Ray Allen facing "serious" off-court family issues / Ray gripes to media

[mahonedog88]

Greg Anthony is the guest on Jim Rome today and of course they're talking about the NBA playoffs and Rome asked Greg what the deal is with Ray Allen.

Greg Anthony just had an interesting answer in that he knows that Ray Allen has been having some family issues recently.  He knows that Ray would never use that as an excuse to his troubles or talk about it publicly but it is interesting to think about.

Can anyone confirm this or know what Greg is talking about?

[Redz]

There was a thread about this last week.  Not sure how much was ever substantiated, but here's the thread:

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=17521.0

[Rizzo]

I believe Michael Smith did a piece on Ray's family issues on E-60 this past week. Honestly, it didn't really affect him during the regular season and I'm not sure it should be affecting him now.

[Woodstock Libertarian]

Greg Anthony just reported on Jim Rome is burning. The issues are family related. But wouldn't specify.

Milwaukee newspapers detail one family related issue, but it is unclear if it is what Anthony is reporting.

ESPN's magazine series (5 p.m. Tuesday) features a report on the Celtics' Ray Allen, whose family life problems read like an episode from a TV cop show. The main problem: the attempted murder of Allen's stepfather.

Flora Allen-Hopson, Allen's mother, and Derek Hopson, Allen's stepfather, have spent more than two years in a witness protection program, after the attempted murder of Hopson, a psychologist. The husband of the former wife of Hopson, Ernest Garlington, a counselor of at-risk kids, organized the attempted murder of Hopson. Recently, Garlington was sentenced to 33 years in prison on five counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

[CoachBo]

TP for posting this.

Now perhaps people will get off Allen's back.

[CLeht11]

Yeah that's some serious stuff.  I heard Greg Anthony report that, but I really wasn't sure what it was all about.

It's easy to say 'Ahhh just focus on your game Ray', but just imagine if you were in his shoes.  The only thing he CAN do is try and take his mind off it and get into the groove again.  Hopefully he pulls it together, because we really really need him this series.

[fmf2]

Family always comes first. I hope Ray and his family all get through this as well as possible.

[celtsrp33]

We all need to give Ray support.  I sure would like to see him get in the groove this series - maybe put a smile on his face.   

[Steve Weinman]

Family always comes first. I hope Ray and his family all get through this as well as possible.

Amen.  Best of luck Ray and family.

If that's somehow not the family issue that Anthony was reporting, I'll only feel even more for the guy and his loved ones.

-sw

[fairweatherfan06]

 Ray has a good family (which is large...an older brother and 3 younger sisters not to mention his wife 3 kids and parents)  they're good people and have made it through a lot.   I think the attempted murder thing is resolved, my guess is this may be something different.  Best wishes to them.

[Andy Jick]

this is none of our business...

if ray needs to get things squared away, then he should be given that time off.

he's not helping the team right now...he's a person first, and a ballplayer much later down the list of important items.

[35Reggie]

Anybody else feel like crap for being so hard on him?

[Chris]

Ray has a good family (which is large...an older brother and 3 younger sisters not to mention his wife 3 kids and parents)  they're good people and have made it through a lot.   I think the attempted murder thing is resolved, my guess is this may be something different.  Best wishes to them.

It was just resolved a couple of weeks ago (I believe the sentencing was about halfway through the Atlanta series).  Things like this can have a profound impact on families, and when something big like sentencing happens, it can reverberate for a while (just think of the kind of fear and memories it would bring back).

I certainly am not saying that there isn't something else, but most of the evidence points to that being what Anthony was referring to.

[nickagneta]

Having been through some very serious and stressful family events while still trying to be the best I could at work, I feel for Ray. I wish him all the best and pray that things don't end badly for him and his family.

This certainly explains a lot. A pure shooter has to feel it and when your head is into something else for 20 hours a day it's hard to feel it on the court and be effective. How else can you explain the wide open looks that aren't going down?

That's really a shame because if the Celtics go on to win it all, Ray probably won't enjoy it as much as he would have if all was good in his world.

God bless Ray, my thoughts and hopes go with you.

(Glad I wasn't one of those guys giving Ray a bunch of crap for his performance. I'd feel really crappy about now if I did)

[VinBakersBartender]

I love you Ray Ray