Chris CrockettBoston Fans: “ 'Sheed’s Not A Whinebag, He’s Passionate!”
July 7th 2009 14:32
Do I hate the Rasheed Wallace signing by Danny Ainge and the Celtics? No. Have I been a fan of 'Sheed Wallace throughout his NBA career? No. Will I become a fan of 'Sheed Wallace now that he is a Boston Celtic, just because they are my team of choice in the NBA? No. Do I think the 'Sheed Wallace signing was a good business move and made the Celtics once again the team to beat in the NBA next year? Yes…. Yes I do.
First of all it is a deal that makes sense for both sides. 'Sheed obviously was stuck in a rut in Detroit and from some accounts had worn out his welcome. The Celtics were in dire need of someone to spell KG and give them some quality minutes while doing so---enter 'Sheed. It is a two year deal at the midlevel exemption at about $5.5 mil per season for a guy on the back nine of his career who wants another legitimate shot at championship glory. He won’t have to be the main man or even second in command on this team. He just has to be 'Sheed. He doesn’t have to take the next step and prove he can dominate at a high level ALL the time---just PART of the time---like he’s been used to doing for how many years now? Charles Barkley once said that if 'Sheed wanted to be, he could be the best player in the NBA. It just seems like he’s always been a guy who can’t keep his emotions in check and who has never fully maximized his potential . 'Sheed has complained the officials don’t treat him the same as everyone else when it comes to calling fouls? Well, 41 technical fouls in a season (yes that is a record) don’t help your chances in that regard. He has led the league in technical fouls over and over again. Nobody is saying that you have to kiss every referee in the NBA’s ass 'Sheed but for Christ sake, how about a little love every now and again! Don’t expect fringe calls to go your way when your telling the ref to go blast himself in the ass all the time when a foul call doesn’t go your way. It just doesn’t work that way. With Kendrick Perkins and 'Sheed holding court together in Beantown now, the refs better get used to packing extra sets of ear plugs when they do a Celtics game. Perk isn’t shy when it comes to telling the zebra’s off either. No worries here in Boston though 'Sheed. All the callers on the sport radio shows are already saying that they have changed their prior views on you now that you bleed Green. Numerous fans called in yesterday and said that they used to consider you a whinebag and someone who quit on your team last year in Detroit, but now they consider you a ‘passionate’ player. Cracks me up every time. If you didn’t like a player before they got here, why do you have to like them so much when they get here? You root for the team. Wallace is part of the team, so indirectly, yes you are rooting for him. Does that mean you have to become a 'Sheed Wallace fan ? No.
If you ask me, the signing is pretty low risk if you are the Celtics. This is a veteran team with one goal in mind over the next two seasons---winning two more titles. Wallace, when motivated, and trust me KG will motivate him, can be an animal of a defensive player down low with his tremendous length and size. He has always been a great dual inside-out threat to score on offense. He won a ring in 2004 with the Pistons and needs a change of scenery. He has loads of talent and as far as what the Celtics needed in a free agent, 'Sheed’s skills fit the bill ten fold. Kudos to Mr. Ainge---now if you go get Grant Hill in here as a bench player--- you can start printing banner #18 as we speak. Even if they don’t get Hill, they are one hell of a team and title contender if they enter the playoffs healthy.
Chuck Hanf
Two Cents From Beantown
| 58 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Anonymous