re: Which team has a brighter future, Celtics or Timberwolves?

As of now, it's the T-Wolves. If the Celtics manage to add a star player then obviously that changes things, but the Wolves in my mind the best young big in the game. He has as much potential as any PF/C in the NBA since Duncan. I think the Celtics are set up to be a solid team but not a great team. The Wolves have the better players to build around.

Paul Pierce: "There’s a lot of guys, in the past, who look at Boston as racist. It’s kind of been labeled that way."

Cedric Maxwell: “I don’t think Boston has a monopoly on racism in the United States, but the perception is that Boston is the most racist around and that’s not the case.”

Michael Wilbon: "You have this history of bigotry against African-American people in Boston. The only place I’ve ever been confronted, multiple times, and been called the n-word to my face, is specifically the Boston Garden…. The fact is, Boston has that history, and black players know that, and they do not want to go voluntarily to Boston.”

Stephen A. Smith: "From the African-American athletes I speak to, it’s accurate to say that the perception is out there. There are the Paul Pierces of the world, and they rave about Boston. But, from the outside looking in…it’s extremely prevalent and pretty much common that athletes think Boston is not that receptive to improving race relations.”

quote:

---

Matt Keller: As usual, another free agency period has come and gone without the Celtics attracting a big name free agent (still waiting on the first one, if you don’t count an over-the-hill Dominique Wilkins). I emailed Going Deep Sports contributing editor Greg Huber to ask him for his quick list on why a free agent wouldn’t sign in Boston and won’t in the future. Here are his responses in the exact order he sent them…my thoughts are in parentheses and italics.

– There are no decent strip clubs. (Ok, right to the point. Certainly true. Boston may be the un-strip clubbiest city this side of Taliban territory)

– There is no decent nightlife… for a recognizable celebrity that is. You can have yourself a hell of a time if you are a 21-35 year-old white guy who is completely anonymous…or a hockey player (same thing?). (It just isn’t a city that caters to the needs of the modern celebrity. Pretty much the opposite of LA.)

– There is no young, black, affluent community. (Like none. This also plays a role in the strip club/nightlife question. Anyone in the city with money is basically an anonymous, buttoned-down white guy; so all entertainment options are geared toward that demographic. This also means that almost any NBA player would stick out a like a sore thumb in any neighborhood they would want to live in.)

– The weather sucks. (Can’t argue with that)

– The girls are ugly. (Ever been to Miami or LA? Ever been to Boston? Ok, good. Lets move on.)

– The media is brutal. (Besides the rank hypocrisy and savage intensity the media shows on a daily basis – which is true for most cities to some degree – there is the fact that the average media member in Boston is not exactly sympathetic to the plight of the young black athlete. There are big exceptions – Bob Ryan for one – but there is a lot of glorification of traditional white traits (hustle, etc.) and minimization of traditional black traits (physical dominance). People are usually subtle, but it often leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.)

– You are living in a fricking fishbowl. (Many of our readers traverse the streets of Boston on a daily basis, but for those who don’t, or have never been, here is a little primer: The “Manhattan” (nice, walkable, livable, upper-income section) of Boston is made up of a series of neighborhoods that were built in the 1600s and 1700s and are fairly tiny. There is nowhere else in the city to go for a good time. Everyone in the city knows every neighborhood in the city and can probably get there in 10 minutes. The lack of VIP rooms and fancy clubs is apparent. So are uber-luxury hotels and pretty much anything sexy. Luxury is considered 17th Century Beacon Hill Townhouse, not ultra-modern high rises. Also, almost everyone walking around is a rabid sports fan who will not hesitate to verbally accost you and share your location via social media. On top of that, there is a rabid media that treats every day like end of the world. Some embrace it and some don’t. Just be warned.)

– Most people around the country, or at least the NBA, see Boston as a racist city, and while I think the city has changed, there is some truth to it. (The city is segregated more than blatantly racist, although I am not sure if that is an improvement. Both in the city and suburbs, there is a serious divide along racial lines when it comes to housing. I used to live on a half white, half black street in Medford, and I was acutely aware of how rare that was. So, any black player coming to Boston and the surrounding area will find himself constantly surrounded by white people who didn’t grow up with, or around, black people, some of whom are actually actively racist. I know racism is a fact of life everywhere, but I couldn’t imagine say Portland or LA or San Fran being as bad as Boston. There is a popular line of thinking and commentary that steers clear of delving into racism, but presents a point-of-view that isn’t exactly welcoming the average NBA star. One might even say this piece by The Minister is an ideal example.)

---

LINK