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July 5, 2009
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Up and coming producer Nate Long has come up with a brilliant idea to help a disorganized grump like me. The papers that we hold in our hands are called rundowns (TV term for program agenda). We have a 6:30 Sports Tonight rundown and a rundown for Celtics Pre-Game Live. So I do not get my papers mixed up, Nate has thoughtfully printed my Celtic’s Pre-Game LIve rundown on blue paper. Nice idea…but if he was really smart it would be green. Get it…Celtic’s green. This isn’t the Wizards pre game show, Nate.
However, it was a good bid and this is just another example of why Nate is an up and comer. He wiil run a network someday if he doesn’t end up officiating the Super Bowl first. You see, Nate is also an up and coming college football official. He has the big Fitchburg State game this week. Nate is the only person who can tell me exactly what every official is supposed to do on a certain football play. Other people fake it, Nate really knows. Oh yeah, he is really rich and goes drinking with Kenny Chesney and Tim Wakefield on the island of St. John where he has bungalow on the beach. I wish he would invite me down.
If you saw my interview with John Farrell in the Sox clubhouse after game four you may have thought I was stalking him as he got out of the shower. He was not naked. He was half naked. He had a towel on and those comfy slippers they give pro athletes and people who stay in five star hotels.
Why did I have to corner John while he still had soap in his ear? I wasn’t the first to do it. Tony Mazz cornered him and then Sean McAdam pounced and just as he was about to go upstairs (off limites to us) to get dressed I asked him for an interview. You could tell he really wanted to get his clothes on but he obliged my deadline. The reason I had to get Farrell on tape was because our big boss, the Belleville Banger, Kevin Miller wanted a one on one interview. The Belleville Banger should not be confused with the Belleville Basher, Brian Daubach. As you have read in this space before both are two of the three most popular people in Belleville, Ill. The other being Jimmy Connors.
Back to the one on one interview. These are interviews that TV execs love because it makes it look like you are getting an exclusive when in reality that person is telling you the same thing he has just told everybody else. Image is everything in TV. The BB wanted Dustin Pedroia but I didn’t think Dustin wanted to repeat to me what he had just told a media crowd around his locker. It is never a good idea to ask for a one on one interview after a tough loss with a player who you want to have a future working relationship with.
So, my options were conduct a one on one interview with a half naked John Farrell or return to headquarters without one. I was not to be denied. .
Hey Gary
Would you please stop talking about how players on the Celtics are trying to make the team, other than Darius Miles, they all have guaranteed contracts. If they cut ‘em they have to pay ‘em. Get it?!
O’Bryant: The signed him to a 2 yr guaranteed deal. They know what he is. He’s a young player with alot to prove. So far I have seen him have a soft touch around the hoop, be a good passer in the high post, and a shot blocker in the paint. The only thing you focus on is his body type and personality. Don’t you think the C’s know who they signed? Now they don’t want him and want to trade him for a big beefy center? You don’t make any sense at all.
Big Baby: He was a solid contributor last season. I think you are forgetting last season. True, he didn’t play as much in the playoffs but he was instrumental in their drive towards a 66-16 record. Pollard barely played and PJ Brown joined the team late and really didn’t play well until the Cleveland series. However, Baby is too short to play center this season? He wasn’t too short last season but he is this season? Again, you don’t make any sense.
So in essence Ainge has two backup centers that he doesn’t want? Who are these big backup beefy centers that you fear? Eddy Curry? Kwame Brown? Why are you focused on this? Players with skills win you games. I have never once seen a game won because one team had big backup beefy center and the other team didn’t.
15 man roster…
The 1st unit will be the same again: Rondo/RAllen/Pierce/Garnett/Perkins
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The 2nd unit is shaping up to be: Pruitt/House/TAllen/Powe/Davis
Having Pruitt on the floor takes ball-handling responsibilites away from House/TAllen-
which is a good thing, correct? TAllen/House score and Powe/Davis hit the boards
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My guess for the final 2 spots: Walker/O’Bryant
They like Walker’s toughness and O’Bryant’s length - both will see time
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The 3 inactive spots go to: Giddens/Scalabrine/Cassell
Giddens is probably NBDL bound
Scal is an extra body and Cassell is an unofficial coach on the bench
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That leaves the final cut to be: Darius Miles
Miles might be healthy now but he doesn’t move the same anymore, he’s athleticism is
his greatest asset
Nate sounds like a good CSN find- it’s comforting to hear of future programming allstars with Beantown roots. It it just me, or do people rarely think of officials having another job besides officiating? Ed Hoculi could own an ice cream truck for all I know.
Saw the Farrell interview- just goes to show the length one must go to in order to out-scoop other media hawks in a news driven society. I think one finally makes it when standing next to a naked coach after a loss.