Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V5 #244

[Michael Joseph Byrnes <mbyrnes@leland.Stanford.EDU>]

Patrick Goggin wrote:

> I've just read all the posts from the past several days and I need to get
> something off of my chest.  In 3 to 4 years, the Pitino era will have begun
> to make its mark on the history of the game. . .for good or bad.  Let it be
> known that after EITHER the Celtics resign the great Walker and win their
> 17th championship OR they try to get "equal value" for him and remain
> forever among the mediocre and pathetic of the league, let it be known that
> I was always FOR Walker

Well, we won't forget you stand on the Walker issue.

HOWEVER, you have a very one sided view point.  For the record, it is also
possible that signing Walker to a huge contract could doom them to remain
forever (or for 7 years) among the mediocre and patheitc of the league,
while the right trade could open the door to the 17th championship.

> Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic that
> we have put together the young nucleus we have, but a team led by Anderson,
> Mercer, and Pierce without Walker is a sure cellar-dweller.

And a team with all four of those players is *NOT* a championship caliber
team.  Subtract Mercer to free agency (which will almost surely happen if
Walker signs) and the team is even less a championship caliber team.

> And as I stated in my last post, there is no such thing as getting equal
> value for a franchise player.  

And who says Walker is a franchise player?  He *could be* one.  But that
is absolutely not the same thing.  

> I'm just glad this Celts' mailing list doesn't have a vote in
> player-personnel decisions.

At least I agree with you on this point.  Certainly I'll agree that
there is no one more qualified than Rick Pitino to decide what to do with
Walker.

But, is there anyone out there who really thinks that Walker is a
franchise player *AS IS*, and that even if he did not improve a bit, he
would lead the C's to #17?  

Michael Byrnes
mbyrnes@stanford.edu