Caviar wishes and champagne dreams

[JB]

On Oct 3, 2006, at 9:06 AM, Ryan, Patrick S Maj RES USAFR 439 MSG wrote:

> Lots of articles in both papers today - first day of practice and  
> fragile
> West is already seemingly on the shelf with back problems (I love  
> the kid,
> but he's turning out to be very breakable).  Another on Pierce  
> "dealing"
> with no veteran presence being signed (and he names Scalabrine as a  
> vet he's
> happy that's returning - say it ain't so Pablo!) Yet another on  
> Green - the
> usual stuff.  Even another on the picnic (which even the reporters
> apparently got next to nothing from other then the Bassy's guarantee).

	PatrickR

***************
There were 10 stories, which I linked this AM (as I do every day),  
at: http://celticsstufflive.com/the-daily-grind/
As you can see below, I give a quote or two (and sometimes even  
pictures), as relevant.
If you don't have time to read them all, you might want to check them  
out there, as reference. ;>)
Olo in camp to me is the biggest deal. I think he's going to push  
both  Pitts and Jones off the roster.

JB


South Coast Standard Times
Tim Weisberg smells out the real story of the day.

if you ask Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, Olowokandi was anything but  
extra baggage.
“He was everything that a lot of people said he would not be,” said  
Rivers. “He was a great guy in the locker room. You give that type of  
guy a chance.”
… Rivers hoped he could get Olowokandi to stick around… …in 2002-2003, 
…he averaged 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.19 blocks a game in his  
final year in Los Angeles.

Metro West
Scott Souza digs deep for point guard gold.

“Being vocal has to do with guys respecting you,” he said during the  
team’s Media Day yesterday. “When you are a rookie, you don’t know  
much, and they don’t know you, so it’s not as easy. Now this is my  
third year, and I am getting a little more respect from my teammates.  
I felt more free to be chatty when I got here and guys looked up to  
me on the court.”
So far, no one has seemed to mind. Out in Las Vegas, he had the  
benefit of experience on his side when he ordered the likes of second- 
year forward Gerald Green and rookie point guard Rajon Rondo around  
the floor. You wondered if a veteran like Wally Szczerbiak, or the  
franchise in Paul Pierce, would be so tolerant.
But yesterday Pierce said that he is looking forward to playing with  
a point guard willing to speak his mind.
“He sets the tone,” Pierce said. “If you get a point guard like that  
who isn’t afraid to be vocal then it’s good.
“He is the guy in control of the game,” the captain added, “and if  
you have a guy in that role who is telling people where to be, and  
really being effective at it, then great.”

Lenny Megliola basks in Pierce’s glow, but does give us info on the  
elbow.

Pierce pretty much rested a nagging left elbow this summer. How’s it  
doing? “Good days and bad days,” he said.

Eagle Tribune
Rob Bradford lets us know that Delonte West will not go down easily  
in the fight for starters minutes.

“I’ve been holding my tongue,” he said, explaining his heavy dose of  
candor and determination. “I’m speaking from my heart.”
“He came in constantly asking for video on two or three different  
point guards, or two or three shooting guards, a day, watching and  
study what those guys do,” said Celtics video coordinator Jamie  
Young. “You name the point guard, or the two guard, and he watched  
them over and over.”
“I feel like I was embarrassed a few times by other players, but it  
wasn’t anything I couldn’t correct,” he said. “I looked at some of  
the better guards in our league that have similar games to what I  
have. I’ve got to take care of my game.”
“I watch films of competition,” West said with a smile. “If you’re  
competition, I might have some tape of you.”

Globe
Bob Ryan is impressed with Gerald’s Green’s work ethic.

Best of all, the young man seems to get it. He knows what he doesn’t  
know, which is why he spent the offseason polishing his skills.
“I worked on every aspect of my game,” he reports. “Shooting.  
Passing. Court awareness. Ballhandling. Most of all defense. At this  
time a year ago, I didn’t have any idea about rotations.”
He now knows that making it in the NBA requires more than just a  
mastery of the game’s skills and physical components.

Peter May relates the interesting story of how Olowokandi just called  
up Doc, for camp invite. Hello Olo, good bye Pitts & Jones?

Herald
Steve Bulpett ponders brash Sebastian’s Namathism will open playoff  
door.

…the time to hesitate is through. There’s no time to wallow in the  
lottery mire.

Bulpett’s notebook brims with concern over Delonte West’s back problem.

The coach was asked if there would be any early restrictions on West.
“I think so,” Rivers said. “I don’t know if he’ll be going the first  
couple of days. We’ll wait and see. I talked to Dr. (Brian) McKeon  
briefly about it, but I’ll know more later.”
In truth, the Celtics won’t know until they see if West can go  
through an expectedly spirited camp without suffering a relapse.

Mark Murphy evaluate’s Pierce’s attitude.
Murphy digs into the Olowokandi appearance.

“It’s up to him,” said Rivers. “We know he’s talented. It’s always  
been a question of his consistency. Teams have always tried to get it  
out of him. but if we do that, I’d be surprised if he didn’t play.”

Providence Journal
Shalise Manza Young focuses her gaze on the “new improved” Al Jefferson

After getting “bumped in the head,” as he put it, Jefferson woke up.  
His ankles were letting him down, he wasn’t in top shape, his defense  
was a major weakness and there were whispers that he was taking his  
time coming back from his injuries.

MVN
TenaciousT presents a strong piece on the battles for playing time,  
contract and respect tht will go on through training camp.

Jim Calhoun, coach of the Connecticut Huskies was quoted a while back  
about the importance of what position you are drafted at in the NBA  
draft each year. He said (essentially) that lottery picks will get  
more chances to try and prove themselves - for a number of reasons. I  
have to agree with that. The further down the line you are chosen,  
the less chance you will get to prove you belong. Lottery picks are  
paid more, are higher visibility, considered more talented, and  
considered to have more upside. Teams that draft players in the  
lottery positions have more at stake public relations-wise for making  
sure their pick doesn’t flop. They will give them more time and more  
chances. They don’t want a lottery pick to be a squandered  
opportunity - Darko Milicic’s situation notwithstanding.
Later picks don’t have all that going for them. The farther down the  
line, the less time and opportunity will be given to the player,  
barring special circumstances, such as a key trade or injury. Second  
rounders, as far as chances go, can generally consider it a ‘one and  
done’ type of scenario - if that