The die is cast

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

It all started with Ainge's transparent  ''I will never pick up a 
telephone to trade Antoine.'' 

Walker realized that while the ''up front''  Danny was privately assuring 
him of his value to the Celts, the ''calculating''  Danny was busily 
contacting (begging?) every team in the league thrice over concerning 
possible Toine trades.  

I never cared for Walker and am relieved to see him go.  Yet is it any 
wonder that when Toine arrived at training camp, he was a bit 
defensive about being so disrespected?  He stood out in the pre-season 
games like a skunk at a lawn party... defying Ainge's up-tempo style.  
Behind the scenes, he attempted to unite ''his'' players against the 
new regime by constantly bemoaning his lack of a new contract and 
voicing his opposition to the new system.  

When Boston Sportswriters Murphy and Springer merely did what they 
do best - simply printed a player's quotes leaving it up to the readers
as to how to interpret them - you just felt you were reading Toine's 
obituary.

This deal for Raef was originally proposed a while ago along with several 
other .52 cents on the dollar proposals... all now of course being denied
by Ainge.  Only after it became so apparent that Walker would not go 
along with the new scheme, that Baker had exceeded management's 
fondest hopes for a full recovery, and that the disappointing play of our 
point guards was about to catapult Delk into the starting PG role,
did the Celt owners and their boy, Ainge, finally sign off on this deal. 

The kicker, as they see it, is that they not only got Raef, Jiri, and a
first rounder (to be traded off?) but also the additional $5 mill needed
to purchase a mid-level FA next season.  Dallas meanwhile stands to 
save something over $35 mill on this trade, but who's counting?

Obie's positive comments for public consumption prove once again he is 
ever the consummate professional/survivor.  It makes you wonder 
though -  had he finally lost control over his pet Walker (as is rumored), 
or was this trade done against his wishes.

Also troublesome is the burden which will suddenly be thrust upon the
fragile Baker if he starts ahead of Battie. Walker was Vin's biggest 
supporter, and like Walker, Baker also realizes he is not a Danny favorite.  
He understands that Ainge spent many months looking into loopholes to 
rid our team of his contract, yet he will now be counted upon to keep 
our team competitive. and the seats full at the Fleet while Danny 
rebuilds his team to his own image and likeness.
  
Meanwhile, my hope is that this trade will translate into a coming 
out party for LaFrentz.  Allow him 20 shots per game in the ED and he 
just might make up for much of Toine's point production, to say nothing 
of the other players finally being given the opportunity to up their 
shot attempts.  As to Welsch, he is a tall tweener (SG/PG) in the mold 
of a Brent Barry.  According to Danny's latest revelation, we needed 
one additional tall guard (aside from Pierce) since he had signed the 
6 ft. Banks and the 6 ft.1 inch James to play alongside 6 ft. 2 inch Delk. 

    Dr. Brain: ''Danny, your backcourt demonstrates a deficiency 
             in height potential.'' 

It will all seem a bit ironic if we end up giving Welsch the minutes at PG
ahead of ''the best PG in the draft'' and ''the best available PG free 
agent.''  .  

Yet to be determined in this ''new broom sweeps clean''  process is 
just how keen IS Ainge's eye for talent.  He certainly is counting heavily 
on LaFrentz, Welsch, Banks, James, Jones, and Perkins as our future.
Has Dr. Brain (Niednagel) spotted ''superstar'' on any of their brain 
waves?

Still, I am all for this recent clap of thunder (THE trade) as a preemptive 
strike against the two minds/two systems controversy I had been 
kvetching about.  The balance of power seems to have switched to 
the Ainge guys from the Obie guys. 

Danny has cut off the head (Walker), so the body (Obie) should die, right?  

But will it?

Egg 

''To criticize is to appreciate, to appropriate, to take intellectual
possession, to establish in fine a relation with the criticized thing
and to make it one's own.''  - Henry James