Another Post about Change?

["Richard Quan" <r.quan@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Well, I guess I'd better jump into the frey.  Here's another post about
change and about the funny directions that this basketball year has
contained so far and it's only half over.  I guess the question lies whether
the year is half over or just over halfway.  One thing for certain, it's
been emotionally tumultuous for me and I'm not sure whether that's a good
thing any more.

Whether you like Jim O'Brien's philosophy or not, that doesn't matter
really.  From what I have observed, O'Brien seems to me to be a stand up guy
who earns respect through being true to what he believes in and for that, he
should not get trashed.  Was it time for some change?  Probably.  Where the
Celtics are right now, the personnel assembled are no longer Obie's guys,
they have been traded away.  The line that flowed from Walker to Williams to
Walter is no longer the flaveur du jour.  I would even argue that Paul
Pearce, though a Pitino guy, did not warm up to Obie as much as the others
and thus, he will remain the centerpiece of the new Celtics.

Am I happy that this change occurred?  Well, of course it doesn't really
matter what I think.  Ultimately, the games will be played and the current
personnel will stay or go to be replaced by others.  I think though, one
would have to wait quite some time to find someone with the class and
strength of a Jim O'Brien though.

Historically, good things have come out of similar changes in Celtics lore.
Remember in 1977 I believe, Tommy's last year, the coaching merry-go-round
found Satch Sanders replace Tommy.  That summer, the Celts drafted Bird.
The next year, Cowens replaced Sanders and the big Macadoo trade.  That
summer, we got those draft picks that translated into Parish and Machale.
More recently, in 2001, remember when Pitino left, Obie was able to guide
the team to the eastern conference finals the next year.

I guess what it comes down to for me personally is that following the
Celtics is a big part of my life.  I remember poignant  moments by
referencing them to what the team is doing.  The past three years have seen
some traumatic things happen to me and around me and the constant thing that
I had to look forward to is a Jim O'brien team that tried hard every night
and wanted to win.  During the miraculous run of victories in 2001 - 2002,
following the Celtics kept me going in the midst of some pretty heavy
personal crises.

So, on days like today, or December 15 when Williams et al were traded, or
when Walker was traded in October, it's good to get philosophy straight and
everyone onboard, on the same page, and all those other clichis as it were,
but, it does matter to have things that you could rely on as a fan.
Hopefully, that again will be something that I can find once more in this
team; but for now, I am a little lost.



Richard Quan

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