Coaching the C's in a nervous era

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Recently, Coach Jim O'Brien finally got to vent freely what he thought of 
the Celtics offense the last few years.  He hated it.  He was frustrated in 
his attempt to get the running game going because he simply didn't have 
enough players, and would have had to literally run Walker and Pierce into 
the ground to have any chance of going the distance.

Some people have seen fit to accuse him of changing his tune to fit the 
Grousbeck/Ainge administration.  Yet, this is the same thing I've been 
saying in defense of Obie for ages.  There's simply no reason to introduce 
a tough defense unless you eventually plan to run on offense.  But having 
the constitution of the team changed so often that you have a new team 
between breakfast and supper can throw a damper on any attempt to instill 
long-term goals.

Now, the situation at last shifts into the place it needs to be for Obie to 
prove what he's been saying all along.  He has the players and they're 
committed to the style of play.  The ownership is stable and looking for 
long-term results, considering a trip to the Finals this year a bonus.

Give the man a chance, as I have pleaded before.  I have heard him 
repeatedly exhort the team to run during the recent exhibition games.  I've 
seen him praise the effort made, while making sure players don't give up on 
what he expects them to do.

I think Coach O'Brien has been consistently underrated by significant 
portions of the media and the fans, undercut by the Gaston regime, and 
ignored when he tried to salvage what he could from what little he was 
given to work with.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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