Sullinger: We have Celtic pride, we won't tank

[BleedGreen1989]

“You got to understand, with you being a Celtic you have Celtic pride,” Celtics second-year power forward Jared Sullinger said to HOOPSWORLD. “With Celtic pride we don’t tank. You have to bleed green or else you might as well get out of town.”
The Celtics are two days away from the trading of veteran forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets for a combination of expiring contracts, draft picks and Gerald Wallace. They recently hired former Butler head coach Brad Stevens to be their next head coach, giving him a six-year deal worth $22 million. All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo’s status is currently up in the air as well. The Celtics have publicly stated that they have no plans to trade Rondo and want to build around him, but that hasn’t stopped teams from calling and trying to offer a deal good enough to pry him away.
All signs point to the Celtics being in full-blown rebuilding mode, but Sullinger still believes in the team’s potential.
“We just have to play basketball, play hard and handle our business,” Sullinger said. “That’s it. Everyone is counting us out, talking about how we might tank. We’re competitors, we don’t care about that. We just want to win basketball games.
“[Me and Coach Stevens] talked.  He told me his expectations, what he wants from me and the team. He’s a great guy. Also, with where he came from at Butler, raising that program to a Top 25 team the past couple of years, it’s only a matter of time [until we see] what he can do with us.”
Sullinger’s rookie campaign was limited to 45 games due to a back injury that required surgery. The injury is preventing him from participating in the 2013 Orlando Summer League. However, he’s progressed well.
“You’ll see me on the court,” Sullinger said. “That’s pretty much is self-explanatory.”
When he does return, Sullinger will have big shoes to fill. He could be replacing Garnett, his mentor, in the starting lineup and relied on much more than he was as a rookie.
Just like there are doubters over how good the Celtics can realistically be next season, there are also those who question whether or not Sullinger can be a productive starter in the league or live up to the high expectations that followed him after a dominant career at Ohio State.
“It’s been like that my whole life,” Sullinger said. “One moment I can’t do this, I can’t do that, I’m not athletic enough, I can’t play. Now we’re going to tank a season? It’s only a matter of time before we’re going to try to put all these doubters to shame.”

I understand what he's doing, but I love the kids attitude.

[kgainez]

“You got to understand, with you being a Celtic you have Celtic pride,” Celtics second-year power forward Jared Sullinger said to HOOPSWORLD. “With Celtic pride we don’t tank. You have to bleed green or else you might as well get out of town.”
The Celtics are two days away from the trading of veteran forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets for a combination of expiring contracts, draft picks and Gerald Wallace. They recently hired former Butler head coach Brad Stevens to be their next head coach, giving him a six-year deal worth $22 million. All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo’s status is currently up in the air as well. The Celtics have publicly stated that they have no plans to trade Rondo and want to build around him, but that hasn’t stopped teams from calling and trying to offer a deal good enough to pry him away.
All signs point to the Celtics being in full-blown rebuilding mode, but Sullinger still believes in the team’s potential.
“We just have to play basketball, play hard and handle our business,” Sullinger said. “That’s it. Everyone is counting us out, talking about how we might tank. We’re competitors, we don’t care about that. We just want to win basketball games.
“[Me and Coach Stevens] talked.  He told me his expectations, what he wants from me and the team. He’s a great guy. Also, with where he came from at Butler, raising that program to a Top 25 team the past couple of years, it’s only a matter of time [until we see] what he can do with us.”
Sullinger’s rookie campaign was limited to 45 games due to a back injury that required surgery. The injury is preventing him from participating in the 2013 Orlando Summer League. However, he’s progressed well.
“You’ll see me on the court,” Sullinger said. “That’s pretty much is self-explanatory.”
When he does return, Sullinger will have big shoes to fill. He could be replacing Garnett, his mentor, in the starting lineup and relied on much more than he was as a rookie.
Just like there are doubters over how good the Celtics can realistically be next season, there are also those who question whether or not Sullinger can be a productive starter in the league or live up to the high expectations that followed him after a dominant career at Ohio State.
“It’s been like that my whole life,” Sullinger said. “One moment I can’t do this, I can’t do that, I’m not athletic enough, I can’t play. Now we’re going to tank a season? It’s only a matter of time before we’re going to try to put all these doubters to shame.”

I understand what he's doing, but I love the kids attitude.

OOOOOOOHHHHHH
BURN, GLENN RIVERS!

[gar]

“You got to understand, with you being a Celtic you have Celtic pride,” Celtics second-year power forward Jared Sullinger said to HOOPSWORLD. “With Celtic pride we don’t tank. You have to bleed green or else you might as well get out of town.”
The Celtics are two days away from the trading of veteran forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets for a combination of expiring contracts, draft picks and Gerald Wallace. They recently hired former Butler head coach Brad Stevens to be their next head coach, giving him a six-year deal worth $22 million. All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo’s status is currently up in the air as well. The Celtics have publicly stated that they have no plans to trade Rondo and want to build around him, but that hasn’t stopped teams from calling and trying to offer a deal good enough to pry him away.
All signs point to the Celtics being in full-blown rebuilding mode, but Sullinger still believes in the team’s potential.
“We just have to play basketball, play hard and handle our business,” Sullinger said. “That’s it. Everyone is counting us out, talking about how we might tank. We’re competitors, we don’t care about that. We just want to win basketball games.
“[Me and Coach Stevens] talked.  He told me his expectations, what he wants from me and the team. He’s a great guy. Also, with where he came from at Butler, raising that program to a Top 25 team the past couple of years, it’s only a matter of time [until we see] what he can do with us.”
Sullinger’s rookie campaign was limited to 45 games due to a back injury that required surgery. The injury is preventing him from participating in the 2013 Orlando Summer League. However, he’s progressed well.
“You’ll see me on the court,” Sullinger said. “That’s pretty much is self-explanatory.”
When he does return, Sullinger will have big shoes to fill. He could be replacing Garnett, his mentor, in the starting lineup and relied on much more than he was as a rookie.
Just like there are doubters over how good the Celtics can realistically be next season, there are also those who question whether or not Sullinger can be a productive starter in the league or live up to the high expectations that followed him after a dominant career at Ohio State.
“It’s been like that my whole life,” Sullinger said. “One moment I can’t do this, I can’t do that, I’m not athletic enough, I can’t play. Now we’re going to tank a season? It’s only a matter of time before we’re going to try to put all these doubters to shame.”

I understand what he's doing, but I love the kids attitude.

Thanks Sully.

I have been following the Celtics since the 80's and there has never been more unwarranted talk about tanking. It disturbs be to think that real Celtic fans could get caught up in that nonsense. You can say its only a question of semantics; but it is fundamentally at odds with the winning culture that we have worked so hard to establish. The years after Len Bias and Reggie Lewis went down were crushing. They were heartbreaking; but people kept at it. That is why Pierce deserves all the respect in the world. Pierce competed every night and almost single-handedly kept that competitive spirit alive. Sully gets it and even though he will not have KG Rondo and Bradley get it as well. Green was starting get that fire back. When he does watch out. It won't be long.

[Celtics4ever]

Given our roster the tanking will be more passive than active but we will still lose games.   I am ok with it as playing the young guys develops them and shows you what you have at hand.

[manl_lui]

KG talk him well

cannot wait for next season

[jaketwice]

Legit excited about Jared Sullinger now!

[SHAQATTACK]

Sully is good people

[action781]

Won't tank?

Consider him as good as gone by the trade deadline!

[cman88]

in the end, lack of overall talent/youth will undo the celtics.

but theres no doubt in my mind that these guys will play ard.

[bobbyv]

Won't tank?

Consider him as good as gone by the trade deadline!

Hahaha  TP

[vjcsmoke]

Well if Sully said it, then it must be true!!   

The thing with the Celtics is that they have so little talent and experience now that they won't even need to tank to be bad.  I see them being a bottom six team in the NBA.  And that's fine.  It's to be expected when you lose two star veteran players like Pierce and KG.