Pitino just passes through Boston

[Michael Murray <michaelm@flex.com.au>]

Pitino just passes through Boston

(c) 1997 Copyright Nando.net
(c) 1997 Associated Press

BOSTON (Apr 8, 1997 - 00:19 EST) -- Kentucky coach Rick Pitino stopped by
Boston on Monday to pitch his new motivational book. The bad news is, he
isn't staying.

The man many hope will return the Boston Celtics to their former glory said
he isn't interested in the job.

"It's not that I don't have any interest in coming here. I have a lot of
interest," he said at a bookstore at Boston University, the school where he
began his coaching career. "But I am infatuated with my players at Kentucky."

Speculation that Pitino, who led the Wildcats to the NCAA title in 1996 and
to the final game this year, would take over the Celtics increased in recent
days when it was reported Larry Bird had spoken with him about the job.

The former Celtics star, who stayed on with the team as a special assistant,
reportedly was given permission by owner Paul Gaston to talk with potential
successors, even though M.L. Carr is still coach.

Pitino told Bird to wait until the college season was over. Two days after
Kentucky lost in the NCAA final, Bird called again. But Pitino stressed
Monday that it was merely a "casual conversation" -- not a job interview.

He also said that Bird did not express dissatisfaction with Carr, who is
also the Celtics player personnel director.

"He (Bird) is someone with a lot of Celtics pride," Pitino said. "He's not
upset at any person. He's upset at the state of the organization."

The Celtics (13-63) are headed for the seventh-worst record in NBA history
and a franchise-first 11th consecutive season without a championship. But
they are also in line for the first pick in the draft, with another high
pick coming due to a trade with Dallas.

That would give Pitino -- or whoever coached the team next year -- a lot to
work with in a rebuilding program. But he also has plenty to work with at
Kentucky, which lost in the NCAA title game to Arizona.

"He has a great situation down there now," said Mark Catarella, a Boston
University student who was waiting in line for Pitino to sign his book,
"Success is a Choice." "He has a lot to offer the Celtics. I don't know if
the Celtics have a lot to offer him."


IT'S MY GAME - Australian Rugby League.

Cheers,

	Michael