Ain't gonna allow anyone to fool around with ME and Paul

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

Kudos to Mark Murphy for this just-report-the-quotes column and to
RickDHome and others for voicing their opinions on it's important
significance.

``What people have to understand is that guys have to fit into ME
and Paul.b -Toine

ME AND PAUL, ME AND PAUL, ME AND PAUL. Holy Schmolly - just what 
we did not want to hear.  Say no more, Toine.  Isn't this just what we 
hoped to not acknowledge concerning the Obie/Ainge ''same page'' 
bonding? Does it not say it all concerning our spoiled Captain's dissing 
of Ainge's new system.  I believe the correct word is ``disrespect'' for
a new Director of Operations who neither had the courage nor the OK 
from Pagliuca to be his own man.  Obie and Walker are still here.

``We've talked about playing up-tempo, but that's about it,''  - Toine

#%$%^&*&%^##%^$&&*# 

And how about Banks?

``I do put pressure on myself, but I want to be important to the team. 
But it takes rookies time. It took Kobe (Bryant) four or five years. It 
took Tracy McGrady a few years, and he had to sit on the bench. Paul 
(Pierce) needed three or four years, and the same with Antoine.>
-Banks

(RESPONSE: WASNbT TOINE AN ALL-STAR IN HIS FIRST SEASON AND PAUL
AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT PLAYER?) 

`I'm not worried about starting,'' Banks said. ``Everyone wants to start. 
I don't think any player doesn't want to start, unless they don't have any 
heart. But I'm 20 - I'm only a rookie.'' - Banks

(RESPONSE: REMINDER TO MARCUS - YOU WERE BORN ON 11/19/81; IT IS 
NOW10/14/03)

As for this foolish Kobe stuff - 

< Frankly I am shocked by the those who haven't spoken up.> - Groddy 

As I interpreted Tammo's comments, Celt-related posts have not 
attracted near as much interest or responses as did WayRay's 
Kobe column. As for you, Groddy and Ubi and others like you (of which 
there is a particularly bad batch of), I can only wish that you all would 
post a few Celt-related opinions once in a while rather than only coming 
on board merely to flex your cyber muscles in voicing your disapproval 
of just about every other poster. 

If I still had teenagers around the house, I would be most unhappy if 
they were to peek at any of the many Celt boards... Kobe details or not.  
I would bemoan that my children had access to just how argumentative, 
mean-spirited, and petty their a-hole parents could be when it comes to 
discussing the Celts or serving as good examples to their children. 

Egg
-----------------
C's face point of contention
By Mark Murphy
Tuesday, October 14, 2003

Perhaps the most central issue facing the Celtics this season is the 
blending of the new and the established - the ability of point guards 
Marcus Banks [news] and Mike James [news] to match their respective 
games with Antoine Walker [news] and Paul Pierce [news].

Walker, for one, isn't worried. And though some thought the Celtics 
captain might segue into a more traditional power forward's 
role with the speedy Banks at the controls this season, think again.

``That will never happen - it's impossible,'' Walker said after 
yesterday's practice. ``What people have to understand is that guys 
have to fit into me and Paul.

``Marcus is a great talent, and he'll come along fine,'' said Walker, who 
added that to this point his conversations with coach Jim O'Brien have 
focused on improving the fast break - not a personal style change.
``We've talked about playing up-tempo, but that's about it,'' 

Walker said. ``To be honest, when all is said and done, it's back to the 
grind, as always. I've been playing too long to even worry about it.''

Danny Ainge has championed changing the offensive philosophy from 
the day he became director of basketball operations last spring, and he 
likes what he sees forming on the floor each day in practice.  And that 
includes the collaborations between Walker and his point guards.

``I think every point guard adjusts to who he plays with in the 
same way that a quarterback adjusts,'' Ainge said. ``No one is going to 
make Antoine and Paul change, but people will make adjustments.

``Point guards have to recognize who their teammates are and what 
they need,'' he said. ``But I think it's going good. I've seen Antoine 
run the floor very well, and I'm paying more attention to what happens 
in training camp than the exhibition games themselves.

``The bottom line is that everyone has to make adjustments,'' said 
Ainge. ``Jim O'Brien is trying to maximize the talent of the people he 
has. And it's easier for Antoine and Paul to make adjustments than a 
rookie point guard.''
Banks' initiation has followed a rocky path over the first three 
games, though the rookie was at his most effective yet during 
Saturday's loss at Indiana.

Though these matters can change in an instant, James is running 
with the first team, with Banks coming off the bench - a situation that 
doesn't bother Banks at the moment.

Nor has Banks encountered much trouble when it comes to connecting 
with his two perennial All-Star teammates.

``It's not really a problem - those guys are very cool,'' said Banks. ``They 
want me to come along just the way I am. They say they'll push me.

``I do put pressure on myself, but I want to be important to the team. 
But it takes rookies time. It took Kobe (Bryant) four or five years. It 
took Tracy McGrady a few years, and he had to sit on the bench. Paul 
(Pierce) needed three or four years, and the same with Antoine.
(EGG: WASNbT TOINE AN ALL-STAR IN HIS FIRST SEASON AND PAUL AN
IMMEDIATE IMPACT PLAYER?) 

``I'm not worried about starting,'' Banks said. ``Everyone wants to start. 
I don't think any player doesn't want to start, unless they don't have any 
heart. But I'm 20 - I'm only a rookie.''
(EGG: REMINDER TO MARCUS: YOU WERE BORN ON 11/19/81. IT IS NOW
10/14/03)

Celtics notes
Walter McCarty [news] sat out yesterday's practice with a swollen 
right knee - the result of a knee-on-knee collision with a teammate 
last week in practice.

Tony Delk (strained calf) and Jumaine Jones (strained hamstrings) 
also sat out the practice, though Jones later worked through a long 
shooting drill. . . .

O'Brien ran the team through a hard 3 1/2-hour practice in an attempt 
to iron out a long list of kinks.

``Every phase of the game,'' he said. ``But we had three games in 
four nights, and it was really too soon to have that.'' O'Brien wasn't the 
only one to cringe at the schedule.

``We're fine,'' said Walker. ``We could choke the schedule maker, 
though. Three games in four days is a bit much at this point.''