Time for a Poll: Does Rondo Stay or Go?

Feel free to express your reasoning if you wish to do so.

Sam

I Voted he stays 'cause I love his guts. He'll run through a brick wall for you. Rondo should be the cornerstone for the future. He has a few flaws, but his upside outweighs his flaws.

MD!

MD,

I'm not at all disagreeing, but I wonder if, in recent games, he has been as ready to run through that wall in a literal sense. I've had the feeling that he may be realizing that he could be shortening his career by so frequently doing a kamikaze imitation out there. If he is cutting back somewhat on his daredevil penetration, it would make sense to me. However, it could also unfortunately be limiting one of his most valuable contributions.

Sam

MD Sam

Just for the record today I voted Rondo stays.

Just for the record tomorrow I might feel different.

Guess that is sort of the way he's been playing lately too.

Plus a mind is a hard thing to make up. Especially mine.

He is so much fun to watch when he is in control. I know he's a warrior and has played through pain that we can only imagine. But there is such a fine line that he crosses over and goes into Bolivia as Mike Tyson said once.

I think I am in Bolivia now.

I gotta get out of here.

beat

Living in a state of bolivian

mrkleen09 wrote:Living in a state of bolivian

I knew it was something like that

beat

I also posted these clips from today in the thread on D. Ainge looking to make a deal...

Since the Rondo rumor has been a popular topic and we've all weighed in I thought I would clip and paste the following...

“I anticipate him being here for a long time,” the Celtics [team stats] president said when asked about Rondo’s immediate future. Boston Herald

Doc Rivers: "My relationship with Rajon is as strong as it has ever been. Our communication has never been better. I want him here." Twitter

...this seemed an appropriate place to repeat them.

I am growing weary with the up and down, moody attitude of a guy paid millions of dollars to play a game.

I have a rondo shirt....I am a big fan and if he stays here for 10 more years, I will be happy. But under the current conditions and with his current attitude....I vote that its time for him to move on.

I am open to changing my mind, so stay tuned.

I voted "stays". I'm committed to that position unless and until a deal comes along that makes us better as a team for the next 5 years. Then I say "go" and I'll stick with that decision unless and until the deal falls through or it doesn't turn out to be as sweet as originally thought. Then I'll want him to "stay".

How's that?

Will anybody on this board of green-blooded fanatics really vote "who cares". I can see two and only two votes like that, TJ and Outside, for obvious reasons.

bob

.

Rondo has been a great player for us.

I voted Go but I think I'll change that to "Let Danny decide". In any event, I'll Just sit back and watch Danny do what he thinks is best for the team. After all, who else is better prepared to make these command decissions? He has already built one championship Celtic team from scratch. Perhaps he can do it again. Goodluck Danny.
swish

Hi,
I said "stay" but with reservations.
If the rumors of his rift with Doc are true it could mean that there could be some separation from the core. If it's true than DA will, probably, trade him. But DA, I hope, will do it only for an equal or better value. At this point I don't see such trade as a reality. IMHO, there are just few prospects: DR, DWill, CP and (don't laugh) KIrving and, maybe JWall. All of them are unavailable right now, so I think DA will wait for the end of the season to have a clearer picture of the draft and FA's to make a move.

AK

BobH,

I included the "Who cares?" option in case there are board members who are so sick of the Rondo conjecture that they're past caring. You're probably right about real Celtics fans having opinions one way or the other, but I wanted to leave others an "out."

Sam

Stay of course...the Celtics are having a lot of problems winning but RR is not one of them..while the Celtics probably go out early in the playoffs, we have some good young pieces in place to rebuild and we have draft picks and cap space.

Pg is the most important part of a teams offense and I think Rondo would be even better once the celtics no longer have to wait for PP to get up the court.

Dboss

Beat:

If you were living in the State of Buliva at least you'd have a reliable watch! (lol)

MD!

I voted "Rondo goes".

Rondo was my favorite Celtic, but he is wearing on me. In a way, he reminds me of what has been written about Wilt. Wilt would concentrate on a certain stat, say assists, and try to lead the league in that stat, regardless of its affect on the team's success. He was trying to it prove to himself and to everyone else as well.

Do you remember the game where Rondo continually went into the low post over and over again? I don't remember him ever doing that before or since. It seemed to me that he came out on the floor with that intention, regardless of how the game actually played out or what was best for the team.

It seems (to me) that Rondo strays from Ubunto and often has his own agenda. There are rumors of a rift between him and management, complete with denials.

As I said, he was my favorite in the recent bunch, so it pains me to say that a fresh start somewhere else may be best for all involved. It reminds me of how I felt at the end about Pedro, Manny and (*sob*) Nomar. Mostly Nomar. Those three were close to the end of their careers while Rondo is just entering his prime, but when it becomes more "I, me, me, mine" instead of team, I just get a little sick of it.

If he is traded away, my only hope is that the player we get in return has some height. There was a rumor of a trade for Pau Gasol. That possibility has some merit. Add Lamar to the mix after a buyout and trade Sasha's and we could be the East Coast Lakers!!! (LOL)

So now we have the State of Bolivia and the State of De'Nile!!

I voted to keep Rondo. However, if the Celtics were to acquire Howard I would favor trading him. This goes to the heart of Red's philosophy when asked would you draft Russell or Bird to build a team around. The answer by Red was Russell. He believes if you are to build a team you must start with the most important position and his belief was the center position. Nothing has changed from then until now.

112288

112288 wrote:I voted to keep Rondo. However, if the Celtics were to acquire Howard I would favor trading him. This goes to the heart of Red's philosophy when asked would you draft Russell or Bird to build a team around. The answer by Red was Russell. He believes if you are to build a team you must start with the most important position and his belief was the center position. Nothing has changed from then until now.

112288

Well According to Red.............

“And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start a team today, the greatest player and the one guy I would take would be Larry Bird.” – Red Auerbach

beat

Beat

I've been looking for that quote for some time now. I see that you found it. Thanks.
Swish

sam wrote:BobH,

I included the "Who cares?" option in case there are board members who are so sick of the Rondo conjecture that they're past caring. You're probably right about real Celtics fans having opinions one way or the other, but I wanted to leave others an "out."

Sam

sam,

Given your preference for staying away from the rumor mill, I'm surprised you didn't vote "who cares?"

bob

.

I have Red's book to prove what I said. I will look for the book and cite page number and verse. What is your source?

112288

swish wrote:Beat

I've been looking for that quote for some time now. I see that you found it. Thanks.
Swish

Swish

Soon as I read 112288's statement I remembered that Red said something about Bird being the one player he would have started a team with. It took me a little searching but finally located it. I believe he said it at Bird's retirement.

I have no doubt Red probably said the same thing about Russell too, perhaps said before Bird came along.

Looking back if those were the first 2 available players to start a team and you and I are picking teams. Picking second wouldn't be a bad thing by any means.

beat

112288 wrote:I have Red's book to prove what I said. I will look for the book and cite page number and verse. What is your source?

112288

Red said it at Bird's retirement celebration.

beat

Red Auerback/ Joe Fitzgerald - On & Off The Court

Chapter 3 Bird or Russell

Page #57

"See, when I build a ballclub - again, realizing Bird's an exception- my number one priority is my center. My second priority is guard, the one who is going to handling the ball most of the time, like Cousy or an Isiah Thomas. Those are the guy's you're going to win or lose with. Then comes your forwards."

Red goes on.

So let's say I have Russell as my center: since everyone else is taking centers, there are still some great forwards around when I get my second pick, though none are quite like Bird.

Now, let's say I've got t Bird as my forward and team him with an average center, say a Rich Kelly or a James Edwards.

Would I be better off with the first combination? Or second combination? That is what you have to ask yourself: How am I going to round out my team?

In other words, If I pair a Russell with a Havlicek, am I going to be better off than I would be with a Bird and some other center?

The answer is got to be yes.

So when they call my name I've got to say: Boston takes Bill Russell."

112288