
was consulted repeatedly about personnel decisions and OK'd the likes of
Bruno Sundov and Ruben Wolkowyski because they could shoot from the
perimeter and that ability would allow the "small" guys like Pierce,
Williams and Walker to operate freely in the post. 

The difference now is that Ainge has full power and because he
understands, as a player and a coach, what is necessary to win in this
league, he dictates, to O'Brien, the general guidelines for Celtics
basketball rather than O'Brien dictating to Chris Wallace the guidelines
for Celtics basketball.  

Ravi

-----Original Message-----
From: Sean Giovanello [mailto:sgiovanello@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 7:40 PM
To: 'R. Singh'; celtics@xxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Pierce


**Do you really believe that OB will be around long term?  I could never
really understand why they resigned OB.  I do not see him as a guy who
can develop young talent, showed any desire or inclination to change the
system before Ainge came to town (and then blamed everything on Walker),
and who really fits the vision that Ainge apparently has for the long
term.

Personally, I was pretty upset after watching Carlisle and Larry Brown
hit the market after OB was resigned.  In retrospect, it was pretty
clear that Carlisle was going to end up in Indy (though maybe we could
have moved quickly before Thomas was sent packing) and that Ainge might
not have wanted to bring in a high ego and high profile guy before he
could establish himself as the true alpha dog in the Celtic hierarchy.
The Big O was on the radio today and he was saying the only way we would
ever know about Kedrick was if we had a coach willing to play him 30
minutes a night for an extended period and let him make mistakes and see
if he can improve and play at a high level on a consistent basis.
Ordway, who I have always found pretty plugged in on the NBA (despite
his love affair with Walker) was absolutely dismissive of OB claims that
he always wanted to run but Antoine made it impossible.  Frankly, I buy
this point of view.  



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