Good Grief........

The text messages started at 1:30 in the afternoon while I was discussing the draft with Jerome Williams, The Junk Yard Dog, at the National Basketball Hall of Fame. I told him I was convinced, based on Danny Ainge’s comments late Wednesday night that the Celtics would keep the player they picked at the number 5 position. He didn’t see it. “When there is smoke there is fire” he stated. Well, as always, I had forgotten to trust the nine year NBA veteran when a question about insane NBA decision making is on the table.

The text alerts from various media outlets each considered the distinct possibility of the Celtics again being involved in a draft day trade with a team from the Pacific Northwest. I was worried. Danny Ainge is not Scott Pioli or Bill Belichek. The time and effort the Celtics organization spends on scouting the draft far outweighs their ability to scout the other talent already in the league. It shows in their ability to make good trades.This is a known fact around the NBA. Just look at the team on the floor. Ainge drafted Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Tony Allen, and Kendrick Perkins. He also drafted Delonte West, a player whose smooth game and humble personality endeared him to fans across New England.

Players Ainge traded for? Raef Lafrentz, Jiri Welsh, Ricky Davis, Wally Szczerbiak, Michael Olowokandi, Sebastian Telfair, and Employee #8. Plus, he signed Brian Scalabrine…to play basketball! The only player that made a real impact was Employee # 8, after the organization had originally dealt him away to Dallas.

As I got into my car to begin the trek down to New York City, I got a bad feeling. I mean, I like Ray Allen. I think he is the best player to ever play for the University of Connecticut and is a seven time All Star. I met him a handful of summers ago over at Storrs. All the former UConn players came back to campus in the summer. He is a real good guy. He beat Rip Hamilton one on one that day, then we went to Subway. However, he will be 32 next month. It is like Danny Ainge thinks it is 1999, or believes NBA championships are won with aging shooting guards who don’t play defense.

By the time I was trapped in gridlock on 91, I was convinced the deal had been made. I was irritated. I needed a sign. So I went to Hooters.

I love chicken wings. They are the great equalizer of men. As it was getting late, I stayed to watch the draft at Hooters. It wasn't MSG, but I didn't have to pay 200 dollars to get in either. The place was packed, it was trivia night, the Draft was one the big screen, and Newington's best were on display. By 8:00 my fears had been realized. The Celtics traded the rights to the #5 pick (Jeff Green), Wally, and Delonte to the Sonics for Ray Allen and the rights to pick #35 (Glen Davis).

The only response I could muster? These Pretzels....are Making Me Thirsty………….

Hey, I had been to the Hall of Fame that very same day. They could just rename that place "A shrine to when the Celtics were the model franchise in Professional Sports". Now I was watching the team gamble on a guy who had surgery on both ankles like a month ago.

The irony was unbearable. To quote the Wu Tang Clan, "the combination made my eyes bleed."

During his interview with the ESPN guys, Doc Rivers actually looked like a broken man. He literally looked like he had been vomiting with the rest of us all night long. He spun the deal as a necessary way of getting some experience while making sure Paul Pierce was protected. Great. Grand.Fantastic.

The Boston media did try to make out like this could lead to another attempt at Kevin Garnett. On FSN and Weei, the discussion questioned if KG would reconsider Boston with two great scorers to team up with? We better hope so. If is doesn’t happen, the Celtics will give up more points then any other team in the league next year. It's like saying it is hot in the summer. You do not have to be Nostradamus to make that kind of statement.

If the team doesn’t produce on the floor, no amount of spin will save Ainge and Rivers on this one. They need to get KG, or hope Jefferson becomes KG next season. After months of speculation, this was a bizarre evening for the Boston Celtics and their fans. Kinda like this.

Thank goodness the Red Sox are in town and the Yankees are 11 games back.