WEEKEND WRAP-UP
THE MELTDOWN:
They
had no chance in round two against Detroit anyway, but still...
This
was the chance to create some good will in the city of Boston with the Boston
Celtics. A city desperate to expand their playoff hero roster, with a lull in
the action between the Patriots Super Bowl victory and the Red Sox drive through
the 162 game schedule, the Celtics had a chance to grab the headlines, sell playoff
tickets, create a demand for their radio rights, and make themselves relevant
again in a city in love with baseball and football.
But, like Antoine
Walker in the low post, they were rejected. Repeatedly.
I think that
I ranted and raved enough during the playoff series about the horror of this team
returning again next season. I know that the officiating was a factor in the playoffs.
Reggie Miller makes a better storyline to sell to the national audience and who
in their non-biased mind does not want to see a Detroit-Indiana rematch? Heck,
I will watch just to see if someone gets strangled or maimed or something. Anyone
who does not believe that the NBA will massage a series to see the outcome that
is best for television is naive at best. From Patrick Ewing landing in New York
with the first lottery, to Seattle getting jobbed to get a Barkley-Jordan final,
to the Lakers being allowed to pass go and collect $200 against Sac-town, the
David Stern led NBA will do whatever they can to dictate what is best for television
dollars.
What the Celtics need to concern themselves with is, one,
where was the team offense; and, two, how long can management allow the gruesome
twosome infect the rest of the squad? Here are some more thoughts on the green:
ANTOINE:
I
wanted no part of Antoine at first, was gradually was lulled into believing if
he played right he could be a good fit, by the playoffs I believed that just maybe
he had changed his spots, but by game three was convinced that my first instinct
was correct and that the Antoine era desperately needs to end again. It was classic
Antoine this playoff series, and that is by no means a compliment. The porous
defense, the wild threes, the excessive fiddling and diddling, the numerous turnovers,
and the one-on-one offense were just too much to endure again. The sooner he is
gone, the better.
And to be honest, the real reason for his return
had nothing to do with what Danny Ainge wants for the team. It finally clicked
during the playoffs when I read in an unrelated article about the Boston media
that the Celtics radio contract up for renewal. Cha-ching. The ownership group
needed to drive up interest in the team to get a good radio deal, maybe get WEEI
in on the bidding or something, because I am sure that they were in line to get
nothing if the team continued to operate well below the radar.
So where
will Antoine go? Who will pay him? Where would he fit? I say ship him off to the
Lakers for a bucket of balls and let him play second banana to Kobe. Kobe needs
a foil (the waggle of Kobe and the wiggle of Antoine, together for the first time),
he can feel like a veteran mentor, he is used to being second banana to Pierce,
and the Lakers are stupid enough to do it. Get started on the sign-and-trade,
Danny.
GARY PAYTON
All about the Benjamins, baby. I can just see
Payton screaming into his phone: SHOW ME THE MONEY! If Gary Payton cared about
winning a championship ring, he would currently be the back-up point guard for
the top-ranked Phoenix Suns. Payton, however, took the cash in Boston and played
out the string. The Celtics have to decide if they are ready to let Delonte West
and Marcus Banks handle the job at the point, draft yet another point guard, or
try to find a veteran again to handle the load Heck, I am not even sure there
will be a serviceable point guard available at eighteen in the draft, and I know
the Celtics do not have the free agent cash available to sign a free agent of
any acclaim. I say let the kids play.
PAUL PIERCE:
Can Paul Pierce
ever adapt to the Doc Rivers system? I doubt it. He was ruined by the Obie laissez-faire
offense that let him and Antoine bomb away wildly from wherever they desired.
Though Pierce is a rare pure scorer, he seems to need a fresh start for his own
sake. I put nothing past a General Manager who did not originally acquire a player
when determining his fate. Of course, a big question is what can the Celtics receive
in return on a trade of Pierce? Who out there would fit the Celtics running style
better?
Will it make a difference without a running point guard? I do not
know these answers, and since I rarely catch NBA fever outside of the green, I
doubt I could identify who that player is who fits the Celtics. The important
thing, however, is that Danny Ainge is able to do this.
* * *
MISCELLANEOUS
THOUGHTS:
BRADY BUCKS:
What is up with Michael Felger and
his artificially created controversy in the Boston Herald on Monday regarding
Brady and the contract issue? I have been sounding the alarm for months that Richard
Seymour will not be in New England much longer due to his contact demands. A huge
sign to watch is if Jarvis Green gets resigned to a long-term deal. But for Felger
to bring in Dan Koppen, Eugene Wilson, and Asante Samuel as players questioning
why they do not have their deals renegotiated with two years remaining like Brady
is idiotic. I doubt any player on the team would question that Tom Brady is the
one player that the Patriots cannot operate long without. The won in the playoffs
without Seymour, they won before Koppen and without Wilson and with Samuel on
the bench. The all know that the engine does not run without Brady at the controls.
And
give credit to Brady for following the Tedy Bruschi lead and not griming for every
penny. What good is a huge contact if the team cannot sign players to complement
the big contract player? Peyton Manning got his money and the team released six
defensive players. Then, the team does not make the playoffs with the inferior
defense on the field in the playoffs. My best guess is that this year is it for
Peyton. The Colts have signed every offensive weapon to long-term deals save Edgerrin
James, who they amazingly kept around for a year as the franchised player. Despite
the major increase in cap spending coming soon (new TV deals), the Colts need
to start building a defense that can keep an opposing offense off the field. Tony
Dungy is a coach whose reputation was built on defense. He knows he needs a young
Warren Sapp at defensive tackle, a young Derrick Brooks at linebacker, and a shutdown
cornerback to remake the Colts defense into a playoff worthy unit. Those days
are coming soon.
* * *
PRESEASON DRAW:
Preseason
tickets for the Patriots games will actually have value this season. It may be
the last chance to see Doug Flutie in action. Heck, I plan on getting tickets
just to see Flutie running the offense one more time.
* * *
BAD
CHADS:
Chad Scott at cornerback. Chad Brown at linebacker. What ever
happened to the depth problems in the secondary without Ty Law and at linebacker
without Tedy Bruschi? It look like the secondary and linebacking corps are back
to full strength.
* * *
GOOD-BYE AND THANKS FOR ALL THE
FISH:
Another big body exits Route One: Keith Tractor Traylor. I would
guess that this is more of an indication that Ethan Kelly is ready to assume the
back-up spot at defensive tackle than strictly a cost-cutting measure, as Traylor
had a fairly low cap number this year. With a first-round pick invested in the
other nose tackle on the roster, Vince Wilfork, and his obvious talents at collapsing
the pocket and growth at occupying blockers at the point of attack, it was clear
that Wilfork would be taking on a load of the duties in the middle of the line.
Also, the Patriots still have Jarvis Green, Ty Warren, and Richard Seymour who
have in the past and still can fill in at the nose in a pinch.
* *
*
WATCHING TY:
My latest landing place for Ty Law appears to be
Miami. Yes, it makes no sense when you consider they just traded Patrick Surtain
to Kansas City, but with their second round pick, Will Poole, (of Boston College),
who they were expecting to step in and challenge for a starting position, out
for the year with a torn ACL, the Dolphins must be looking for a replacement cornerback.
Unless Bill Belichick scares off his old pal Nick Saban, Law is the best option
out there. T-Buck, Terrell Buckley, is also a possibility if the Dolphins go for
a cheap veteran replacement.
* * *
STARTING TO DO THE JOB:
The
Red Sox starting rotation showed its strength and depth this past week with Jeremi
Gonzalez and John Halama riding to the rescue. Factor in the impressive debut
by Wade Miller, and all of a sudden, the much maligned (at least in the off-season
and pre-season) rotation looks like it will be tough to remove the starters from
when they get to full strength. Of course, as these things tend to do, it likely
will be sorted out in due course. But it is encouraging that Halama and Gonzalez
have been better than advertised and that Wade Miller looked healthy and strong
in his first appearance. Eight quality starting pitchers (well, nine when you
consider that Abe Alvarez is ready to go down in Pawtucket) is a good problem
to have.
* * *
FINGERED:
It was nice to see Edgar
Renteria finally shook off that bruised fingernail and made it back to the line-up.
I guess it is a good idea to make sure he is fully healthy and does not get hurt
further by altering his throwing style and getting his shoulder out of whack or
something, but, geez, a bruised finger? They must have some way to make it sound
like a more legitimate injury.
* * I*
2006 STARTING CENTER
FIELDER:
Whatever happened to Adam Stern? Injury rehab should be starting
soon and they kind of have to keep him around all year or send him back to Atlanta
as a rule five player. On paper, he would be perfect to replace Damon.
COMPLAIN
ABOUT BLAIN:
I guess it is no longer such a tough decision to try to sneak
Blaine Neal through waivers to send him down to Pawtucket. He has been brutal!
Of course, No-Y Cla Meredith is ably filling the role of middle reliever who can
put a couple of runs on the board in a hurry.
What will be interesting
to see is the development of the future bullpen as Mike Timlin and Alan Embree
will not last forever. Meredith and Neal have not impressed much in their short
runs in the pen, but Gonzalez and Halama could be long-term solutions there.
