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Hi,
It looks like the Celtics are getting #4 pick in 2015 Draft.
Well, that is according to Jalen & Bill.
And Rondo goes to NY and Stevens quits and goes back to college...

AK

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
It looks like the Celtics are getting #4 pick in 2015 Draft.
Well, that is according to Jalen & Bill.
And Rondo goes to NY and Stevens quits and goes back to college...

AK

AK,

Thanks for posting that; good to have entertainment while I eat my lunch.

Actually a pretty balanced and probably accurate look at the Celtics.  Didn't really tell us much we don't know of or discuss here.  The Rondo to NY "guess" is probably no worse than most of our proposed trades here either.  Thought sticking him in the Good Will Hunting movie to explain why Simmons thinks he needs to be traded was funny.

I found it interesting that Simmons worries Brad could leave if this process drags on.  I'm certain he will get several very attractive offers to return to the NCAA ranks as his profile rises, and would expect he eventually will.  As they point out, he's too competitive not to.  Rose and Simmons guess that he would leave if offered Duke, Carolina or Indiana are probably spot on; why the heck would you stay in the NBA if you could coach one of those programs?  Problem is, and this should partially calm Simmons' fears, he's never going to be offered any of those three.  Well, never is a long time.  Let's just say probably not until he's at least old enough to collect social security.

If nothing else, Simmons and Rose are fun to watch.  Maybe I'll check out some of their other team breakdowns with lunch over the next few days.

Regards

I used to like Simmons, but he needs to do himself and the world a favor and stay out of the prediction game. His certainty that Rondo will be traded is getting tiresome. He was 100% sure that Rondo was going to be traded by the deadline last year. Anytime he talks about it, it's practically a done deal.

It's also ridiculous that he has them at no. 27. So only three teams will be worse? There were four teams below them last season, and they will be better this season.

Just stop.

I agree with NYCelt and Outside. Some pretty decent analysis of what/who the Celtics are, stupid predictions.

I like Simmons' style, I enjoy reading his pieces, but he needs to STOP predicting.



bob



.

Outside wrote:I used to like Simmons, but he needs to do himself and the world a favor and stay out of the prediction game. His certainty that Rondo will be traded is getting tiresome. He was 100% sure that Rondo was going to be traded by the deadline last year. Anytime he talks about it, it's practically a done deal.

It's also ridiculous that he has them at no. 27. So only three teams will be worse? There were four teams below them last season, and they will be better this season.

Just stop.

Outside,

I think you have to look at the humorous side of it with the Rondo schtick. I got a laugh out of it; the whole thing has gotten that funny. Still like the movie bit and the idea he wants to see him leave so he doesn't suffer. Funniest stuff I've seen today so far.

The rest I think they have pretty much right. Maybe we'll be better than 27, but I can see us between that and a few spots higher. Darkest before dawn, and more change is probably coming during the season. Going to be a few steps back to set the stage for a jump forward in terms of roster quality, I think.

Regards

bobheckler wrote:I agree with NYCelt and Outside.  Some pretty decent analysis of what/who the Celtics are, stupid predictions.

I like Simmons' style, I enjoy reading his pieces, but he needs to STOP predicting.



bob



.

Not sure Bob, but I think if they let him keep it up we could make a buck or two betting against.

NYCelt wrote:

bobheckler wrote:I agree with NYCelt and Outside.  Some pretty decent analysis of what/who the Celtics are, stupid predictions.

I like Simmons' style, I enjoy reading his pieces, but he needs to STOP predicting.



bob



.

Not sure Bob, but I think if they let him keep it up we could make a buck or two betting against.

NYCelt,


Take the under.



bob



.

I don't know.  I love Simmons' predictions.  I love everyone's predictions.  I see the future of the world fueled mainly by predictions.  Gimme gimme gimme more predictions, please.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who makes a prediction also manufactures a dart board with his/her face on it when the prediction fails to materialize.  The more prominent the prognosticator, the bigger the dart board.

And, yes, I don't have to be reminded that predictions can be fun and good entertainment as long as they're not taken seriously.  I guess darts can occasionally miss too.

Sam

sam wrote:I don't know.  I love Simmons' predictions.  I love everyone's predictions.  I see the future of the world fueled mainly by predictions.  Gimme gimme gimme more predictions, please.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who makes a prediction also manufactures a dart board with his/her face on it when the prediction fails to materialize.  The more prominent the prognosticator, the bigger the dart board.

And, yes, I don't have to be reminded that predictions can be fun and good entertainment as long as they're not taken seriously.  I guess darts can occasionally miss too.

Sam

To my (recent) experience, not good for the drywall.

NYCelt,

I once lived in a Boston apartment that was pretty much furnished by my eventually current wife.  I had a dart board on the wall of my bedroom, inches from a doorway to the bathroom.  (It was the only unoccupied space.)  When my younger daughter visited me, she and I used to play a lot of darts.

Neither of us was great at it, and many's the dart that would wind up in the bathroom.  So, one day, my wife-to-be came over and took a shower.  She screamed when she pulled the shower curtain shut because it was absolutely riddled with holes.  I won't repeat what she said, but it was a miracle that we finally got married.

Sam

sam wrote:NYCelt,

I once lived in a Boston apartment that was pretty much furnished by my eventually current wife.  I had a dart board on the wall of my bedroom, inches from a doorway to the bathroom.  (It was the only unoccupied space.)  When my younger daughter visited me, she and I used to play a lot of darts.

Neither of us was great at it, and many's the dart that would wind up in the bathroom.  So, one day, my wife-to-be came over and took a shower.  She screamed when she pulled the shower curtain shut because it was absolutely riddled with holes.  I won't repeat what she said, but it was a miracle that we finally got married.

Sam

Sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock story........sort of.

beat

Sam, you should have invested in one of these:

http://ellavickers.com/bags/view-all/shower-curtain-kevlar.html

Either that or stop playing darts blindfolded.

NYCelt,

I guess my tolerance for Simmons' schtick has evaporated. Downing a pitcher or two of beer might help me get it back, but changing the channel is better on my lifestyle and my marriage.

NY Celt

Duke might be the exception, but you really think coaching at Indiana is more prestigious than coaching the Boston Celtics? Kind of lost me there.

Outside,

Wow, were you ever Johnny on the spot with the perfect antidote.  Of course, that many years ago, they had barely invented tin.

Sam

mrkleen09 wrote:NY Celt

Duke might be the exception, but you really think coaching at Indiana is more prestigious than coaching the Boston Celtics?  Kind of lost me there.

Kleen,

I didn't use the term prestigious.

If you want to attach a further description, I would have attached a term like fulfilling instead.

I think you could make an argument that coaching at Duke, UNC, Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky, along with a few others, tops coaching many, if not most, NBA clubs in that regard now.  At least for a competitive coach (one looking to make his mark I should also add), which is how I described Stevens.

In my opinion, coaching at those NCAA schools would be much more fulfilling for someone like Brad than the current Celtics, and I think he, or a great many accomplished coaches looking to fuel their competitive fire, would jump at the chance if offered.

I know you're still a busy new dad these days, I hope your family is doing well.

Regards

I think coaching a school like Butler, where your players are actually student athletes and most stay for 3 or 4 years, is a million times more satisfying than any of those one and done schools, where you are basically coaching an all star team every year.

Now if you were talking about power and ego - yes, being the head guy at Duke or UK is like being a King. But I see Brad as more of a teacher than a publicity chaser. Taking a legendary franchise that is down on their luck and building them into a contender again, would be more satisfying from where I am sitting. But guess only time will tell how Brad feels about it.

Owen is doing well, thanks for asking. Hope Michael is as well.

Kleen,

All good here as well thanks.

Student athletes...now you have a good point I can't debate against...

Completely apart from this conversation, I keep a basketball Bobby Knight autographed for me in my office.  It's the only piece of sports memorabilia, aside from pictures of my son's teams, I'll have anywhere in the office.  Winning coach, developed his players to be responsible men off the court, and had one of the highest graduation rates in the entire NCAA.  I think he may still have the highest D1 graduation rate ever, not certain.  I consider him to be an example of how it should be done, as long as you're not a court-side chair.  Now that I'm older and coaching kids in a couple of sports I used to play, he's the example I aspire to duplicate, without the flying chair.

On topic, I certainly hope regardless of idle speculation on the part of Simmons, me, or anyone, Brad is currently where he wants to be!  I expect he is.

Regards

NY Celt,

Thanks for the flying chair flashback. Down here in the south and ACCville, Charles "Lefty" Driesell would stomp on metal chairs and break them every time his Maryland Terrapins played N.C. State or UNC. He came up short quite frequently with a very good team including John Lucas, Len Elmore, Mo Howard and Tom McMillen. Imagine the '60's Lakers. N.C. State countered with David Thompson, Mo Rivers, Tommy Burleson, Tim Stoddard and Monte Towe. And of course one of the greatest games in ACC Tournament history in 1974.

db

NYCelt

Knight might have been a great coach, not going to argue his record, but over time he became a bit of a monster. Imagine putting your hands on a players neck. Sort of like Woody Hayes loosing it in that bowl game and actually throwing a punch at a player only that was an opposing player. Knight did that to one of his own. I have little respect for him.

beat

beat wrote:NYCelt

Knight might have been a great coach, not going to argue his record, but over time he became a bit of a monster. Imagine putting your hands on a players neck. Sort of like Woody Hayes loosing it in that bowl game and actually throwing a punch at a player only that was an opposing player. Knight did that to one of his own. I have little respect for him.

beat

beat,

But don't forget, he was fired over what turned out to be a setup.  He grabbed a kid by the arm as he lectured him over one of what had been many incidents where the kid was disrespectful to the coach.  The kid's step-father was a radio talk show host who had been campaigning against Knight for some time, the kid baited Knight to give his step dad an open shot, and out came the old video tape that had been dismissed years earlier.  The video of the supposed choking incident, taken before everyone had phones with cameras, doesn't actually show Knight choking a player at all, but his hand was on the kid's neck as he admonished him.

Knight's grace upon being dismissed was quite remarkable at the time, telling an entire campus not to be bitter toward the kid who set him up or the school administration.  He went on to revive a Texas Tech program that had been floundering for years.

Knight demanded respect and wanted his team to be men.  He taught them accountability for their actions.  Unfortunately, in todays world of soft excuse makers, Knight is viewed as a dinosaur.  What he was as a coach and remains as a man, was the last of a stand-up breed.  I keep that ball in my office not because of his coaching style and record alone, but because of the principles he taught over and above the sport he coached.  We could use more like him.

Regards

Even before Knight had that incident that exposed him, I thought he was an out of control maniac, who had way too much power and got away with being a bully his whole life. Sure he knew all the aspects of the game, winning a college championship with your best player being Steve Alford is quite an accomplishment, but saw too many times he was a rude loud prick calling out the media....and even if he wasn't choking, when is it acceptable to grab someone by the neck while making a point? somebody grabs my neck or my sons neck like that were having a problem.

NYCelt

He had no business putting his hands on anyone...PERIOD.  I'd have my son look up too anyone like this? No way. He was nothing more than a bully as time went on.

Set up??? If it was it is debatable but if it was, he was stupid enough to fall into it, but the writing was on the wall long before that incident.

Sportsmanship sailed from his port years ago.

beat

Bob Knight is a complicated man. I have a lot of respect for his basketball knowledge and the integrity of his programs from an academic and "non-cheating" standpoint, so I can understand where NYCelt is coming from. I also find him to be an arrogant bully with severe anger management issues, so I can see the point of view of Cowens and Beat. He's both.

I think it only takes a small portion from a person's bad side to outweigh a person's good side. In Knight's case, it's a shame that more people don't recognize the good side of him, but he only has himself to blame. He exceeded the tipping point of the bad outweighing the good by a wide margin.