Rondo is the new captain

mabrowndog

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So in addition to Rajon being the new captain, he's also the new play-by-play man. For part of one night anyway...
 
Rondy Points for everyone!!
 
 
Comcast SportsNet today announced that Celtics’ point guard Rajon Rondo, as well as Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and former Celtic Chris Herren, will join the network as guest on-air color commentators for upcoming out-of-town Celtics telecasts.
 
Rondo will join Comcast SportsNet play-by-play commentator Mike Gorman on-air on Monday, March 31st as the Celtics take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago.  He will fill in as color commentator for the first quarter of the game while Tommy Heinsohn breaks the game down from the CSN studios in Boston during Pre-Game, Halftime, and Post-Game. Cedric Maxwell will join Gorman after Rondo departs.
 
There have been instances of actively-employed pro players in several sports joining a broadcast briefly, usually while on a long-term injury rehab. But to have a player fill a specific role in place of a regular broadcaster, rather than being an adjunct presence during game coverage, is a first as far as I can recall.
 
Hopefully he's somewhat entertaining, slightly forthcoming, and a tad informative. I trust Gorman enough to do what any pro does, especially one who's had to work with so many broadcast partners of disparate experience and skill levels over the decades: Engage the guy to comment and discuss things at exactly the right time while keeping him comfortable in doing so. But I also wonder to what extent Gorman will be able to broach certain topics such as his working relationship with Stevens, how he feels about staying with Boston long-term, etc. I suspect it will be far more vanilla in content and subdued in tone, more like Dwight Evans filling in for Remy a couple years back.
 
But really, where the hell is this coming from anyway? Whose idea is it? Ainge? Stevens? Grousbeck? Rondo himself? Is it the team's way of placating their diva in the wake of birthday-gate? A strategic means of keeping him present and involved with the team on his "day off" (an understandable rest on the road end of back-to-back games) rather than have him take off again to do his own thing? Or is it for PR purposes, either to distract from the Rondo tensions or to serve as a P.T. Barnum-esque publicity stunt?
 

Brickowski

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Rondo and Ainge I can understand.  But Chris Herren?
According to Gorman on tonight's telecast, Gorman suggested it and Rondo dared him to make it happen.
 

Blacken

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That is amazing. I don't know if it'll be good TV, but--okay, it'll be good TV.

Next up, Gerald Wallace.
 

wutang112878

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I think its utterly ridiculous.  I will concede that if he was rehabbing and not playing yet, this wouldnt be a big deal.  But, even if this is a 'scheduled day of rest' there just seems to be something wrong about him doing the telecast while his teammates are actually competing at the same time.
 
I have to believe CSNNE came up with this idea, because now that they are real partners with the Celts (Celts have equity stake), they probably figured they could call in a favor like this.  I am sure Rondo thought it was a wonderful idea and had no objections.  I sincerely hope it wasnt Rondo's idea, that would be pathetic.
 

southshoresoxfan

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wutang112878 said:
I think its utterly ridiculous.  I will concede that if he was rehabbing and not playing yet, this wouldnt be a big deal.  But, even if this is a 'scheduled day of rest' there just seems to be something wrong about him doing the telecast while his teammates are actually competing at the same time.
 
I have to believe CSNNE came up with this idea, because now that they are real partners with the Celts (Celts have equity stake), they probably figured they could call in a favor like this.  I am sure Rondo thought it was a wonderful idea and had no objections.  I sincerely hope it wasnt Rondo's idea, that would be pathetic.
I think you're making a big deal about it. Rondo isnt playing back to backs, it hink we all agree losing is better att his point, and it will be interesting enough to see what he has to add to the broadcast.

Im fine with this and will absolutely check it out.
 

fairlee76

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The first thought that came to mind was "huh, looks like the Celts hired the dentist!"  This has Red Sox PR team written all over it.
 
As far as pro athletes go, Rondo is one of the few that I think would be an interesting listen.  Forthcoming, honest, and does not talk in the BS cliche-speak employed by so many of them.  Can you imagine listening to Brady or LBJ do play-by-play?  That would be brutal.
 

wutang112878

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southshoresoxfan said:
I think you're making a big deal about it. Rondo isnt playing back to backs, it hink we all agree losing is better att his point, and it will be interesting enough to see what he has to add to the broadcast.
 
Do you think this makes his teammates think of him as a bit of a diva?  I do, and for someone who is trying to grow into the role of a real team leader, I just dont see this as a step in the right direction
 

Blacken

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There's no meaningful difference between this and the quarter-long Danny Ainge interviews--the only unfortunate thing about this is that it's only one quarter.


Bricking about how it makes him "seem like a diva" might be the silliest bit of faux controversy I've seen stirred up in this forum this year and that's kind of saying something.
 

wutang112878

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Danny cant play, and doesnt meddle with his coach during the games so he literally has nothing else to do.  Thats not the case with Rondo, so thats a pretty terrible analogy.
 

allstonite

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wutang112878 said:
Danny cant play, and doesnt meddle with his coach during the games so he literally has nothing else to do.  Thats not the case with Rondo, so thats a pretty terrible analogy.
 
Rondo doesn't play back-to-backs so he's basically just a team employee, same as Danny. I'm sure Brad can live without his meddling for the first quarter of a meaningless late season game. Whether you think he can play back-to-backs or not is a different argument but it's been established he isn't playing them so I don't see the big deal at all.
 

wutang112878

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By that logic we should just allow him to stay away from the team during off days too, like say his birthday. 
 

CreightonGubanich

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I'm kind of surprised that anyone sees this as a big deal. The guy just came back after receiving nine stitches in the face in the fourth quarter of a meaningless March game against the Toronto Raptors - I think his teammates get that he wants to play and he wants to win. And CSNNE has been employing a rotating cast of analysts for road games anyway - it doesn't take much to be better than PJ Carlesimo or Dave Cowens. 
 
I'm actually looking forward to it - Rondo's a smart player and a thoughtful, articulate speaker. I wish he was doing the whole game. It'll be interesting to see the color work done by someone who actually knows Stevens' sets and rotations. 
 

allstonite

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wutang112878 said:
By that logic we should just allow him to stay away from the team during off days too, like say his birthday. 
 
He's sitting about 20 feet from where he normally would be sitting. He's at the game. He will join Brad and his team after 12 minutes.
 

Blacken

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wutang112878 said:
By that logic we should just allow him to stay away from the team during off days too, like say his birthday.
Even though it's, uh, completely not like that and your logic is not very good, I don't have a problem with a guy whose job is to put a ball through a hole going out with his family on his birthday when he isn't healthy enough to put a ball through a hole.

Perspective is nice.
 

wutang112878

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The team didnt give him permission to do so.  You cant just let that happen because then it looks like he is running the show.  If he actually had their permission thats different, stupid that they might give it, but different however he didnt have their permission.
 

wutang112878

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From Chad Finn's article today, looks like Gorman originally came up with the analyst idea:

 
“I was walking down the corridor between the press room and locker room and he was going the other way,’’ Gorman said. “I said, ‘How are you doing, Jon?’ He said, ‘Good,’ then he got about 3 feet by me and said over his shoulder, ‘When are you and me going to do a game together?’
 
“I stopped and I laughed and said, ‘Be careful what you wish for. I can make that happen.’ He laughed himself and said, ‘Why don’t you do that?’ ”
 
Gorman passed the idea along to Bill Bridgen, CSNNE’s executive vice president and general manager, who loved it. He passed it along to Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, who also signed off. Gorman then went to coach Brad Stevens, and he was fine with the idea.
 
 

HomeRunBaker

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Bumps, Birthdays, Broadcasts, and likely Max Contract demands.

How far apart are Rondo and Ainge in their numbers? (I'm thinking real far)

Does Rondo have greater than 23 left to his Celtics life?

What would potential destinations be for Rondo?

Is there even a trade market with teams knowing he's going to want to get paid to remain?