Comments/Predictions

[Theresa Lee <tjoyce@MIT.EDU>]

Regarding Larry going to Indiana (and I think he is going): perhaps it's
the timing and the fact that it's LARRY BIRD (no offense to McHale, but
"he's no Larry Bird") leaving the organization.  Also, McHale never had a
job with the Celtics after he retired from playing. Bird did. The whole
situation was different.

I think that Pitino is coming to Boston.  I'm surprised, but there are too
many signs. The "emotional" meeting with the Kentucky players, the comments
of Walker, the comments by Pitino himself, his kid is here, he loves New
England, he keeps talking about the storied franchise and finally, he
talked about the comments he made in Boston about Lou Holtz and John
Calipari and tried to clarify the pathological liar statement.  Why would
he do allof that? At least he's heavily considering it, but first he has to
resign from Kentucky.  That will happen at a meeting scheduled for tomorrow
and then he'll hop on a plane and announce to fans in Boston in time for
the 6 o'clock news on Tues or at noontime on Wed.

Re: WBZ  Yes, they are a VERY RESPECTED news source. Believe what they say.
They may be jumping the gun though...they only said what Pitino was
offered.  There is only one person who can confirm if he's coming and
that's Coach P.

Now, unlike Pitino who lives "in the very precious present," I'm already
wondering how long the fans and media will give Coach P for the honeymoon.
What are the awesome expectations that will be placed on this man and how
will he downplay them?  I've already heard him say that IF he went to
Boston, it would take 2-3 years before things could be turned around. The
more I think about it, the more it makes sense for Bird to go to Indiana.
He can do no wrong there.  There is potential for him not to succeed in
Boston.

Now, who will be the GM?  That leaves a big question mark. Pitino is going
to work for ML?  Pitino took the job knowing about the front office woes
with no control to do anything about it while trying to rebuild a
franchise?  Doesn't really make sense does it?  Pitino gets the whole
thing?  Coach P hires his own boss?  That will be the next puzzle to figure
out.

TJL


tjoyce@mit.edu