RAY ALLEN GOES TO THE HEAT

Thank you for the years you gave us Ray.

With that said, Terry will be a good/better replacement for what the Celtics needs and what Allen can provide at this point.

FOLKS

It's all in the papers today........Ray stuck it to Ainge, Doc and the Celtic organization..............Remember Ray...what goes around....comes around......
When your shot ain't falling.........you will not have Doc keep playing you...
you'll be a bench warmer!

112288

112288 wrote:FOLKS

It's all in the papers today........Ray stuck it to Ainge, Doc and the Celtic organization..............Remember Ray...what goes around....comes around......
When your shot ain't falling.........you will not have Doc keep playing you...
you'll be a bench warmer!

112288

112288

Spo might just keep him out there a whole lot longer than Doc would! We can only hope.

beat

Historically, Celtics fans have not had to deal with the departure of a lot of "mainstays" to other teams, whatever the reason (Perk being a notable recent exception). There has been a lot of loyalty on both sides.

Whatever happens in Ray's life from now on cannot change the fact that he has been one of the best-ever Celtics in terms of ensuring that he was always as ready as humanly possible to perform. It cannot change the fact that his performance often vacillated between outstanding and mind-bending.

But this is a very unique circumstance, in which both the Celtics and Ray are going through a serious evolutionary process. Considering all the factors we have at least a hint about, it would be hard to argue that he made the wrong choice in leaving. It appears that the uncertainties of his ongoing Celtics role and the lingering unrest with Rondo (one of the few situations that even Doc's intercession seemingly couldn't mitigate) were more important than money to Ray. I, for one, cannot criticize him for that. He departed like a pro, with his dignity intact and hopefully with his Celtics legacy intact.

A silver lining from the Celtics' point of view is that they'll be able to work Terry into the mix without a lot of role confusion and possible stress. Another silver lining is that, although I realize they can't use Ray's bird rights to pay another player, his hold comes off the cap and they may have a little more flexibility to sign guys like Steamer.

There's no reason this shouldn't be a win win situation. And I believe it would be extremely unjust for any Celtics fan to feel that Ray doesn't deserve our undying gratitude for his service to the team AND for setting the wheels in motion for KG to decide on Boston five years ago.

Thanks Ray. You are a most deserving champion. All the best to you and your family.

Sam

Hey Beat,

Listen......I was thinking about this all last night...could not get to sleep, Everyone talks about Ray being a freak athlete at his age. But that does not necessarily equate out to successful execution on the basketball court for what Ray does.......shoot.

Yes Ray is in great shape....no fat.......all muscle.......he can run the court all day.

Now running is a one part of being successful in the NBA, you also need speed.

If you noticed this year, ya Ray ran and ran and ran....but he could not get open often enough to get good looks at the basket. Ray's shots this year were always contested to a point where he either missed, passed back to Rondo or dribbled back out to the back court.

So can Ray mask his deficiency of being a step slower and less lift in his legs(now with ankle surgery behind him) and make himself look like he is in good shape by his ever constant running and flow...ya......but can he do it to where he can get good elevation and shots off and make baskets?

That is the part of Ray's game that will soon become unmasked.

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Who's gonna set the picks for him??

Who's gonna get him the ball when he does manage to get open??

And who's gonna be lickin there chops seeing him guarding them??

beat

Hi,
Despite that I expected it to happen, when it did happen I was kind of upset. But after a few minutes I realized it's for the better.
I wish RA good luck with the new team (unless when they play Celtics). Thank him for the 5 years in green.
As to what moved him to take such step I'd like to refer to the following article.

AK

beat wrote:112288

Who's gonna set the picks for him??

Who's gonna get him the ball when he does manage to get open??

And who's gonna be lickin there chops seeing him guarding them??

beat

we were not that hard on Ray simply because hes Ray Allen, a beautiful man, his game had deficiencies, alot of teams put their point on him defensively so a more athletic wing could deal with Rondo, and in those match ups its not like he dominated smaller players....fact is team was much better defensively and athletically and effective with Avery Bradley adding his speed demon game into the starting line up, now we've got the Jet, can develop Moore more and hopefully a healthier Pietrus will get his stroke back, Jeff Green is another athlete with 3 point range.....we should be fine, we'll still have a great blend of talent, youth and veteran experience.

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
Despite that I expected it to happen, when it did happen I was kind of upset. But after a few minutes I realized it's for the better.
I wish RA good luck with the new team (unless when they play Celtics). Thank him for the 5 years in green.
As to what moved him to take such step I'd like to refer to the following article.

AK

I was going to post a section from a different article that touched on the subject, but the Wojnarowski article goes into much more detail. He either has a source very close to Ray (maybe his agent, if not Ray himself, because I don't think Ray has an entourage) or he's inferring an awful lot from the little that everyone knows. In listening to Jackie Mac and other, more traditional sportswriters with an actual journalism background, they seem to gather information like this and put it aside until the appropriate situation arises, so I doubt that Wojnarowski got all this info in an interview last night. Placed in the context that he presents, Ray's decision makes more sense.

I understand the reaction by some people here to tear Ray down now that he's gone to the Heat, but I tend to side with those that express appreciation for what he accomplished here. He was a tremendous player and consummate professional, and there'd be one less banner in the Boston rafters if he hadn't come.

Outside

Sam is right, Ray Allen's Celtics legacy should (in the long run) remain intact. He was a big part of the 2008 team - and if the Celtics continue to do well - will be part of the group that helped resurrect this franchise.

But Ray is delusional if he thinks this departure to a mortal rival will be brushed aside. His number will never hang in the rafters on Causeway St - and he will soon find out what its like to play for a mediocre coach, in front of phony fans who show up late and leave early. And unlike in Boston, when he would have been on the court down the stretch - in Miami, he will get to sit on the bench and watch D Wade and Lebron closing out games.

Good luck.

After reading all the articles on this, Ray Allen in my opinion is a spoiled brat!

Oh, Miami gave me so much "Kumbaya" I can't possibly pass this up!

Bull Crap!.........As much as people say Ray is a focused and smart tough guy mentally.......in the end he became a cream puff.........What, he could not get along with Rondo............Hey Ray...............Rondo made you look good when your speed started to deteriorate. He got you the ball faster then any point guard could to makeup for your slowness.

Ray what did show was your immaturity and your lack of loyalty to the Celtics......As much as people will say Ray was the key to winning in 2008, it is equally right to say the Celtics made Ray Allen. Ray is a shooter/scorer.....he was traded twice, without the Celtics, he would be remembered as just a shooter....not a World Champion!

Allen also has a borderline case of obsessive–compulsive disorder where things have to be done his way or the highway.

Ray has not been free from controversy:

During the 2004 preseason, Allen had a brief war of words with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, whom Allen accused of alienating teammates trying to prove that he did not need Shaquille O'Neal to win games and championships. Allen told the press that if the Lakers remained a mediocre squad, "in about a year or two he will be calling out to (Lakers owner) Jerry Buss that we need some help in here, or trade me." When asked about Allen's comments, Bryant responded, "Don't even put me and that dude in the same breath."


Flogging in the Boston Commons would not be enough punishment for what he did to Boston...........the only true means of punishment would be to kick Miami and his ass out of the playoffs!

112288

Ray won a ring here. That makes him a Celtic.

Now, he's a Heat. Drop dead, Ray. Nothing personal, I wish nothing but the best for your family but you're not in green anymore and it was your choice, so drop dead Ray.

I don't care that he went to the Heat, they wanted him and he couldn't go somewhere where they didn't want him. I care that he went there for less and without the no-trade clause. He REALLY didn't want to be here. In fact, it looks remarkably like he wanted to be anywhere BUT here. It's now looking like he has just been toying with us for the past month, trying to "payback" Danny for dangling him as trade bait. This could have been a sign-and-trade deal with Miami, but no, he wanted to stick it to us to the max. Fine, so drop dead Ray.

The Jet is 3 years younger, isn't coming off of ankle surgery and is a better on-the-ball defender. We won't miss you much, Ray, especially in light of this spiteful mind game you've been playing with us. Drop dead, Ray.

A remarkably unclassy exit for one of the classiest Celtics ever.

bob

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Bob,

Well stated...........in a classy way you've said what most Celtic fans feel, he stuck it to Danny, the Celtic organization and to the Boston fans.......he could have done the right thing and done a sign and trade........but Ray was for Ray and he left in an unclassily way ...and will never be a New England cult hero that he could have been.............Drop Dead Ray!!!!!

112288

WOW
Poster after poster is ripping Allen apart because of the way his game has deteriated. Can't do this, can't do that. Heck, you should be ecstatic that he has saved the Celts from wasting 12 million dollars on a potential has been. Got to make you wonder what Ainge saw in him.
swish

I posted this on another thread

Ray Allen's only Legacy will only be with himself!

That's Ray Allen! He blew a chance to go out a New England legend. What a way to end a career......could have had your number retired.......be invited back on special occasions..........what fan is going to give Ray the respect when he is announced at special events..........they'll run him out of town first!!!

His move cuts deep into New England sports fans souls.........if he left because the money was impossible to turn down.........fans could forgive and forget, but he purposely stuck it to Danny and the Celtic organization in a very self centered way........at least he could have had the courtesy of telling Danny that he was not coming back.......so the Celtics could arrange their roster and signings differently..........but he stuck the knife in and twisted it by signing with the Celtics and the rest of the leagues arch rival ........Miami!

Do not forget that Celtic Fans.........he could care less about you and the Celtics................He also blew his chance of immortality to be a Celtic legend, opting for his own self gratification in that ......he got Danny in the end......
I got Rondo in the end..............I won the battle........................

Ray............after you get over yourself you'll realize.....YOU LOST THE WAR!
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New Orleans Hornets guard Jarrett Jack called Ray Allen a “traitor” Friday, in response to the former Boston Celtic signing with the NBA champion Miami Heat.

“Am I wrong for thinking ray allen is a traitor for signing with his rival team the heat? Tell me what u think!!!!!!” Jack wrote on Twitter.


bob

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So RA decided to be a me-first player after holding back these past years. Must be tuff when you've always been 'the man" to take a third and then a fourth seat. Thanx for the memories but I'll still boo you. You hold a special place along with Johnny Damon. Whatever floats your boat. buhbye

Hi,
Wow, so much bitterness. Let it go, folks.
RA was a free agent, it was entirely up to him to decide. He didn't owe Celtics anything.
I didn't know for sure the actual reasons why he left Boston but it's obvious he had them and felt very strong about them. But I think it was very hard for him to make this decision.
Life goes on. I think after a while he'll start to regret it, especially after sitting on the bench in crunch time.
Let's look on the bright side. Celtics have extra $$ to spend, they've got a similar player, not as high profile but younger, faster and with some PG capabilities. It didn't happen in the middle of the season, so Celtics have time and opportunity to adjust to RA's departure.
Lets look into the future. I believe we will have a better team this season and, come playoffs, be able to beat Mia regardless of the refs.

AK

Quote of the Day - Sallust - "Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay."

To No One in Particular:

I have just spent four hours composing and deleting at least six long posts about the vitriol being heaped on Ray. In each instance, the respect I have for board members happily won out over my concerns—not concerns over the negative opinions but, rather concerns about the illogical, emotionally driven reasons being advanced for the unfavorable feelings. Frankly, so much of it is not worthy of the extremely high level of basketball knowledge I routinely ascribe to this board.

To suggest that Ray's place in Celtics annals should be besmirched by the nature of his departure is utterly ridiculous and not in the same universe with the word "logical."

Reggie Lewis left the Celtics because he ingested crack cocaine. Was that a dignified departure that reinforced a great Celtics legacy? I think not. Is Reggie's number retired? Yes. In fact, Reggie's number was retired based at least as much on his playing potential as on his playing resumé.

Ray left for reasons that obviously transcended the usual lure (money)—his dignity intact and his body of work with the Celtics indelibly characterized by effort and caring about the team. As far as I know, Ray's entire association with the team, as long as he was in their employ, was nothing but classy and frequently bordered on the heroic.

I have to believe that everyone's had his or her say about Ray's departure. Isn't it about time to refocus on the future of the Celtics? Some of this stuff is getting downright embarrassing.

Thank you, and Go Celtics!

Sam

Sam your confusing me, I thought Reggie died of a heart attack, thats all I ever knew.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Sam your confusing me, I thought Reggie died of a heart attack, thats all I ever knew.

I never heard anything about him doing crack cocaine either and I followed his career with the Celtics closely. His death has always been attributed to a medical condition and no mention of it being a cause and effect of any drug use. It's been around 20 years but that's what I remember.

Anybody else hear differently?

Hi,
Maybe Sam meant Bias?

AK

I specifically meant what I said. The information came directly to my ears from Jackie MacMullen's mouth when she was sitting beside me at a luncheon. Jackie and Bias and Lewis were both at some Auerbach camp in 1986, and they were detected together in the rest room doing crack cocaine—apparently more than once. I have not embellished Jackie's report of the incident by one syllable. It was hushed up at the time, and obviously Jackie doesn't spread it around a lot either. And neither did I until I became so exasperated at this Ray-bashing that I decided to offer an example of the fact that even rabid Celtics fans who feel they follow the team closely don't necessarily know half of what's really going on.

I hope this clarifies things.

Sam