the plan

[Jeremy <jwarren@emerald.tufts.edu>]

	Some of us are criticizing Pitino for the size of Knight's
contract (and rightfully so), but I'm beginning to see his plan.  He's
trying to remake his 1996 National Championship team on an NBA level.  Let
me explain.  Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer represent Antoine Walker and
Ron Mercer.  Simple enough.  Now make like first graders and suspend your
disbelief.  Chauncey Billups represents Tony Delk.  Travis Knight
represents Mark Pope.  Dee Brown represents Wayne Turner.  Maybe Pervis
Ellison can be Walter McCarty.  I'm not saying this team is championship
material, but it seems to me he is rebuilding in the image of that team.

	Last week someone made an eloquent post in defense of Dee Brown
and I wanted to give it a loud and hearty AMEN.  Yes he went to the media
and demanded a trade two years ago, but lets forgive and forget (or at
least forgive).  The team was moving in the wrong direction and he knew
it.  And he's been through a lot here, starting with having a gun put to
his head and being made to lie down after a cop thought he was a bank
robber before the start of his rookie year.  Then add in the tragic death
of his close friend Reggie Lewis (R.I.P.), and you can start to see why
that coupled with his decrease in playing time lead him to want out for a
period of time.  But now he wants to be here again.  He knows that if any
coach can help him reach his potential it is Rick Pitino.  And he's
willing to put in his hard work.  People say that at the camp last night
he was hitting his threes and diving for loose balls and that he was the
best player out there (among a field that included Ron Mercer).

	I can see him, Mercer, and Billups being a very solid guard
rotation in Pitino's system.  Hopefully we can package Dana (who has more
trade value than Dee at this point) and Eric Williams for Jayson Williams.
JW would complement Knight very nicely and give us a great rebounder.  I
have no idea if Calipari would go for this, but if he can't resign Sam
Cassell it might be a possibility.  Of course there are the naysayers who
want to keep all of our old players because they fear change (**clearing
my throat*** Dorine), but remember we only won 15 games last year.

	Actually if New Jersey was one of the teams pursuing Knight maybe
they would go for him and EW for Jayson Wiliams.  If we could sign
DeClerq, our big man corps would conist of JW, DeClerq, Pervis, Coleman,
and Joseph.  Not bad and we would have about 24 fouls to use on Shaq.

Jeremy