OT - Paul Pierce on Ray Allen

[James]

Rick fox is on derek jeters level as far as getting a** . currently dates eliza dushku

 

[caw]

I've met Ray a few times he was always pleasant but yes he can defiantly also be described as aloof. Never thought it was him being a jerk though. More so that his mind was always wandering to other topics.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Donny Marshall has to be one of the best athletes I've ever interacted with. My dad met him while out grocery shopping this past winter, and when we ran into him at the conference tourney he treated both of us like we were old friends. Phenomenal guy.

Odd, I ran into Donny a few times on campus back in the day and he came off as a jerk and once got into a very heated debate with Pam Weber in my Pysc class (I think they were dating at the time). Ray was nice; but quiet. Eric Heyward was an idiot, which haunted him big time later on. Travis Knight was goofball who thought he was god's gift to women and did a lot of trolling at the Upper Deck. Later in life, I ran into Ray at some charity functions in Boston. Still quiet and intense; but, he was very family oriented and I know his children has/had medical issues. I can see the aloofness and why he may not have connected with the play hard/party hard Paul Pierce. All in all, we all have our all experiences and opinions.

 

[Chief00]

Quite frankly, none of this is news. In HS Ray and Kevin had a connection in SC but they were respectful but not close as teammates. Ray's wedding was also interesting. Scott Burrell played a role but no Celtics. As I recall it was on Martha Vineyard; I don't think any Celtic even attended the wedding; I don't know if it was because they weren't invited or did not attend.
Ray had a certain way of doing things - which was not for everyone. While he donated a lot for his charities - he always had a reputation as being cheap - of course a lot of pros blow money - so it is not always a bad thing. Teammates considered Larry Bird cheap. Travis Knight and Ray Allen were the ultimate odd couple as roommates and later could joke about how they drove each other crazy. Ray was the neat perfectionist - Travis very casual and sloppy with housekeeping.
Ray's dad was in the military ( Air Force as I recall) and Ray always had some of that in him even after his parents split and Ray lived with his mom.
Both Ray and Calhoun could be disliked by their peers - and we used to joke thats why they got along so well. With Jim I think it was due to competition and creating motivation to achieve victory. With Ray it was more his personality and frankly how he was different it ways both good and bad from the average teammate. Ray's work habits were always there.
It is interesting the author Jackie M is very, very close with the Calhoun family.

 

[Stainmaster]

Odd, I ran into Donny a few times on campus back in the day and he came off as a jerk and once got into a very heated debate with Pam Weber in my Pysc class (I think they were dating at the time). Ray was nice; but quiet. Eric Heyward was an idiot, which haunted him big time later on. Travis Knight was goofball who thought he was god's gift to women and did a lot of trolling at the Upper Deck. Later in life, I ran into Ray at some charity functions in Boston. Still quiet and intense; but, he was very family oriented and I know his children has/had medical issues. I can see the aloofness and why he may not have connected with the play hard/party hard Paul Pierce. All in all, we all have our all experiences and opinions.

I've had good luck with the players I've met in person (Lamb was a little bit aloof, but I've heard that he's naturally a very shy guy). Only other Husky with a negative rap I've heard personal anecdotes was Cliff Robinson. Oddly enough, I was at a friend's family dinner this past September and I find out that one of his cousins was his freshman year roommate...apparently Cliff didn't do too much to endear himself...

 

[bmo22]

I can't understand how any UConn fan, or even Ray Allen, could be offended by what Paul Pierce said. He didn't call him selfish or anything like that. He just said Ray would rather do his own thing off the court. If anything what Pierce said just clears the air over the lack of communication when Ray left the Celtics. There was none because they weren't close friends to begin with. Simple as that.

I'm only 26 but a life-long Celtics fan. I don't swear by the old school like many tired old sports writers do, but it's nice to read or listen to an interview of a pro athlete that speaks his mind. Pierce tells it how he sees it without being offensive. I thought it was a great read.

And to the guy who said Pierce couldn't carry Lebron's jock (a little weird), try asking Lebron about that. He would disagree. Those head-to-head playoff matchups from 2008-2010 were some of the best basketball games I've watched. I would expect a first ballot hall of famer and NBA Finals MVP to have enough confidence that he could match up with anyone on the planet. Whether he's as great or not wouldn't change that.

 

[selles]

I'm only 26 but a life-long Celtics fan.

Lol, if you'd led with that it would have saved me some reading. You don't think it was a tad offensive where Pierce said that in a lot of ways he, Garnett and Cassell were the big 3? I mean, I guess that would be ok if he'd said 'in a lot of ways THAT DON'T MATTER'.

Nothing like a good old Walter Ray bashing thread by Celtics fans on the Boneyard. Maybe we can get the guy who doesn't like Ray's mom's dog to chime in, that will be the cherry on top.

This is a guy who's chartered planes to watch us play in championship games, but hey - he's definitely a skinflint.

 

[superjohn]

I can't understand how any UConn fan, or even Ray Allen, could be offended by what Paul Pierce said. He didn't call him selfish or anything like that. He just said Ray would rather do his own thing off the court. If anything what Pierce said just clears the air over the lack of communication when Ray left the Celtics. There was none because they weren't close friends to begin with. Simple as that.

I'm only 26 but a life-long Celtics fan. I don't swear by the old school like many tired old sports writers do, but it's nice to read or listen to an interview of a pro athlete that speaks his mind. Pierce tells it how he sees it without being offensive. I thought it was a great read.

And to the guy who said Pierce couldn't carry Lebron's jock (a little weird), try asking Lebron about that. He would disagree. Those head-to-head playoff matchups from 2008-2010 were some of the best basketball games I've watched. I would expect a first ballot hall of famer and NBA Finals MVP to have enough confidence that he could match up with anyone on the planet. Whether he's as great or not wouldn't change that.

I think there was one person in the entire thread who had a problem with what Pierce said about Allen. Not being able to "carry one's jock" means player A isn't even close to being as good as player B. Great, Pierce is a first ballot Hall of Famer, so is Allen and neither are in the same stratosphere as Lebron on a basketball court. If you don't understand that you should just give up on watching basketball.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Lol, if you'd led with that it would have saved me some reading. You don't think it was a tad offensive where Pierce said that in a lot of ways he, Garnett and Cassell were the big 3?

Who in their right mind would be "offended" by that, in the context of what he said? Wipe the sand out of your v a gi na.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I can't understand how any UConn fan, or even Ray Allen, could be offended by what Paul Pierce said. He didn't call him selfish or anything like that. He just said Ray would rather do his own thing off the court. If anything what Pierce said just clears the air over the lack of communication when Ray left the Celtics. There was none because they weren't close friends to begin with. Simple as that.

I'm only 26 but a life-long Celtics fan. I don't swear by the old school like many tired old sports writers do, but it's nice to read or listen to an interview of a pro athlete that speaks his mind. Pierce tells it how he sees it without being offensive. I thought it was a great read.

And to the guy who said Pierce couldn't carry Lebron's jock (a little weird), try asking Lebron about that. He would disagree. Those head-to-head playoff matchups from 2008-2010 were some of the best basketball games I've watched. I would expect a first ballot hall of famer and NBA Finals MVP to have enough confidence that he could match up with anyone on the planet. Whether he's as great or not wouldn't change that.

I like Pierce, but outside of LeBron's rookie season, his worst season is better than Pierce's best season. And in the playoffs LeBron has always been better than Pierce. There's no shame in being outplayed by the best player in the world, but let's not pretend like LeBron isn't a good deal better than Pierce.

In 2010 LeBron was pretty inefficient overall in that series, but Pierce actually shot worse than he did.

In their other series' Pierce would have like 1 or 2 games out of 7 where he went toe to toe with LeBron but LeBron would outplay him by a decent amount in pretty much all the other games.

 

[nomar]

He also a punk that was involved a knife fight at nightclub where he got stabbed several times and is a notorious pothead. Good example for the kids. Way to try and punk a good guy like Ray Allen. Sounds like a guy you would want to hang out with.
.

Congratulations on writing the dumbest post on the Internet yesterday.

 

[Confident Carl]

The few times I've met Ray in person he's been kind of a jerk. Others I know who have met him don't have the kindest things to say. These quotes from Pierce don't surprise me

I remember a day when I was in the ATM line at Foxwoods. There were like 12 people in line. Ray Allan bypassed everyone and simply went to the front of the line without thinking twice. I just shook my head. Always liked Ray Allan as a ball player. One of the best pure shooters ever!

 

[phillionaire]

He also a punk that was involved a knife fight at nightclub where he got stabbed several times and is a notorious pothead. Good example for the kids. Way to try and punk a good guy like Ray Allen. Sounds like a guy you would want to hang out with. .

Woah notorious pot head? What a bad egg!

 

[polycom]

If you think Ray Allen is what you call a "nice" guy, you're delusional. I've been at LA fitness when he is working out and played basketball he doesn't acknowledge people. He gives off the higher than thou vibe, not to mention that he goes to the gym with a bodyguard.

 

[Kembacity]

He also a punk that was involved a knife fight at nightclub where he got stabbed several times and is a notorious pothead. Good example for the kids. Way to try and punk a good guy like Ray Allen. Sounds like a guy you would want to hang out with.
.

Its funny because while I was reading his quotes, I was taking it as Ray probably didn't get up to the riffraff some of the other guys got into. I know theres the twitter fiasco he had, but I think that Ray distanced himself from the rest first in club trips and such and then it grew into him not being around for their charity events.

I dont think that pierce/cassell/KG are just going to fancy lovely charity events...

 

[Hoophound]

These negative reports on Ray don't jive with my personal experiences. However, I believe most of them are true. I doubt UCONN fans would falsely bash his personality. Ray is kind of strange in some ways. He is obsessive compulsive, he's a freak about his fitness and he has some family pressures with health issues etc. I suspect he is a very up and down person emotionally and that may explain these night and day interactions.

I have met him 4 that I can remember and I never had anything but a pleasant interaction with him in which he was smiling the whole time.

 

[UConn990411]

If you think Ray Allen is what you call a "nice" guy, you're delusional. I've been at LA fitness when he is working out and played basketball he doesn't acknowledge people. He gives off the higher than thou vibe, not to mention that he goes to the gym with a bodyguard.

Not saying you're wrong, but if I'm working out at the gym, I wouldn't want to be bothered either.

 

[epark88]

I've had good luck with the players I've met in person (Lamb was a little bit aloof, but I've heard that he's naturally a very shy guy). Only other Husky with a negative rap I've heard personal anecdotes was Cliff Robinson. Oddly enough, I was at a friend's family dinner this past September and I find out that one of his cousins was his freshman year roommate...apparently Cliff didn't do too much to endear himself...

Can vouch for this (seriously this time).

Said freshman roommate was a UCMB member and a soph by the time I got to UConn and joined the band. A great guy, very funny - he shared with us some of the stuff that went down and...whelp, let's just say that Cliff was definitely not a cool dude back then. So anytime he mentioned Cliff he prefaced it with: "...my former a**hole roommate. Not that he's formerly an a**hole, just formerly my roommate. He's STILL an a**hole."

He apparently said this so much his freshman year, it became a running UCMB gag the following two-plus years. Whenever anyone heard or mentioned Cliff's name, the entire band would start reciting the roommate's 'preface'.

It was hilarious at the time, especially if you were clued in on the back-story behind it all...

 

[Penfield]

As sports fans we all like to think everyone on our favorite teams are best buddies, but we all know its not true.

By all accounts Ray is very good friend w/ LeBron James, and they go on vacations together. From what I have read Ray really appreciates LeBron's work ethic since he would train almost nearly as much as Ray does. So it's not like Ray is some sort of sociopath that has no friends in the business. Maybe he just didnt get along w/ Paul Pierce (who seems like a nice guy) and KG (who seems like a terrible person).

Ray might not be the friendliest person to the fans, but whatever it's his own life.

 

[Penfield]

Also, one time my brother was playing a round of Golf in a 2 some while Ray and a buddy were playing as a 2 some behind them. Eventually Ray caught up and asked if they could join the group. My brother said after that Ray mostly kept to himself and didnt really say anything to them. Apparently his friend was very nice though.

 

[Walker11]

Ray totally seems like a guy interested in coachingand the whole AAU scene...

 

[nomar]

Its funny because while I was reading his quotes, I was taking it as Ray probably didn't get up to the riffraff some of the other guys got into. I know theres the twitter fiasco he had, but I think that Ray distanced himself from the rest first in club trips and such and then it grew into him not being around for their charity events.

I dont think that pierce/cassell/KG are just going to fancy lovely charity events...

Nah. KG isn't a party guy. And Pierce stopped being a party guy a looooong time ago. Way before Ray joined the Celts. There was no funny business. Ray just didn't feel like he needed to be any of those guys' best friend.

 

[nomar]

Ray totally seems like a guy interested in coachingand the whole AAU scene...

Seriously. Anyone who believes that Ray Allen would spend 18 hours a day recruiting HS kids is living in a fantasy world. Nobody really needed to read Pierce's comments to know that a rando off the street would do a better job at that thankless job.

 

[nomar]

As sports fans we all like to think everyone on our favorite teams are best buddies, but we all know its not true.

By all accounts Ray is very good friend w/ LeBron James, and they go on vacations together. From what I have read Ray really appreciates LeBron's work ethic since he would train almost nearly as much as Ray does. So it's not like Ray is some sort of sociopath that has no friends in the business. Maybe he just didnt get along w/ Paul Pierce (who seems like a nice guy) and KG (who seems like a terrible person).

Ray might not be the friendliest person to the fans, but whatever it's his own life.

I would separate KG's on-court persona from his off-court life. When have you ever heard a single negative thing about KG off the court? When has a teammate or former teammate ever had a bad thing to say about him? Yes, he can be "fugazi," to quote Tim Thomas, on the court, and you can dislike him for that, but by all accounts he's a good teammate and locker room presence and has stayed out of trouble his entire career. Just defending my man KG here.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I would separate KG's on-court persona from his off-court life. When have you ever heard a single negative thing about KG off the court? When has a teammate or former teammate ever had a bad thing to say about him? Yes, he can be "fugazi," to quote Tim Thomas, on the court, and you can dislike him for that, but by all accounts he's a good teammate and locker room presence and has stayed out of trouble his entire career. Just defending my man KG here.

I have a friend in Boston who has spent time with KG while he was on the Celtics. From what I have heard, KG is like Batman/Bruce Wayne. Two completely different people on and off the court and I mean that in a positive way. Off the court, nothing but praise for him. On the court, he's lucky to finish the game without getting punched.

I wonder if Donyell remembers the time I smoked him in Sega football? He has just beat my next door neighbor my soph year and then took a crack at me. We both used the Eagles. He had a 21 to 3 lead at half and was all grins. I popped open a beer to as the second half started and suggested he may need one, too. He laughed. I did not. Final score, me 38, him 28. Of course, in May just before finals I was playing pick-up basketball outside Alumni and I am a horrid basketball player - atypical short white guy who cannot jump. I'm dribbling down the court and suddenly there are two long black sticks about as tall as my head in front of me. I look up and Donyell asks me if I want a beer. Needless to say, that did not go well for me .

 

[Kembacity]

Nah. KG isn't a party guy. And Pierce stopped being a party guy a looooong time ago. Way before Ray joined the Celts. There was no funny business. Ray just didn't feel like he needed to be any of those guys' best friend.

The inclusion of SamIAm made me think that was part of it. I remember being at Ray's charity game one year a long time ago and Sam was in the game. During the game, a dead ball, there were 2 hoochies hollering at Sam from courtside and he actually was engaging them. He seems like he was a party guy until not that long ago

 

[Penfield]

I would separate KG's on-court persona from his off-court life. When have you ever heard a single negative thing about KG off the court? When has a teammate or former teammate ever had a bad thing to say about him? Yes, he can be "fugazi," to quote Tim Thomas, on the court, and you can dislike him for that, but by all accounts he's a good teammate and locker room presence and has stayed out of trouble his entire career. Just defending my man KG here.

Well I guess it depends on what you consider on/off the court. There are anecdotes out there about him being rude to Rookies (refusing to talk to AJ Price & and Tyler Hansbrough at a photo shoot after being drafted comes to mind) and staff like ball boys. Is it considered on court because those people have something to do with basketball?

Then there are his on the court antics. Being competitive is one thing but he always had to take it to the next level.

"This isn’t the only time Garnett has gone too far with his insults either. San Antonio Spurs fans will surely remember Mother’s Day in 1999 when KG allegedly told Tim Duncan “Happy Mother’s Day, mother******,” knowing perfectly well that Duncan’s mother had died when Tim was a teenager."

Calling Charlie V a cancer patient.

Intentionally sticking his feet under jump shooters to try to get them to roll their ankles.

By all accounts it sounds like if you are KG's teammate he is the nicest guy in the world, and if you are not you best steer clear of him. I have never met him in real life, but he seems like a real to me. Everyone has their opinions though.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Ray Allen doesn't drink and is by all accounts obsessive compulsive. This is part of what made him great at basketball and not understanding that it also makes him an unlikely choice for buddies to hang with is delusional. Pierce did dis Ray (and many others in the article) with the big 3 comment, but it was strictly pertaining to off the court.

On the court Pierce's ego shows with the LeBron comment (fine he should have an ego) but Cassell was a deep bench guy so the comment doesn't register - if he'd said Perk or Rondo or heck even James Posey was the 3rd most important guy it'd be worth debating and then dismissing. Cassell was washed up & only played 1 year (championship where he shot 37% in finals and scored 19 pts in 5 games, one dnp) with the Celtics and then retired.

 

[Danzz]

Ray used to play golf at Rockledge a few times a year when he was visiting his mother. He would show up without a tee time and while he expected to be treated special, he was always respectful to everyone he played with. One day he was paired with 3 elderly women and when they finished their round the women couldn't say enough good things about him. Friends of mine also played with him and said he was very quiet but ok.
Kevin Ollie also played at Rockledge occasionally and I talked to him a few times and you couldn't ask for a warmer and nicer guy. KO was a favorite of everyone at the course from the pros to the players and he would go out of his way to talk to HS kids who worked at the course.
Some people thought Ray seemed a bit arrogant but I think he just has an introverted personality whereas KO is just the opposite.
KC Jones played at the Rock regularly for a couple years and I've had beers with him more than a few times and he was great guy. He was a huge Russell fan.

 

[Stainmaster]

Can vouch for this (seriously this time).

Said freshman roommate was a UCMB member and a soph by the time I got to UConn and joined the band. A great guy, very funny - he shared with us some of the stuff that went down and...whelp, let's just say that Cliff was definitely not a cool dude back then. So anytime he mentioned Cliff he prefaced it with: "...my former a**hole roommate. Not that he's formerly an a**hole, just formerly my roommate. He's STILL an a**hole."

He apparently said this so much his freshman year, it became a running UCMB gag the following two-plus years. Whenever anyone heard or mentioned Cliff's name, the entire band would start reciting the roommate's 'preface'.

It was hilarious at the time, especially if you were clued in on the back-story behind it all...

Still just as funny. There were younger children around so he didn't get into the really good (bad?) stuff, but by the time the night was out I fully understood why athletes are paired with one another now.