From: davem@uvmark.uucp (Dave Meeks)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Celtics Rookie Camp
Date: 21 Jul 92 18:50:29 GMT
Organization: Vmark Software, Inc.

In article <4986@transfer.stratus.com> halpin@sw.stratus.com (Jim Halpin) writes:
>In article <1992Jul20.135652.19817@uvmark.uucp>, davem@uvmark.uucp (Dave Meeks) writes:
>>
>> He was on like 3 different teams, 2 of which he couldn't stay with.
>
>
>	Not quite Dave. I don't have the article describing his college career
>in front of me (and if I get it wrong I'm sure ~15 people will violently correct
>me :-> ), but I think Barry 'flunked' out of his first school, took a year off,
>went to a JC to get his grades up and played one year there, before finally
>ending up a Georgia Tech where he played two seasons. So it was hardly a matter
>of him not being able to 'stay with' two teams. The 1st case was academic problems
>(he was quoted in the Globe as being very immature at the time) not a lack of
>basketball skills. And the 2nd team was a JC, which he used as a stepping stone
>to get back to a NCAA Div I program.

But in none of the 1st two cases did he do anything very impressive.  As I
remember, the first school was the only one who wanted him, as he was not
highly regarded out of high school.  He did not have a very amazing first
year and then flunked out.  His JC career was pretty lackluster as well.
Rumours I heard where that he got onto the Georgia Tech squad because his
dad pulled some strings and was friends with the coach.  And, his stats from
his last year at GT were not the kind that strike you as anything special.
>
>	I think Barry's agent is doing what he is paid to do, get his client
>the best possible financial deal. So Barry missed rookie camp, big deal! He
>missed 3 workouts and three pick-up games in New York with a bunch of NBA
>wanna-bes & has-beens. Barry was absolutley right when he said that stuff was
>nothing but further evaluation by the franchise. By not signing right away,
>Barry *might* be able to get more money than the $500,000 salary slot the C's
>are now offering. Two bigger slots may open up between now and the training

But, what if it is another evaluation???  And yes, it is a bunch of NBA
wanna-bes, and Barry is one of those.  He was, at best, a marginal player
with potential.  Rick Fox is playing, so is Hubert Davis and Darren Morningstar
as well as a good deal of other players proving they belong in the league.
Barry still has a lot to prove, especially since he is attempting to make
the team at a spot that has proven players.  Bagley is a good player, albeit
not a great player.  He has proven he can play at this level and led the
Celtics very effectively.  Has Barry done that??? No, and he is turning away
a $500,000/year offer.  I understand his agent wants to get the most money
for his client (not necessarily what is always best for his client however).
Barry was an unpopular choice, and has made himself even more unpopular 
by doing what he is doing.  To this, I mention just one name...
Brian Shaw...
Ring bells... Another guard with potential, Brian made himself a lot of 
enemies with his antics, and it cost him his job in Boston.  He was 
fortunate enough to prove his ability the first year, so people knew he
could play.  But I see Barry as becoming another Brian Shaw incident, and
think that some of the "wanna-bes" in training camp may be worth it more
than Barry.  And, if Bird does retire and they free up the cash, I would think
with the 1+million available they would go for a better player through 
trade or such.
-- 
David T. Meeks                    ||" We are jigsaw pieces, aligned on the 
VMark Software, Inc.              ||  perimeter edge, 
uvmark!davem@merk.com             ||  interlocked through a missing piece"
davem%uvmark@merk.com             ||" ...This world is totally Fugazi"
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro