Coaches

[bocelts@scsn.net (R. Bentz Kirby)]

Well, Phil Jackson never got the credit he deserved as a player and
apparently will not get the credit he deserves as a coach either. Phil
is intense and a great motivator.  How many of us can get along with
everyone in our class/office/family?  He manages to get three of the
games biggest egos playing on the same page and selflessly together. 
That is not nearly so easy as it might appear to those looking in from
the outside.  He is from the Red Holtzman (sp?) school of coaching.  And
that school works with a talented team of veterans.  Red's only real
success came with a similar team in New York.  This is true.  I agree
that Phil would not be good for a team like Boston for this reason.

With regard to good coaches, Len Wilkens is an excellent coach.  All of
his teams have performed on a consistently high level and he has won the
NBA championship.  He certainly deserves credit for being a class person
and a great coach.

As for Pitino and the Fitch question, I do not see Pitino being like
Fitch at all.  Fitch could not turn loose of rigid control, even when he
had the mature players to do it.  Pitino crafts a style of play, brings
in the players, and then turns them loose.  I usually go see the
Kentucky games when they come to Columbia, and over the last few years
the following about his teams impressed me:

1.	Everyone, including big men, could dribble and handle the ball.

2.	Everyone could shoot well, even out to three point land.

3.	Everyone could shoot free throws well, even under pressure.

4.	Everyone knew their roles and stayed within the system.

I think the same will be true of the Celtics within a year or two.  I do
not think Rick has proven himself to be a great NBA coach.  He has shown
the potential, and now he has the opportunity.  I hope he succeeds, in a
big way.

Peace,
- -- 
Bentz
bocelts@scsn.net

http://www.scsn.net/users/sclaw