Skip to main content

Kevin McHale called Danny Ainge "one cold-blooded character" - here's another side

Image
By
Celtics boss, Danny Ainge, has on occasion been labeled as somewhat heartless. Even his buddy, Kevin McHale, called him "one cold-blooded character". Trading stars Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Isaiah Thomas may have brought some of that thinking about. And he did let Leon Powe (pronounced POE) walk away in free agency after Leon suffered a severe ACL tear. But there is more to the tale.


 Think Celtics boss, Danny Ainge is heartless? Read about what he has done for Leon Powe in my upcoming article. Here's his performance in the 2008 Championship series versus the Lakers.


Leon was the 49th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft by Boston. He was primarily a back-up, but he exploded for 21 points in 15 minutes in Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals. Lakers coach Phil Jackson was so upset at losing that game, he went out of his way to mispronounce Powe's name - calling him POW. The Celtics went on to win the series versus Los Angeles and take the 2008 Championship.


The next post-season Leon suffered a severe knee injury which was later diagnosed as a torn ACL. Danny let him walk away in free agency, and Leon signed for the vet minimum with the Cleveland Cavaliers - but his best days were behind him. He left the NBA in 2011, but he got a call from the Boston Celtics in 2014 about a position with the team. He took the position in the front office and is still there today - acting as Community Ambassador for the Green.

I love Leon Powe and I love this story. His childhood was spent in severe hardship, but he managed to emerge as a solid NBA player and fine individual. Ainge ran the Boston Celtics - a big-time business. And he has made some very-tough decisions along the line that appear to be "cold-blooded". But there is another side to him. The Leon Powe story reveals it.

Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel and Facebook

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Elm Street Nightmare

By
 A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.)  Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube   Elm Street  surfaces on six (6) occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He  resided on Elm Street  in Townsend, Massachusetts  2.) He  kidnapped a woman  at gunpoint on  Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) That kidnapped woman fled to the Gillogly residence on Elm Street after escaping from the armed fugitive, Laplante. 4.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 5.) He was  tried, convicted   and sentenced for the murders at  Superior Court , corner of  Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 6.) The author, Thomas Lane, lived on Elm Steet, Pepperell, Massachusetts while a police Sgt./Lt. for the t...
19 comments
Read more

In defense of Marcus Smart

By
 Let me make it clear first of all that I am totally against making a threat of any kind that even hints at harming, or certainly killing, another human being. Marcus Smart was wrong in doing so in the Celtics loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder , and he deserved the one-game suspension. But to be honest, part of me loved that it occurred. . This type of thing can happen when a player gets to a point "beyond frustration" and is having a bad game. Marcus and his teammates have been under-performing generally - were in the process of losing to a pathetic-and-tanking Thunder team - and Smart was having a bad game . And he let loose verbally at the closest target - an NBA official. Wilt Chamberlain did a similar act versus referee, Earl Strom when Wilt was having his usual tortuous time at the free throw line (per Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith): ''He was in one of those 1-for-13s,'' recalls referee Earl Strom. ''Nothing was getting close. S...
Post a Comment
Read more

Did the Celtics Kevin McHale really have a wingspan of 8-feet?

By
According to many sources, the Celtics Kevin McHale did indeed have an estimated wingspan of 8-feet. One of those sources is Wikipedia, as seen below: Kevin McHale American basketball player DescriptionKevin Edward McHale is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics. He is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Wikipedia Born: December 19, 1957 (age 61 years), Hibbing, MN Wingspan: 8′ 0″ Height: 6′ 10″ Spouse: Lynn McHale (m. 1982) NBA draft: 1980, Boston Celtics (Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Hall of fame induction: 1999 Number: 32 (Boston Celtics / Power forward, Center) Kevin was listed at 6'10" tall when he was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1980 draft. Red Auerbach, in yet another heist, brought in both McHale and center Robert Parish (via trade) prior to the Celtics' 1980-81 Champion...
Post a Comment
Read more