CelticsStrong

Beyond the Association => Maine Celtics / G-League => Topic started by: JSD on April 08, 2012, 12:54:24 PM

Title: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: JSD on April 08, 2012, 12:54:24 PM
Quote
Former Boston Celtic Antoine Walker announced his retirement from basketball on Saturday night in the Idaho Stampede locker room following their win against the Bakersfield Jam, according to a team statement. The 35 year old is expected to make a formal retirement announcement in the coming days. Marc Spears from Yahoo! Sports first reported Walker's retirement.
-CSNNE.com

It would be nice to see him find a niche in coaching and get things turned around. I'm rooting for him.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: rondohondo on April 08, 2012, 12:58:02 PM
what would his coaching tips be? Don't shoot a 40 ft 3 until the shot clock hits 20 seconds?
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: JSD on April 08, 2012, 12:59:18 PM
what would his coaching tips be? Don't shoot a 40 ft 3 until the shot clock hits 20 seconds?

Haha. probably.

Seriously though, the guy has a passion for the game and I think it could translate into some level of coaching.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: clover on April 08, 2012, 12:59:23 PM
Quote
Former Boston Celtic Antoine Walker announced his retirement from basketball on Saturday night in the Idaho Stampede locker room following their win against the Bakersfield Jam, according to a team statement. The 35 year old is expected to make a formal retirement announcement in the coming days. Marc Spears from Yahoo! Sports first reported Walker's retirement.
-CSNNE.com

It would be nice to see him find a a niche in coaching and get things turned around. I'm rooting for him.

Gotta see his as a cautionary tale and wish him well, but a new career as a coach?  Somehow I'm not seeing that.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: Eja117 on April 08, 2012, 01:40:25 PM
what would his coaching tips be? Don't shoot a 40 ft 3 until the shot clock hits 20 seconds?
good point. I wouldn't want him on my staff. He never struck me as a guy who was in shape or played right
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: indeedproceed on April 08, 2012, 01:48:28 PM
Funny thing about Toine, I laughed at the 'bring back walker' threads, I thought the amount of 'he's playing in puerto rico/the d-league, lets do a human interest story about how poor he is now!' stories were just..unnecessary.

But even with all that, I thought he'd pull it together, and find a role like McGrady or Shawn Livingston.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: GreenFaith1819 on April 08, 2012, 02:24:38 PM
Thanks for post, JSD.

Thanks for the memories, Toine - this one was chief among those:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WgUECphc84

Wish you the best, man. He even had a triple double that game.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: More Banners on April 08, 2012, 02:28:56 PM
Talent without discipline.

Could've been a HOF 1st ballot guy.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: Jon on April 08, 2012, 03:09:55 PM
Funny thing about Toine, I laughed at the 'bring back walker' threads, I thought the amount of 'he's playing in puerto rico/the d-league, lets do a human interest story about how poor he is now!' stories were just..unnecessary.

But even with all that, I thought he'd pull it together, and find a role like McGrady or Shawn Livingston.

Yeah.  I'm very surprised that he couldn't even find the discipline to drop some weight.  Apparently even with the Stampede he was still quite pudgy. 

Had he lost that weight, he probably could've latched on somewhere in that McGrady/Stackhouse type role. 

It's a shame. 
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: clover on April 08, 2012, 03:46:08 PM
Maybe he'll end up a casino greeter, like a retired boxer, some day.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: soap07 on April 08, 2012, 03:46:28 PM
Was Antoine ultimately a disappointment? Maybe.

But screw it man, the dude was a starter on a championship team in multiple levels of basketball. Not many people can say that. He made 3 All Star teams.

Dude had a successful career.

Off the court? Not so much.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: jambr380 on April 08, 2012, 05:03:34 PM
Was Antoine ultimately a disappointment? Maybe.

But screw it man, the dude was a starter on a championship team in multiple levels of basketball. Not many people can say that. He made 3 All Star teams.

Dude had a successful career.

Off the court? Not so much.

Yeah, I was a huge fan and I loved his all around game and his energy. He was the leader of a pretty darn good basketball team and kept the Celtics out of squalor for a number of years. Obviously his critics will say he took too many threes and could have been so much more, and that may be true, but he was also quite successful and entertaining to watch...without really being a hinderance [fighting, trouble off the court, etc]. He will always go down as one of my faves...
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: pearljammer10 on April 08, 2012, 05:17:15 PM
Its long overdue that his retirment finally came. Too bad he couldnt get it together off the court. As an NBA player he did have quite a few accomplishments, however, quite a few bonehead stats as well. Wish him the best to try to get his financial world back on track...Not so sure i see his as a coach however.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: ManUp on April 08, 2012, 05:45:13 PM
A sad way to go out.

I hope him the best.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: hpantazo on April 08, 2012, 05:46:14 PM
Antoine played basketball with all of his passion, he left it all out on the floor for us every night, and gave us some great memories when the team was hurting. I will miss Toine and always consider him a true celtic. I hope he finds a way to use his experience and love of the game to recover from his financial troubles. I met him a few times, he's a legitimately nice guy, which I believe is part of what got him into the mess he's in.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: Neurotic Guy on April 08, 2012, 05:49:41 PM
35 -- still a young man.  If he has his demons behind him (gambling?) then he can still have a great life. I'd imagine he'll have many opportunities for work as long as he's willing.  Being a former star likly gets his foot in a lot of doors.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: slamtheking on April 08, 2012, 07:04:10 PM
I wish him the best.  a shame he didn't have a better career.  I blame a good part of that on Pitino's arrival which changed his game completely.  To his credit, he loved be a Celtic and it killed him to be traded that first time.

I'll never forget his never-say-die attitude that led to that greatest comeback (IMHO) I've ever seen in that playoff game against the Nets.  Toine will always hold a special place in Celtic lore for that game (for me anyway).
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: mr. dee on April 08, 2012, 07:16:10 PM
The James Toney of basketball. Not to mention, they look alike (LOL).

Wish him best. But he have a pretty successful career. 1 ring and  3 all-star appearance isn't too shabby.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: Celtics4ever on April 08, 2012, 07:41:45 PM
I would not mind him replacing Donny.  Best of luck to him.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: slamtheking on April 08, 2012, 08:08:17 PM
I would not mind him replacing Donny.  Best of luck to him.
TP for a great idea.  bring him back to the organization he's always wanted to be a part of.  I certainly won't miss Donny if he goes.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: Redz on April 08, 2012, 08:13:15 PM
I would not mind him replacing Donny.  Best of luck to him.
TP for a great idea.  bring him back to the organization he's always wanted to be a part of.  I certainly won't miss Donny if he goes.

Honestly, I don't know that I'd trust Toine to be totally presentable in that capacity.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: mr. dee on April 08, 2012, 08:29:18 PM
Would be nice if we get Toine to work in the office. I would also like to have Dee Brown back.
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: soap07 on April 08, 2012, 08:35:19 PM
Someone help me out. I seem to remember Toine doing some guest spots on TNT's halftime show a couple years back, right after the C's traded him the first time. Am I making this up?
Title: Re: Antoine Walker Retires
Post by: ozman on April 08, 2012, 10:00:00 PM
He sold his championship ring for $21,000 to pay of debts. Everything he ever worked for and all he had to show for it, gone (along with millions of dollars)