Simmons: "I demand that you read this..."

BillessuR6 · Post #1 » by **BillessuR6** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:07 pm

Back in April '06, I wrote a column about getting billed for Clippers tickets that included an extended section about Sam Cassell's brilliance and all the "little things" he does for a basketball team. I demand that you read it if you're a Celtics fan. Maybe Sam is at the tail end of his career, but his spirit and personality remain as strong as ever, and I don't think people back home fully realize how many unique things Sam does during the course of an NBA game, or how much fun they're going to have watching him play on a game-to-game basis. You can't overstate how big the Cassell and P.J. Brown signings were for the Celtics; in the span of 48 hours, I went from thinking they were destined for a Round 2 exit in Cleveland to believing they can win the championship if everything falls right.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... nks/080303

daveisceltics · Post #2 » by **daveisceltics** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:14 pm

Round 2 exit in Cleveland? lol

AWalkerREMIX · Post #3 » by **AWalkerREMIX** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:31 pm

daveisceltics wrote:Round 2 exit in Cleveland? lol

I agree with Simmons. I thought that a Round2 exist vs. Cleveland was a high possibility before they got Brown and Cassell.

tombattor · Post #4 » by **tombattor** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:38 pm

Even now, if Lebron goes crazy, it's possible that we get knocked out in the 2nd round. We have to hope the Cavs get the 3 seed and play the Pistons in the 2nd round.

PJ Brown and Cassell really solidify our bench and their playoff experience will be invaluable. However, if Lebron is going crazy, I don't think Cassell or PJ Brown will be able to do much about it. Maybe Cassell can get into a fight with Lebron and get him suspended...

CelticsWhat! · Post #5 » by **CelticsWhat!** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:54 pm

I think people are either overestimating how good LeBron is or how good his supporting cast is. As good as he is and as great as he was in leading the team past the Pistons last year, they still got swept by the Spurs in the Finals. One guy can only do so much.

Sure, if given the choice, I'd rather face Orlando or Toronto in the 2nd round, but either way it won't be a cake walk, and I really don't think whichever team avoids the Cavs in the 2nd round will have a distinct advantage in the ECF.

Seriously guys, if you're that woried about the Cavs, you really can't like the Celts chances against any of the top West teams.

daveisceltics · Post #6 » by **daveisceltics** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 7:57 pm

CelticsWhat! wrote:I think people are either overestimating how good LeBron is or how good his supporting cast is. As good as he is and as great as he was in leading the team past the Pistons last year, they still got swept by the Spurs in the Finals. One guy can only do so much.

Sure, if given the choice, I'd rather face Orlando or Toronto in the 2nd round, but either way it won't be a cake walk, and I really don't think whichever team avoids the Cavs in the 2nd round will have a distinct advantage in the ECF.

Seriously guys, if you're that woried about the Cavs, you really can't like the Celts chances against any of the top West teams.

Cmon 3 of their players (2 are main supporting cast) played for last years great Celtics team.

bruno sundov · Post #7 » by **bruno sundov** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 8:05 pm

reading one of his articles it's as if, you are reading a long bad joke, and are just waiting for the punchline. And it never comes. He is horrendous.

gocelticsgo · Post #8 » by **gocelticsgo** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 9:00 pm

bruno sundov wrote:reading one of his articles it's as if, you are reading a long bad joke, and are just waiting for the punchline. And it never comes. He is horrendous.

Yeah, he used to be pretty consistently entertaining, but now, he writes something good only about 10% of the time.

RickyDizzle · Post #9 » by **RickyDizzle** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 9:12 pm

gocelticsgo wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah, he used to be pretty consistently entertaining, but now, he writes something good only about 10% of the time.

I don't think his writing has changed at all. Personally for me I was entertained when it was new and creative, now I just find his style exhausting after the novelty of the occasional comical moment wore off...

-Dizzy

Big Baby Burger · Post #10 » by **Big Baby Burger** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 9:35 pm

Over the last few months, it seems that Simmons is having issues with his Celtics fandom. He's been extra harsh in his assessment of the team - sniping at various players, coaching decisions, coaching mannerisms, predicting playoff doom and gloom, etc.

What I think this stems from is Simmons digging his own grave with his obnoxiously excessive, misplaced Doc-hate. He blamed Doc for any and every little thing the last few years, as though the team would have somehow been a force in the conference if someone else was at the helm. Now Bill realizes he had gone way too far with that angle and he's unable to fully enjoy what's going on this season.

That's my theory and I r stickin' to it.

TheCelticTruth · Post #11 » by **TheCelticTruth** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 11:21 pm

bruno sundov wrote:reading one of his articles it's as if, you are reading a long bad joke, and are just waiting for the punchline. And it never comes. He is horrendous.

i havent enjoyed simmons for years. its like how when an author gets a certain amount of recognition his/her books get longer and longer...because they no longer get edited...

thats how i feel about bill. maybe he should move back home and touch base with boston...LA...god...

SonicYouth34 · Post #12 » by **SonicYouth34** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 11:30 pm

daveisceltics wrote:Round 2 exit in Cleveland? lol

My thoughts exactly

ab40 · Post #13 » by **ab40** » Tue Mar 4, 2008 11:51 pm

AWalkerREMIX wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I agree with Simmons. I thought that a Round2 exist vs. Cleveland was a high possibility before they got Brown and Cassell.

WORD.

now only lebron is the better player within the starting 5 of both teams. OK maybe big Z over Brown or Perkins.

GuyClinch · Post #14 » by **GuyClinch** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 12:17 am

I think the problem is the NBA is more about "matchups" not just whose the better team. Sometimes a mediocre team can have a good teams number.

Lebron is always a concern because he is better then anyone on our roster and gets calls like no one on our roster.

Pete

SLCceltic · Post #15 » by **SLCceltic** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 12:45 am

cleveland gave me a scare after i saw the initial trade, but after watching them play some, im not worried at all......................glad gooden is gone

simmons is......................well simmons; i dont get why his opinions matter

bruno sundov · Post #16 » by **bruno sundov** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 1:02 am

TheCelticTruth wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

i havent enjoyed simmons for years. its like how when an author gets a certain amount of recognition his/her books get longer and longer...because they no longer get edited...

thats how i feel about bill. maybe he should move back home and touch base with boston...LA...god...

AHAHA, move your busted ass back to BOS. what is great about LA anyways? i spent time out there and did not like it.

Celtic Esquire · Post #17 » by **Celtic Esquire** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 1:26 am

AWalkerREMIX wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I agree with Simmons. I thought that a Round2 exist vs. Cleveland was a high possibility before they got Brown and Cassell.

Why did you think that? All we had to do was blanket LeBron and make the rest of the team beat us.

Somehow I don't see Wally, Delonte or Ben Wallace doing that at all.

Jimmy103 · Post #18 » by **Jimmy103** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 2:47 am

tombattor wrote:Even now, if Lebron goes crazy, it's possible that we get knocked out in the 2nd round. We have to hope the Cavs get the 3 seed and play the Pistons in the 2nd round.

PJ Brown and Cassell really solidify our bench and their playoff experience will be invaluable. However, if Lebron is going crazy, I don't think Cassell or PJ Brown will be able to do much about it. Maybe Cassell can get into a fight with Lebron and get him suspended...

What if KG goes crazy?

The battle of triple doubles!

I'll take KG's high cards of Ray and The Captain over Wally World/Delonte

Perkins can shut down Big Z and Big Ben's defense is negated by Perkins minimal role in the offense anyways.

Rondo vs. Delonte? Please!

ARB729 · Post #19 » by **ARB729** » Wed Mar 5, 2008 2:53 am

TheCelticTruth wrote:I havent enjoyed simmons for years. its like how when an author gets a certain amount of recognition his/her books get longer and longer...because they no longer get edited...

thats how i feel about bill. maybe he should move back home and touch base with boston...LA...god...

True story, his aunt was one of my kindergarten teachers.