Celtic Turmoil

["JLyell" <jlyell@concentric.net>]

An interesting article in the L.A. Times by Mark Heisler regarding the
Celtic front office may shed some light on what is actually going on.  Here
are some excerpts.


It's no longer a war but a revolution but a war between the Celtics.  Fans
begging for Bird & Pitino, but the Celtics are torn by internal strife.

One side

Owner Paul Gaston, Clueless N.Y.broker son of former owner, whose team has
gotten worse each year.

M.L. Carr - Coach/G.M. Middle aged, not very adept.

Red Auerbach - Former coach/G.M behind the scenes advisor to Gaston,
recommended Carr, may be propping him up now.

other side

Bird - Celtic legend reportedly on bad terms with Auerbach who doesn't like
his courting Pitino so openly and fears he would dump Auerbach loyalists
like Jan Volk

Pitino - wants to be coach but on his terms & with right management support
and Bird in charge.

Under current conditions he is not interested. There are too many people
with an agenda there, which makes it almost impossible to win. If things
were different, I would have to look at it in a different light. For me it
is just too big a risk in that situation. Everyone has to be committed, I
don't get that feeling at all when I think about Boston(Same feeling most
free agents have about Boston). 



IMO it is time to clean house, we have had over ten years of the Gavitt,
Volk, Carr bullshit this team needs a major facelift, or we will be just
like the Knicks (1973 ?) or worse the Red Sox (??), never getting back to
the top.  This is the only way to rebuild this franchise.  Red is great,
but times have changed and he needs to move on a la Don Shula, and let the
younger staff more up to date take over.   Lewis, Bias, and Walker are the
only draft picks that I have been happy with in the last what 10-12 years ?
 We should have been more productive.  Too many Jon Barry, Michael Smith,
Michael Young, Eric Montross, Dee Brown mistakes.  These people are paid to
recognize talent and pick up some late first or second round steals like a
Tim Hardaway, Latrell Sprewell, Jeff Hornacek.   Look at Jerry West in L.A.
they lost all the stars and have a good start on getting back to where they
were with a few key acquisitions & draft picks.  The right personnel could
do the same for Boston, but it won't happen with the current mgmt.  

Gaston needs to make a business decision as any business should and attempt
to please the majority of his customers by cleaning house.  Rick Pitino
could do what Jimmy Johnson did in Dallas, and will for Miami in a few
years. He is the best at talent evaluation and comes up with key players in
late rounds or through free agency to rebuild a stagnant franchise going
nowhere.