Globe story on resignation

[Theresa Lee <tjoyce@MIT.EDU>]

M.L. Carr steps down as Boston
                         Celtics coach

BOSTON (AP) - A characteristically upbeat and vague M.L. Carr resigned
today as coach of the
Boston Celtics after the worst season in their 51-year history.
 He retained his title as director of basketball operations, a job he's
held for three seasons, and is involved in the
search for a new coach, although he refused to comment  on any candidates.
 ``It's not a sad moment,'' Carr said
 in a conference call. ``As a matter of fact,  it's a good moment. It's a
great moment''
because the team can move forward in choosing a new coach.

He said he wants to bring in ``a career coach,'' a position he never
intended to fill.
 ``This is the right time'' to make a change, said Carr, who led
Boston to a 48-116 record in two non-playoff seasons as coach.
 ``This is consistent with the plan we had from day one.''

 Speculation about a successor has included such prominent names
 as Kentucky coach Rick Pitino and Larry Brown, who resigned
 today as coach of the Indiana Pacers.

                         ``We're not going to speculate or talk about,
confirm or deny any
                         talk you may see publicly about who's in the
picture,'' Carr said.
                         ``I don't think that's appropriate at this point.''

                         Celtics owner Paul Gaston did not return a phone
call today and
                         Pitino was not immediately available for comment.

                         Pitino had said he planned to remain at Kentucky,
although the
                         Boston Globe today quoted an unidentified source
as saying there
                         was a ``95 percent chance'' Pitino would end up in
Boston.

                         The newspaper also reported that three other
sources indicated
                         Pitino was back at the top of Boston's list of
possible replacements.
                         Pitino reportedly has rejected $8 million-a-year
offers from Golden
                         State and Orlando.

                         Carr said the Celtics - who have an NBA record 16
titles but were
                         15-67 last season - would pick a coach as soon as
possible. He
                         refused to say whether one would be chosen before
the May 18
                         draft lottery in which the Celtics have the best
chance to get the top
                         pick.

                         A successor may want to wait to see where that
pick is, Carr said,
                         ``but he also may want to be part of the (draft)
process so you have
                         to look at that two different ways.''

                         He also avoided a direct question of whether he
wanted Larry Bird,
                         now a Celtics special assistant, to stay with the
team.

                         ``I'm not a fortune teller,'' Carr said. ``He's
someone who's done
                         a lot for this organization. ... He's been active
in trying to restore
                         this team and nothing changes in that respect.''

                         Bird is considered a possible candidate for
Indiana's coaching job.

                         At Gaston's request, Bird has talked with
potential replacements for
                         Carr, including Pitino, who said he wanted to stay
at Kentucky.

- -------------------------------------------------------
Theresa Lee
Alumni Officer III, Student and Parent Programs
Association of Alumni and Alumnae of MIT
10-140, 77 Mass Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
ph: 617-253-8280
tjoyce@mit.edu