IT asks Celtics NOT to play video tribute on 2/11

[sed522002]

And truth is if it was the first time IT was coming back I don't think Paul or anyone has anything to say, but it isn't.

 IT asked for it to be changed.  Thats both self serving, and self centered.  So lets ease up on Paul here, when IT's request is almost unheard of.   Especially for a guy who's been here for 15 minutes, in the grand scheme of things.  I mean, really, can you think of another player thats ever done that.

This is what I’m talking about. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a former player making that request, one that was there for 3 years..lol.

[wayupnorth]

Am I the only one who is actually disappointed a little in Pierce with all this too?

Why? It's his night. I think its weird that 1.) A player gets to dictate when a tribute video is shown  2.) A player who's meant as much to this team as Pierce has to share his retirement night with a player who hasn't had a fraction of the franchise success he's had.

Honestly, IT should've just let them play the video a few weeks ago. The whole thing of wanting to have his family there for it was a bit much - it's a 2-3 minute tribute video, not a jersey retirement.

Yeah I can agree with the bolded part. It did seem like too much. Just fly your family in, IT.

Am I the only one who is actually disappointed a little in Pierce with all this too?

I mean, I never thought he'd be that sensitive over having some 2-3 minute tribute video for Isaiah that night.

Seemed to me that once Pierce made those comments, that's what made Isaiah sort of cave in with his tweet today.

Obviously it's Pierce's night on Feb. 11, but would a 2-3 minute Isaiah tribute video have really splashed water on Pierce's night, especially if that video was played during a TV timeout or something??

Idk man... this whole thing is confusing.

Yeah. I never imagined that he was so insecure.

That is quite the jump.

Sad to see people disparaging one of the C's all time greats because a tribute video on his first return just wasn't good enough for IT.

None of this would have played out if IT said, don't play the video this time, but next time (knowing for sure what date that was).

Sad to see the disrespect of a legend around here.

How is that disrespecting a legend? He still has his night regardless, right?

To be fair, even some of Pierce's ESPN colleagues seemed surprised Pierce felt that way about the whole situation. He did look a little insecure. I think you can watch the video of him saying all that on Youtube as well.

And some of his colleagues (such as Chauncey Billups), thought that it was absolutely right of pierce to want.

What is your point with that?

This whole thing boils down to IT not being happy enough with his video and moment being on his first return.

That is it.

[sirnastee]

I mean, IT probably didn't even know it was Pierce night when he first said to wait for his tribute video until the next game.  And, Pierce seemed to be sort of half joking when he said that the night should be his own night.  Even if he was serious, everything should be fine now that IT came out and said he doesn't want to his tribute to interfere with Pierce night.

[RJ87]

I’m really trying to understand all the “Paul is insecure blah..blah...blah..” Do you guys think the Lakers organization would have attempted a stunt like that on Kobe’s night? No! Matter of fact the fans wouldn’t have it. I like IT, but let’s be for real about his contributions vs Pierce’s..it’s not even a debate.

Any other former player would get called out if they made the requests that IT did.

Exactly. 

And quite frankly, its crazy to me that people are claiming he's insecure. If that were true, than Banner 17 wouldn't be in the rafters because his ego wouldn't have been able to share the light with KG and Ray.

Guys, this is one the most stories franchises in all of sports. Getting your number in the rafters next to Russell, Bird, Cousy - that's a heck of a career acheivement. To etch your name amongst those greats, it's very likely the most special moment of his career. Paul has earned the right be selfish, IMO.

Right. I can see if this was IT’s first time coming to Boston, but it wasn’t. I just think the organization goofed this more than IT and Pierce.

I don't even think they goofed it. Honestly, if they denied his request to change the date and it leaked that they did, it would've just added to that silly "Celtics done did IT wrong" narrative.

[fairweatherfan]

Fretting about this kind of stuff is a great of a testament to how well the season's going as you'll ever see on CB.

[Roy H.]

I’m really trying to understand all the “Paul is insecure blah..blah...blah..” Do you guys think the Lakers organization would have attempted a stunt like that on Kobe’s night? No! Matter of fact the fans wouldn’t have it. I like IT, but let’s be for real about his contributions vs Pierce’s..it’s not even a debate.

Any other former player would get called out if they made the requests that IT did.

Exactly. 

And quite frankly, its crazy to me that people are claiming he's insecure. If that were true, than Banner 17 wouldn't be in the rafters because his ego wouldn't have been able to share the light with KG and Ray.

Guys, this is one the most stories franchises in all of sports. Getting your number in the rafters next to Russell, Bird, Cousy - that's a heck of a career acheivement. To etch your name amongst those greats, it's very likely the most special moment of his career. Paul has earned the right be selfish, IMO.

Yes, and you would think that the enormity of having his numbers in the rafters, and getting his own post-game ceremony, would be enough. Instead, he demanded to be treated like Kobe, with not only his own ceremony, but an entire night dedicated to him. He refused to give up a couple of minutes of Jumbotron time to honor another, lesser Celtics hero.

It’s a far cry from guys like Cousy and Tommy, who shared their ceremony with other players.

It just makes it look like Pierce has a really fragile ego.

[GratefulCs]

I’m really trying to understand all the “Paul is insecure blah..blah...blah..” Do you guys think the Lakers organization would have attempted a stunt like that on Kobe’s night? No! Matter of fact the fans wouldn’t have it. I like IT, but let’s be for real about his contributions vs Pierce’s..it’s not even a debate.

Any other former player would get called out if they made the requests that IT did.

Exactly. 

And quite frankly, its crazy to me that people are claiming he's insecure. If that were true, than Banner 17 wouldn't be in the rafters because his ego wouldn't have been able to share the light with KG and Ray.

Guys, this is one the most stories franchises in all of sports. Getting your number in the rafters next to Russell, Bird, Cousy - that's a heck of a career acheivement. To etch your name amongst those greats, it's very likely the most special moment of his career. Paul has earned the right be selfish, IMO.

Yes, and you would think that the enormity of having his numbers in the rafters, and getting his own post-game ceremony, would be enough. Instead, he demanded to be treated like Kobe, with not only his own ceremony, but an entire night dedicated to him. He refused to give up a couple of minutes of Jumbotron time to honor another, lesser Celtics hero.

It’s a far cry from guys like Cousy and Tommy, who shared their ceremony with other players.

It just makes it look like Pierce has a really fragile ego.

stop taking cheap shots at IT's height

[azzenfrost]

There will be other Cavs-C's games. Paul seemed a little petty but I'm glad IT decided to postpone.

[jpotter33]

I’m really trying to understand all the “Paul is insecure blah..blah...blah..” Do you guys think the Lakers organization would have attempted a stunt like that on Kobe’s night? No! Matter of fact the fans wouldn’t have it. I like IT, but let’s be for real about his contributions vs Pierce’s..it’s not even a debate.

Any other former player would get called out if they made the requests that IT did.

Exactly. 

And quite frankly, its crazy to me that people are claiming he's insecure. If that were true, than Banner 17 wouldn't be in the rafters because his ego wouldn't have been able to share the light with KG and Ray.

Guys, this is one the most stories franchises in all of sports. Getting your number in the rafters next to Russell, Bird, Cousy - that's a heck of a career acheivement. To etch your name amongst those greats, it's very likely the most special moment of his career. Paul has earned the right be selfish, IMO.

Yes, and you would think that the enormity of having his numbers in the rafters, and getting his own post-game ceremony, would be enough. Instead, he demanded to be treated like Kobe, with not only his own ceremony, but an entire night dedicated to him. He refused to give up a couple of minutes of Jumbotron time to honor another, lesser Celtics hero.

It’s a far cry from guys like Cousy and Tommy, who shared their ceremony with other players.

It just makes it look like Pierce has a really fragile ego.

stop taking cheap shots at IT's height

Man, you are on fire tonight. lol You'll get another TP from me when I can give you another one in an hour or so.

[CelticsElite]

This is getting bizarre but I totally understand Pierces point of view. IT had his chance at a night...

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22124268/paul-pierce-says-boston-celtics-guilt-trading-isaiah-thomas-reason-retirement-night-dispute

So apparently pierce met with Ainge for 40 minutes about the night, pushed for the IT video to not be there, and Ainge explained a lot to espn, pierce blames the IT video as guilt, tony Allen thinks pierce needs his own night, rondo explains IT did nothing to deserve anything. Read it all :

"Danny and I talked about it for 40 minutes,'' Pierce explained to ESPN early Tuesday afternoon. "He told me, 'This is what we have planned,' and at the end of the conversation, he said, 'If you don't want us to do Isaiah, we won't.' So I told him, 'I really don't.' So that was it.''

"That's how we left it.''

Shortly after ESPN reached out to Ainge to confirm this development, Thomas tweeted that he preferred Boston not run a video tribute for him after all.

( https://twitter.com/isaiahthomas/status/953427146114043905 )


Earlier in the day, before Thomas' tweet, Pierce explained why he objected to plans to honor Thomas on February 11.

"(Thomas) had a shot to be honored,'' Pierce said. "You came to Boston. Whether you are playing or not, you should have had your tribute then. I just don't see how, if someone is having a jersey retirement, they're going to be running other tributes for other players.

"Danny tried to sell me on it, but I told him, 'He had a shot, Danny, and he punked you on it. He pretty much dictated everything.' They let it happen because they felt sorry how (the trade to Cleveland) went down. It's guilt. That's what it is.''

Ainge said Tuesday night that Thomas intended all along to bow out of the video tribute once he learned of Pierce's reservations. He also said when he and Thomas' agent, Aaron Goodwin, first discussed an alternate date to a Thomas tribute, which was originally scheduled for January 3, neither of them realized the next time the Cavaliers came to town would be the night that Pierce was being honored. Thomas asked not to be recognized on January 3 because he was not going to be playing in the game and he wanted his family present for the tribute.

"I wanted to make it clear that it was never my intention or Isaiah's intention to take away from the special day for Paul Pierce,'' Ainge told ESPN. "And no one was ever comparing IT to Paul Pierce. We all owe Paul a lot. Everyone in the organization.''

Ainge said the team planned to play the Thomas tribute during the pregame introductions.

"It was only going to be during that segment,'' Ainge explained. "During the rest of the game, it was going to be all Paul Pierce. But, after listening to Paul's perspective, I understood it and shared it with Isaiah and he understood it, too.''

Before Tuesday night's game against New Orleans, Tony Allen, who played alongside Pierce on Boston's 2008 championship team, said Pierce deserved his own night.

"I'm with Pierce, man,'' said Allen. "(Thomas) didn't put in more work than Paul. Anybody disagree? OK. Paul Pierce put in big work, man. Why would they honor (Thomas) on that same day, man?

"Let my man get his jersey retired, man. Let him embrace that, man. He put a lot of blood, sweat and tears in this organization, man, and capitalized and had some good results. (Pierce) struggled with the team. I remember losing 19 straight with that man. Turned around and won a championship (the next season). Talk about Paul Pierce, man, don't mention (Thomas') name, the guys' name that don't stand in the same frame.''



Rondos opinion:
Rajon Rondo was irked to hear that the Celtics would honor Isaiah Thomas on any night. "What has he done?” Rondo asked. Told that he led the Celtics to the conference finals last year, Rondo remarked, “Oh, that’s what we celebrate around here?”
https://twitter.com/BillDoyle15/status/953477892209565697

[tarheelsxxiii]

Pretty silly.  I was disappointed in IT requesting the video be shown on Pierce's jersey retirement night.  Now I'm disappointed in Pierce.  Sounds like a personal vendetta that has blown the issue out of proportion. 

[green_bballers13]

Silly drama. Click bait. Johnny Manziel, Colin Kaepernick, Stephen A Smith, Lavar Ball. blah blah blah.

I bet my grandfather would roll over in his grave after hearing what has happened to sports-watching men in 2018.

[sed522002]

Now it’s silly. But the way I look at it, Pierce wasn’t going to back down (and had a lil petty in him) and IT was more than likely informed of the change, he then decides to tweet that “HE” decided not to have his tribute video, to save face and sorta look like the bigger person, when in fact the decison was already made  ..now this is comical.

Oh well, we don’t have to wonder what’s going to happen on 2-11.

[mmmmm]

Am I the only one who is actually disappointed a little in Pierce with all this too?

Why? It's his night. I think its weird that 1.) A player gets to dictate when a tribute video is shown  2.) A player who's meant as much to this team as Pierce has to share his retirement night with a player who hasn't had a fraction of the franchise success he's had.

Honestly, IT should've just let them play the video a few weeks ago. The whole thing of wanting to have his family there for it was a bit much - it's a 2-3 minute tribute video, not a jersey retirement.

Yeah I can agree with the bolded part. It did seem like too much. Just fly your family in, IT.

Woah.  That's not as trivial as it sounds.  It was a mid-week game and most of his family is on the opposite coast.  It's a pretty big deal for most 'normal' folks to fly all the way from Seattle to Boston since it's a long day of travel on each side.   All Thomas was trying to do was not impose that travel burden on his family members if all it was for was to watch a short video and then see IT sit on the bench the whole game.

But apparently trying to be accommodating to his family turned Thomas into an evil, Truth-hating selfish troll in the minds of some righteously indignant types.

[CelticsElite]

Is it that big a deal to do the IT video in the playoffs? Its a virtual certainty we will meet the cavs. problem solved