Source: Caledonian Record

Taylor Coppenrath became a local basketball legend wearing University of Vermont green and gold.

Now a growing number of local hoop fans want to see him suit up in Boston Celtics green and white next season.

More than 160 (Now 320) people have signed an online petition asking the Celtics to sign Coppenrath, the former St. Johnsbury Academy and UVM standout who has played the past two seasons in Europe.

UVM graduate Preston Junger, founder of The Vermont Sports Network, created the petition after talking with some friends about the recent Boston Celtics' trade for all-star forward Kevin Garnet. The trade opened a handful of roster spots that needed to be filled.

"We were saying that Taylor would be a perfect acquisition," said Junger, UVM class of 2001. "Taylor is an icon not only as an athlete but as a Vermonter and putting Vermont sports on the national radar. Taylor's success at UVM and the attention he brought to Vermont athletics was part of the inspiration in starting up Vermont's first sports network."

The petition says that Coppenrath, who was the second-highest scorer in UVM history with 2,442 career points, "has proven he can play at a high level and would be a strong addition to a core group of talented pro basketball players."

In comments left on the petition, several people have offered their own reasons for the Celtics to sign Coppenrath, the former America East Player of the Year who is best remembered for leading the Catamounts to an upset win over Syracuse in the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament.

The reasons run the gamut from optimistic ("He's the next Larry Bird") to sarcastic ("Taylor would make the best towel waver ever. They are essential to championship teams") to, perhaps, realistic ("May not win the slam-dunk contest or sell the most sneakers, but a solid player who would benefit the Celtics").

Other petiton signers laid out commerical incentives to the Celtics - "It would sell seats." A person writing under the name Artie Sampson said, "Signing a good person like Taylor Coppenrath will bring one former fan back to the NBA."

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