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[mark at 10thumbs.org]

Well I for one watcht that bus -- with whoever's driving, whoever's on and
whoever -- like Simmons -- might be jumping on and wave it on past every
time it comes to where i'm standing.

Simmons is a funny guy and a great writer.  But i'll take issue with a few
of his "challenges" below:

1. Young guys (other than Jefferson) are bench guys at best -- Well he's
sure changed his tune on Rondo, who most believe is a legit starting PG
(albeit green).  I'd say that Gomes, Allen and West could start on certain
playoff teams if swapped with their starter (say San Antonio, Washington,
and Utah respectively).

2 & 8. Agreed - Doc's not getting it done and I disagree with Ainge for
keeping him.

3. Perkins - He *has* improved. Is his offensive game still weak? yeah,
but he used to foul out in 10 mins, now is IMO a low-end starter in the
NBA.  You won't win a championship with him starting but you would with
him playing 25 mins off the bench.  Is he Oden? No but c'mon Simmons he's
no Acie Earl either. (and to have gotten a kid like him -- GREAT attitude,
hard worker, does the dirty work -- at #25, sign me up).

4. MLE -- i can come up with a few: skate on over to Hoopshype and take a
look at the contracts for guys like Q. Richardson, Abdur Rahim, Jamaal
Crawford, Mark Blount. Teams working to improve don't get guys like
Francisco Elson for 1/2 the MLE like San Antonio did.

Do i wish we could add some more talent? Heck yeah. But I'm glad we're not
spending just to spend.

5. POR trade -- Look that deal didn't work out. But let me add two
"but...s (1) this deal's not done ... what do we get and/or who can we
retain for Theo's expiring deal (and possibly Bassy's contract).  (2) If
we're gonna trash Ainge for the POR trade you have to give him credit for
the CLE and LAL deals.  I loved Roy and would have liked to have him, but
we don't.  Better this than having a GM who drafts guys like Roy latter to
trade them for aging vets like Delk, Rogers and Kenny Anderson.


is ainge without fault? no.

but let's be careful what you wish for.  I'll give Ainge an overall grade
of B-

(the other) mark

----------
Sean G. wrote:
----------
I have been driving that bus for years...

On 5/11/07, ryanmnelson at verizon.net <ryanmnelson at verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Looks like the Simmons is firmly on the Danny must go bus which still
> consists only of me, egg, and harry.  And simmons used to be a huge ainge
> supporter.
>
> Let's see, danny has made bad free agent moves, marginal trades, and awful
> coaching hires, but hey, he is an average drafter as well.
>
> rmn
>
> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070511
>
> Q: As I was thinking of all the people I'd rather have running the Celtics
> than Danny Ainge (it's a long list), I came up with a new idea for a
reality
> show called "The Next Celtics GM." Twelve Celtics fans would compete in
> challenges like "contacting Kevin Durant's mother without getting fined by
> the NBA," Boston Rob could host and America could vote off someone each
> week. The last remaining contestant would become the new Celtics GM and
have
> the pleasure of firing Doc Rivers on the season finale. Think you could
> pitch that idea to the suits at ESPN?
> --Jason Q., Muncie, Ind.
>
> SG: Done and done. Along with your Durant challenge, other challenges
> would include ...
>
> 1. Convincing a panel of NBA experts that every Celtics young player,
> except for Al Jefferson, is not a bench player at best.
>
> 2. Looking the other way as Doc cancels yet another much-needed practice
> during a losing streak so he can fly to Orlando to see his family.
>
> 3. Sell reporters on the fact that Kendrick Perkins has shown real
> progress over the past four years, even though his offense consists of one
> move that could best be described as "throw a jump hook against the
> backboard at 200 mph."
>
> 4. Come up with the best possible excuse why we won't spend the free agent
> exemption every year that doesn't include the words "we're freaking cheap."
>
> 5. Call Portland, offer Theo Ratliff and Bassy Telfair's $2.5 million cap
> figure for Brandon Roy, Raef LaFrentz and Dan Dickau, then see how long you
> can keep them on the phone before they hang up laughing.
>
> 6. Execute as many puff piece interviews as possible in two hours with the
> Boston Globe, Boston Herald and WEEI in which you get away with saying
stuff
> like, "We feel like we already have two franchise players, and that's
before
> you include Oden or Durant," and "we may have won 23 games, but I really
> feel like we're a playoff team trapped in the body of a lottery team"
> without anyone calling you on it.
>
> 7. Unveil your "projected reaction" after getting Oden or Durant on May 22
> and try to out-do the Christmas kid in the famous YouTube clip.
>
> 8. Announce with a straight face to a packed room of media people that you
> just extended the contract of a coach who won 56 games combined in 2006 and
> 2007.