Is it not fair that the Celts didn't send Pete Maravich off with a ring?

[TitleMaster]

For one, I think it's tragic that Pistol Pete finished his career w/o a ring, however, unlike Bob MacAdoo, he wasn't despised by the Celtics management (i.e. Red and Co).

Would it have been better if Pete had ridden the pine, during the '81 season so that he could go out with a ring on his mantle? And even better, a ring with the Boston Celtics, his final stint in the league.

Now, he's on that infamous list with Baylor, Barkley, and Ewing of the great players who never won a title. At least MacAdoo got to ride the pine with the Lakers for a title.

[DavorCroatiaFan]

Its a shame, but it was his (and Cowens) decision to left the team in 1980. Imagine this imaginary 1980/81 team: TOP 50 players Bird, Archibald, Cowens, Maravich, Parish and McHale with Maxwell, Henderson, Ford, Carr and Robey...
Btw. McAdoo was very important piece in Lakers championchips squads...its not like when Mitch Richmond got a ring with Lakers, McAdoo was very effective sixth man...

[lon3lytoaster]

Its a shame, but it was his (and Cowens) decision to left the team in 1980. Imagine this imaginary 1980/81 team: TOP 50 players Bird, Archibald, Cowens, Maravich, Parish and McHale with Maxwell, Henderson, Ford, Carr and Robey...
Btw. McAdoo was very important piece in Lakers championchips squads...its not like when Mitch Richmond got a ring with Lakers, McAdoo was very effective sixth man...

Flip side.. Would they still have traded for Parish if Cowens stayed on another year?

[DavorCroatiaFan]

The Parish trade happened before Cowens left the team. Auerbach bring Chief to sub Cowens, but Big Red lost passion in training camp...

[lon3lytoaster]

The Parish trade happened before Cowens left the team. Auerbach bring Chief to sub Cowens, but Big Red lost passion in training camp...

I stand corrected. TP.

[2short]

I seem to remember pete on the c's as a hustling sub who was really near end of career.  He was not the magic man of his earlier days.  Sorry to say ML had more legs then. 

[ThaPreacher]

I seem to remember pete on the c's as a hustling sub who was really near end of career.  He was not the magic man of his earlier days.  Sorry to say ML had more legs then. 

Based on practices, word is that ML and many of the Celtics
and management(Auerbach) felt the Pistol should have been playing more minutes.  He retired out of frustration and the belief that he wouldn't get a real shot under Fitch's tyranny.

You have to remember he had been humiliated and made to sit the bench, despite lesser talent playing when he feuded with with his head coach when he was with the Jazz.

It is tragic.
On the one hand it also led him to his renewed faith in God.
Which brought alot of joy to the remaining years of his life.
One might argue that not winning a championship actually saved Pete Maravich.

[2short]

I seem to remember pete on the c's as a hustling sub who was really near end of career.  He was not the magic man of his earlier days.  Sorry to say ML had more legs then. 

Based on practices, word is that ML and many of the Celtics
and management(Auerbach) felt the Pistol should have been playing more minutes.  He retired out of frustration and the belief that he wouldn't get a real shot under Fitch's tyranny.

You have to remember he had been humiliated and made to sit the bench, despite lesser talent playing when he feuded with with his head coach when he was with the Jazz.

It is tragic.
On the one hand it also led him to his renewed faith in God.
Which brought alot of joy to the remaining years of his life.
One might argue that not winning a championship actually saved Pete Maravich.

I think pete could be considered the most talented basketball player ever (EVER) but as a pro and apparently teammate he never really made the most of his talent.  Yes he had injuries but I seem to remember many teammates disliking him earlier/preceltics years.  I believe a big factor in him getting religion was  because of alcoholism.
Imagine if there was a 3 pt line in college when pete was lighting it up!

[footey]

The one year Maravich played for us, he came off the bench to sub for Chris Ford, who started. I never understood that.  Maravich was far more productive player, at least on the offensive side of the ball. Ford was one of the weakest starting guards in the NBA that year. Pistol's knees were shot, but he still could do some amazing things.  That was Bird's rookie year. I was supremely disappointed Pete retired, and he often lamented the fact that the C's one the following year.

[JSD]

Pete was only a Celtic for a couple of months the year before they won their 14th title. I'm confused on why the Celtics should have "sent him off with a ring"?

[TitleMaster]

I'm confused on why the Celtics should have "sent him off with a ring"?

Every team has a garbage minutes man, even top ones. In Pete's case, he was actually somewhat useful during those minutes than 'just a body'. He could have stayed on, in '81, as a 8th/9th man scorer. Realize, no one was asking him to be back in his all star form.

The Cowens situation doesn't compare. The whole point about Cowens was that Cowens was the foundation (along with Hondo, JoJo, & Silas) of the mid-70s run so by '77, he'd lost interest in the sport (due to the Silas trade to Seattle) so really, his time with the C's was over. And who'd want to play for Fitch when they had the privilege to be coached under Heinsohn. For him, it was his time to leave before the '81 championship season.

[Jon]

Then again, would a player as proud as Pistol Pete have wanted a ring as a towel waver?  It's one thing if you're a role player, but as a Hall of Famer, can you really wear a ring you got as essentially a scrub with any pride? 

I'm not so sure.  Especially if it's your first one (meaning that I don't blame Parish for what he did with the Bulls, since he already had his rings). 

[TitleMaster]

Then again, would a player as proud as Pistol Pete have wanted a ring as a towel waver?

I think Fernsten & overrated Ford are the main towel wavers for the '81 squad.

As for Pete, he could have been a backcourt MacAdoo-type for the title run, and that's giving either Henderson or Tiny some breaks during the games, w/o any lull in scoring. Realize, the Celtics of the 80s always had a weak backcourt relative to the frontline of Bird, Parish, McHale, and Max/Walton. It wouldn't have hurt to have had Maravich step in for 5-8 mins per contest.