Simmons and Doc Rivers

Wow... Rivers is really classless

 

Hey Clutch! I definitely agree that it's good that the Celtics at least got a pick out of it, as opposed to just letting him go (even though the pick probably won't be a lottery one). But there were a lot of people wanting Doc to leave before the Big 3 was put together. To be honest, he really wasn't that great of a coach before he got his superstars.

Of course, every coach needs players to succeed, regardless of his own coaching prowess, but some of those Celtics teams were real bad. I think one of them went on an 18-game losing streak or so.

 

Can you even describe for us in detail why you think this? Brevity is the soul of wit, unless you're just talking on the internet.

 

I think they're both looking pretty bad, actually.

It just looks petty for Simmons to keep going after Rivers on the issue of integrity. Come on already. Let's talk about basketball, the actual subject at hand.

If Simmons has always disliked Rivers, he should be happy now and just move on. (Unless, as some have mentioned in this thread, Bill is upset now about his Clippers season tickets.)

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I'd pay good money to see Doc Rivers and Bill Simmons get in a boxing ring.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/350757290401476608">June 28, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Well, let's be fair though. Doc wasn't always a particularly good coach. And Simmons has referenced his past criticisms of Doc many times since then (something most sportswriters wouldn't do), and has stated that Doc has improved considerably and is now one of the best coaches in the league.

I like that Bill isn't afraid to tee of on a player or coach. The vast majority of high profile sports journalists won't do that for fear of alienating people in the sport, which IMO is gutless.

 

People Bill Simmons criticizes over and over:

Doc Rivers
Roger Goodell
David Kahn
Isaiah Thomas
Vinny Del Negro

As good as a sportswriter and podcaster Simmons is, it seems like he has a pretty nasty side in his personality. When he doesn't like or has no respect for someone, he goes after them hard, with humor and wits as his weapon.

I see a lot of similarities between Bill Simmons and Jon Stewart. Both are extremely popular with their fans. However, you do not want to get on their bad side.

 

I heard Simmons lives in LA and is a clippers season ticket holder. Next season is gonna be fun

 

You can add OKC to that list. He will never shut up about the Harden trade.

 

The idea that Simmons lobbied for Doc's head with the Celtics owner, as though he has input on moves made within the organization, is obviously bogus. Doc is really reaching.

 

At the least, the last three guys on that list deserve to be criticized relentlessly, wouldn't you say?

 

Well, in hindsight, that trade looks Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown stupid, and even now you still have people complaining about that trade even with Marc being better now.

 

One guy was a 1st rd pick,played double digit years in the nba,and lead a historic franchise to a title. The other guy is pencil pusher/keyboard pusher. I mean,c'mon man,he can't hold Doc's dirty jock. He said Doc quit on the team which is false. Doc coached that out-manned to do to the last possession.

 

I don't think Simmons said Doc quit trying during the 2012-13 season. Simmons' claim is that this offseason, Doc initiated the transaction that had him "traded" to the Clippers. Doc say he didn't start it and that it was the Celtics who first asked him about whether he'd be interested in coaching another team (so they can get a draft pick to help with rebuilding). None of us really knows exactly how things went down between the team and the coach, unless we are some sort of deep insiders within either the Celtics organization or if we are Doc Rivers.

Whether Simmons has played NBA basketball and even whether he actually knows the game of basketball l from a playing or a coaching perspective have very little to do with whether his version of the events is correct or not. I suspect that being a well-known sportswriter with Boston roots, he has sources within the Celtics organization and the NBA telling him things.

 

Bill has reached the top of his profession. He's good.

 

A lot of people have reached the top of his profession and they don't know ****.

The Celtic organization did not want to pay Doc Rivers $7 million per to coach a rebuilding effort and the proof of that is in the immediate dismantling of the squad.

Did the organization quit? Will Simmons disown the Celtics for trading Paul Pierce? Everyone knows what this is and at some point, despite the history teams have to move on when the window closes. Ainge has said this from the jump...

 

So, why is he getting so much support now, especially in this thread? I really don't get it. If he's going to flame someone repeatedly for years, should he or anyone else really be surprised when that when the target gets the chance to take some potshots back, that Rivers would take the opportunity? I think it's entirely reasonable for Rivers to jab at Simmons. Simmons does much worse on his columns.

The current criticism of Doc quitting on the Celtics or whatever is really the just the last straw, I'm sure Doc has been waiting for this opportunity for years.

 

All I have to say is that Ray Allen looks like a genius for leaving that sinking ship and taking less money to WIN a ship in Miami.

 

Not to mention hitting one of the biggest shots of his career.