Paul On Paul

by Jeff Clark on Aug 6, 2007 8:51 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

Adande of ESPN has some telling quotes by Paul Pierce on a number of topics.

On his legacy:

"It's hanging in the balance," Pierce says. "People don't know what to think. I think I have the potential to be a Hall of Fame player. I think I have the potential to be one of the best ever to play the game. It's right here for me. It's all on how hard I work and how far I want to take it."
So what does he plan to do differently this season?
"Win more games," he says. "That's it. People know what I can do as an individual basketball player. The legacy is all about how many games you win, what you do as a team."

On the tradition of the Celtics:

The decline of the Celtics wasn't entirely his fault. He wasn't responsible for all the bad draft picks, questionable trades and curious coaching decisions. He was out with an injury for all but the final two games of the Celtics 20-game losing streak this season. But the fact is, the Celtics missed the playoffs the past two seasons on his watch.
"It definitely weighs on me," Pierce says. "This is not just any old franchise. This is a storied franchise, great. So many of the top 50 players come out of this franchise."
He sees the championship banners every time he comes to the arena. He notices when a Bob Cousy, John Havlicek or Bill Russell sits in the stands.
"I want to continue on what they did," he says.

On the future:

"I just feel like this is our time, man," Pierce says. "I'll probably play [another] four or five years in the league. These last five years, this is going to determine what people are going to be talking about for the rest of our lives, as basketball players and off the court. I'm in my prime, these guys are in their prime.
"This is it, right here. This is the run. Everybody realizes it. We've got a sense of urgency. These are the years that people will remember when it's all over.
"I always want to leave my mark. I played the game, but I want to leave my mark on it. So people can say for a long time that Paul Pierce left his mark on the game. The only way that I can do that is to win a championship."

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Yes Paul – this is it. Nice quotes but…..bring it like you have never brought it before. Leave the words of wisdom to Tommy H. and just win. Good Luck

Is it soup yet?

by Master Po on Aug 6, 2007 9:19 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, Paul. You aren’t even in the discussion with the best players of the last 10 years, much less the best to ever play the game.

by TNCeltic on Aug 6, 2007 9:25 PM EDT reply actions

Paul Pierce is the greatest celtic since Larry Bird

by FrieCod on Aug 6, 2007 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

what game is pierce in, in the photo?

by jackson_34 on Aug 6, 2007 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

LA Stars charity game.

by Pistol on Aug 6, 2007 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

I think it’s the charity game he runs with Baron Davis in the summer.

Also it’s great to hear Pierce say this stuff. I think he gets what needs to be done.

by orrzor on Aug 6, 2007 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

Well Pierce is the youngest of the 3 and he says he’ll play “4 or 5” more yrs. anyone else think that KG’s extention ws 1 yr too many? I wouldn’t mind having KG when he’s 26, but not at over 20 mil. Also, why extend him now? If we can’t win in the next 2yrs do we really want to keep KG after that? and if we do win and he likes Boston, he’d be more inclined to take more of a discount, in order to keep us competitive. I know KG could of demanded even more $, but I just think the safer bet would have been to wait on the extention. Now if you’re scared that KG would have left the C’s and multimillions to take the MLE from another team, then he’s really about winning and it makes even more sense to wait to extend him until he likes Boston and playing for the Celtics.

by johnnyrondo on Aug 6, 2007 9:52 PM EDT reply actions

meant to write “36” Not 26

by johnnyrondo on Aug 6, 2007 9:53 PM EDT reply actions

paul can talk the talk, but he has to walk the walk. that means team ball, digging in and playing d, and a willingness to sit abit on the bench and monitor his resources. i wish he had abetter coach.

by nazzbo on Aug 6, 2007 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

He can start by reporting to camp in shape and staying in shape. There are no blimps in the HOF.

by Brickowski on Aug 6, 2007 10:56 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, Pierce says some nice things and all he gets back is crap from the fans. What a shame! If you don’t know by now how bad this kid wants to win, shame on you! Anyone who doesn’t believe that didn’t follow this PP from his rookie year.

Paul gets it. Nuff said.

by Bankshot on Aug 6, 2007 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

Early on my wife and I were sitting at a game and Paul was knocked to the floor and his teeth literally fell out and I think might’ve hit her shoe… I’d be in my bed for a month if that ever happened to me… Paul was back in the game I think five minutes later and he just went to the dentist the next day, and he got it done before shoot-around or before practice. We knew then that we wanted to build this team around Paul Pierce.

by The Walker Wiggle on Aug 7, 2007 12:14 AM EDT reply actions

There are no blimps in the HOF.

What!? Charles Barkley for one. Or as former Celtic great Dominique Wilkins put it (Auburn vs. Georgia, 1981):
‘Who in the hell is this fat kid?’

by The Walker Wiggle on Aug 7, 2007 12:53 AM EDT reply actions

Bankshot,
Thank you!

It’s one thing to criticize perfromance, but to slam a guy for saying he wants to win and that he understands winning is his only path to a favorable legacy … that’s kind of pointless. He wants to win. He believes this team can. Sounds like a good start to me.

by Cousin It on Aug 7, 2007 1:49 AM EDT reply actions

Well, Bankshot and Cousin It, I agree that Pierce shouldn’t be criticized each and every time he opens his mouth. But at the same time he has talked a lot, in the past, and it wasn’t always good for the Celtics. Bird, Russell, Cousy and Cowens never asked to be traded. Now, Paul has had the same chance of Kobe to prove that even without Shaquille O’Neal he was able to bring the Lakers at least to the playoffs, but he has flunked, and watching him talk about Hall of Fame just because in the last month Ainge sold the jewelry to bring Garnett and Allen to the Hub is a little disturbing. I have always been a fan of Paul, I appreciated what he did with the Celtics day in and day out. It’s a shame that he hasn’t had a Bird, or a Russell at his side, because he would have won all the marbles. Still, when I hear his talk, I have that weird feeling, they same one can feel while listening to a broken bell. He hasn’t had the right pieces to win it all, but now, Ainge has done his show, and it is up to Pierce and Rivers to bring us their show.

by Legend on Aug 7, 2007 7:01 AM EDT reply actions

I don’t usually write on this blog, but the responses on this article really set me off. This guy has played his a#$ off for the C’s & all he gets back is the typical negative, crybaby responses. This has got to be the worst group of fans ever. No matter what, there’s something to complain about. Even if we win a championship, well it wasn’t done in 4 games. give it a rest people!

by Pashm on Aug 7, 2007 8:18 AM EDT reply actions

Paul Pierce has gotten some… OK, a lot of criticism in the past. Some of it was much deserved (like the “He broke my jaw” / ridiculous press conference antics / shirt throwing incident a few years ago after the playoff game in Indiana), but come on. He has grown up a lot, taken a lot of heat and has turned into a real leader. Paul Pierce saying that he wants badly to win a championship to not only solidify his legacy but to follow in the footsteps of the past Celtics greats is somehow a bad thing? Gimme a break. In my opinion, he is a championship away from legitimately staking a claim as one of the 10 greatest Celtics of all time. And as he says in the article, now’s the time to put up or shut up, and he FINALLY has the right pieces around him to do it. I’m saying he puts up. 17 or bust.

by PaulBonner on Aug 7, 2007 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

I’m glad to see these posts mostly positive. It’s sport in Boston, and maybe in other cities, to bring down it’s good players. Bird was even taking hits when he’d play a game and then go to the hospital to be put in traction instead of going home. And Brick, in what year did PP report to training camp NOT in shape. If you’re talking about him being out of shape after his injury last year, I would agree, but if you couldn’t walk for over a month and couldn’t do anything to keep in shape, what kind of shape would any of us pedestrians be in.

by TrueGreen on Aug 7, 2007 8:43 AM EDT reply actions

Paul Pierce is 19th all time on the PPG list. that speaks for something. Paul IMO is one of the best to play the game, he can play against anyone, big or small.

by x4Ooz2Frdom on Aug 7, 2007 11:57 AM EDT reply actions

Wow, Pierce says some nice things and all he gets back is crap from the fans. What a shame! If you don’t know by now how bad this kid wants to win, shame on you! Anyone who doesn’t believe that didn’t follow this PP from his rookie year.

Paul gets it. Nuff said.

Pierce has always been about his stats. How many times have we seen him ask back into games that are blow-outs to pad his point total? How many times have we seen him make the same stupid turnover, trying to dribble through triple-teams? How many times have we seen him pout when a call didn’t go his way and fail to get back on defense? The answer to all three is “plenty.” Pierce is a very good player and maybe the best Celtic since Larry Bird, but there hasn’t really been a lot of competition for that designation, has there?

And aren’t those “nuff said” comments stunning? Like, okay gang, nobody needs to say any more because I have spoken.

by lemonadesky on Aug 9, 2007 12:20 AM EDT reply actions