Too Much Fun?

by Jeff Clark on Oct 5, 2007 5:00 AM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

Every day we hear a new story about how much fun everyone is having over in Italy. One day they are shaving their heads, the next they are giving book reports on Ubuntu , the next they are touring the Vatican. Big Baby alone is worth an interesting anecdote a day (eating octupus, hit by a smartcar, eating oysters and having bad gas ). Even the sports writers are getting in on the act. And just about every day you read "practice was cancelled tonight."

Oh, and it took the first unit half the week to beat the reserves.

At least one commentor (by the name of Ancient Red) thinks they are having too much fun. In his words:

They're having too much fun here!!! Sorry but I don't like it.... This is trainnig camp....These players are suppose to be sweaty and leaving there souls on the court.... We don't have banner 17 yet...and I'm getting disgruntled about how they are all singing Kumbaya.....Doc better make sure these players are ready.... To me they don't seem hungry except when they are eating octopus.....

I kind of understand where he's coming from. At some point, these guys have to stop playing and start acting like this is their job. Training camp is supposed to be hard and you can see why some teams in years past might have blamed the trip overseas for a slow start. The Suns started out sloggy last year after a trip like this one and that was a team that returned pretty much the whole team from the year before. This Celtics team has a lot of new pieces to fit together. Can they aford to be goofing off?

I think so, yes.

If anything, the Suns team from last year was probably sick of each other after a long playoffs the year before. Traveling together was nothing new to them. This team of fresh faces really is benefitting from the fun time they are having overseas. They are getting to know each other off the court and developing bonds. Rookies are becoming less awed by the presense of 3 superstars. They are building a team identity. All these things are good things.

It is better than prior years when we had to hear about a player getting into a fight in a club or accused of being involved with shooting a rapper. If the team is going to have fun and blow off steam, why not do it together in a semi-controlled environment?

When they get back to the States they'll still have a couple of weeks to focus on the goal and get into a better rhythm, but they'll probably never get a chance to go to beautiful Italy as a team again. Trust me, I visited the country earlier this year myself, and it is a wonderful experience.

So live it up boys. Enjoy yourselves. Then, when once you've gotten that out of your system, you can come back here and really get to work.

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Can someone help me out here? What’s with the semi-toga-party picture? Thanks.

by clover on Oct 5, 2007 5:28 AM EDT reply actions

that’s in front of the Trevi Fountain – the Roman guards are street performers that pose for pictures with tourists for money – sometimes they can be rude about it and charge tourists a lot for the picture so the tour books say to stay away from them

by Jeff Clark on Oct 5, 2007 5:45 AM EDT reply actions

The too much fun argument happens in a vacuum. These guys are practicing. But, they don’t practice 24 hours a day. If we had a picture of KG sleeping in the hotel at 2 am (Rome time), it’s not like we could say, ‘Hey, he’s supposed to be working out! What are they paying this guy to do, anyway?’ Any attempt to move forward in that arena has to be able to draw a line about quality and quantity of practice and workouts and say, ‘This here is the standard.’

by Luke Middleton on Oct 5, 2007 6:14 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks, Jeff!

by clover on Oct 5, 2007 6:19 AM EDT reply actions

f they players were back home, they would have gone separately to their own homes and friends and quietly done the exact same thing.The only difference here is that they are all together and there are too many reporters covering everything the players do 24-7.

by Steve from Milford on Oct 5, 2007 6:47 AM EDT reply actions

I think it’s good, they’re getting to know each other much better in that environment. And if there’s one thing that Doc seems good at, it’s brining a team together.

by orrzor on Oct 5, 2007 7:35 AM EDT reply actions

Everything I’ve been reading and seeing says the C’s are working real hard at practice. I don’t think the extra stuff is hurting them at all, I actually think it already has paid dividends. Early on, myself included, we wondered if the 3 good guys were separating themselves from the team. This was probably an idea instigated, not intentionally, by media. This trip has shown this isn’t so. The 3 are smart enough to know that it takes a village to win a title. Ubuntu. What really interests me is the approach that is being taken at training camp; i.e., focusing on scrimmages as opposed to drills. Also, playing guys as 3 separate teams. I think this is a good approach. They problem will come in real games when substitutions are made and the subs are not familiar with the green team guys. (unless they’ve been doing some of this). All this shows what a difference it makes to have a veteran team as opposed to ALL youth.

by TrueGreen on Oct 5, 2007 7:49 AM EDT reply actions

I guess better at this point to have too many good times as opposed to Isiah and Knicks $11.6M case, or waiting for Kobe to issue new demands, etc.

Common sense, health, focus equals shot at banner 17.

by docextension on Oct 5, 2007 8:08 AM EDT reply actions

while I respect the opinion of Ancient Red, Garnett Allen and Pierce (The GAP Band) ALL have such a strong desire to win, ALL approach this game with professionalism, ALL understand what is expected of them, ALL of them are veterans who know what an 82 game season is like and ALL of them have seen the agony of da-feet. At this point I have every confidence they know what needs to be done.

ALL hail my sudden spark of confidence.

by Master Po on Oct 5, 2007 8:10 AM EDT reply actions

This is definately a good thing, the need to be molded into a team and what better than some fraternal activities

by Pashm on Oct 5, 2007 8:26 AM EDT reply actions

btw, how tall are these street performers??

by Pashm on Oct 5, 2007 8:27 AM EDT reply actions

Jeff

aaaaaaaaaaaha I didn’t expect you to use my comments LOL,

But in the Globe this morning, Marshall was quoted as saying that

You want to enjoy the trip, but you’ve still got to stay focused and realize that your trying to make this team. Your in Rome, but at the same time in the back of your mind you can’t really enjoy it because, I’ve got to take care of my body. I have to eat right.

This isn’t what your use to. The food is not what your used to. The travel back and forth to the gym. You can’t stay late. You can’t get there early. There is really no time to get an edge. There are all kinds of emotions going on

This from Marshall…. I was only stating my thoughts about how I’m used to being a “gym rat” and working up a sweat to achieve my goals. These guys can’t practice late or get to the gym early…

I don’t want them lagging behind the rest of the teams in the league.

Believe me I’m 100% pure Celtic…

But how hungry are they to play?

by Ancient Red on Oct 5, 2007 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

If the rookie team is beating the 1st team, I think they’re hungry. At least the rookies are. I’m not worried about PGA being hungry. They know what it’s all about, they’re vets.

by Green Bear on Oct 5, 2007 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

This is just ridiculous. These guys are professionals. They aren’t going to melt into puddles of stupid just because they have long meals together or tour the beautiful city of Rome with each other. Seriously, get a grip with this nonsense.

This whole train of thought is akin to a kid handling his favorite Christmas present a little too carefully and eventually breaking it. Just relax and let things happen.

by a tommy point on Oct 5, 2007 12:58 PM EDT reply actions