RE: Ford: GMs say Pierce no longer untouchable

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

Couldn't agree more with Kim's comments. 

I was at the game last night and I must say, Pierce has completely given
up on the season.  He ignores the coach during timeouts while his
teammates remain attentive, he's not giving even half effort on defense
and he continues his descent into the selfish basketball hall of fame.
The captain, who is making in excess of thirteen million dollars per
year should not be sulking and setting such a poor example for his young
teammates. What kind of leadership is that?  

McCarty has also given up on the season based in the play and off camera
mannerisms I saw last night.  At this point, I wouldn't even play
McCarty given his role player status combined with the fact that he's
just going through the motions. 

Banks is extremely raw and several years away, if ever, of becoming an
above average point guard.  In any event, he's not a natural playmaker
like Ridnour.

Ravi 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Kim Malo
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 2:07 PM
To: Celtics
Subject: Re: Ford: GMs say Pierce no longer untouchable


At 01:57 PM 2/23/2004, Mark Piotrowski wrote:
>whoa, mark.  I agree that Pierce seems shaken -- but isn't that 
>understandable?  To some degree I'd sulk too if I were he -- his best 
>friends are gone, the team is losing, AND their losing while playing 
>stiffs like McCarty....losing ugly.  He's probably frustrated like all 
>of us -- but unlike us this is his life (well it might be our lives too

>but that says something sad about us...:)

Oh please. He's also a highly paid veteran supposed professional and
needs 
to grow up and act like one rather than indulging his frustrations if
you 
really think that's what's going on. It's been months since Antoine was 
traded. I've been in jobs where the company was falling apart, friends 
gone, etc etc etc and I still did my job the best I could, if for no
better 
reason than personal pride.

>...and
>he happens to think (rightly so) that the ball in his hands the 
>majority of the time gives the team the best shot at winning.

Mark, seriously - how on earth, given his ball handling liabilities,
very 
limited court vision, and too often bad decision making (including shot 
selection) can you say something like rightly so? I mean we've seen the 
evidence this season when the ball has been in his hands the majority of

the time, although the signs were there before. Paul can be a very fine 
offensive weapon, a reasonable defensive player when he puts in the
effort, 
and is an excellent rebounder. But he does not make those around him
better 
in any way, creates too many unnecessary turnovers and bad shots, and is

NOT a playmaker who should control the ball most of the time.

>  He might
>be playing selfishly right now -- but i think he'll bounce back this 
>summer, wouldn't you play selfishly if the alternative was giving the 
>ball to McCarty or Atkins (when he shows up)?

Oh come ON,  those AREN'T the only alternatives. Not to mention, MIGHT
be 
playing selfish? Might ?<falls into helpless giggles> Mind you, I think
a 
good part of that comes fro ma mistaken belief that that's the only way
to 
get anything done, but still, MIGHT? And just now, not ever before?

>I have a hard time believing that Pierce has really regressed too far 
>as a player.  I think he's suffering more from the change in 
>conditions.

That's actually to a large degree true, although we clearly disagree on 
what he is as a player to have regressed from or how much of the onus is
on 
him to deal better with change.

Kim