Just wondering …
-
- June
- 18
… But who had the more brutal cross-country flight today, Willie Randolph or the Los Angeles Lakers? The NBA is a tough watch for me. The 1986 Celtics would bury the 2008 Celtics.
Meanwhile, David Letterman roasted the Mets tonight. Well played, Omar. Even Letterman is making fun of your team.
Joel Sherman mentioned this on his blog today, and I think he’s right, look for the Yankees to hire Willie Randolph in some capacity. I don’t believe he would want an on-field position. But Willie knows his baseball and was with the Yankees as a player or coach for 25 seasons.
If nothing else, get him to the Stadium to pull that dopey countdown lever during a game. Hopefully somebody with the Yankees has the common sense to get that done.
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on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 at 1:01 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
Thats a tough call on who had the harder flight, I say Willie, it was pretty much a bush league move on how they let him go. The lakers should not have expected to win, as much as I loathe Boston sports, no way is any team going to win 3 straight against the Celtics, they were just to good this year.
Willie Randolph day at the Stadium?!
And definitley the Lakers. At least Willie gets to come back to New York, where he’s coming off as a martyr.
If you honestly think the 1986 Celtics would bury the 2008 Celtics then you’re an idiot. Team basketball has been back in the NBA for several years, the players are ten times more athletic, and the talent levels just aren’t comparable. Saying the NBA is an inferior product to what it was just means you haven’t watched the league in years.
Pete, just wondering if you were able to hear the Willie Randolph chants at the stadium tonight. A couple sections way out in the left field loge boxes started a Willie Randolph chant.
I don’t know what’s in Willie’s future, but Laker fans are optimistic about the future.
I agree Pete, Willie should come back to the right side of the tracks with the Yanks. Put him in a scouting or perhaps front office gig that would be a nice break from managing.
hhhmmmm…I think Willie had the more brutal cross-country flight.
I don’t think he expected at all to be coming back east so soon..With the team winning a couple games, I think he thought Willie watch was over..and boy was it still on.
It would be a nice opportunity to come off as the good guys
Well, we know the Yankees have already met about it because Hal’s and Cash’s statements were mirror images.
ANOTHER BOSTON CHAMPIONSHIP.
LIFE IS GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim: For real? I can believe it.
Reno:
Parish-Perkins: Please.
Garnet-McHale: KG is better but not by an overwhelming margin. McHale was a beast down low.
Bird-Pierce: Please
Ainge-Allen: Allen is a better scorer. Ainge was a better defender/passer
DJ-Rondo: Please
Walton-P.J. Brown: Please
Rest of bench: Not even close.
The 1986 Celtics were one of the top 3 teams in the history of the sport. They had a brutally efficient offense that just destroyed teams. Bill Walton came off the bench! Bill Walton! I understand guys now are athletic. Guys now are also products of the AAU me-first system. Teams back then could play the game right.
The 80s Lakers and Sixers would beat these Celtics, too. Watch some tapes, man. I have no idea how old you are but I suspect you weren’t watching the NBA then.
Hey Mel,
I think Laker fans have good reason to be optimistic especially with Andrew Bynum coming back. I think much of the media did not respect Boston’s bench which I think made a big difference in the series.
Tim: No, I didn’t hear that. Cool, though
ray,
I hope that knee is good as gold. I knew that our young guys would play nervous. Next year, home court is ours!
Over/under when Steve Phillips replaces Omar? haha.
“Over/under when Steve Phillips replaces Omar? haha.”
Oh my lord. LOL!
Scary…
And this is why you manage at the minor league level FIRST, then you go on to get a major league gig. Who the hell is going to hire Willie now? Anyone? I didn’t think so.
Over/under on the next time we hear Omar say “Wooly” and “aksed”.
Boy, did that add to his assclownish press conference
demeanor or what?
Kevin DeLeon has made the jump, at 17 from DSL (D.R.) to GCL (US ball)
Kelvin De Leon DSL numbers .321/.441/.536 OPS of .977 6 doubles, 5 walks and 6 RBI. Welcom to America kid can’t wait for your GCL Yankees debut.
Angel,
It was pretty shocking at first. He was defensive and borderline combative. As the thing went on, I think he convinced himself that he fooled everyone and was pretty calm by the end.
I’m glad for Wooly. He’s been discharched from the psych ward.
Now we don’t have to fret about Willie and can cheer for the Yankees who have finally reacquainted themselves with the concept of making hay in interleague. Good job, Joe G. lol.
I wish they fired Willie last fall because I would have loved to have him manage the Yankees, but I wont complain because right now we’ve got it good
Kevin DeLeon has made the jump, at 17 from DSL (D.R.) to GCL (US ball)
Kelvin De Leon DSL numbers .321/.441/.536 OPS of .977 6 doubles, 5 walks and 6 RBI. Welcome to America kid can’t wait for your GCL Yankees debut.
(sorry double post)
Can someone tell me the reason Wang is put on the 15 day DL? Why not the 60? Is there something with what players can be called up during the 15 day DL ?
Dave,
I wouldn’t be surprised if Willy gets another chance just because of the way he handled himself in recent days. If a guy can stay cool under that kind of pressure, he can handle almost anything. It really sounds like he got undermined by management in the clubhouse and those players seem unmanageable.
I’m sorry, but I think having a designated “Willie Randolph Day” feels tacky.
Pete’s idea of him pulling the countdown thing and in addition to that being a part of any kind of closing ceremonies of the stadium is fine.
But giving him a day? What are we celebrating? His liberation from the Mets? That’s stupid.
Willie’s been honored many times by this team and played in many old timer’s games and gotten much love from this fanbase.
He doesn’t need “Willie Day” because he lost his job.
If he wants a job and the Yanks want him in the organization great. I like Willie.
But we don’t need to march him up and down the sidelines because the Mets embarrassed him.
He’s already winning the PR war against the Mets. He’s now a martyr and he’s free of a team that just may crumble and take down the GM with them.
Somehow Wright and Reyes just don’t make sense together. It’s like they don’t fit on the same team. In fact, it feels like Wright is alone on that team.
I know Willie rather still have the gig, but in the grand scheme of things, it appears he’s better off.
Unless Manuel someone wins a title this year. If that happens, then Willie will have a heck of a time getting a managerial job again.
I live in Sacramento and as a fairweather Kings fan, all I could say is that the league rigged this series properly to have the Lakers lose.
Willie’s firing reinforces my thoughts of the Mets as a low-class knockoff of the team that we all love. Willie had players, coaches, and a front office that threw him under the bus. The players mailed it in ‘07 and ‘08. The coaches weren’t his and Minaya has an ego to protect. The Mets teams of the 80s didn’t live up to expectations because drinking and partying were more important. In the 70s, their dictatorial general manager dumped Tom Seaver, their franchise player. In the 60s, they had Art Shamsky and we had Mickey Mantle.
Will he participate in Old Timers Day this year?
Tim,
You bring up an interesting point, what if the decision had come down to Donnie, Willie, and Joe G?
Not knowing Willie very well, I think I would have still preferred Joe G. Scores of others would probably disagree.
Although if the players had known that sugar would have been removed from the clubhouse, we might have had a different manager.
I think the Yankees should have Willie be present at the Yankees Old-Timers day. I think it would actually be pretty cool to seeing him out there with a Yankee uniform on playing. Seems like a better idea than a “Willie Day” at the stadium.
What do you guys think??
Oh yeah and Pete, you should come hangout with the real fans in Section 39 of the bleachers. At least come do role call with us. We would love to have you.
I still think Mattingly would have been the best choice. If your not going to hire someone due to inexperiece, then no one would ever be hired. How did Girardi get the Marlins job when he has never managed a day in his life? I dont mind Girardi as much as I did when he was a player, but I just have a softspot for Donnie Baseball. And I think Willie would have taken the bench coach job if he wasnt chosen to be manager
Willie would be smart to put a little space between himself and baseball in the short term.
One of the criticisms of his in NY was he was a Yankee, not a Met.
Jumping into a job with the Yanks would only reinforce that is some peoples minds.
Yankee fans would however get a little guilty pleasure if Willie pulled the countdown lever during the rain out make-up game with the Mets at the Stadium to a standing O.
Jon Stewart just ripped the Mets 50 different ways – LOL!!!
It’s 2AM, has Omar Minaya made any major announcements yet? Or is it too early.
This Celtics team wouldn’t have gotten a quarter off of the 86 Celtics much less a game. Not even close.
Bird would have abused Pierce so badly that Pierce would have faked an injury and stayed down. McHale would have dominated this older version of KG. All KG can do now is shoot fadeaways. McHale with his 10 foot arms would have made it impossible for him and on offense McHale would twist KG in knots with his low post repertoire.
These Celtics won the Finals because they were bigger, tougher and played better defense than the Lakers. The 86 Celts would abuse them in all 3 categories.
G. Love,
Actually a day at the stadium honoring Willie for his liberation from the Mets sounds like a great idea. It would be hysterical!! They could have a ceremony where he takes off his Mets cap and puts on a Yankee cap.
And by the way, I agree with you that Wright is all alone out there. He really deserves better.
I don’t see why Willie Randolph would have had such a terrible trip back east. It seems to me that Randolph getting fired would be like Robert Stroud getting a full ardon from Alcatraz. We’re talking about an organization being run by Ronald McSonald and The Hamburgler.
a full pardon
http://tinyurl.com/5nh5vr
BETANCES IS BACK SOON AFTER SHOULDER SORENESS, COX THROWIN G AGAIN
Thanks Dave. Post in next thread.
RSM,
I agree with you.
Willie should walk out onto the field in his Mets garb and tear it off like the Hulk to reveal a Yankee uniform underneath (crowd goes WILD) and proclaim he’s worn it under his uniform every day since he was named Mets manager and that this was all a plot devised by Jello eating George to kick the Mets yet again.
Then Willie can reveal he buried a David Cone Yankee jersey in the new Met stadium concrete and that he sabotaged their stadium by secretly going in at night and making sure all the seats face the opposite direction of the field which in the end turns out to be the major selling point of season tickets to the Mets fanbase.
For his encore, Shelley Duncan will be bring out the kidnapped and bound Mr. Met and Willie will get medieval on his ass before heaving him up above his head and throwing him to Posada as the game’s first pitch.
Willie Day! Get your tickets now!
Being a Laker fan since 1964, I have seen many Laker and Celtic series, and all of them, except for 85 and 87, were Celtic dominance because of one thing: DEFENSE!!
The Celtics play it and the Lakers don’t, period. However, to compare this Celtic team with the Celtics and Lakers and 76ers of the 80’s is a joke. Any of those three teams would sweep this Celtic team 4 straight. Their defense and team play would bury any of these current NBA squads.
The Yanks are looking good right now, hopefully it will continue.
By the way, Pete, what are the chances of the Yanks picking up Derek Lowe? What would he cost? Thanks for a great site for all us Yankee fans!!!
For the person who asked about the difference between 15/60-day DL:
Wang was placed on the 15-day DL to begin with because he has the potential to come back this season. Not a guarantee, but it’s a slight possibility. If he were placed on 60-day DL, the Yanks could call up someone to basically be on the 40-man roster without having to DFA another player…but once a player from the 60-day DL is activated, another player has to be DFA’d. Otherwise, if you just optioned someone, you’d still have 41 men on your roster. You have to clear the roster space. A trip to the 60-day DL basically means that the person doesn’t exist. Until they come back.
On the 15-day DL, you can only recall players from your 40-man roster.
As for Willie, the Yanks should definitely have him come to Yankee Stadium during the Yanks/Mets game and have him pull the lever.
I don’t agree with Pete often, but there is no contest between the 86 Celtics and 2008. All that needs to be said is that Larry Bird played for the 86 team. We haven’t seen players like that since Jordan retired. The modern day Celtics are absolutely terrific, but we are clearly producing inferior teams to years’ past.
I agree, the 86 celtics or the 86 lakers obliterate this team in 4 games.
i think it’s tough to campare any 2 teams from such different eras. in any sport, for that matter…
Willie should be part of the All-Star celebration.
thing is the 1986 celtics were one of the best teams of all time, so not a fair comparison. i also dont think they wouldve “buried” this year’s C’s. this year’s c’s were written off by everyone, and when you play D that is as good as they play, theyre rarely “buried” in a game. i think it wouldve been a good series. i think this team couldve contended with some bulls teams too.
Pete, obviously you didn’t watch the celtics all year because this team was the complete opposite of a me first team and that’s what made it so good. for such a level guy, you’re really misinformed about this year’s celtics team. not one of them had a me first attitude (outside of sam cassell).
big johnson, to say that the 86 c’s are better simply because they had larry misses the point. all i heard before this series was that the lakers had kobe, the best player in the world, and thus couldn’t lose. for someone reason everyone forgot that defense and team play wins championships – not one star, 11 softies, and an inability to play defense.
As a Bostonian who followed the 1980’s NBA, and Celtics (my favorite team), I agree with Pete whole heartedly. The 1986 Celtics would easily beat the 2008 team. The 2008 C’s wouldn’t, and couldn’t stop McHale in the post. They wouldn’t control the glass either, with Parish, McHale, Bird, and Walton rebounding. The 86 C’s could not only pass the ball, rebound, and score down low, they could also shoot lights out. Today’s water down NBA might have more athletes, than the 80’s league, but they have a lot more awful basketball players who lack the basic fundamentals of the game. The 86 C’s were superior to this years squad. IMO anyway.
I hope Willie shows up at the all star game, where he was suppose to coach, and he sits on the AL side wearing a Yankee hat.
...I hope we can talk him into returning next year as a bench coach or a 3rd base coach for us because Meacham is not a good 3rd base coach and Wave ‘Em Home belongs in the Bronx.
michael,
Let me preface this by admitting I am a Celtics fan too and have tremendous respect and admiration for what my team just did last night. It has been 22 long years. Having said that, the team simply doesn’t measure up in parts or in whole for reasons elucidated above. While I agree with Pete’s player by player comparisons demonstrating a clear advantage to 86, it was really the entire unit that was better.
We will never be able to prove it either way, but I know very few diehard celtic fans that watched both of these teams that thinks the 08 version is anywhere close to the same galaxy as 86, present company included. You would really need to have watched season after season of those guys to understand what we mean.