No Subject

[snip]
                Would you ever consider going back
                 to the NBA? 

                 ``I can see myself staying at Kentucky for a
                 long time,'' he says. ``I'm very happy. But there
                 are some pro teams that intrigue me.'' 

                 Such as? 

                 Sorry. He wouldn't say. We all know he turned
                 down a $30 million offer to take over the Nets
                 last year. We have heard about past overtures
                 from Cleveland, Indiana, the Los Angeles
                 Clippers, and the Lakers, to name a few. 

                 Um, Rick, what about Boston? You can't go
                 anywhere in the continental United States
                 without running into someone who confides
                 breathlessly that he or she has heard Rick
                 Pitino will be coming to Boston. 

                 ``First of all, Boston has a coach,'' Pitino says.
                 ``And if the owner - it's the son, right? - walked
                 into this room right now, I wouldn't know him.
                 I've never spoken to him.'' 

                 Well, OK, but let's just say Paul Gaston comes
                 to his senses some fine day and realizes that if
                 he allows M.L. Carr to remain in control of his
                 team, he might be a great-grandfather before
                 he ever sells tickets to a home playoff game,
                 and let's suppose Paul Gaston were to ask Rick
                 Pitino if he'd like to coach the Celtics. Would
                 Rick Pitino listen? 

                 ``Well,'' Pitino says, ``nobody would have to sell
                 me on Boston. I love that city.'' 

                 That's a start. 

                 But what would it take, aside from several
                 piles of large-denomination bills? 

                 ``I would have to go somewhere where I would
                 honestly have a chance to win,'' he says. ``It
                 would have to be somewhere with building
                 blocks so you could start winning right away. I
                 do not want to win 20 or 25 games. I won 38 my
                 first year with the Knicks, and that was hard
                 enough. It was a great experience, but I don't
                 need to repeat it.'' 

                 What about power, Coach? Isn't that the big
                 thing today? Wouldn't you want the power to
                 hire and fire secretaries and maintenance men,
                 as well as to trade for and sign players? 

                 ``If I'm ever going to return to the pros,'' he
                 says, ``everything wouldn't have to be my way.
                 All I would ask for is a strong, committed
                 organization.'' In fact, Pitino hinted he could
                 easily form a simpatico working relationship
                 with a general manager-personnel sort he
                 respected (Hello, Larry?). 

[snip]

                And if someone can convince Paul Gaston he
                 needs a coach, the Celtics might have a future.
                 All I know is that Rick Pitino didn't say no.