Re: Griffin...........Any still interested in Bonzi???

["Greg Odegaard" <grodeg@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey since he can't be the Captain here in Portland, might as well as be a
Captain on the new version Black And White Celtics.

For those inclined to want Bonzi, Sheed or Toker Stoudamire, look at
yourself in the mirror and ask yourself just how badly do you want THIS
Celtics team to succeed?  Will these Captain Cancers really make the
difference or will they just fulfill your anxious need to make another deal
because we have lost a few tough games?  I for one think is it very sad and
borderline pathetic to be looking at these resources in question to somehow
make the difference.  We all know in our hearts these kinds of changes are
not what this team needs, nor will it in the end make a damns bit of
difference because the players noted are all Cancers, are not championship
caliber players or more importantly people.  Speculating on a Bonzi making
us truly better is no different than hoping a pill or another 6 pack will
make you feel better or make your problems go away.

These people are druggies and they would be like a drug to our team, and us
the fans.  The extremely short term gain will be a much worse long term gain
that we may never recover from. How long has it taken to truly over the
suspicious deaths of 1986 and 1993?

Have a nice holiday week ahead all,
Greg



John Canzano

You can't deal with Wells, so just deal him

11/19/03

It's only been two weeks, but Gawen Deangelo Wells already has gone Bonzi
again.

Wells screamed at Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks after being removed
during Monday's loss at Dallas.

Wells also used profanity.

And more profanity.

In between, he mostly waved his hands at Cheeks.

For these acts, the Blazers suspended Wells for two games and stripped him
of his co-captain title.

How long until they strip him of his Portland uniform altogether?

That's the question today, isn't it?

Wells spit on Danny Ferry last season. He made obscene gestures at home fans
two weeks ago. Now, he's publicly berated his coach.

So, what does Wells have to do to get a one-way ticket out of the Rose City?

Gesture obscenely at team president Steve Patterson?

Spit on general manager John Nash?

Mouth off to owner Paul Allen?

Give the Blazers' front office credit for punishment that suggests the
inmates will not be allowed to run the asylum. But also hope it's working
diligently to ensure Wells has played his final game in a Blazers uniform.

On Tuesday morning, Patterson called Cheeks and offered his blessing for
whatever punishment the Blazers coach deemed appropriate. It's a refreshing
tone.

A year ago, after a practice in which Wells lashed out at Cheeks, the coach
wanted to suspend Wells for multiple games. But former Blazers president and
general manager Bob Whitsitt failed to support Cheeks and slapped Wells with
a paltry one-game suspension instead.

"Bonzi deserved much, much more than one game for that incident last
(season)," Cheeks said. "Now, I'm just tired of it. I'm just sick of it.
Period."

Against Sacramento last week, Wells came out of an overtime timeout
irritated and complaining because Cheeks had designed a play for Zach
Randolph and not him.

The whining, profanity and explosive, unpredictable personality are nothing
new for a 27-year-old who campaigned for the team captain role by saying he
was a changed man.

With Wells, nothing ever changes.

This is the same player who was voted off a postseason all-star team by the
other members of that team as a high school senior in Indiana. This is the
same player who was ejected twice while playing for Ball State after talking
back to referees. And, also, the same one who started seeing a psychologist
while in college to learn to control his temper.

Maybe Wells should get counseling today. But also, he should keep his bags
packed, because the Blazers must be aware this player-coach rift won't
repair itself.

"It's not that Bonzi lacks respect for only me," Cheeks said. "I don't think
he respects anyone in a position of authority."

Cheeks can't be effective with one of his starters habitually undermining
him.

After Tuesday's practice, Jeff McInnis was shooting baskets while Cheeks was
pinned to one wall of the practice facility, surrounded by cameras,
answering questions about Wells.

I asked McInnis, who played for Dean Smith at North Carolina, what would
have happened had a Tar Heels player unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at
Smith.

"You wouldn't be playing for North Carolina anymore," McInnis said.

Since NBA contracts are guaranteed, you can't just cut Wells. But you
probably can trade him for a player who would respect Cheeks.

A few years ago while Wells was still playing at Ball State, a magazine
published a story on him that included an exchange between Wells and a
12-year-old girl in an Indiana shopping mall.

"Are you Bonzi Wells?" the girl asked.

"No, I'm not," Wells said. "But what do you think of him?"

"I think he's a jerk," the girl replied.

The Blazers ought to find that kid and make her a scout.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Cecil" <cecil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 4:53 PM
Subject: Griffin


> Anyone still interested in acquiring Eddie Griffin????????????????
>
> Cecil
>
>
> HOUSTON (AP) -- Suspended Rockets forward Eddie Griffin was charged for
fighting with a woman who says he beat her and fired a gun in her direction.
>
> Griffin faces one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one
count of assault with bodily injury, Houston police spokesman John Cannon
said Thursday.
>
>
> Joann Romero accused Griffin of hitting her three times in the face and
shooting at her as she drove away from his home in a gated community in
southwest Houston on Oct. 25.
>
> Rusty Hardin, Griffin's attorney, was in court Thursday and did not
immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press.
>
> The Rockets suspended Griffin on Oct. 16 for missing a series of practices
and skipping a team flight.