re:Popeye

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Warwick wrote:
"I would have to agree on Popeye Jones. It is too soon for us to
give up on him, and he *will* work out just fine for RP if he shows the
hustle
which is what his game is all about. Great work ethic, great attitude,
heaps of
hustle, why can't he work in an RP system?"

***

Hi Warwick:

I don't question Sailer Man's "great work ethic and heaps of hustle".
But his comeback from ACL surgery depends on 1) jumping and 2)
physically moving 240-pound bodies out of the way. The success of his
type of game is predicated on those two things, and there's a big
difference IMO between running around in a game (like most of us do in
pickup games), as opposed to actually jumping as high as you can all
night. Repeatedly jumping in a basketball game can KILL your knees, even
if your knees are structurally sound. IMO, if Popeye breaks down after
40 games next season, I still think it would have been a courageous
effort.  But for us to automatically pencil Popeye in for 82
games+playoffs (or worse, as a dependable replacement on the boards if
we trade AW) is a bit like counting on Pervis Ellison to help move your
furniture.

But like all of you, I wish Popeye Jones well next season and hope we
sign him, because I love his brand of pure rebounder in the NBA. Nothing
else takes more physical energy and determination, IMO.


Go Celtics,


JoeHironaka
Paris


P.S. My mother just got elected last night to Japan's upper house of
parliament! Sorry, I have no one else to share the news with on the
Internet so I'm telling you folks. Go Moms!

****