Re: A L-O-N-G bye-bye to the punk.

[JIm <gandahlf@capecod.net>]

At 04:59 PM 7/19/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Now this:
>
>www.boston.com/dailyglobe/globehtml/200/Walker_s_true_colors_have_been_reve
.htm
>
>was an article! Ryan does have an unmistakable voice when he
>gets....wound-up. So...it's finally come to, "Walker's a punk?" Just a
>couple thoughts. This is long, and I swear to God, I'll not repeat this
>stuff again. This is day two of this diatribe. But the "punk" comment
>really set me on edge.
>
>Let me start out by saying I don't have any major disagreements with Ryan's
>evaluation of Walker's game. There are holes in his game. His criticisms
>are valid. My point concerning Walker is and has always been: you don't
>ever give up on young talent like his. The fact that he's immature at 22 is
>less surprising to me than his collection and range of talents at that age.
>When you draft a 20 year-old, don't be surprised there are no certainties
>about his maturity or game at age 22 or 23. You role the dice with any
>decision you make, so.....I think you always bet on talent. I'll get right
>into Ryan's article, but first, let me address yesterday's post by DJessen
>where he says:

>So why pay this guy the farm if you are unsure???

>>Blind loyalty can cause people to abandon logic and believe a fairytale.....
>>People, if Walker was just demanding 10
>>million a year, you know the Celtics would be beating his door down to sign
>>him. You know earlier in the year he was saying he deserves to get paid
>>Garnett type money. That is the conflict. Everything else is of no
>>consequence. To talk of perceived slights or anything else just spin to
cover
>>to what's really going on....
>
>If Walker / Falk were beginning negotiations at $10 mil./ year they'd be
>idiots. If the $105 mil./6 years numbers are true, that's almost exactly
>half-way between Garnett and Wallace. And through "negotiations" I see no
>reason not to assume that they'd finish closer to "Wallace money." You
>speak of some of us believing fairy-tales? Here's one: Walker and Falk give
>their opening proposal to management during the year. Management leaks the
>figure to the press, repeats the "no contracts over $100 mil." line, don't
>say another word to either Walker or Falk about the contract, and trade
>talks with other teams begin. An unlikely scenario? An obvious fairy-tale?
>Why not a fairy tale just as believable as the one where Walker wants
>$105...end of story...he's greedy? Not as believable because it doesn't fit
>the image of Walker as a greedy a-hole? What came first, the image or the
>fairy-tale? Does the image cause you to believe one fairy-tale over the
>other?

Why, Do you really have to ask?? here is a list
I wiggle
I argue with referees
I throw up the rock at every opportunity I get
I the seasoned veteran all star don't need the extra workouts, because the
other ones don't!!
I say my coach is unloyal ( when in fact the only bad thing my coach has
said negativley(sp) is that he was dissapointed that I did not go to mini
boot camp)
other then that he has had only praise for me!!

>Now....Bob Ryan on the summer work-outs issue. Quoting Walker, he writes:
>
>><P>3. <i> Maybe if he [Rick Pitino] said me being there would have made
>>everybody else come, then maybe I would have made that sacrifice. </i><P>
>>
>><P>He's already failed the preliminary test of leadership. When you know
>>you're the best player on the team, you shouldn't have to be told that
>>your presence would be a positive influence, and you shouldn't have to be
>>begged to do anything that's good for the team. <P>
>
>Why shouldn't you be told that your presence would be a positive influence?
>Here: "Antoine, I have a shooting coach coming in. I'd like to get this
>done before the lockout. It's the summer, these sessions aren't mandatory,
>but if you came, it would go a long way to getting everyone to come. I
>really need you there." This is begging? Sounds pretty civil to me. 


	hmmmm, Yes let me beg my fellow co-worker that is good for nothing except
flattering my stats by feeding ME the ball. Yea, sounds like something I
would do!! NOT!! Yea, and like your employer begs you to come to work
everyday.
He/she also begs you to go to school and improve yourself in your field,
But of course you make already make 2 mil a year, and expect to be asked to
perform your job. Please if your boss does this tell me where you work so I
can apply!!
	Also, I have the best stats on the TEAM, take the most shots, play the
most minutes, but, tell me I am your ace.

It assumes somebody might actually have the right to say no, might actually
>have a right to make other plans which might be important to them, and
>might actually deserve an explaination before they agree to the request.
>But, I guess it's begging if you're stooping to the level of actually
>talking to...."a punk." Wouldn't want to imply the punk deserves to be
>treated with civility. The Celtics work incredibly hard, preseason and
>during the season. Remember Billups' post-trade comments? Walker's worked
>this way for how long? Is it unthinkable that a player needs time away from
>that grueling regime, especially if he intends to play in it for a long
>time? How many players in the league not only have to endure Pitino's game
>plan and practices, but also have to hear him screaming for 48 mins./82
>games a year? Walker's drawn a line which is his right, the work-outs are
>not mandatory. He's told Pitino how that line can be crossed. The
>exceptions are team oriented and he'd like to hear his coach explain.
>Unreasonable? (I wonder how many other players in the league would think it
>unreasonable?) I guess it is if you're "a punk." Punks just do what they're
>told.

	No, Punks do not do what they are told!!! That seems to be part of his
problem!! Lets see, I want you to pay me like I am the leader, but, I am
not going to do anything extra to earn that pay. No extra workouts, No
extra practice, I can put up the numbers if you let me shoot 30 times a game!!
So what if I miss 60% of them, I still get my numbers!! So what if my man
is dunking the ball in the face of one my guards, because I wan't to wiggle.
I still put up the numbers, don't I???
>
>Concerning the draft, and Pierce incident:
>
>>Pierce is a good player<b>... He's a guy who can come off the bench and
>>give scoring to our second unit ... But I know our team needs. We need big
>>people. </i></b><P>
>>
>><P><i><b>   </i></b>So he's a GM, too? He wanted Rick Pitino to draft
>>Kentucky buddy Nazr Mohammed, who was such a valued prospect he went 29th
>>in the draft. <P>
>
>"So he's GM too!" Antoine Walker is the team's captain. Does the captain of
>the team not have a right to voice an opinion about the future direction of
>the team? Does the team's captain not have a right to voice an opinion
>about a starting job? Is he "a punk" if that opinion is to give the benefit
>of the doubt to a veteran? "So he's a GM, too?" Does voicing an opinion
>mean that he's out of line? Does it mean that he, how should I put this,
>doesn't know his place?  No Bob, he wouldn't think of getting ahead of
>himself like that. Just an opinion. Not a threat to anyone's position. But
>you can't trust those punks. They've always got something devious up their
>sleeves.
	
	I don't recall any one person saying he had something up his sleeve.
Do you tell your boss whom he should hire?  Never mind how much he should
pay them. I think not, unless you are the boss. How many times have you
bitten your lip, as to not tell your boss what you really think??

>
>Walker talks about wanting to win. According to Ryan:
>
>>Oh, please. He's not yet 22 and he's played a scant two years. He's trying
>>to come off sounding like a worthy 10-year veteran who has paid true dues,
>>rather than a snotty punk who has no idea what it takes to win a
>>championship at this level.
>
>Bob....His coach does? The owner does? How many people in the front office
>know what it takes to win a championship at this level? How many have done
>it? How many have done it in the past decade? Gaston is committed to Pitino
>for how much money over how many years? Anybody know what the buy-out
>clause might be if the Celtics feel that Pitino was a big mistake? I'm sure
>Gaston would love to be paying Pitino and his replacement at the same time.
>In any case, Rick Pitino talked about winning championships at this level
>with a "proven" system, wanted and got more money than Pat Riley, and
>nobody thought that was funny!?! Talk about a huge leap of faith! But...a
>young NBA All-Star loaded with talent talks about wanting to win, and he's
>a "snotty punk." He didn't say he knew more about winning championships
>than a ten year veteran, or the coach who's won so many championships at
>this level. Maybe the "snotty punk" just said that he'd love to go to a
>team with an acutal chance of winning, and would be willing to take less
>money than the "Championship Driven" (LOL) franchise is going to offer. I
>could think of a few teams that have a better chance. Maybe he could too.
>But, he expressed an ambition. So he's "a SNOTTY punk." He actually said he
>wants to win! Imagine?!?

Yup, he wants to win, Don't we all?? When you want to succeed do you say, I
need no extra work or commitment, I have already shown ( after two short years
that I can do it all) that I can produce??
>
>Look, I'll cut this off now. I think Walker is gone. He has opinions about
>what his "betters" do, and he's a punk. He expresses ambitions, and he's a
>snotty punk. We know what the Celtics wont pay Walker, so it naturally
>follows that he's a greedy punk. Some advice for Paul Pierce. Don't ever
>express any ideas, desires, ambitions or opinions. Some of those fans and
>writers in Boston might actually suspect you're trying to be, human. Just
>like them. That automatically makes you....a punk.

	To express ideas or opinions is not being a punk.
Expressing ideas or opinions for self gratification is!!! In this situation
for money.
	Sorry, but, Pitino has been straight up front on this issue. Work hard,
show DEDICATION, and put your heart on the line and I can lead you to the
promised land!! It seems as though Toine chooses the easy road!! Which is
not an option in BEANTOWN!!!
JIm
>
>Paul M.

>
>

The Past is never present
but the future is now.
JIm