only here would josh childress be labeled a future all-star
Apparently Szabo doesn't consider a 23 year old who shoots 55% from the field and 49% from the arc as a potential all-star. I tell you though, I wouldn't mind him suiting up in Green. Brett, how's Julie doing these days?
(oh no he didn't - RDF just got personal!)
Anyway, great article Dr!! I still am VERY positive on Gerald. I think if he gets time he will be a stand out in this league. The kid can hit from any where on the floor and can run circles around Rip Hamilton. He is going to real good. The problem is we have a habit of getting rid of future all stars (Joe Johnson, Chauncy Billups, Ben Wallace, etc...) before they blossom. Which means in three years we get to witness Green dropping 40 a night on the Green Team.
Incidentally, Josh Childress' best game was against the Celtics.
thanks much RickyDF. I'm still very high on GG too, but I don't think there's any doubt that Ainge is looking to move him for some of Pierce's "veteran help." Too bad, he's the only young guy we have with real star potential.
Anyone have any thoughts on whether or not AI is really off the market? If he is, the Telfair and Rondo acquistions look all the more strange. As it stands, who else can the C's aquire that'll make any sense/impact? Boozer? Ray Allen? I think the attraction of the owners to the AI move is that they could ship off a bad contract (either Telfair or Wally) and a bunch of young players/picks, establishing a basic salary structure in the 60 million range. A move for Boozer or Gooden is likely to fuck with that, because it would necessitate re-signing more of our own young players (ie: Delonte, Perk, Telfair and Jefferson). My guess is they were/are figuring an AI trade would leave them with just one dangling contract to deal with in the near future (probably Perk's).
I wrote, re: bad contracts, "Telfair or Wally" and meant "Theo or Wally." Sorry, my bad.
another good piece. Enjoyed the Daily Bacon from last week as well.
I figured that when I was reading it... Telfair is still on his rookie deal. It does seem bizarre in what type of veteran help we are trying for, the pickings are getting slimmer. Ray Allen is essentially another shooter. He doesn't have a very dynamic game and probably won't get us that many more wins. Gooden and Boozer are both going to be overpaid and under-performing. They won't be much help either. Allen is a slight upgrade over Delonte, Gooden/Boozer is a small upgrade over our current front court.
thanks Willie, I appreciate it very much. Hope in yr summer film viewing you didn't make the mistake of seeing Lady in the Water. BRUTAL. Linklater's take on Scanner Darkly was okay, though, not great, but interesting.
RDF, I agree completely, it just doesn't seem like there's anyone out there. Andre Miller would make sense, but only if they take Bassy, and there's still that lingering notion that he and Pierce hate each other. My greatest fear is we make a move for the disintigrating remains of Baron Davis. Re-signing Pierce and promising him help has put this franchise in a very strange position. I'll say it first - Antoine part 3 is not out of the realm of possibility.
I was just reading another thread before popping over here and was thinking that Antione could be coming back too. It makes sense, Pierce and him LOVE each other. His contract is pretty low, and the Heat need some young guys. It puts more people in the stands too. SCARY. Iverson would sell more tickets and merchandise, but at a much higher price tag. Toine for 6 million would probably translate into 20 million on the bottom line.
What sequel stinks the worst?
1. Rocky 6
2. Jaws 4
3. Hot Shots!Part Deux
4. Antoine 3
If answer #4 is even a possibilty, the old bag will be, to her chagrin, making a sequel to The Endless Summer: The Eternal Winter. Oh, what a miserable winter it will be.
Saw scanner darkly. Didn't suck nearly as bad as I thought it would. I'd just seen Porco Rosso so any crappy animation executed by Linkletter would never add up to that. I did enjoy an interview with him, seems like a decent guy despite the pretensions. I'm a rapid Dick fan (let the jokes begin) so there is no way he could do justice to that book.
M Night Shamalamalan has no redeeming qualities. Doesn't he compare himself to Hitchcock? All Cock and no hitch.
Just got a Raoul Ruiz film in the mail looking forward to that.
Antoine part tres. Good god, like a bad stomach flu that keep coming back.
Tampon Walker always there to stop the offensive flow.
We should have a "When is Ainge and Coc getting fired" pool.
ps. my asshole stink executes some of the best written words available on the internet.
Marvin Williams? C'mon, Dr. C, you're better than that.
Good piece, overall, though. Spot on about collecting these nice young "pieces" who are primed for secondary roles over anything else. The fact is that these guys are easy to root for b/c - for the most part - they're viewed as hard-working blue-collar underdogs of sorts. Who among us cannot root for Redz or Gomes? Or Perk? Great character players and great "glue" guys, but are they potential difference makers? Stars? I guess not.
I'll say it again though: this season will be like a painful bowel movement as long as Shits is making the calls (and staining the bowl).
"ps. my asshole stink executes some of the best written words available on the internet."
Absolutely, he's our MVP. (By the way, Linklater seems to be one of those guys who makes movies you want to love but never really do)
Shits, what do you mean? Marvin Williams is NASTY. hahahaha. Alright, maybe not, but I still like Atlanta's young guns better than ours, in terms, at least, of talent. It sucks because I do really like the triumverate of underdogs you mentioned, and I'll be pissed if Ainge trades them for an idiot like Boozer, but unfortunately we're too talent poor to regard guys like this as being any kind of hope for the future (in their own play or as trade bait). That's why I would have liked to rebuild with real lottery pick type talent, mix them in with this pool of young good-guy hard working types, and look at we have at the end of 4 or 5 years. Instead, we'll have a dilapitated Pierce and many many 1st round exits.
The whole Shits/Coc thing is going to blow up this year. They can't play to win if he's the coach, and obviously with Pierce re-signed the mandate is no longer to strictly develop the youth (not that it ever was, or Coc ever did it). If they're below .500 at the all-star break I bet his dumb ass is gone. That should alone be worth 6 or 7 wins.
What Boston needs (needed) to do was blow up the team, beginning with Pierce, and start from scratch through the lottery. I agree with Dr. Chestnutt when he says that none of the Celtics' current young players project to be NBA superstars. Also Boston has a peculiar nack for making salary cap-unfriendly moves, such as trading for LaFrentz, signing Dickau and Scalasucky, and extending Pierce for $20mil per. These moves always leave free agents who command anything above the MLE out of reach, so building through free agency is out of the question for this team.
With the current setup, barring a Pierce ACL tear and a missed season, the Celtics are a perrenial late lottery/low playoff seed, and with Pierce and his career 47% win percentage signed through 2011, this is unlikely to change. Since this team has little to no chance of accomplishing its stated goal of hanging #17 up in the rafters, I say trade for Iverson. He is the most dynamic and entertaining player avaliable. If the Celtics aren't going to seriously contend for championships, the fans might as well get to watch AI. When the Pierce era mercifully comes to an end, whenever that may be, hopefully management at that time makes a serious effort to build a championship caliber team.
Additionally, I hate to say it, but I feal a Keith Van Horn signing coming on. Think about it, he wears his socks up like Al Jefferson, he is terrible, and white. I expect Ainge to offer him a multi-year deal at any moment
ah yes, EJ, you are singing our song.
I agree with you on the Iverson thing, while I do not want to see him in green (primarily because I can't stand stagnant offenses), it really is the only immediate move that makes any sense. It'll be horrific, it'll be unbelievably regressive, but it should get them over .500 and into the playoffs and that's all these owners care about. Personally, I can't decide what would be more frustrating - another season like last or watching a Pierce/AI trainwreck. Add Toine to the mix and we could have the most unwatchable team in the history of the sport. I guess what I'm hoping for is that no matter what we do, we keep the good guys (DW, KP, RG, GG) and let them play at least a little. Unfortunately, I think your prediction about Van Horn is not out of the realm of possibility, and after all is said and done we could very well have a lineup next year of Pierce, Toine, Keith Van Horn, AI and Brian Scalaburine. Wow.
Doctor and Willie, thank you for the kind words. One of you will be my All-Time MVP if you come to my house and run off with the old bag. Remember this saying: When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. As to the Celtics, the other blog says the problem to date with Sassy and Rondo has been the coaching. Huh? Wait til they get a load of Coc. Hahahahaha, what a nightmare.
Nate McMillan's won 50 games in one season and Tubby Smith a national championship but Coc will somehow set these guys straight.
At this very moment, game 7 from the 1984 championship game is on ESPN Classic. How far away and long ago that seems.
That's exactly the problem Telfair has faced. He came into the league a tremendous point player with no shot, at 18 years old. Put your hand up if you were ready to run an NBA game at 18? What? No one? He got shitty coaching in Portland, and will probably get it here too. Too bad because the kid has REAL skill and talent. He could easily be one of the top 5 pgs in the league in 3 years. Not without coaching though... Keep in mind the kid is barely old enough to drink (if even that old - I've seen 20 and 21). Nash didn't start kicking ass until his mid/late 20s. Give him a break and some time. Or trade him watch Chauncey #2 happen... At this point, whatever....
I find most perplexing the moves of the Celtics in trying to secure another championship. I will admit to a profound lack of expertise regarding the sport of basketball, but I am having a hard time understanding the recent draft strategy of General Mangager Ainge, and the signing of Mr. Pittsnoggle, appartently to replace a player, Mr. LaFrentz, that the Celtics were willing to depart with the 7th draft pick and, most likely, Brandon Roy, who be all accounts would have complemented Mr. Pierce exquisitely. I must admit I find the whole thing a tad bit amusing, and hope that things do work out for all of you that really do care.
thanks Anal, we care less and less every day.
News about Wally's "bone on bone" situation has me hoping for a season long renewal of our Brokeback Celtics comedy strategems. Also, kudos to whoever was posting as Rick Pitino's Ghost over at Celticsblog (I have to assume it was one of us). It's getting ridiculous how people who have anything more informed to say other than "the Celtics are great" face the ridicule and disparagement of dipshits who don't know their ass(holestnx) from their elbow. Murphy makes a point about the young players having no trade value and suddenly he's incompetent, a bad journo, and his sources are made up. It's fucking incredible.
Celticsblog is like the soviet union circa 1935.
http://www.archives.gov/
exhibits...eone_talked.jpg
...truthfully about the Celtics!
Yeah, celticsblog is hilarious, but at least they, unlike celtics.com, have focused more on the players than on the dance team during this offseason.
good point, anon. At Celtics.com there's 6 galleries of cheerleader photos, and many more promised to those who sign up for the oh-so-appropriately titled "Celtics Beat" web membership. Dance Team indeed. Is Wyc shoving tits and ass in the face of the season ticket holders as an apology for the fact that 1) we are an embarassment and 2)we don't play against LeBron 41 games a year? Or is this all part of making Paul Pierce feel like he plays for a real NBA team? Idiotic.
As for the Celtlics getting cheerleaders, t'it's amazing, isn't it? The bone on bone analogy conjures up the same mental images as a cockfight. Based on the prospects for our team this year, there better be some mighty big racks on display during time outs and halftime.
hahaha, Go Celtits! Go Cocfights! Perhaps Scalabrine and Mr.BoneOnBone can watch 24 with our newest addtitions.
No doubt. Pittsnogle better be getting implants and estrogen if he's going to take Raef's place on the Dance Team.
Wally... Yeah, I called him a bitch first. Now he's got knee problems. Everybody is starting to call him names now... Just remember I was first!
Danny quote from MetroWest article "Not a Summer of Discontent."
"I really like what I am seeing," he continued, "with how the players we have played out in Las Vegas. So maybe, based on that, I am less disappointed than I would have been on draft night (for not making another trade).
"I am still trying to make some things happen. I am going to continue spending time, all the way through October, looking to see if there is something available to make us better. If there is, then I would still consider bringing in a veteran for a couple of young guys. But I don’t feel like I have to do anything right now."
Is this guy the Celtic's Condoliar Rice or what? How can he spin this summer as something positive? The only Ainge-era Celtic for whom any of us had any hope (that being near former Celtic Al Jefferson) couldn't even play in Vegas due to phantom ankle injuries. Stay the course, Danny.
hahahaha, maybe Ainge can play the piano at the next David Stern GM Summit. Too bad we can't vote Wyc out on his ass.
RDF - we condemned the Wally trade as well. Made the point that Pierce and Wally combined to make the slowest most defensively indifferent 2/3 combo in the league. But you have proprietary rights to all Wally hating. May Ricky make the all-star team this year!
You read it here first - Paul Pierce is Allan Houston par deux. His contract will be a cruel punchline in two years.
houston needed his legs for lift on his jump shot, once his knees went he was worthless, never really got to the basket on par with a guy like pierce, houston is more like wally. I can't see Pierce having a dropoff like that.
At the risk of incurring the wrath of Celtics Doom, I must say that you guys are too tough on Pierce. The Celts made to the East finals with just him and Antoine. Imagine if he had Antoine, Shaq, Alonzo, Payton, Haslem, Posy, etc. Pierce is a great player. True, he has decided not to play defense, in accordance with team policy, but he somehow manages to come up with extremely important stops and rebounds when they are crucial. You say what you will, but I'm not focused on Pierce. The problem is all the other guys: they suck shit. And the bigger problem is Danny and Wyc and Chris Wallace. Those guys are fucking idiots.
hey, I'm a fan of Pierce. He's way overrated by Celtsblog though.
I'm just cranky about everything, but as I've admitted in the past, my beef with Pierce is more the idea that the owners try to pass him off as a superstar franchise building block, whereas to me he's just a good solid scoring guard who is at best the #2 guy in any winning system. But point well made, and thanks to Willie for pointing out that Celticsblog fanboys fuel much of our disdain here. My Houston comparison wasn't meant as purely literal, it's just my pessimistic sortilege that forsees a torn ACL and years of us lamenting a broken down Pierce getting 20 million a year. But again, I'm just being pissy.
In other news, the Hagrid/CB fetishising of "rules" has reached critical mass today. Dire warnings of comment deletion, staying on topic, marching in formation and bringing the masses to their knees... well, you get the idea. Fine comedy. Jeff needs to get back from vacation.
I like that Hackrid is a fan of the grateful dead. He really seems to embody that freethinking spirit that the Grateful dead trumpeted for all those years. Jeff's a calming influence. At least we're not being iflincted the wrath of Hackrid's horrible post game writeups anymore.
stop apologizing for being pissy, it's what we like about you. HA!!
Hagrid's a deadhead?!! When the acid kicks in and normal social anxiety takes on galactic proportions, I'm thinking he wasn't exactly a pleasure to have around. That's really fucking weird. I figured a guy who named himself after a Harry Potter character would be into Coldplay and Sting's later solo albums.
he has a steel your face in his signature on the message board.
big surprise hey? maybe that means he jams to sugar magnolia while reading harry potter books.
Getting back to the original topic here, The Young and the Worthless, did anyone else question the logic of drafting two big men out of high school, essentially pinning any and all hope for future success on their shoulders (by keeping Pierce around, inhibiting the ability to build through the lottery, and offering a number of players ridiculous contracts, inhibiting the ability to build through free agency), and THEN trading for Michael Olowokandi?
Young bigs struggling to stay on an NBA floor for 10 minutes per game shouldn't be exposed to Michael Olowokandi, period, under any circumstance.
I know he was basically a 1/2 season rental to dump Blount's contract, but my stomach sank at the thought of Al and Perkins learning a single thing from this guy, who is essentially the poster child for young and raw players who never reached their full potential.
A friend of mine, a lifelong Clippers fan from LA e-mailed when rumors were circulating and said "The Celtics don't want Kandi, the franchise will never recover."
Did anyone consider that we've got a young powerforward with some post moves and questionable work ethic? A young center who seems to have the necessary dedication, but who is still by all accounts young and impressionable?
I can say this, if this was my team and I had this roster and salary cap situation, I'd make a team rule that Jefferson and Perkins couldn't even glance at the Kandi Man.
It's quite possible that two seasons from now Al will be on the bench in crunch time, not even in the huddle, glaring out into the crowd. We'll be able to thank Danny boy and Olowotaser for letting him think this is acceptable.
EJ, good points, I was actually more worried about Mikey teaming up with Inmate #42 to hustle fat bags of kind bud in the locker room, thus spoiling Wyc's dreams of a "good character" planta... I mean, locker room. As for MO's influence on Al Jefferson, I think the damage was done by Antoine Walker, whose "advice" has resulted in Al losing all touch around the rim. It is my sincere hope that the gaudy watch he gave him as a gift for returning #8 was worth it. Perk is softheaded and impressionable, we made that point back when Evil Pierce was encouraging him to rip the heads off such gentle hearts as Desmond Mason in the pursuit of being named "celtics enforcer." What hurts Perk most, however, more than the misguided encouragement of Pierce or even Mikey O, is the constant head-fucker-y he experiences at the hands of Shits Rivers, who doesn't seem to understand that the guy who works hard and does all the non-glamourous rebounding/shot blocking/defending Shaq type work should be rewarded with minutes over slugs like Scalaburine and the late Raef LaFrentz. Poor Perk's brain could undergo a Flowers for Algernon type renewal and still not be able to figure that one out.
kandi man is actually a nice guy, smart, not very good at basketball, just wants to get paid, smoke some grass, and listen to charles mingus.
jefferson and perkins are big boys, they can handle themselves, if not then it's on them not some strawmen contract dump that sat on the end of the bench and played 2 minutes every other game. if they are that 'impressionable' then god help them.
Fuck Kandi. Perk and Al have enough access to television to see what a real 4/5 player looks like and plays like. If they haven't heard of Garnett and Shaq then they aren't paying attention. There's no secret to what the best play like. They've just got to get out there and do it.
I can't blame Kandi for just wanting to get paid and smoke grass. I mean, isn't that what we all want?
Kandi and Blount, that pair, don't they remind you
Of a modern day Laurel and Hardy?
What more can you say, they've got life figured out
Smoke pot, eat pussy, and party.
I'm just saying, the Celtics took two high school kids and made them professional athletes and have put a lot of responsibility of their shoulders. These two have never had careers before and might not know what it takes to succeed at the professional level. This is why teams want "character" guys and "veterans". To surround these inexperienced players with players who are content to just earn a salary like Blount and Kandi is asinine. Yea, they can see Garnett and others who truly strive to be great players on TV. However, They practice, go to meetings, play games, and get to watch first hand how players on their own team approach the game. For example, how fast was Ricky Davis gone was LeBron was drafted? How many years was Rick Robey allowed to hang around when Boston got Bird? And those two are light years ahead of Perkins and Jefferson.
Arguably one of the main reasons for the Patriots’ continued success has been the strong veteran presence, work ethic, and willingness to lead by example of McGinist, Brushi, Harrison, Brady, and Vinatieri. You won’t see a lot of malcontents in a Patriots locker room. The Celtics, meanwhile, show little discretion and their win-loss record and player development track record reflect this. New players know what’s expected of them.
If the Celtics are expecting these two to lead them to #17, it would've been in their best interest for them not to even smell guys like Michael Olowokandi. Or be coached by Doc Rivers, or have Scalabrine locked up long term for their team, or have a "star" on the team making $20mil per year, but those are all seperate discussions. Kandi is just player out of many that I don't ever want on my team under any circumstances.
BROKEBACK BASSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
``When Stephon made it, and him being so close -- we literally slept together -- that really opened Coney Island eyes," said Telfair. Boston Globe 8/13/06
Gassy throws down the gauntlet for early "quote of the year" honors. Well done sir!
Hey Dr.Chestnutt, I'm starting to get a little bored reading Celticsblog everyday, and I'm starting to think the Celts will slide into the playoffs on the backs of Brokeback Bassy, Rajon Rondo, the Dance Team, and Doc's excellent coaching, not to mention the fact that much better teams are probably sliding back out of the playoffs and it's raining men. What's on your mind?
that weird blogger thing is happening where you need to go to http://celticsdoom.blogspot.com to see the new article (as in, don't put "www.")
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