Ainge's comments

[cfoo]

I know he was. But from the highlights I've seen of him and just his personality and from what I've seen and heard from him, he is a different kind of person than Bird, or MJ. His personality strikes me more as the common man. Better at dealing with people and people skills. I think Bird and MJ were so competitive they didn't like people too much and struggle to relate. It's that whole it's lonely at the top sort of thing and I think Bird just who he was kind of exiled himself in the end. West for whatever reason was never like that. He was a great great player but he for whatever reason was different. I think Ainge and West are similar personalities.

[findawgg]

I've had this conversation with my brother several times over the years, and no matter how we differ with regards to the minutia, the central point we tend to center around is that Star Players knew the game without understanding the game. Their other worldly talent gives them the ability to be a master of the game without ever needing to master the game. Role players on the other hand need to understand the game in oder to find the niche in it.

--Fin

[cfoo]

Exactly. As great as West was I still consider him a niche player. He was probably the greatest niche player ever. Scoring was his niche.

[Roadrunner]

cf00 said:

Towards the end of Bird's career there was a lot of inner turmoil between Bird and the organization. I think Bird wanted a lot of things and the organization wasn't willing to give it to him for a lot of reasons. But Bird always struck me no matter how great a team player he was on the court, as kind of out on an island by himself off of it. Bird I think was a guy who a leader because he wouldn't play second fiddle to anyone. I think Ainge is a better GM and coach for that reason, because he is a roleplayer. You rarely see star players become great GM's for that reason, because their ego gets in the way. Jerry West is an enigma and the only one I can think of but he was more of a great great roleplayer. If you look at most good GM's they were roleplayers and the better the roleplayer the better the GM. There is a reason for that. While guys like Bird and Isiah are busy stepping on each others toes, the better GM's are guys like Ainge and Paxson and Dumars.

Good post (KP+). Bird was a great coach, poor GM. West was a great GM (like w/ the Laker), but poor GM in present (Memphis).

Role players understand their contribution to the team.

[Deleted]

In the days of the Celtic dynasty, 1950s-70s, the older players stayed around and selflessly trained the younger talent to take their place. These were real men who put the team ahead of ego and created the dynasty. Since players are treated like merchandise, dynasties have become a thing of the past. I miss the old days, and the dynasty.

[DERRENMATTS]

Hey there, ServantJob. Interesting name you have.

[cfoo]

Hello Servantjob. Yeah it's true. Times have changed.. I'm enjoying the NBA this year. There is a good mix of young talent coming into their own and vets that have been around and are on the top of their games..... It's good basketball right now, and sports in general, and I'm seeing good team play, but I agree with you. Sports aren't what they used to be where it was all for one and one for all, and teams and dynasties were really dedicated to teh cause. Boston is kind of an enigma though. This town has done a good job of keeping that tradition even though it might be done with interchangeable pieces these days..... I think the pats and celtics and red sox have that mindset. IT's just the players and faces sometimes change. But you are right that the game used to be so much different. Even in the late 80's early 90's it was different. Free agency changed all that. Players want to start and it becomes about minutes and what you can put up in the minutes you get, to increase your value.