>but its still tremendously childish for
>Pierce himself to speak on it a make a big issue about it.

1. IT isn't infringing on Pierce's night. All is well.
2. IT is hurt for his return to the Garden.
3. The Celtics want to show a one-minute tribute video thanking IT for his two seasons in Boston.
4. Because IT isn't playing, his family won't be there, and he wants his family to be there, so *he* requests Boston move the video package to the next available night-- Pierce's night.

Instead of bringing his family out for a game in which he wasn't playing so they could see his one-minute video and watch him wave while people cheered, he thought the better solution was to ASK THE ORGANIZATION TO MOVE IT INTO THE MIDDLE OF A CELTIC LEGEND'S TRIBUTE NIGHT.

How in the fuck is IT, the two-year All-Star with not even an ECF to his name, the one who isn't in the wrong, while Paul Pierce, the fourteen-year Celtic with ten ASGs, four All-NBA honors, second highest leading scorer in franchise history, second highest PPG in franchise history, title winner, NBA Finals MVP, is the one to blame here?

Nah. All of that "he's trying to be Kobe" spin by the angry people is nonsense, and they should all know it. Pierce didn't get a huge farewell tour, no one's asking for teams across the country to acknowledge him as a GOAT of the game. There aren't big "thanks Paul" commercial campaigns. I can't even find a quote in which Pierce compares himself to Kobe in this situation-- am I missing some offensive Pierce quote, or do people think home court nights dedicated to the career of a legend on the night of the jersey retirement exclusively belonged to Kobe?

He is asking for one night, dedicated to his career, thrown by the franchise for which he is indisputably a legend. He absolutely deserves it.