Daily Links 6/30

Seattle PI article is the first I’ve heard of Seattle’s 2nd rounder for Big Baby coming in exchange for a future 2nd rounder from the C’s…

could that wpri article have anymore errors in it? we traded Jeff Gordon for Ray Allen what?

Guys, about the Murphy article—please don’t fall for it or give it a bit of credence. It’ what we call a “media placement.” In the old days, we called it a “Big Nothing.”

Here’s how it works:

1) Ainge wants to get something of value for Ratliff’s contract. The contract has value in itself, but he can broaden his range of trade partners if there’s a team that not only wants the expiring contract, but could maybe use a backup center this year, so Ainge wants to create the perception that Ratliff isn’t an unmitigated pile of crap. Like he’s healthy and motivated. So, he looks thru his Rolodex under “Sucker Lazy Beat Reporters.” Then, he calls Mark Murphy and says, “Hey, Murph, you should see Ratliff. He looks 10 years younger. The surgery worked out great. I think he’s actually going to play this year, be a real contributor.”

2) Murphy knows this is crap, but he wants a story to pitch to his editor, and he doesn’t want to do any actual work. So he writes the story.

3) Ainge is happy because he believes there might be a GM stupid enough to believe Ratliff is healthy who wants a washed-up undersized center. He got his media placement—like getting a paper to print a press release verbatim for him.

4) Murphy is hapy because he got to take a day off, essentially.

Why is it called a “Big Nothing?” Because there really is no story. It’s just fluff. Hot air. But if you write it well enough and put it in a paper that some people believe has credibility, it seems like something. Before you know it, fans are on a blog saying, “Hey, what if Ratliff really is healthy?”

Please don’t fall for it.

Cousin, I assume of course that you have personally talked to Theo Ratliff and he has told you himself that he is in no physical shape to play and that Danny Ainge is a liar. I make that assumption because it is a little arrogant considering you called Murphy a “Sucker Lazy Beat Reporter” because he simply reported the possibility of Ratliff being healthy. If Danny said it, it must not be true.

A different “take” on Danny’s comments about Ratliff working out at our practice facility. Jeff said that Danny is targeting other player’s for Celtic aquisitions but that few, if any, were bigs. If the “rumor” goes out that Ratliff can play it may curtail strong criticism from the Celtic fan base if Danny acquires no bigs.

i like this about allen:

>>>
Rivers said Allen, who turns 32 next month, is thrilled to have the chance to play the final three years on his present contact back in New England. Allen was one of the very best Connecticut Huskies in the Jim Calhoun era who hoped to be picked by Boston when he came out of school one year early in 1996.

“He went fifth that year and the Celtics had the sixth pick. He wanted to be a Celtic then,” said Rivers. “He jokingly said ‘where have you been for the last 12 years? I’ve been waiting for you.’

Isnt it nice that there are players who actually want to play in Boston?

I suspect that its the classier individuals who dont care about the media hype and party lifestyle of places like LA, NY and Miami

nice post Cousin It!
:)

After Ainge traded for Ray Allen, I was upset. I still believe it was a poor move unless Garnett, O’neal or Gasol are brought in. AS per REALGM, you could get Jermaine O’neal for Ratliff, Scal, Gerald Green and if need be a future st 1st round pick. You get to keep Al Jefferson and that would be a pretty good lineup for a run for the next couple years. Gasol could be had for a similar deal. Maybe I have been beaten into submission after these past 20 years, but at least the Celts are trying a new approach {WIN NOW} as opposed to Ainge’s “VISION”! I would Love to see the Green a credible player again!

LARRY or KEVIN need to roll over for us! Come on Boys, help a brother out!

Soap,
You are absolutely right that I don’t have any inside knowledge of the situation. But I do feel qualified to form a hypothesis based on my own experience and Ratliff’s history.

As a reporter and editor for 15 years, I think I’m able to recognize a Big Nothing.

But even more importantly, I’ve read this exact story before. I read it several times when Ratliff was in Portland, and I read it when he was first traded to Boston. Every GM who has ever made the mistake of trading for his bad back has tried the “this year will be different” spin. He’s 34. If he hasn’t been able to overcome these injuries when his body was younger and all his regenerative processes worked faster, I don’t see how it’s happening now.