WEEI Listen: Mike Milbury has no patience for a player like Marcus Smart calling out a team’s stars

[Fenway]

Mike Milbury saw a star player called out by a teammate during his first training camp with the Bruins way back in 1974, and it worked.

The star player was Phil Esposito, who, according to Milbury, was nearly late for the team’s first practice of training camp. The player getting on “Espo” was Bobby Orr, who expected his longtime running mate to set a better example.

Why is any of this relevant right now? Because Milbury, making his weekly appearance on The Greg Hill Show, was drawing an analogy to Marcus Smart publicly criticizing Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for not passing more this week.

Milbury’s point: Marcus Smart is not Bobby Orr, and it’s not his place to call out the stars.

“Shut the fudge up! That’s what I say. Shut up. I mean, who is Marcus Smart to be calling anybody out at this point? That’s not his role.”

Milbury said he had no problem with Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy criticizing star wing David Pastrnak last week, and that he wouldn’t have a problem if it was Celtics coach Ime Udoka calling out Tatum and Brown. But Smart doing it would be like someone lower in the Bruins’ lineup calling out Pastrnak, and that didn’t sit right with Milbury.

Listen to the full interview with Milbury below. The discussion about calling out players begins around 4:10, with the comments on Smart coming at 7:50.

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[CDJ]

eh, Smart is the longest tenured player on the team. He’s a long standing running mate of those guys and they’ve been to multiple ECF together. My initial reaction was similar to Mike’s but it’s clearly worked since they’ve followed up with their 2 best defensive efforts of the year- probably 2 of the best defensive efforts from the last couple of years tbh- so I don’t really know how anybody can still complain about it

didn’t agree with how he did it but I can’t argue with the results. Apparently he knew what he needed to say to get an effort out of the team. Still got a ways to go on offense tho. But the effort was finally there.

 

[Over the volcano]

Wait, so Smart said the right thing (because they should be passing more) and Millbury is saying it isn't Smart's "role" to calling out teammates because he's no Bobby Orr? That's some iffy stuff coming from a guy who prides himself on calling people out and who went on a diatribe about how HE won't be "cancelled" from saying what he thinks after a pretty long history of iffy comments. But it's not Smart's place to tell his teammates to distribute the ball. . . ? I dunno Mike . . .

 

[Alicat]

There was nothing wrong with what Marcus said. Sure he probably shouldn't have gone to the media but I'm glad he did. I also think it was great of the coaching staff to set them up for a players only meeting where it is clear they talked about things. I'm sure there is some unresolved issues but the last 2 games, especially last night, were a step in the right direction. Sometimes keeping it real is the best way to go.

Millbury should stick to hockey.

 

[The National]

Milbury’s covering basketball now lol?

 

[DKH]

Smart needs to go

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I don’t follow basketball but who gives a shit if Smart called people out? He’s a veteran. It’s like Nick Foligno calling someone out. You earn that respect.

Millbury just can’t get out of his own way with stupidity.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

who cares. its basketball.