Wyc Grousbeck (C's Governor) Notes from his interview on Tuesday's Felger and Mazz show:
He said they were 2 steps from the top of Mount Everest and fell off / got pushed off.
He felt excited, proud and happy to be a part of the run with this team
He said to the team that of the 20 teams he's been a part of, this was his favorite or one of the top couple. Said the future can be theirs.
When at the trade deadline, the team said "this is not a blow it up scenario." He thought they had the core. They said, "let's add. Bring in Derrick White, multi-year contract, send out assets for him future picks, so we're clearly building at the deadline, as opposed to saying the heck with it. We're hoping for a turnaround and a better second half. Then it went better than anyone probably could have reasonably expected. It went great. We almost got there. So now we gotta keep everyone's attitude and mojo. Everybody's gotta get their rest for probably a month, the players, then come back stronger and we'll see what happens.
He felt like Ime's influence and connection with the core was there from the beginning and there was a steady progression and then it really took off as the team gelled.
He didn't know what to make of Marcus' comments about Jayson and Jaylen passing the ball. He said when he's sitting at the game, watching the game, he has his own comments in his mind like any other fan (I believe him. I met him once at a C's game and he was leaving the Garden the same way as everyone else, in the crowd of fans, just blending in. I was like "damn Wyc, u just a man of the people, huh.") He didn't have anything specific to say about Marcus' comments. Just knows that he liked his spirit and everyone's spirit cuz it came from a place of wanting the C's to win.
When asked about finally going over the luxury tax, now that the team is championship caliber, which Mazz said hasn't happened since 2011, Wyc was a lil wishy washy:
He started out with "uh yeah, I mean bringing people back. It's not even close. But here's the point. It's never, ever in business at the Celtics. People can say what they want. Think what they want. Free country. And no problem. But the reason that we bought the Celtics in the first place, and I got 20 guys together to do it was so that we could, you know, vindicate, to try to take care of this great thing, much bigger than any of us, that truly great people put together, and before us. And so, uh, we're just trying to do everything we can for the Celtics. It's been that way since 2003. And there's no question, so whatever needs to be done, can be done, to possibly be done...I've had 4 different in-person meetings and conversations with Brad and Ime in the last 4 days. And it's been: let's go. And that's the way it'll be as long for as we got a team that can compete. And so, we are really excited, and, uh, can't wait to see what happens.
Said he's on the Labor Relations Committee and they're in the process of discussions with regards to changes in the salary structures but he can't comment due to ongoing discussions.
Was asked if Golden State should be held up as a model in the league or are they an abberation. He said:
*Laughs* Let me just talk about us. We are gonna do everything we can to get Banner 18 up there. People know us and know me for 20 years and we will continue to try to get another one up there. And so, we're gonna work, you know, within the rules and not break the rules. Uh, and we are going to, uh, out first priority is winning. You gotta put a roster together that's got youth and expertise. Er, you know, youth and, uh, experience. Little younger with juice and energy. Little older with veteran, you know, savvy. Um, you know, is one good model. But you need your top 8 guys, top 9 guys in the playoffs to take you all the way and make sure your top 9 is there. And, uh, we're gonna make that as strong as a top 9 as we can possibly make it. That's really, that's what Ime and Brad and everybody had agreed to and that's what we're gonna do.
How will you fight that complacency that can set in when teams almost get to the mountain top and struggle to get back there?
Yeah, I mean, the guys gotta find it within themselves with the hunger...I take some comfort in reading the graphics on the screen saying that the 'first NBA championship for MJ, Kobe, others came at certain ages' and u know, out guys are younger, but we can't keep harping that our guys are younger. We just need to go win the thing. And we almost did it. We were in the mix. We got beaten. Um, I was meeting with basketball on Friday morning at 8 AM out in Brighton (where the C's practice facility is on the Mass Pike) so, you know, Thursday night was the game and Friday morning at 8 was out first meeting. So, I mean, we're trying to turn the page and just, build, you know, and I have a lot of confidence in these guys. The character of this team is very very strong and the desire is strong. We love the roster. We wanna tweak it as opposed to blow it up. So we're gonna see if there's any tweaks that make sense.
Said he's not gone back and watched game 5 or game 6. Said watching Curry from 10 feet away hit those shots was insane. So he's very comfortable saying that Golden State beat the C's (he's right).
Said that his role is to ask "what do you need" to Brad and Ime.
About the All Star Game being in Boston:
They've talked about it. Said the "willingness of the city, the convention center and of course our partners (Jeremy Jacobs, who owns the Bruins and the Garden) at the Garden and everything, you know, it all has to come together but we talked to everybody and said, 'we'd really love to do this.' I think there's good momentum trying to get it done. It's not done. It has to be planned out. You have to block out all sorts of space and hotels and make sure everybody else is comfortable. It's not something that we can just host in our practice facility (Auerbach Center, which is beautiful) obviously. So we got a bunch of partners looking at it. We've talked to the NBA and the vibes are good.
Does the performance of the team alter the perception of Boston being a destination and aid in the bid to get the All Star Game?
I don't know about the All Star Game. I think they would cycle it through. If we really wanted it, they would make it happen. And we do really want it. That's my conviction or hope. Not speaking for the NBA. But in terms of a destination, Ime is a good example. He was a free agent coach. He had 8 jobs to interview. I think he told everybody to wait and he picked us. He picked us. So that's a bit of a free agent signing in a way. It's a coach wanting to go somewhere and win. He doesn't wanna go somewhere for the tax rate or the climate... I think that is a great sign. We do believe, and our internal discussions are that we are a great destination for people, in people's mind, the way that Ime coaches, the way the team plays, the way the fans support and the achievement of the team to date is a work in progress. You can't be accused of going to a team that already won (KD? Ring Chasers?) cuz, unfortunately, we didn't. So, I think we're a destination for
people, (he emphasized
people again, not players
) and we'll find out this off-season and next year's trade deadline and we'll find out over the next 5 years cuz it may take 5 years to build it from here. But, hopefully, it takes 5 months.
Ainge. Ainge became an accumulator of talent. He just collected as many talented players as possible. He didn't get the right players to build a championship team.
