OT: 2008 Celtics Don't Invite Ray on Vacation

[nomar]

Rajon Rondo, former Celtics teammates plan to celebrate their 2008 title without Ray Allen

 

[Rocktheworld]

Stay classy, Boston...

God, seeing the effects of someone blacking out Ray's face from a "mural" of sorts at the Garden of he, KG, PP, and RR was some of the lowest, weakest sports-related retaliation I have ever seen. Most ungreatful, arguably most ungraceful, and ironically most insecure set of fans in the country.

 

[mauconnfan]

Does anyone want to hear what Rondo thinks of Ray? LOL

Ray may have screwed up according to Pierce and I will listen to Paul. Leon Powe seems classy enough to get it's a business. But really, Rondo? Hilarious coming form a guy who's teammates seem to despise him everywhere he goes, and the coaches are on the next level with how they feel about him.

 

[nomar]

Does anyone want to hear what Rondo thinks of Ray? LOL

Ray may have screwed up according to Pierce and I will listen to Paul. Leon Powe seems classy enough to get it's a business. But really, Rondo? Hilarious coming form a guy who's teammates seem to despise him everywhere he goes, and the coaches are on the next level with how they feel about him.

Rondo's really just the middle man here. He's saying he would've invited him.

Reading between the lines, and taking into account prior statements, I think it's KG.

I know everybody here takes Ray's side (Rocktheworld's hyperbole is par for the course), but we all know KG's an emotional guy, and when his teammate turns down more money to go somewhere else, without giving him any heads-up -- that's personal. I think Celtics fans should be over it by now -- if anything, Ray's John Starks-like dud in the 2010 Finals is by far the worst thing he ever did -- but I can't tell KG how to feel.

I think Pierce also felt betrayed; he never did anything to Ray. And while Ray may have been felt betrayed by the Celtics organization, you'd think he'd give Pierce the benefit of a phone call. But in any event, I don't think this is Pierce's doing.

 

[James]

Dude got benched for Avery Bradley, he had his reasons. second best player on that 08 title team, no matter how petty rondo gets.

 

[Waquoit]

Doc bailed. Is he still invited?

 

[nomar]

Doc bailed. Is he still invited?

That was mutual. You know that. And I'd bet dollars to donuts that he had long, weepy conversations with a bunch of the players.

I'll always love Ray Allen. But the guy walks to the beat of a different drum.

 

[JSM1970]

I love Ray too but his disastrous 4th Q in game 7 of the 2010 finals when he missed 50 million shots and cost the C's a 'Ship could be a factor too.

 

[UConn990411]

Dude got benched for Avery Bradley, he had his reasons. second best player on that 08 title team, no matter how petty rondo gets.

He got "benched" when he was playing at 50% and couldn't keep anyone in front of him. And he still ended up closing games out when he came back from injury.

As far as him being the second best player on the '08 team...nope. They don't win the title without him, but KG and Pierce were the clear 1-2.

 

[superjohn]

I love Ray too but his disastrous 4th Q in game 7 of the 2010 finals when he missed 50 million shots and cost the C's a 'Ship could be a factor too.

I remember that game well, Kobe and Pierce also missed 50 million shots. Must be why the Lakers and Celtics won't talk to them anymore either. Your act is tired.

 

[Mots010]

I'll always love Ray Allen. But the guy walks to the beat of a different drum.

I think that's pretty much it. Ray always seemed kind of aloof. He kind of just Irish goodbye'd from the Celtics. It's just how he was.

At the end of the day, it was probably in the best interest of everyone involved.

 

[intlzncster]

I think that's pretty much it. Ray always seemed kind of aloof. He kind of just Irish goodbye'd from the Celtics. It's just how he was

He was famously so. Kept to himself over the years. Locked into his routine, he never deviated, and that involved practicing his way, sleep, not going out, eating his way, etc. To the exclusion of everything else.

 

[James]

He got "benched" when he was playing at 50% and couldn't keep anyone in front of him. And he still ended up closing games out when he came back from injury.

As far as him being the second best player on the '08 team...nope. They don't win the title without him, but KG and Pierce were the clear 1-2.

I disagree, its pretty close and ray edges him out with the total win shares in that series. And my point was he owed them nothing, once you start getting benched or playing a role you didn't agree to all bets are off.

 

[nomar]

I disagree, its pretty close and ray edges him out with the total win shares in that series. And my point was he owed them nothing, once you start getting benched or playing a role you didn't agree to all bets are off.

Right but who's the "them" there? The organization? Doc and Danny? OK, fair enough, they're the ones making the calls you're alluding to. But what about Pierce and KG?

 

[James]

Right but who's the "them" there? The organization? Doc and Danny? OK, fair enough, they're the ones making the calls you're alluding to. But what about Pierce and KG?

perhaps he could have contacted them before he left, but him being at odds with management and the coach was the reason he left and there was nothing the players could do/say to change that. And in the end, he made the right decision. IF anything this just seems like those guys were jealous he had such a big playoff moment with lebron.

 

[beerfan]

Who cares... the current Celtics need to beat the Wizards tonight. I could care less who gets asked/excluded on vacation.

 

[champs99and04]

I can see both sides (I'm not a Celtics fan, FWIW). The core in Boston was special. I'm not the sort that screams from his porch about guys creating super teams, but I do think there is something to be said for them being the last ornery, slightly irrational group. The enemy was about as clearly defined as it gets in pro sports. There was no ambiguity and Ray left. I 100% support the right of the players on that team to be upset because I would be, too.

In Ray's defense, it was the perfect career move. He swung the '13 title and did things with the last 1% of his gas mileage that he never would have been able to do in Boston. As a result he's something of a nomad, but I think he's OK with that. His name carries a cache that might even trump what Garnett and Pierce are, not because he was better but because of how memorable he was. You wonder if it might have been different had Ray not won the title in Miami - I think that eats at Pierce and Garnett a bit.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

I honestly do not think Ray Allen cares one bit. He was a hired gun brought in to win in Boston, he did his part. He was a free agent and signed with the Heat. The Heat, his 4th team btw, offered him the best chance to win another ring. He won there and made one of the most memorable shots in NBA history. I think Ray would do it all over again too.

 

[selles]

Who cares... the current Celtics need to beat the Wizards tonight. I could care less who gets asked/excluded on vacation.

Seriously. Is this professional sports or middle school?

 

[JSM1970]

How would Kobe missing shots hurt the the C's genius?

I remember that game well, Kobe and Pierce also missed 50 million shots. Must be why the Lakers and Celtics won't talk to them anymore either. Your act is tired.

 

[nomar]

I remember that game well, Kobe and Pierce also missed 50 million shots. Must be why the Lakers and Celtics won't talk to them anymore either. Your act is tired.

I really don't want to get into bashing Ray but anyone who watched that game knows that Ray cost the Celtics the game. He went 0-13, and many if not most of those were open looks. It was a bizarre turn of events, considering he hit 8 three-pointers in Game 2. His Game 2 was a real thing of beauty.

Kobe missed a lot of shots but he scored 29 points on 29 shots. Pierce scored 15 points on 12 shots. Ray hit 2 free throws and missed 13 shots, 8 from 3. It was the worst game of his career, coming off one of the best.

Frankly, I'm not sure it has anything to do with anything on the main topic -- I don't know if winning another title would have caused him to stay; I'm guessing not -- but you don't seem to remember that game well at all.

 

[UConn990411]

I can see both sides (I'm not a Celtics fan, FWIW). The core in Boston was special. I'm not the sort that screams from his porch about guys creating super teams, but I do think there is something to be said for them being the last ornery, slightly irrational group. The enemy was about as clearly defined as it gets in pro sports. There was no ambiguity and Ray left. I 100% support the right of the players on that team to be upset because I would be, too.

In Ray's defense, it was the perfect career move. He swung the '13 title and did things with the last 1% of his gas mileage that he never would have been able to do in Boston. As a result he's something of a nomad, but I think he's OK with that. His name carries a cache that might even trump what Garnett and Pierce are, not because he was better but because of how memorable he was. You wonder if it might have been different had Ray not won the title in Miami - I think that eats at Pierce and Garnett a bit.

Ray's name does not carry more cache than Kevin Garnett's.

 

[champs99and04]

Ray's name does not carry more cache than Kevin Garnett's.

Ray's just bigger as a brand, I think. I think he resonates more with casual fan because of his skill set. Not to say Ray was Mr. personality, but Garnett was a bit of a recluse off the court and his game was a little bit like Duncan's in that he was almost too perfect to be marketed. It helped that Ray bounced around more and played for the Supersonics before they left Seattle. Then you have the movie, the character, the title of greatest shooter ever that he held for a while, the shot, the two rings, etc. This is admittedly entirely subjective but I think Garnett remains one of the best kept secrets in league history. He was better than a guy like Kobe IMO and will receive a fraction of the pub.

 

[huskypantz]

It was pretty well publicized that the team would show up at his charity events but he would not show at theirs. He was not one to go get beers with the guys. How he left was fine - he turned down more money to win a championship, and he didn't want to see Bradley take his minutes. The guy was just not a people person. I would imagine being a military brat who moves around quite a bit creates that mindset where it's easy to detach.

 

[UConn990411]

Ray's just bigger as a brand, I think. I think he resonates more with casual fan because of his skill set. Not to say Ray was Mr. personality, but Garnett was a bit of a recluse off the court and his game was a little bit like Duncan's in that he was almost too perfect to be marketed. It helped that Ray bounced around more and played for the Supersonics before they left Seattle. Then you have the movie, the character, the title of greatest shooter ever that he held for a while, the shot, the two rings, etc. This is admittedly entirely subjective but I think Garnett remains one of the best kept secrets in league history. He was better than a guy like Kobe IMO and will receive a fraction of the pub.

Sorry, but Ray just wasn't (isn't) a bigger brand than KG. His nickname is literally the Big Ticket.