Bob Ryan

Below is a copy of my email transcript with Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, one of the better writer's out there today. I actually really like this guy but this was in response to an article where he complained about the fact that everyone was already anointing the Celtic champions. It goes on about how they hadn't even played a game yet and had so many holes to fill within the roster. Only about the 900th article saying the same damn thing. But I expect more from him. Enjoy...

We all get it Bob, stop being so melodramatic. Let us just bask, just for a moment, that a major Star, scratch that, two major stars have come to the Celtics and are excited to be here. We know they have a lot of holes to fill, but so what? I'd rather have a few holes to fill than an entire team of underwhelming youngsters. While I agree, and I'm equally upset, that they shouldn't have included Gomes in the deal for he is the ultimate bench player, we still have three of the best players in the league wearing Celtic Green.

I loved some of the youngsters, I watched all 82 games last year. I saw the promise that guys like Al, Ryan and Gerald showed, but really, who cares. The Bulls did the same thing, remember, dropped everyone and started from scratch and it took them 9 years! to get where they are now. Where is that? Still not good enough to beat the Pistons in the second round. So now, what do we have? We have three proven guys who can get the job done any and every night. We don't have to worry if Al is going to be able to cover Tim Duncan in the last play of a game, we got it covered. We know that if someone blows by Ray Allen's tiring legs KG is standing right there behind him, it's covered. So before you get too carried away with the fact that we "have some holes to fill" just STOP and enjoy the show. The Celtics sold 2 million dollars worth of tickets in one day, can remember a time when that happened in the last 20 years? We're just happy that we finally have something to root for and can escape the heartache that has plagued this Celtic Nation since the day Larry Bird's poor back gave out.

Sometimes I really think you sportswriters just don't know what to write about. You try to stir something up and point out all the obvious points that everyone already knows but isn't worried about. Who cares if they don't win this year, in sports, the future is now. I'd rather have a team in the Conference Finals and watch them lose than get really excited that "kids" stepped it up a notch and snagged the 7th seed and got bounced in the first round. If we had stuck with the kids, you know what we'd be? The Brooklyn Dodgers in the 50's, or the Red Sox in the 1920's-2004, there's always next year, right? Wrong, Celtic Pride is about winning, not waiting until next year.

Relax, Bob, Relax.
Greg Eisenman

Bob:

You're missing the point. I didn't oppose the deal. Never said that. Isaid talk of championships is premarture because they still have a lot ofwork to do. Period.
Bob Ryan

Greg:

You missed my point. I didn't say you were "oppposed" to the deal. Just said that we all know that talk of a championship is premature, so write an article about something a little more interesting instead of making a big deal out of something everyone already knows. You're a good writer, I know you can think of something.

Bob:

But you're wrong. "We" don''t all know that they aren't champs. All Iheard and read for 24 hours was how great they were. I wouldn't havewritten at all about the Celtics that day if it hadn't been necessary tobring some sanity into the discussion.
Bob Ryan

Greg:

Well, I'm on West Coast and that's not all I was hearing out here. If you'd like I can also direct you to about 8-10 articles on ESPN, FoxSports and Sports Illustrated that just complain about how the Celtics can't do it without a bench. You and I both know that they definitely aren't "great" yet but they certainly have no excuses.

Bob:
That's not the way it was here. Believe me. There are hundreds ofthousands lining up to drink the Kool-Aid.
Bob Ryan

Greg:

Well, point taken then. But I'm with you. All we can do is hope.

I have a question for you, as a writer, you don't have to answer though. What do you think of Peter Vescey? Personally, I think he's a pompous ass who's never written a positive word in his entire life. That and he makes up his own rumours that always come from his magical "unnamed sources". In my opinion he's exactly what is wrong with sports writing today. He and I have had it out several times and I just can't seem to understand how such a cold, ungrateful human being has been able to make it as far as he has. In the writing community, is he actually respected?

Bob:
No. He is hurtful. I always got along with him personally, but we sparred in print 15 years ago. I couldn't/wouldn't operate like that.
Bob Ryan

Take that Vescey! You Horses Ass!!!

EVIL NEMESIS!!!! ----->