Impressed with T.A

[Roy Hobbs]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

[Change]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

So you're comparing a convict to Tony. He made some wrong choice but that doesn't make him a thug. I don't live in Boston, but Tony  is notorious for doing alot of charity work around town.

[Roy Hobbs]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

So you're comparing a convict to Tony. He made some wrong choice but that doesn't make him a thug. I don't live in Boston, but Tony  is notorious for doing alot of charity work around town.

Yep.  If I compare O.J. Simpson with a murderer, is that okay?  I'm not a big believer in "It ain't a crime if you don't get caught".

Anyway, I think we can all agree that Tony has done some less than smart / moral things off the court.  The question is, how can he help the team on the court?  In that regard, he's been okay this year.  Nothing special, but not bad.

[ScoobyDoo]

I like Tony, always have. As Doom has siad, he came from a tough neighborhood and has had trouble realising he had to separate himself from it if he wanted a good NBA career.

Being in young and getting in trouble is normal. I had plenty of trouble and I was what you would call a "good kid". Imagine the challenges growing up where he did. Not all are as "together" as DWade. Wade is most likely the exception, Tony more likely the rule in those environments.

What is most important to me is how someone ultimately moves forward from a very serious incident such as the Chicago one which lead to the death threats, etc., is how the said individual moves forward after the mistake.

There can be no question that Tony has kept his nose incredibly clean since then. We havent' heard one single bad thing about him. That tells me everything I need to know. That incident may have been the game changer for Tony. Good for him to be able to at least seem to have overcome the incredible odds.

His teammates probably adore him because he's a miniature Leon Powe, who will go to the mat for the team and them at the drop of a hat. He's a nose first, physical brawler type player. Those guys help you win.

We could use someone like him off the bench at small F and the big spots. Kind of like Leon and Posey used to provide, they gave us a few more sets of teeth, after KG and Perk.

I'd like to see either Baby or Shelden develop that nasty side.

Other thing I like about Tony...whenever he bumps into someone, even the big men, they generally go the other way. Tony is one of those guy's who's very, very, very strong for his size.

He would have been a great free safety. Lovehis physical aggression at his position, we could use more of it elsewhere.     

[Amonkey]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

So you're comparing a convict to Tony. He made some wrong choice but that doesn't make him a thug. I don't live in Boston, but Tony  is notorious for doing alot of charity work around town.

That is a very good point.  First of all, the trouble that is listed came from mostly his friends.  Considering that Tony came from a rough neighborghood, it's easy to be associated with people who can be considered thugs.  I have a friend of mine that comes from a rough neighborghood and he has done really well for himself by graduating from college, getting a well paid job, going abroad and everything, yet his neighborghood friends are still thugs.  Does that make him a thug?

Clearly that point doesn't include his criminal record, which is small but not nonexistent.  However, the main point that somebody made is about his charity work.  People tend to focus on the bad part and quickly label him as a thug yet completely overlooks his charity.  The reality is that this guy probably puts up more volunteer work and invests more in the community than most of us in the blog.  Granted, he has money, but he is doing good in the community and that should not be overlooked.

[BballTim]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

So you're comparing a convict to Tony. He made some wrong choice but that doesn't make him a thug. I don't live in Boston, but Tony  is notorious for doing alot of charity work around town.

Yep.  If I compare O.J. Simpson with a murderer, is that okay?  I'm not a big believer in "It ain't a crime if you don't get caught".

Anyway, I think we can all agree that Tony has done some less than smart / moral things off the court.  The question is, how can he help the team on the court?  In that regard, he's been okay this year.  Nothing special, but not bad.

  He really hasn't done anything wrong since the Marktwain whatever his last name was incident, has he? Wasn't that like 3 years ago?

[celticinorlando]

i am too...i bashed him a lot and he is proving to be pretty good off the bench

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Great subject, I was going to post something similiar, I have always been a TA fan, and he is what the Celts need. As a player, he is the slasher we need, we have plenty of shooters, but not enough slashers....! Now he is getting the tough "D" assignments he deserves, he and Marquis are the ones to do exactly that, slash, layups and dunks, and tough D....some say a lot of fouls, as compared to who...? Besides, like the Celts get ANY break lately from the refs....! Tony is playing like he did before the injury, and as some of you know, if you sprain your ankle playing, it takes 1-3 months to come back, then 1-3 months to forget and play aggressive again....well, knee surgery takes about a year for the same, add up how he was before the knee to what he is doing now. Also, compare him fairly to other players, some here let a lot of slumps and mistakes from our other players go, and focus on TA's and some other players. Ta, as he is, is going to be a big help during the playoffs, as will Marquis. The other team will have a hard time covering them, that slashing itself will open up space for the shooters.....Yes, those two should soon develop at least one spot where their shot works well, hopefully that will come also.!

[Eeyore III]

I've been a TA naysayer for years. 

This year on the court, however, I have to admit, he has played better overall than before.  He has fulfilled his role well, and he plays hard. 

I have no complaints about him at this point.     

[Rondo_is_better]

<3 Tony.

[Rondo_is_better]

Not a lot of 'Thugs' have bachelor's degree. If anything Tony is a success story.

Suge Knight graduated from college and made a lot of money.  He's still a thug.

So you're comparing a convict to Tony. He made some wrong choice but that doesn't make him a thug. I don't live in Boston, but Tony  is notorious for doing alot of charity work around town.

Hahahaha he's notorious for his charity work? People give him the evil eye on the street.... "I know what you did Tony...you helped those orphans..."