The Bosh and MoPete Show <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">" It was the Morris Peterson, (MoPete) show from outside and Chris Bosh show inside. The C's essentially had no answer to either. Both had career highs in scoring: MoPete had 37 and Bosh had 25. Bosh dominated LaFrentz, Blount and Jefferson inside, even when we were playing a 2-3 zone and MoPete.....well he hit damn near everything he threw up towards the rim. It was that kind of night for him."</div> Playing the 2-3 zone killed us tonight, IMO. PP had a good game, which will hopefully shut people up, unless the interview that FSNE had with Dana Barros reveals something more than we know about with PP's feelings (FSNE commercial made it sound like he had some intimate details: "Good friend of Paul Pierce's Dana Barros sits down with us. Is Paul Pierce really happy in Boston?" Frankly I doubt anything legitimate will come out, as even if PP is unhappy, Barros disclosing it would be one of the stupidest moves ever.
From the recap... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font size="1"><font color="maroon">(Man this guy sucks, I can't believe we haven't traded him yet. He's horrible.) </font></font></div>Hagrid- I don't think anybody ever questioned Pierce's ability to have a big game. He's obviously capable of putting up impressive numbers, but the questioning is mostly based on his leadership qualities (or lack of) and his poor demeanor and attitude. It's pretty easy for you to call out those of us who have leaned towards trading Pierce right after he has a great game, isn't it? So what if Pierce was the leading scorer and rebounder? The team lost. Can you honestly see Pierce being the centerpiece of a championship team? I can't see it. If he ever wants to win a title, he'll need to change his "superstar" attitude. In his mind, the team revolves around him, and that shouldn't be the case. I've been a Pierce backer for his entire career, but my mind has changed. For the right deal, I'd be willing to part with him. I'd even compare him with Stackhouse when he was in Detroit. He was a great player, but not the best fit for the team and the style of play. We need to make that deal. We need to find our Rip Hamilton. That guy who can put up the numbers, but has a team-first mentality.
^Maybe the C's should do what the Raps did..... which is to get rid of their superstar player with questionable leadership qualities and a poor attitude. Hopefully you guys could get a better deal then the Raps got.... but even if you don't, you could still be reeking the benefits sort of like how the Raps have been ever since trading VC. They've been playing much better team ball since his departure and hence, have been winning more games. However, the Raps have a player like Bosh to step up in place of VC... I don't know who'd take over the C's upon PP's departure. You do have a bunch of young talents, such as Al Jefferson, but I'd give them a season or two before putting too much pressure on them.
Well, first, I wasn't calling out people like you, but if you took offense to it, maybe there's something to be said for that reaction? I point out every good game, that any player has, particularly Pierce. I like to at least try to present an even protrayal with both PROS and CONS and not be one of those people who only sees the negative with a player they don't like. My comments have and will continue to be directed at those who find nothing but fault in everything Pierce does and blame every loss on him, no matter how ludicrous a position that can be sometimes. I case you haven't read the blog, there are people already hanging this loss on Pierce. (See "pouting" comments, Saul's in particular). Second, since your memory doesn't seem too clear on the issue, I've never, <font size="5">EVER</font> said or even alluded to a point that PP isn't tradeable. I've always stuck by DA's positon that for the right price anyone is available. I like Pierce, but no one is above the team. However, when Pierce doesn't have a good game or we lose, the blog is flooded with ridiculous trade ideas like PP for Chandler straight up, which make me want to vomit with thier blatent absurdity. I'm tired of the BS that follows everything that PP does. It's not like he's VC or TMac (who gave up on thier teams) or some nut job like Ron Artest. Pierce doesn't get the same affordments that other Celtics get. He's not allowed a learning curve. He's not allowed to make mistakes, have the same moments of selfishness that plague most NBA players, disagree with his coach, and GOD FORBID he has a bad game, because then he's made out to be a pariah to the team. We're not even half way through the season and People are clamoring to trade the unquestionable best player on our team, mostly because he's shown signs of being friggin human. You don't become a leader overnight and you don't unlearn years of bad habits in that same time period either, yet that's what many expect. I find that position to be assinine and am going to say so, regardless of who likes it.
Back to the game for a sec: 1. When you play solid defense for 22 seconds and MoPete hits a three from just inside half court without even grazing rim, you know its going to be an uphill battle. As Hagrid said, just Toronto's night. I don't think anyone played particularly bad - that's the thing about basketball, sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team. 2. Who knew Toronto had such smoking hot cheerleaders? I did not see that one coming... Now, on to this Pierce stuff: <div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">Pierce doesn't get the same affordments that other Celtics get. He's not allowed a learning curve. He's not allowed to make mistakes, have the same moments of selfishness that plague most NBA players, disagree with his coach, and GOD FORBID he has a bad game, because then he's made out to be a pariah to the team.</div> Hagrid, it's his 7th year. Frankly, he should have learned some of this stuff by now. I completely agree with you that becoming a leader is a difficult task that requires time, but that's off-court stuff and after this long he should not be making on-court mistakes like not running. That's day one of JV stuff. I think people have been more than patient with him. You say he's not allowed a learning curve, but I disagree. I think he's been given a generous curve. Last year was the first time anyone brought up flaws in his game. And not being allowed to have a moment of selfishness has nothing to do with it being Paul Pierce and everything to do with him playing for the Boston Celtics. Doesn't matter the player, that act won't fly here. I think that the problem is that for years no one questioned anything Pierce did and now that he's getting critisised, he's not taking it well. He was given more rope than any other player since the Bird era and now that rope is being pulled back (sorry, PP, but accountablilty is what comes with being a leader) and he doesn't like it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Hagrid, it's his 7th year. Frankly, he should have learned some of this stuff by now.</div> I understand your points set forth after this one and agree to some extent. However, when you think about this particular quote, when was he supposed to learn them and who along the way taught him? If you consider that Pitino ran an almost college mentality when he was coaching (full court pressing,etc) Paul came into the league seeing nothing different than what he saw in college, to a large extent. Then we got OB, who showed Paul the wonderful world to the "Real NBA", which can let an individual be bigger than the team at times. An era in which he continued to deal with a college style defense, of sorts, and no offensive responsibility what-so-ever and someone else ('Toine) to take the heat for the whole team. All he had to do to be a co-captain was play hard. 'Toine dealt with everything else. Think about that 7 year background for a minute........ not exactly a resume for leadership and media savvyness. I don't really think that affording the guy a little time to get that stuff out of his system, get used to dealing with the media and a new coach in ways he's never had to really encounter in the past. None of this excuses some of what is ineveitably Pierce's responsiblities to this team right now. He's absolutely culpable in my eyes. However, I'm willing to give him the benefit for a while, because he's brought such a lopsided positive vs negatives to this franchise. Just my opinion.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">I understand your points set forth after this one and agree to some extent. However, when you think about this particular quote, when was he supposed to learn them and who along the way taught him?</div> Well, some of these things he should have picked up just from the natural maturation process (I don't make the same mistakes I did at 20 now that I'm 24 and I hope that I don't make the same mistakes I do now when I'm 27). The rest of the time, it's not like OB, Toine and Pitino were the only voices he had to listen to. This is the Boston Celtics, boasting Red Auerbach, Bill Russell and countless other Hall of Famers. Tommy Heinsohn travels with the team. Satch Sanders is very involved with the rookie orientation program. He could have called on any of these guys for advice. Few teams can call in the legends like this one. If you want to learn to be a true professional, this is a better organization than most to come to.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">My comments have and will continue to be directed at those who find nothing but fault in everything Pierce does and blame every loss on him, no matter how ludicrous a position that can be sometimes. I case you haven't read the blog, there are people already hanging this loss on Pierce. (See "pouting" comments, Saul's in particular).</div>Oh ok, I don't know why I thought I was one of the few that you were directing that at. I'm always reading too far into some of the things that you say. It's probably because I have so much respect for you, and I must be subconsciously seeking your approval.
