Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Not to be a jinx but Boston teams are undefeated in 2019. The Bruins are 4-0 in January and the Celtics are also 4-0. Now watch them both lose tonight... "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." - Gandhi... Not a criticism just an observation but Billy Joel's My Life sounds almost the same on Muzak... "The most important trick to be happy is to realize that happiness is a choice that you make and a skill set that you develop. You choose to be happy, and then you work at it. It's just like building muscles." - Naval Ravikant... Who has had the better NBA career - JJ Redick picked 11th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft or Rajon Rondo who went 10 picks later? I'm going to go with Rondo hands down... This story makes me think of this joke... "Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be." - W.H. Auden... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Elon Musk asked Tesla owners what they'd like to see improved/fixed and the responses were pretty interesting. (And no I don't own a Tesla.)

- The US had the largest decline in CO2 emissions in the world. Another example of how the Paris Accords were nothing but a sham.

- Good advice

- Eddie Rickenbacker (a personal hero of mine) on witnessing the end of World War I

- Heh Heh - love Rondo!

- Finally some common sense! The Union of Concerned Scientists becomes the first major environmental group to public support nuclear energy.

- Devastating - the carnage of World War I in two images

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I didn't vote for him and have to shake my head at some of his antics but I'll convinced that if President Trump was a Democrat the media would be shouting, "It's the economy stupid!"... Bruins sign a back-up goalie. Sorry being told actually the back-up goalie they signed was Jaroslav Halak... This does put a different spin on the movie Toy Story [EDIT - link went to a Tweet that said "My daugjter just ruined Toy Story for ever. She said if one of the toys died Andy wouldnt know and he'd carry on playing with its corpse]... Just saying but doesn't Venezuela have a single-payer health system?... Seeing how Rajon Rondo has signed with the Lakers here's another reminder... And one final periodic reminder that "Joe Biden" is an anagram for "I need a job"... This basketball brawl was crazy...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Heh Heh (look at the photo)

- Interesting look at the effect the retired Dan Haren is having on the Diamondbacks pitching staff

- Might be in the minority but I love Rondo

- Great Larry Bird trash-talking story from Kevin McHale

- Got to remember this if I need a Halloween costume

- Love this! Sorry but I'm laughing at you Kareem not with you

- Love this even more!

State of the Celtics

The news that Isaiah Thomas is about to start a rehabilitation with the Cavs G-League team got me thinking about the NBA and in particular all things Boston Celtics.

I'm still amazed that Danny Ainge turned the assets from the Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo trades into Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. And don't forget that he also turned Doc Rivers as coach into Brad Stevens as coach. There's not a single NBA team that would rather have Rivers over Stevens as coach at this point. Not one single NBA team.

Rivers didn't want to stick around in Boston because he didn't want to go through a rebuilding process. Since leaving the Celtics - Rivers has been 18-22 in the playoffs with the Clippers. Meanwhile in that same span the "rebuilding" Celtics have been 11-17 but poised to greatly improve on that playoff record this season and in the years to come.

Whatever the Celtics do in the playoffs this season is pure gravy. Fans are really interested in what can be accomplished next season with the addition of Gordon Haywood for a full season and another first round pick (or two) plus the probable absence of LeBron James from the Eastern Conference.

Speaking of draft picks - currently Brooklyn (11-18) has a better record than the Lakers (10-18). Hope that continues and somehow LA falls to between 2nd and 5th in the draft.

Good luck with the rehab IT4! Boston fans are pulling for you!

Rajon Rondo

As an optimistic Boston sports fan I used to view and argue that Rajon Rondo was a top 5 point guard in the NBA. So it saddens me to see how everything seems to be falling apart for him in Dallas.

It is so amusing that on Boston sports radio the very same guys who were arguing that Danny Ainge didn't get enough in trading Rondo to the Mavericks are now screeching that Ainge was lucky to get Jae Crowder, Brandon Wright plus a 2015 1st round pick and a 2016 2nd round pick. Heck it could even be argued now that Rondo for just Jae Crowder would have been win for the Celtics given how the 24-year old Crowder has fit in with Brad Stevens' team.

But what's next for Rondo? He's a 4-time All-Star who for his career has averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 assists. I'm also not feeling bad for a guy who has already made over $47 million in his NBA career but as a player who was integral to Boston winning the 2008 NBA Championship - I am still wishing him the very best.

That best probably no longer includes a "max" NBA contract. That best will now have to come from a diminishing number of teams as Rondo has burned bridges in 10% of the NBA's franchises. Boston won't have him back. Dallas is now a non-starter. And don't forget that Rondo said he'd never play for Miami (I'm sure Pat Riley hasn't forgotten that). But as they say - all it takes is one team.

I hope Rondo finds his "one" team. Godspeed Rajon.

Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo was one of my favorite Celtics players and I always viewed him as a hybrid of two of my favorite Celtics from the past.

On the court I always viewed him as the closest thing to Tiny Archibald who was one of my favorite players growing up (got to meet him at a basketball camp one year and he really impressed me). Off the court it was said that Rondo could be difficult and that he had an "attitude". That reminds me of Dennis Johnson - who it should be remembered came to Boston in a trade for Rick Robey (Wick Wobey with the Webound) and two 2nd round picks. At the time Johnson was supposed to sort of a problem player. In Boston he proved to just be a winner. Larry Bird called him the best player he ever played with.

There are probably more parallels with Johnson than with Archibald. Dennis Johnson was an excellent defender who was not the greatest shooter in the world. Sounds like Rondo right? DJ also won a championship early in his career in Seattle (the team that drafted him) then found more championship success after being traded to the Celtics. Maybe the same will happen for Rajon in Dallas?

Godspeed Rajon Rondo. Thanks for all the memories.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Old time hockey! Terry Sawchuk the face of a hockey goalie before they started wearing masks. Reminds me of the mask Gerry Cheevers used to wear showing all the stitches his face would have had without it.

- Well done article on Rajon Rondo. I still say he's this generation's Tiny Archibald.

- Elizabeth Taylor at age 19. I'd eat that like a cheese cracker!

- The most important science fiction movie never made. Makes me want to re-read Dune again.

- Holy crap! All the regulations the Obama Administration has enacted in just the past 3 years!

- Interesting - The woman who can will herself out of her body

- A 102-year old man who has driven the same car for 82 years - a 1928 Rolls Royce

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

One of the benefits of being at the track during a NASCAR race is the fact that the noise of the cars is so loud that you can pretty much fart whenever you want and nobody will hear it... Rajon Rondo "I will never play for the Miami Heat"... Would it be ironic if the Patriots pre-draft report said that Aaron Hernandez had a "killer instinct". I wonder if given what happened with Hernadez if the phrase "killer instict" will be dropped from the sports nomenclature... It's James Joyce's Ulysses and Melville's Moby Dick for me...  It would not surprise me at all if Hollywood already had a sequel to SharkNado in the works. How about SharkNado II - The Reckoning... 11 people who almost played Doctor Who. I think Bill Nighy would have been fantastic... Barack Obama seems to be predisposed to only enforcing the laws he agrees with. This seems to make his Administration's enforcing pot laws even more vigorously than George Bush did seem very strange. Especially given his supporters views on legalized marijuana and his own past with the drug... If they can do a sequel to the movie Wall Street after decades. Why not a sequel to the movie The Secret of My Success?... As bad as Chris Berman makes your ears bleed during the HR derby it used to be even worse when he was partnered with Joe Morgan... Cool - fireworks and lightning at the same time...

Boston Celtics

With the trade of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets - the Boston Celtics are officially rebuilding. Much has been made of the Celtics now having 9 first round picks in the next 5 years but little has been made of the core of young players Boston has in place. Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass. Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger and now first round pick Kelly Olynyk - that could be an entertaining core of players to watch. Maybe even more entertaining than watching minutes being rationed for KG and Pierce while trying to make one last playoff run.

Being the optimist I can't help but think that if there is a sign and trade agreement in place between the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks for Josh Smith then the 2014 Boston team is playoff caliber. And if somehow cap space is available to sign unrestricted free agent Al Jefferson - then suddenly this team has a real shot to contend. ESPN's Marc Stein earlier reported that the Utah Jazz might just let Jefferson walk. I would take that team over the Nets roster - wouldn't you?

A few additional Celtics thoughts:

- People keep saying that Paul Pierce deserved to retire as a Boston Celtic. Who is to say that Danny Ainge didn't offer Pierce the choice and Pierce preferred to take one last shot at another ring?

- People also keep saying that the Celtics may be planning on tanking in 2014 to get a shot at the lottery. maybe its a better chance that the Nets implode in the next year or so and the lottery pick comes from Brooklyn. Remember the Celtics have the option to take the 2017 pick if they want.

- An interesting Vegas bet would be who will have more wins next season - Doc Rivers with the Clippers without Kevin Garnett or rookie coach Jason Kidd in Brooklyn with KG.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If the Celtics make the NBA finals then trainer Eddie Lacerte should get a double playoff share. The performance of Rajon Rondo last night was legendary. I'm afraid that Dwayne Wade, who has really embraced the heel role, will go out of his way Monday to hit Rondo in the elbow... I keep waiting for the New York Times headline: "Osama bin Laden Killed - Women and Children Hardest Hit"... David Ortiz was signed to back-up Jeremy Giambi. Remember that next time someone tries to tell you Theo Epstein is a genius... Blast from the Past: "If $75 a barrel oil and a $3 average for a gallon of gasoline isn't a wake-up call, then what is?" Senator Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.), April 2006. And what has Senator Schumer done to help lower the price of gas since his whining about it 5-years ago? Yeah - pretty much nothing. And what is Schumer saying now that a Democrat is in the White House and gas is at $4 per gallon? Lousy hypocrite... The Yankees manager wants Jeter to pull out of his two hole but is too afraid to tell him. Man this sounds like a bad gay relationship... Blast from the Past II: Kevin Garnett, 18, poses with his prom date... Many people rushed to get Brennan Boesch in fantasy baseball but in the last 10 games (not including yesterday) his average has dropped 38 points and his OPS 112 points... Blast from the Past III: Joe Biden declares: 'We're going to be creating between 250,000 and 500,000 jobs a month', Shouldn't the media hold people like Biden and Schumer accountable for their words?...

Top 5 - Celtics Starting 5 and their Celtics Past Counterparts

The other day Chad Finn of the Boston Globe mentioned how Kendrick Perkins reminded him of former Celtics great Paul Silas. Not only do I agree with that comparison - it got me thinking of what past Celtic great matches up with each of the current starting 5.

1. Rajon Rondo - this to me is the easiest of the bunch. Rondo has always reminded me of Tiny Archibald.

2. Ray Allen - I'm going with Dennis Johnson for this comparison. Both players were not only traded to the Celtics but also both players made their NBA names playing for Seattle. Both players brought a veteran presence and acted as examples for the younger players to emulate. Similarities in their jump shots? Not so much.

3. Paul Pierce - this may be a bit of a stretch but when I think of who Paul Pierce most reminds me of it's John Havlicek. Both were top picks of the Celtics, never played for any other team, about the same height and weight and both never really received the recognition for their scoring ability. Havlicek averaged 20.8 points per game in his career while Pierce is currently at 22.5 points per game. Is it really a stretch to think Pierce may wind up his career at 20.8?

4. Kevin Garnett - KG reminds me of a cross between Dave Cowens and Bill Russell. He has the athletic ability and nimbleness of Russell and the intensity of Cowens. That's high praise for Mr. Garnett.

5. Kendrick Perkins - Paul Silas.

Dustin Pedroia and Rajon Rondo

Almost any time Rajon Rondo is on the floor - he's the smallest guy on the court. Any time Dustin Pedroia takes the field it's a given that he's the smallest guy out there. Yet neither player's heart and talent can be measured by their size.

Early this summer the argument was about whether Dustin Pedroia deserved to be an All-Star. It was argued that Ian Kinsler was more deserving. By the end of the year Pedrioa was the MVP even though he was on a team with All-Stars like David Ortiz.

The latest talk-radio produced argument in Boston is whether Rajon Rondo is an All-Star. Some are saying that Devan Harris is more worthy. Now I'm not predicting that Rajon Rondo is going to win the MVP but if you've had a chance to watch the Celtics this season you'd see that like Pedroia with the Red Sox - Rondo is the heart of the Celtics.

Boston fans are lucky to have two such passionate "small" men. I hope fans take the time to appreciate them because both players play with such abandon and disregard for their bodies that injuries are almost to be expected.