Can the Pro Sports Writers Please Give Us Some Information?

(Steve Neimand)


By: Greg Payne

You know what I don't understand? I don't understand why the major newspapers (The Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, etc.) don't run more basic and simple stories about the Celtics during the offseason. I know it's their job to report any trades or free agent signings or injuries or anything like that, and I respect and appreciate that.

But at the same time, I feel like there are a multitude of stories they could be writing about, but simply aren't. And then, to be honest, I was somewhat infuriated when I saw that Frank Dell'Apa of the Globe dedicated a lengthy piece to Ricky Rubio last Sunday and his very complicated and confusing situation regarding his future in the NBA.

Sure, it was a nice piece, and Dell'Apa is the Globe's NBA guy (as opposed to being the lead Celtics writer), but you mean to tell me someone from the Globe or the Herald can't find out how Kevin Garnett's rehabilitation is going? Or better determine where Tony Allen stands with the current makeup of the club? Or what Rajon Rondo is focusing on most this offseason in an attempt to become one of the league's elite point guards?

Surely, if Dell'Apa can dedicate an entire story to Rubio and can find people to talk to in an attempt to better clarify the situation, these writers can find out what Rondo's working on this offseason and can find sources to explain in what areas they feel Rondo has improved in most.

And what about Rasheed Wallace? We know he's a Celtic. But we haven' t heard jack about him since he was introduced at that press conference. Has he moved to Boston with his family yet? Is he working out in Waltham with his teammates? How do the teammates no one spoke to feel about the addition of Wallace? Does Kendrick Perkins feel he could lose his starting job?

These writers are intelligent people. It doesn't take a person with considerable cleverness to realize that the Celtics still need a backup point guard. Maybe these guys could try and get in touch with some free agent veteran point guards and see if they have any preference as to where they'd like to play.

And if direct contact with players is difficult, which I can understand, SURELY they can at least get in touch with the players' agents. That, I know for a fact, is possible. And sure, maybe the agents will milk all of the above scenarios, but so what? At least it's SOME information.

I don't want to know where Paul Pierce had dinner last night. Or where Rondo buys his sneakers. But I do care if he's shooting 10,000 jump shots every day, or if he's running dribble suicides while wearing 20-pound weight vest. And I do want to know that Garnett is participating in full speed drills and is doing single legged squats and is still howling like a caged animal.

And I need the guys who are capable of getting this information to actually get it. And report it. Not for the sake of my blog or your blog or any other website. But simply for the sake of better understanding the state of my team. They're the professionals for a reason. Let's see what they've got.

Stay Tuned.