There Is Hope For The Celtics

Just because the Celtics are 14-42 and look like the most hopeless team in the NBA, there really are reasons to believe that the near future of this team could be bright. Like it or not, the young players (or "assets" as they are constantly called) that Danny Ainge brought to Boston have value. Al Jefferson is turning into a legitimate force in the paint. Gerald Green is still two or three years away from being a complete player but he can score the ball when given the chance and that keeps him on the floor in spite of his weaknesses. Delonte West is a solid combination guard that can shoot, pass, and play defense. Kendrick Perkins may be a liability on offense but his defense and rebounding make him worth playing 4-on-5 when the C's have the ball. Rajon Rondo is a shaky shooter (something that can be fixed) but his energy and athleticism make him valuable. Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Sebastian Telfair are all flawed but playing in the right system -- which may not presently be Boston for any of the three -- could be rotation players in the NBA. Of course, having young players that have yet to either reach their full potential or have yet to find their niche isn't the way to the top of the basketball world. Their flaws are exploited by veteran NBA players who know how and when to take advantage of youthful mistakes. And when a team, like the Celtics, have struggled for so long, the patience of the franchise and the fans that follow it, tend to wear thin when the kids lose game after game. That is why many people around the Celtics, especially team captain and lone superstar Paul Pierce, have been pushing for Ainge to use some of the mentioned "assets" to acquire a veteran player that could potentially push the C's back into contention. Allen Iverson was mentioned as a possibility before the 76ers moved him to Denver. More recently, Memphis' Pau Gasol was brought up as a target of the C's. Both are great players but in both instances, Ainge would not (reportedly) give up Jefferson, Green, and the 2007 first round draft choice, which should be no lower than No. 4 in what could be one of the deepest drafts in recent history. In failing to pull the trigger, Ainge was criticized. The question that keeps being asked is, why build up your "assets" if you won't move them to improve the team? Ainge answered that question in an interview with ESPN.com's Chad Ford: “Look, I know that this is my fault,” Ainge said. “I understand that. We were accumulating assets and hoping to turn some of those assets into a more experienced player who could really help us. We’re still trying to do that. I think we have some really good, young talent, but we have too many of those kind of players. I acknowledge that, and I’m trying to rectify that, but at the same time I’m not going to trade Gerald Green and Rajon Rondo for some 30-year-old guy just because he’s a veteran. It has to make sense for us in the long run.” I agree with Ainge's assessment 100%. Why turn Jefferson, Green, Rondo or any of the "assets" for a player like Gasol who is a great low post player but has his own problems (like not playing defense) and is both older and more expensive than the guy he would most likely replace (Jefferson). And Gasol doesn't guarantee a championship. Ainge is gambling that Jefferson will either develop into a better player than Gasol or that he will be able to make a move for someone better than Gasol who will put the C's into the realm of championship contender (Kevin Garnett). The way the NBA is set up, the team that is looking to acquire the known commodity has to overpay. Ainge knows this and his thinking is, if I have to overpay I better be getting back a player who gets me a championship, not someone who just gets us back into the playoffs. For now, I would stick with the Pierce and the Kids. Wait for the draft lottery to see where exactly the C's will be picking and determine who is coming out of college. If they land the No. 1 pick and Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden makes himself available, I would keep the pick, take Oden and make some minor moves to acquire a few veteran role players and build around Pierce, Oden, and Jefferson. If they don't get the top pick, I would package the pick (which could be Texas freshman forward Kevin Durant or North Carolina freshaman forward Brandon Wright) along with Gerald Green, Rajon Rondo, and Theo Ratliff's expiring contract to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. Why would Garnett be available you ask? Because his general manager Kevin McHale didn't have the foresight to build his "assets" to make a move for a second franchise player to make his team a legit championship team. Frustration has to be getting to KG and he'll want out, forcing the Timberwolves to rebuild. Any team looking to rebuild needs a top draft choice, young players, and expiring contracts. The C's have all of these things. By not rushing to make a move (like Rick Pitino and Chris Wallace before him), Ainge will turn his "assets" into a championship team. Think what the Celtics would look like if they hold on to the pick for Oden and make a small move for a veteran (Rondo and Ratliff to Sacramento for Mike Bibby): C - Oden PF - Jefferson SF - Szczerbiak SG - Pierce PG - Bibby Bench - West, Perkins, Green, Gomes Not bad. A team that could start to make noise in the East. Veterans could be added to fill out some spots. Now, what if the Minnesota scenario plays out: C - Jefferson PF - Garnett SF - Szczerbiak SG - Pierce PG - West Bench - Perkins, Gomes Again, veterans would be needed to fill out some spots, especially at point guard, but any team built around Pierce and KG will contend for a 3-5 year stretch. Ainge may not be popular right now but by sticking to his plan and not rushing into anything, the Celtics future has hope.

Keith Foulke Retires

Keith Foulke retired from baseball today, right before opening spring training with the Cleveland Indians. Foulke, who pitched for the Red Sox from 2004-2006 and was an instrumental part of the 2004 World Series winner, was hampered in both 2005 and 2006 with knee and elbow injuries reportedly has been experiencing elbow pain. He signed with Cleveland this winter and was expected to compete for the closer job with the Indians. Although the 2005 and 2006 seasons were frustrating for Foulke, without him the Red Sox would not have won the '04 World Series. Foulke had 32 saves in 2004. He pitched through pain during the playoffs and that pain grew into knee problems which have now led to the end of his career. Many will remember his failures and less-than-pleasant attitude during the past two seasons but his determination and gutsy pitching in 2004 is what he should truly be remembered for in Boston.

Scottie Pippen Seeks return To NBA

Searching ESPN.com and SI.com this morning, I found a bit that reports former NBA All-Star Scottie Pippen would like to return to the NBA this year and play for a contender. The 41-year-old Pippen, a veteran of 6 NBA Champions while with the Chicago Bulls, has not played since 2004. Six teams that should have interest in Pippen are the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns. Why the Bulls? He is the second greatest player in franchise history and on such a young contender, he would be a guiding force as they try to win the less-than-fabulous Eastern Conference. Why the Lakers? Pippen knows Phil Jackson's system better than anyone and would be a great role player and role model for Kobe Bryant. Why the Heat? Miami has had a rough go in the first half due to injuries and as they gear up for a run at defending their NBA Championship, the presence of Pippen as a distributor for Dwayne Wade and Shaq would take pressure off point guards Jason Williams and Gary Payton. Why the Mavericks? Dallas was so close last year and Pippen could put them over the top. With Josh Howard emerging as a legitimate two-way superstar, Pippen can teach him a few of the tricks that made him one of the great two-way players of his generation. Why the Cavaliers? LeBron has been given the title of the "Next Jordan" and while he is yet to prove that, he could learn more than a few things playing along side Pippen. Why the Suns? At his age, Pippen doesn't seem to be a great fir for the run-and-gun Suns but come playoff time, when half court offense and defense becomes more critical, Pippen's know-how could be a deciding factor. Wherever Pippen lands, and I hope he does get a chance somewhere, it will be agreat thing for basketball fans. Pippen was always a pleasure, especially on defense, and his intelligence and basketball savvy will be more than enough to compensate for his lost athleticism.

Celtics Skid Hits 18

The Celtics lost in Minnesota tonight to the Timberwolves, 109-107. They have now lost 18 games in a row. This Celtic losing streak and this whole depressing season have no been so bad. They have been able to play their young players, which has led to the development of Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, and Delonte West into real NBA players as well as exposing the (fixable) weaknesses of Gerald Green. There is hope for the future. The win drought has also made the C's hopeful they will win the NBA Draft Lottery (to be held in May) which would (possibly) give them a shot at Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden or Texas freshman forward Kevin Durant (if they declare for the NBA Draft). Either player would make the future of the Celtics very bright -- watch them, ESPN shows their games whenever possible and both players are absolute studs. But back to tonight's loss. This one stung because the game was decided on a last second Ricky Davis jumper (Delonte missed with 0.2 seconds left) and Mark Blount had a big night with 20-points. Davis poured in 28 on the night. As for why the efforts of Davis and Blount bother me so much ... both are former Celtics and both were known for their negative attitudes while in Boston. For all of Doc Rivers' troubles right now, getting beat by those assholes has to be the lowest of the low. Keep your heads up though C's fans. Milwaukee comes to town Wednesday. Either the Green will break the losing streak or they will come one step closer to Oden or Durant. Right now, that qualifies as good news in Boston.

Peyton, Colts Finally Win The Big One

No matter how nice I try to be in thinking good thoughts for the Indianapolis Colts after their 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI last night, my mind still can only produce one thought... If the Patriots had converted on 3rd & 4, they would have won the AFC Championship and then gone on to win their fourth Super Bowl in six years. Tom Brady would cement himself as the greatest quarterback of his generation. And I wouldn't have to listen to all this crap about Peyton Manning and the Colts. Now, that is unfair. After all, America has been forced to listen to all the gushing talk about Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots for the last five years. I guess I can stomach some Colts love. But it is so frustrating to know how close the Pats were to winning the AFC Title Game in Indianapolis and then seeing the Colts win the Super Bowl. Finding reasons to like the Colts -- and Manning -- is hard for me. My allegiance to Brady and the Patriots is too overwhelming to support the opponent. But seeing what Manning and the Colts did in beating the Chiefs, Ravens, Patriots, and finally the Bears on their way to their first World Championship since winning Super Bowl V, I found a new level of respect for the Horseshoes. These Colts are a perfect example of a team reaching the pinnacle after everyone counted them out. Remember the Detroit Pistons of the 1980's? They could never get past the Celtics and when they finally did in 1988, they got beat by the Lakers in the Finals. When all seemed doomed for the Bad Boys, they regrouped in 1989, faced the Lakers again, and won the NBA Championship. This Colt team was not considered the juggernaut that Indy teams from the recent past were. Yes, Manning is still one of the top two QB's in the NFL. Yes, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark still catch Manning's passes. Yes, Tony Dungy is still their coach. But this team still had a below-average defense and they lost running back Edgerrin James to the Arizona Cardinals, replaced by his long-time backup Dominic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai. The Colts went 12-4 in the regular season (not exactly a bad year but certainly not the 14-2 mark they posted the year before) and were the No. 3 seed in the AFC. They played poorly at the end of the year (finishing the season on a 3-4 mark after opening 9-0) and still had a defense that couldn't stop the run. Against Kansas City in their AFC Wildcard Playoff game, the Colts were expected to get run over by Larry Johnson. The Colts proceeded to stuff Johnson and the Colts 23-8. In Baltimore against the Ravens, Manning was expected to be humbled by the powerful defense led by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Manning wasn't his usual All-Pro self but his team won the game, 15-6. At home in the AFC Championship game, the Colts were expected to crumble under the pressure of playing their decade-long nemesis, the Patriots. This looked like it would be the end for Indy as they trailed 21-6 at halftime. But Manning and his troops rallied in the second half and scored the winning TD with 1:00 to play, holding off the Pats, 38-34. Leading up to the Super Bowl, the talk was Manning and the Colts still had to become World Champions to end the talk of them being "chokers." Like the Red Sox beating the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series after finally getting over the hump and beating the Yankees to win the ALCS, the Colts knocked off the soon to be forgotten Bears and claimed the Super Bowl. Manning was named MVP. And the talk of the Colts not being able to get the job done will be forever silenced. Now, by tomorrow I will return to my anti-Manning, anti-Colt stance. I fully expect Brady and the Patriots to rebuild and win another half dozen Super Bowls before retiring to replace Hugh Heffner at the Playboy Mansion. But for today, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have my respect.