| Reggie Pulls Back Authored by Andrew Perna - September 4, 2007 - 7:53 pm
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For a while there it seemed as though Reggie Miller, Mr. Pacer himself, was going to wear the green-and-white of the Boston Celtics. However, roughly two weeks after admitting that he was considering coming out of retirement at the age of forty-two, Miller told The Indianapolis Star that he had decided against it.
“Physically, I know I could have done it. But mentally, when you do something like this you’ve either got to be all in or all out. And I’ve decided I’m all out,” Miller told Bob Kravitz of The Star.
To continue with the poker references I truly believe that Reggie was “bluffing” us all along. I never thought he was as serious about coming back as he made people around the game believe. Rather, I think he used the opportunity to challenge himself to work out more vigorously to see what was left in the tank. It could be my extreme allegiance to the Pacers and Miller that made me come to that conclusion, but in reality I don’t think I’m too far off.
What made the rumors so hard for diehard Reggie fans to swallow was how staunchly against coming out of retirement Miller was when he hung up his sneakers back in 2005. Returning to the court to join the Celtics would have gone against Reggie’s personal integrity, the very reason why so many Pacer fans took so strongly to him during his eighteen-year stay in the Heartland.
Despite votes of confidence from friends like Mark Jackson and Charles Barkley, Reggie decided against lacing up his shoes for the Celtics, or any other team for that matter. Miller, who just turned forty-two last Friday, kindly said, “If anybody is ever interested in me playing again, please don't call.''
That should, for all intents and purposes, put an end to any more rumors of Reggie returning to the hardwood. That is, unless he nabs himself a professional coaching gig, or decides to keep the blood flowing by playing some recreational hoops in Southern California.
The saga was a rollercoaster ride for yours truly. When the news first broke that Ainge wanted Miller on the Celtics I was only slighted fazed. But when Reggie acknowledged having been contacted, and he didn’t squash the rumors right away, I started to go a little squirrelly.
Call it selfish. Call it childish. Call it whatever you wish. I did not want to see Reginald Wayne Miller suit up for any other team than the Indiana Pacers, and quite frankly I probably wouldn’t have wanted him to come back to Indiana either.
I grew to love the game of basketball because of Miller, and seeing him in another uniform would have left a sour taste in my mouth for the rest of eternity. Reggie is a dying breed. We won’t see many, or any players remain with the same team for their entire career in this day-and-age. Free agency is too lucrative and players are too demanding.
Kevin Garnett seemed like he might have been a decent bet despite constant trade rumors, but his arrival in Boston killed that idea. We’re now left with Kobe Bryant, don’t laugh because he’s been a Laker for twelve seasons now, and Paul Pierce. Pierce will begin his tenth season for the Celtics this fall, and the arrival of Garnett and Ray Allen might keep Pierce in green for the long haul. There’s also Tim Duncan, who will probably play his entire career in San Antonio, having played ten seasons for the Spurs.
Many people also felt that Reggie would have been “chasing a ring” in Boston. There’s where I tend to disagree because Reggie’s too smart to believe that signing on would have earned him a ring. Winning the Eastern Conference is one thing, but overcoming the Suns, Mavericks or Spurs is another – especially when the team hasn’t even played game together.
If Reggie was contemplating joining the Celtics for the sole purpose of winning a ring this season, than he would have contradicted everything he used to say about Gary Payton and Karl Malone towards the end of his playing days. He always claimed that he would never chase a ring as an active player, so I don’t see how coming out of retirement to do so is any different.
The strange thing is that I started to warm to the idea of Reggie coming back to the court in the days just before he made his decision to remain retired official. If Miller returned to the NBA, especially as a member of the Celtics, I would get the opportunity to see him play a great number of times. I would even get the opportunity to talk with Reggie in the locker room, something that would make my life as a sports journalist complete.
Now we all know that Reggie will return to broadcasting this fall, exactly where he should be at this point in his life. I hope to see Reggie on the sidelines once again, but preferably as the head coach of a team like, say, the Indiana Pacers.
What are your thoughts on Reggie’s decision to remain retired? Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
