OT: KG, Pierce, Rondo, Perkins, & Big Baby Speak on Ray

[visitor123]

Even if you believe that Ray was wrong for not calling ahead and giving a heads up about leaving, the way these guys have acted over the years over this issue far exceed Ray's initial transgression. This is definitely not the first time they've trashed Ray on TV, in podcasts or articles. If anyone should apologize it's these guys for constantly bringing up how Ray wronged them and how he's not a part of their exclusive 'family'.

I'm not even talking about any of the other stuff like how he was treated prior to leaving or the Rondo feud. Just on the face of it, how can you side with these guys after all this time and all the crap they've talked?

 

[80shusky]

I could care less about any of this one way or the other. But, I mean get over it already. Whiny b*tch*s.

 

[Excalibur]

Ultimately, I think he left for three reasons:

1. He was losing minutes to Bradley

2. He hated Rondo

3. The idea of playing with LeBron sounded really fun

I don't really think there is a need to make meaning of it beyond that. I can understand why Ray did what he did and I can understand why they're upset. It ended up working out better for one party than the other and that's probably why one is still complaining about it and the other isn't. It's just not really worth arguing about beyond that, IMO.

I think Ray handled the situation in the same detached, fact-based manner in which he approaches just about everything. He left because he know that this particular group of aging players was no longer a threat to win the title, and that he himself could no longer shoulder the load of being one of the top 3 guys on a contending team. That he hated Rondo with the white hot passion of 1,000 suns just made the decision emotionally easier.

 

[Rocktheworld]

But they weren't even close to being the "first" big 3. I mean the C's themselves traded for McHale and Parish to surround Bird in the 80s; Rodman, Pippen, Jordan; Jabbar, Worthy, Magic; Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, Admiral... Hell, the Lakers a few years prior to the C's put together Payton, Malone, Shaq, and Kobe in what was supposed to be some sort of super team. Granted two of them were long past their prime but...

I don't know nearly enough about BBall history, so I'll ask: did those other examples add one piece at a time? Because part of the whole Big 3 thing, which then happened exactly the same with LeBron and Bosh in Miami, is a conspired and coordinated addition of multiple stars at the same time i.e. Ray and KG

Also did those teams go immediately from 24-58 to title once their respective Big 3s were completed?

 

[Mr. French]

I don't know nearly enough about BBall history, so I'll ask: did those other examples add one piece at a time? Because part of the whole Big 3 thing, which then happened exactly the same with LeBron and Bosh in Miami, is a conspired and coordinated addition of multiple stars at the same time i.e. Ray and KG

Also did those teams go immediately from 24-58 to title once their respective Big 3s were completed?

That's kinda the idea -- this was the first "let's trade our big future assets to pair 2 individual stars to team up with a current star" situation.

The 04 Lakers was a couple end of the road (i.e. every championship team, Ray-Heat/Gasol-Spurs) former stars title chasing.

The Magic TRIED but via FA with Mcgrady, Hill, Kidd, Duncan, but they only got 2 and you probably know the rest ...

The Celtics were the first real iteration of that big 3 as a plan, that was enacted as planned, and that worked quickly.

 

[k9fanatic]

So, after 4 pages here and multiple other threads on the subject, let me see if I got this straight:

On one hand, you have a man who treats basketball as part of life, not its entirety, and who has: testified before Congress (re: juvenile diabetes); played golf with the president on numerous occasions; been named to the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; partakes in educational trips (Poland/concentration camps); takes part in USO tour; is known as a voracious reader; plays the piano; collects art; won an NBA Sportsmanship Award; won multiple awards as "best interviewer" given by NBA beat reporters (don't recall precise name of award or if they still bestow it), yet he is the socially awkward one? The one with Asperger?

On the other hand, you have: one man who is known for punching a teammate in the face during practice; getting on all fours and barking like a dog at an opponent; talking about getting his AK47 and other weapons to go to war (aka a basketball game); known to take a cheap shot or two...; than you have another who outside of basketball is known for playing high-stakes poker; possibly throwing gang signs; and??? The others aren't even worth discussing. Yet, they are the role models, the "good guys".

Maybe, just maybe, Ray didn't have a hell of a lot in common with these guys outside of a basketball court? Nothing more, nothing less. He made a decision he felt was best for him and his situation. The didn't/don't need to like it -- but good Lord, grow up and get over it.

 

[UCDaveD]

Don't forget KG calling Charlie a "cancer patient"

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

So, after 4 pages here and multiple other threads on the subject, let me see if I got this straight:

On one hand, you have a man who treats basketball as part of life, not its entirety, and who has: testified before Congress (re: juvenile diabetes); played golf with the president on numerous occasions; been named to the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; partakes in educational trips (Poland/concentration camps); takes part in USO tour; is known as a voracious reader; plays the piano; collects art; won an NBA Sportsmanship Award; won multiple awards as "best interviewer" given by NBA beat reporters (don't recall precise name of award or if they still bestow it), yet he is the socially awkward one? The one with Asperger?

On the other hand, you have: one man who is known for punching a teammate in the face during practice; getting on all fours and barking like a dog at an opponent; talking about getting his AK47 and other weapons to go to war (aka a basketball game); known to take a cheap shot or two...; than you have another who outside of basketball is known for playing high-stakes poker; possibly throwing gang signs; and??? The others aren't even worth discussing. Yet, they are the role models, the "good guys".

Maybe, just maybe, Ray didn't have a hell of a lot in common with these guys outside of a basketball court? Nothing more, nothing less. He made a decision he felt was best for him and his situation. The didn't/don't need to like it -- but good Lord, grow up and get over it.

I can't imagine anyone's going to post anything more cringeworthy than this today. Good lord. "is known as a voracious reader." You weren't embarrassed for yourself typing this? He's not your daughter. He's a dude you don't know.

 

[superjohn]

Don't forget KG calling Charlie a "cancer patient"

Pierce seems like a pretty real guy but does anyone take Garnett seriously? Dude is the fakest tough guy the league has ever seen. These guys really need to move on, Ray did 5 years ago.

 

[visitor123]

On the other hand, you have: one man who is known for punching a teammate in the face during practice; getting on all fours and barking like a dog at an opponent; talking about getting his AK47 and other weapons to go to war (aka a basketball game); known to take a cheap shot or two...; than you have another who outside of basketball is known for playing high-stakes poker; possibly throwing gang signs; and??? The others aren't even worth discussing. Yet, they are the role models, the "good guys".

I nearly spit out the water I was drinking reading that. I almost forgot about all the stupid antics from Garnett. The guy was constantly picking fights with guys like Jose Calderon and Matt Bonner...

Another point for Ray. I can't remember exactly when, perhaps 2004 or 2005 free agency. When Ray was asked if he'd consider the Raptors as a potential destination, responded 'of course, Toronto is a world class city' while the rest of NBA just made jokes about igloos and eskimos. Ray has always had more class than the average NBA star.

 

[k9fanatic]

Nope. Not embarrassed at all. My point being that reading was his way of passing time on the plane. I've read many stories that talk about his giving his teammates books as Christmas presents. But, whatever...I know how sensitive some of you Celtic fans can be.

 

[boba]

Nope. Not embarrassed at all. My point being that reading was his way of passing time on the plane. I've read many stories that talk about his giving his teammates books as Christmas presents. But, whatever...I know how sensitive some of you Celtic fans can be.

I don't think he is sensitive, I suspect he's just an ...
Of course he's just a dude you don't know, talking about another dude he doesn't know, writing about things he doesn't know, so it's all speculation wrapped up as if it is informed opinion. BY lawyers are noted for their tight grasp on the pearls.

 

[CTBasketball]

My biggest problem with these guys running their mouths like this is that they only won the NBA Finals once.

The only finished atop the Eastern Conference once.

They were 1-1 in the NBA Finals against a relatively overrated Laker team and ended their season losing to the Magic and constantly losing to the Heat towards the end.

They couldn't continue their success after 2007-2008 and now they're just salty. Ray did what he thought was a good career move and they are criticizing him for a business move, when all of them left in the end.

 

[mauconnfan]

Nope. Not embarrassed at all. My point being that reading was his way of passing time on the plane. I've read many stories that talk about his giving his teammates books as Christmas presents. But, whatever...I know how sensitive some of you Celtic fans can be.

This has little or nothing to do with the Celtics so lose that thought, but you make some solid points on your original post for sure!

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

People forget how badly Ainge treated Ray.

And why were Perk and Baby even on that set? Those clowns were both gone a year before Ray even left.

Wait Perkins wasn't even on the team when Ray left? Hilarious.

By name dropping Ray Allen, Durant, and Westbrook on that dopey segment Perkins has gotten more attention since like, ever.

 

[the Q]

My biggest problem with these guys running their mouths like this is that they only won the NBA Finals once.

The only finished atop the Eastern Conference once.

They were 1-1 in the NBA Finals against a relatively overrated Laker team and ended their season losing to the Magic and constantly losing to the Heat towards the end.

They couldn't continue their success after 2007-2008 and now they're just salty. Ray did what he thought was a good career move and they are criticizing him for a business move, when all of them left in the end.

A lot of extenuating circumstances to their run. Losing the magic in 09 without KG is not exactly a negative either.

And don't get get into 2010. That was an embarrassment that the NBA allowed game 7 to go down like that.

 

[intlzncster]

Your right, Ray isn't a superstar. Haha...just holds the record for most 3's made of all time, considered the greatest shooter of all time, 1st ballot HoF, top 25 player of all time (IMO) but yeah...hes not a superstar. You're a joke bro.

We were talking about at that particular point in time man. In regards to what a guy brings on the court. I think it was pretty easy to figure that out in reading the thread. That's like saying Dirk Nowitzki is a super star player right now. Which is not true. He certainly was. But he's not any longer.

Of course Ray was a superstar 1st ballot HOFer when you look at his whole career. No .

 

[UConn990411]

Pierce seems like a pretty real guy but does anyone take Garnett seriously? Dude is the fakest tough guy the league has ever seen. These guys really need to move on, Ray did 5 years ago.

Yes - everyone whose ever played with him.

 

[ihatepants]

I agree with Russillo that him calling to tell them wouldn't have changed anything. I think there is a tendency to make things more complicated than they have to be in these situations - break-ups are about as fundamentally hurtful as it gets and oftentimes the search to dignify them is futile.

By the same rate, though, the "his feelings got hurt" is an all too convenient way to normalize insensitive behavior. So what if that's the case? "Hurt feelings" are from the same rotation as "political correctness" in that they seek to trivialize the source of the conflict when it doesn't really matter. If "hurt feelings" means "something that was really special to us ended abruptly and I'm upset about it" then I don't see what the problem is.

Ultimately, I think he left for three reasons:

1. He was losing minutes to Bradley

2. He hated Rondo

3. The idea of playing with LeBron sounded really fun

I don't really think there is a need to make meaning of it beyond that. I can understand why Ray did what he did and I can understand why they're upset. It ended up working out better for one party than the other and that's probably why one is still complaining about it and the other isn't. It's just not really worth arguing about beyond that, IMO.

You forgot #4 - not only did he lose his starting job to Bradley at the end of the season and in the playoffs, but the Celtics signed Jason Terry as soon as free agency started, so he was bound to lose even more minutes and maybe thought he was going to be the 7th or 8th guy in the rotation. Also, you can't really blame Ray Allen, because I wouldn't want to play with Jason Terry either.

 

[GetTheFacts]

I side with KG and the rest of the Celtics here. Love UConn bball and I'm a diehard Celtics fan, but leaving for the Heat after they just beat you in the playoffs? That will never go over well. That team was really close and absolutely hated LeBron and the Heat, and for him to make the decision to sign with a rival, without talking to anyone, was taken as disrespect by many. Just my opinion though.

 

[UCDaveD]

That team was really close

I don't believe this was true.

 

[RichZ]

Actually their amalgamation as the first "Big 3" completely changed professional basketball. Agree with everything else

Magic, Worthy, Jabbar
West, Baylor, Wilt
Barkley, Erving, Malone

 

[Excalibur]

I don't believe this was true.

KG, Pierce and Perkins were close. The rest, not as much.

 

[GetTheFacts]

KG, Pierce and Perkins were close. The rest, not as much.

Rondo is Perkins' best friend. That's four of the starting five. Almost any quote from the starting five will reiterate the same thing.

 

[superjohn]

KG, Pierce and the rest are getting absolutely destroyed on sports media. Seems like most are getting sick of the whiny b-#ch act.