Gary doesn't want to be thorn in Doc's side, but as the elder statesman, he feels he needs to speak his peace on the problems with the C's, including what he feels is Paul Pierces need to come around to changes in the teams philosophy faster. GP Speaks Out ``He needs to make some changes, but it's been like four years that he's been taking those type of shots and stuff like that,'' Payton said. ``Now he has to understand that that's got to go. He's getting a little deeper into his career - he's more than seven years deep - and those shots are not going to make it for you. You can be the man here scoring 20 or 30 points, but you're not going to win basketball games, you know what I'm saying? He's going to learn. I think he's going to have to learn the hard way. It's going to take somebody like myself to keep talking to him, but he'll get the picture. I know he doesn't feel good after these games. I know he doesn't. So he's going to look at it and he's going to figure out what's going on.'' Asked how much easier Pierce's life would be if he'd tune in to the running game, Payton shook his head and rolled his eyes. ``A lot easier,'' he said. ``A lot easier because then he'll get more (wide-open) shots off penetration. If they keep seeing me penetrate, they're going to start sucking in. His man is going to start leaving. He's got to understand that. He's been so used to him on the ball, making tough shots and doing his thing. He don't understand it can put a lot more years on his basketball career if he gets these wide-open looks and doesn't tear his body up.''
Yeah, that's one of the biggest problems with the team right now. Paul shouldn't have to create his own shot all the time. He's so used to doing it that he seems like when he's open - he waits for a defender to start guarding him. He can take any defender one-on-one, the problem is he never sees one man coverage anymore. The opposing D usually has 2 or 3 guys keying in on him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">Asked how much easier Pierce's life would be if he'd tune in to the running game, Payton shook his head and rolled his eyes. </div> See, I hate when people write like that. It makes it look at if Payton is annoyed with Pierce (which he may be, a little) though really he is just giving him veteran advice.
Seems as though GP isn't the only one who found a reporter to vent to... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">So, after the disappointments of the last two games, and with a long learning curve ahead, would Pierce's frustration level ever reach 11? "It can't get to 11," said Pierce. "If it gets to 11, then I'll be sitting with Ron Artest."</div> I know that everyone with the C's is getting tired of losing, but the fact that there were a couple articles about this it just tells me it was a slow news day and there was nothing else to talk about.
I'm not a fan of the Herald or Bulpett. The PP comments were the Globe's answer to 2 days with no games to report. There's definetely underlying problems with the team, which extend beyond, Doc, GP and PP. However, the big guys usually end up facing the bulk of the media attention and blame. However, as is usually the case with Boston media, the issues are usually over-analyzed, often with supposition inserted for fact.
i really hope pierce listens i'm sure gp knows what hes talking about because that how i win games on espn. by always pushing the ball. the defenders wont know how to react. come on pierce gp has to know what he's talking about look how long hes been in the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">However, as is usually the case with Boston media, the issues are usually over-analyzed, often with supposition inserted for fact.</div> Well, c'mon - the bruins aren't playing, the Patriots just keep winning without much effort so there's no controversy there, and you can only offer the "Where is Pedro going to end up?" story so much. That leaves dissecting every last detail of the C's and driving them into the ground. You know, having work in the Boston sports media on and off for the last 5 years, I can sympathsize with where they are coming from - sometimes filling airtime or pages can be rough. But there are actual issues that could have been looked at today (Blount's resurgance the last week, Banks up and down play, Perkins getting no love even under a new coach, the fact that the C's may be going after Eddie House or perhaps the way danny ainge has been suspicously quiet) and it just seems like they took the easy way out.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">But there are actual issues that could have been looked at today (Blount's resurgance the last week, Banks up and down play, Perkins getting no love even under a new coach, the fact that the C's may be going after Eddie House or perhaps the way danny ainge has been suspicously quiet) and it just seems like they took the easy way out.</div> I hope you won't find this comment insulting, but I'd amend that to say: "they took the most sensational way out". Then again, Jeff took the same route so I guess the blog is just as guilty. Since I'm staff there, I guess I share the blame as well. Will the Real Paul Pierce Please Stand Up?
I personally feel that it's kinda fun to over analyize as long as we don't take it seriously. It makes way for good conversation, which is what these boards are all about. I mean, it's not like anything we say here is actually going to affect the team's play/rotation/roster. It's all about discussing every aspect of the team. Having said that, I do agree with Hagrid that the media took the most sensational rout. But again, that's not just with the Celtics media, or sports media. That's what the media does no matter who it is or what they are covering. Right? BTW Hags, wasn't it great to see Mia go out the way she did? Sort of like when David Robinson retired. Great to see athletes go out like that. I hope the Celtics can someday have the chemistry and comradity that their team had.
<font color="DarkRed">OT: </font> I've been a fan of Mia Hamm for a long time. Far too many men dismiss her as a major sports talent simply because of her gender. I am not one for doing that. She holds the international record for most goals scored: by either gender. That should say something when to take into account the legends of guys like Pele, Maradona, and many more male soccer stars. She's a big reason why womens soccer has seen it's renaissance years. She's a big reason why little girls dream of being soccer players. I feel blessed that I lived during the time that she played and could watch her.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">I hope you won't find this comment insulting, but I'd amend that to say: "they took the most sensational way out". </div> But if you read todays Globe, there was a feature in it about Red meeting with the 4 Celtics rookies by Jackie MacMullan. Thats the kind of stuff that I like.
