Ex-players dismayed

Pollard, Pierce to miss Jayhawks' visit

Boston's Scot Pollard, right, and teammates Eddie House, left, and James Posey (41) complain to a referee during one of the Celtics' three losses this season, Dec. 19 against Detroit. The Celtics will be in Detroit tonight for a rematch, so Pollard and teammate Paul Pierce, both former Jayhawks, will miss KU's game at Boston College today.

Boston forward Paul Pierce, right, goes up for a shot against Lakers forward Kwame Brown on Sunday in Los Angeles.

? If only he could, Scot Pollard would be sitting behind Kansas University’s bench today at Boston College’s Conte Center.

“I’m ticked off. We play Detroit. I wish it was different. This NBA schedule … you can’t do anything about it,” the frustrated Boston Celtics forward said.

Pollard and his current Celtics and former KU teammate Paul Pierce hustled out of The Garden after Friday night’s Boston-Memphis game and flew charter to Detroit, site of tonight’s Celts-Pistons contest.

Not able to be in two places at the same time, they were to miss today’s 11 a.m. game between their beloved Jayhawks and BC’s Eagles.

“We talk junk on other guys,” Pollard said bragging to NBA players who hail from other schools. “We talk about KU a lot, especially with our football team’s success this year, too.”

It should come as no surprise who Pollard likes in today’s Big 12-ACC showdown.

“I don’t know anything about BC’s team, but my guess is, yes,” Pollard said, asked if he thought the 13-0, No. 3-ranked Jayhawks would stop the unranked, 10-2 Eagles.

“I’m a Jayhawk. I’m not going to pick against my school.”

Pollard, 32, who still owns a house in Lawrence and lives here part of the offseason with wife, Mindy, daughters Lolli and Tallula, and son, Ozzy, had hoped to see KU coach Bill Self and the Jayhawk players at Friday’s Celtics game.

KU’s travel plans, however, didn’t allow for the team to take in the pro contest.

Pollard says he would have been able to score tickets for KU’s 17 players and coaches at an arena where tickets are tough to come by.

Boston is talk of the town with a 28-3 record.

“I don’t know about me. Paul could have (gotten tickets),” Pollard said. “Next to Red Auerbach, he’s the most important guy around here,” he added of the late Celtics’ coaching legend/front office executive.

Pollard, who has been with five teams (Detroit, Sacramento, Indiana, Cleveland, Boston) in 11 seasons, says he loves living in Beantown.

He offered some travel tips for KU fans who may happen to be in town for the game.

“Hit the North end for Italian food,” Pollard said. “If you bring the kids, there’s the Aquarium on the North end. Kids love it. There’s historic buildings all over. I’ve not been to ‘Paul Revere House’ yet. I’m going to do that this week.

“If fans have free time, go to Salem,” he added of nearby Salem, Mass. “Go at night. If you go to the cemetery, you will see orbs, ghosts. They appear in 50 percent of the pictures taken in Salem. Orbs are there. I’ve seen them,” Pollard added.

Pollard – he played for Cleveland last season – loves the Celtics team and also what he has seen of the KU’s squad thus far in 2007-08.

“We’ve won games in a lot of different ways. We’re on pace for a record-setting season,” he said of the Celts. “We are bound to hit some bumps in the road. I think we’ll handle adversity when time comes.”

Of KU, he said: “I think they’re really good. They’re undefeated, not played too many tough teams. The USC game … they contained their superstar (O.J. Mayo) and came out with a win. I like the team,” added Pollard, who has worked out with the Jayhawks in the offseason.

“I think in lower-possession games where you’ve got to run sets, it’s been tough on them in the past. I hope they’re better at that this year. It’s a long season. When you see teams in the conference for the second time, it makes for tough games. Hopefully we’ll be able to win them.”