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From: schneider@2littl.DEC (DANIEL SCHNEIDER)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops
Subject: Re: Danny Ainge
Message-ID: <1599@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Dec-85 19:35:30 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1599
Posted: Wed Dec  4 19:35:30 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Dec-85 15:48:43 EST
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Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
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[Incident where Tree Rollins bit Danny Ainge's finger.]
 
>What I remember about the incident was, the Celtics had just scored, Ainge was 
>back on defense at about half court.  As Tree Rollins crossed half court he 
>forearmed Ainge to the floor.  Of course Ainge retaliated as anyone would do 
>and tackled Rollins.  The replay of the fight clearly showed Rollins grasp 
>Ainge's hand and pull it to his mouth, and he bit it.  What must have 
>"selectively altered" peoples memory could have been the fact that later that 
>year a sporting publication listed their all-dirty team and Ainge was selected 
>as guard because he had bitten someone.  That was unfortunate because it was 
>untrue.
>					--  Roger Pannell

Tain't hard to figure out what team you root for.  The way it was announced
and the way it was reported outside of Boston (and the way the television
showed  it)  was  Ainge throwing HIS forearm towards Rollins face as the two
were jogging upcourt, Rollins sort of hip-checked Danny, and then the melee
ensued.  Ainge was the clear aggressor, BUT did suffer the bite.  

Ainge's reputation for "dirty" play preceeded this and continued after this.
In time, BECAUSE OF HIS REPUTATION, the incident with Rollins sometimes got
switched around. It should be noted that the next series (Boston vs. Atlanta
was  the  first playoff series for the Celtics), Milwaukee coach, Don Nelson
made  it  news  to reporters that he considered Ainge the dirtiest player in
the league for incidents just like the one he instigated vs. Rollins.

Nelson probably resorted to this as much for "psyching" his team as for
fingering Ainge, as Ainge (and the rest of the Celtics) had a lot of trouble
with a hostile crowd, bad press and the Milwaukee Bucks.  Red Auerbach
jumped to Ainge's defense with an attack on his ex-player Nelson,
basically making some stupid statement about Nelson no longer being part
of the Celtic "family".  As Celtic fans know, the final part of this
episode was the Milwaukee fans bringing brooms to the final game as the Buck's
swept in four straight.

		Daniel Schneider
		{decvax}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-2littl!schneider