Good Read from Pierce by Jackie MacMullan

[sed522002]

I don't really have a problem with what Pierce says about Ray.  Everyone is different and it's pretty unfair to judge someone based on a few anecdotes.   Ray may be a horrible and difficult person, but he also just may do things differently. Maybe he prioritized time with his wife and children over anything else -- would that make him a jerk?   Maybe he figured that as an NBA player who spends nights, weekends and half the season on the road away from his kids that whatever time is left is sacrosanct -- for family.  Or maybe not, but we don't have enough information to judge.

I agree with all of this (and I bolded that one part because people with OCD or borderline OCD can often confuse others).  People like Ray tend to schedule their entire day and hold to it.  For all we know, his resting/working out instead of going to fundraisers is part of what made him the best shooter of all time.

Ray was also dealing with a very sick child at the time if I'm not mistaken.

Like you say we'll never know if Ray was missing fundraisers because of his family/OCD regarding his game or because he didn't care about his teammates, but I definitely haven't seen enough anectotal evidence throughout his career to lean in the "Ray's just a jerk" direction.

This probably also falls in the giving Ray the benefit of the doubt category, but Ray doesn't eat like a normal human being (in regard to his skipping dinners with KG and PP).  As someone who eats similarly to Ray, I can see why he'd want to go home and eat his own food rather than hoping he finds something that fits his diet on the menu (and who knows how it's prepared).  I can also totally understand how painful it is to go out with other people and watch them eat crap when you can't.  I likewise assume most people know how painful it is to go out and watch other people drink alcohol when you can't.

Or he just didn't want to be around them. I remember when he first got to Miami I seen pics of him out in the club with Haslem and Lebron and co. and I was thinking..that doesn't seem like the Ray I know. There was also a lot of pics of him at some of his team members events and at each others house for whatever reasons..it just seemed like he became social once he got to Miami, we'd never know what's really going on though.

[celts10]

Saw this on twitter. HAHAHAHA

I was hoping Jermaine O'Neal would have made the list...

[trickybilly]

By when will he have to opt-in in order to pick up his $5m option? Barring a mega FA signing we could probably find that money.

Biggest downside will be taking minutes away from Jonas, ET, Jae and even James Young..

[LarBrd33]

There use to be a popular myth that Michael Jackson slept in a hyperbaric chamber.  It surfaced in 1986 when someone photographed him laying in one at a hospital he was visiting.  It was never true.  It was one of the first early tabloid myths that earned him the label "Wacko Jacko" and lead to him writing the song "Leave me Alone"... 

That's basically the only time I've really read about hyperbaric chambers.

Funny to read that Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce both sleep in them.
 

[LarBrd33]

Article kind of partially explains why Danny tried to trade Ray every year starting in 2009.  It doesn't sound like the other players would have cared.

[sed522002]

Article kind of partially explains why Danny tried to trade Ray every year starting in 2009.  It doesn't sound like the other players would have cared.

Yeah, that's why I found it weird when Doc said that PP and KG weren't talking to Ray before he left or something like that..and when they said that they weren't recruiting Ray during his FA..I should have figured something then.

[JSD]

Paul Pierce discussing Ray Allen's lack of participation in team functions and how Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo didn't like each other. He also talks about the dysfunction that was going on in Brooklyn. Truth speaking he truth to say the least. Must read for any diehard.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12690080/washington-wizards-paul-pierce-speaks-truth

[Lucky17]

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=77557.0

[Celtics18]

Great read.  I don't feel like anything Paul said was all that negative in particular towards anyone. 

Just speaking the Truth. 

I mean, c'mon, what didn't we know?

Joe Johnson is quiet and unassuming?

Deron Williams is not a leader?

Ray Allen is cold and standoffish?

Rondo's just a weirdo?

Beal, Wall, and Porter still have some growing up to do?

Gee, the bombshells!!

Edit:

I wonder if Jackie brought along a bottle of Paul's favorite Merlot or Pinot Noir?  Maybe that's why he was being so honest?

Double edit:

I was down on Jackie for her Around the Horn Rondo fiasco and the fact that in general it has seemed like she's been mailing it in lately, but getting an interview like this out of Paul Pierce is pure genius.

This is what makes Jackie awesome. 

[JSD]

My sensational click-bait headline is better, but fair enough. 

Sorry Moderators, I looked for it, not hard, but i did skim the Latest Forum Topics.

[Celtics18]

Gonna say:

There's a three page thread right next to this one, that's kind of a must read. 

[chambers]

The truth is just speaking the truth.

Here's a guy that's gone from a boy to a man, wearing a green uniform, in front of the world.

I do hope he works for the Celtics one day. Would love to have him kicking our rookies butts and questioning them about their work ethics during draft interviews.

He's just a really classy, funny, honest and hardworking guy.
It's such a shame that KG went down in 2009 with the injury. We started the season 30 and 2 or something and just demolished everyone.
Would have been a legendary 3 peat and put Pierce on a national level of greatness rather than just an all time great Celtic.

[Drucci]

Interesting tidbits about Ray Allen, which kind of surprise me because I was under the impression that Paul and Ray were actually very good friends off the court.

Also, I really liked this part :

"We haven't done particularly well against Toronto, but I don't feel they have the 'It' that makes you worried,'' Pierce said. "There isn't a team I look at in the Eastern Conference that makes me say, 'They are intimidating, we don't have a chance.'

"As good as Atlanta is, they just don't give off that aura where we're afraid of them.

I always felt that some teams didn't have "it" and I'm glad to see that some players do feel the same way, especially regarding the same teams (Toronto for years and this particular Atlanta squad).

[BornReady]

A lot of stories said by pierce, rondo and doc

May be the truth

But we haven't really heard ray's side of the story
He said before that his relationships with rondo soured after he told rondo that both of them might be traded together and that Danny or doc didn't really like him cuz of his coachability

But I kind of agree that he was a kind of 4th wheel between pierce, garnett and doc
Pierce, garnett, doc kind of gelled Better together
It was kind of noticeable during interviews where Ray usually took a back seat to them

[TA9]

I know that it's inevitable, but I never thought that I would experience the retirement of Paul Pierce... It's going to be a sad day to see my favorite player leave the game as I hoped that he would stay until he was 40 years old
Hope to see him back in Green next year! Make it happen Danny !