Payton's opinions are right

[Phil Maymin]

Will we really be that much younger next year than the 1980-81 Celtics
were? Bird, Parish, McHale were all 23-25. Did we really rely on the
elderly leadership of Chris Ford that year? Come on.

Talent is all that matters. If you can trade for a more talented
veteran, fine, but that's because you're getting more talent, not
because you're getting a veteran.

Just because it hasn't been done before (is that true?) doesn't mean
it won't. Someone was the first high school player taken. Someone is
going to win the first championship fielding a starting five of
all-high schoolers (or one-and-dones).

Celtics are always first, why not again? #17 is coming next year.

Phil

On 4/9/07, douglas342 at aol.com <douglas342 at aol.com> wrote:
> First, while I think Pierce is a Celtic hero, I don't think he is the "veteran leader" that you all are talking about.  It just isn't in his personality.
>
> That being said, can this "veteran leadership" come from lower-priced players?  From less talented players like Scal?  Or must it be a star either at or just past his peak, like Payton when he came here?  What are the "musts" on such a veteran leader's resume?
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: renrile at qualcomm.com
> To: celtics at igtc.com
> Sent: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 10:53 AM
> Subject: Payton's opinions are right
>
>
> He may not have taken the C's far in the playoffs, but GP's comments
> were spot on.  Wish the C's had paid Scal level money, to have him
> finish up his career in Boston.
>
> 1. Kids can't learn from kids, so an alphadog vet bench leader helping
> Paul would've been great this year and the next few years.  When the
> team was Raef/Toine/Paul/Ricky/GP , then Del/Al gained playoff
> experience & bball IQ, from vets they could respect, instead of from
> what Danny called young vets w/ PT experience and a longer future than
> GP: Scal/Sebastian.
>
> 2. GP's right that the owners ARE more focused on the money aspect than
> playoffs.  The team purposefully has more big-minute players on their
> rook contracts than anyone.  And it's a fact they gave up on tradition,
> to fill more seats w/ non-hardcore bball fans
> (dancers/acrobats/soundeffects) .  I'd bet money that the owners would
> vote for offensive-excitement Durant over Oden.
>
> 3. How much more devastating would Rajon be longterm, if hall-of-fame
> Gary was tutoring him?  Especially since they're both crafty creators,
> finishers, defenders, and hesitant shooters.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: celtics-bounces at igtc.com [mailto:celtics-bounces at igtc.com] On
> Behalf Of asterix ninetynine
>
>
> If I recall, Gary "Mr. Congeniality" Payton's and Antoine "Have another
> cheeseburger" Walker's veteran leadership got us pretty far.
>
>
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