Players needed to make stand
Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce Revolution 30 swingman jersey spent Saturday morning leading more than 300 children in fitness exercises to kick off the “Million Hour Challenge,” an initiative that asks 2,000 children from Massachusetts to complete a million hours of physical activity over the next year.
“What we are trying to do with this program is to give a template for other players around the league so they can do it in their city and take it national,” said Pierce, who launched the “Truth on Health” campaign through his foundation to encourage children to lead healthier lives. “We have a lot of different pro athletes, not just basketball players, who are interested.”
By Saturday evening, Pierce was getting his own workout, playing in a charity game organized by teammate Rajon Rondo(notes). For now, that’s been the extent of competition for Pierce and his Boston Celtics with the NBA lockout lasting longer than 4½ months. And no one can be sure when it will end.
“I’m optimistic that we will have a season,” Pierce told Yahoo! Sports by phone Saturday. “People ask me that every day when I leave the house if we are going to have a season. I’ve been probably saying, ‘Hopefully in a couple weeks,’ the last two months. That’s how optimistic I am. I just feel like something is going to happen.
“There is going to be something that turns the light on for both sides and gets this thing going. I think there is too much at stake for both sides. The [popularity] that the game is building nationally and worldwide … it’s crazy that we are at this place right now.”
Pierce has taken an active role during the lockout, helping lead a conference call earlier this month with about 50 players to discuss the wholesale NBA jerseys possibility of the Players Association decertifying. Pierce now says the call came as a result of reports that a rift had developed in the union leadership between executive director Billy Hunter and president Derek Fisher(notes). Pierce discussed the call and his other thoughts on the lockout in an interview with Yahoo! Sports.
