Walker and Carlisle

[Theresa Lee <tjoyce@mit.edu>]

My prediction (and btw, let's give Pitino some credit) is that the team
will find a way to sign Antoine, maintain flexibility and make all parties
involved happy. The player wants to be here, he has the best coach in the
NBA, and the owner will not pay Garnett money. They will find a way.
There's plenty of wiggle room for the deal to go through.

It's occured to me reading these posts about Walker that we are either too
interested or close to the situation to be objective. We are
hyper-supposing things that may never happen.  I plan on being patient.
These things have a way of working themselves out and , I have no control
so I'm not spending my time worrying about it.

That whole thing about Walker being the most hated player....you want to
know who had that title previously? Karl Malone. If KA and Walker can do
what Stockton and Malone have done (plus a title please), then who cares if
he's hated? How does May know this and what is the point of saying it in
the first place? It's irrelevant and rude.

On another note...I heard Rick Carlisle interviewed yesterday. He talked
about playing for Pitino in New York and what a great coach RP was/is.
Carlisle was heaping praise on Pitino including the following:

Pitino inspired him into going into coaching. His year with Pitino was the
best year for him as a player. He has a way of making everyone better and
if he can't make you better...he'll get rid of you. RC coached Kenny for 6
of his 7 years in the league. They are friends. KA is the perfect guard for
this system and KA's game will thrive in this environment. KA and Dana are
a great combination at point. While he agrees that Larry should get votes
for Coach of the Year, he understands why Bird doesn't want it. At the same
time, he thinks it would be a boon for the org. if he got it. The Celtics
are a pain in the butt to play against. They play harder than any team in
the league. They will improve tremendously (and have already) when RP gets
more talent. And if anyone can do it, RP can. The Indiana situation is as
close to the 80's Celtics as Rick has experienced. He talked about
gentlemen and solid citizens. Max accused them of running some old Celtics
plays and Carlisle admitted that they had taken a few pages from the old
playbook. He also talked about Larry being influenced by both Bill Fitch
(the in your face style) and KC Jones (let a man be a man and play like a
man....or bench him) and what a great job he has done walking the fine line
between the two styles.

One little known fact is that Carlisle started his collegiate career at
UMaine before transferring to Virginia.

Happy Patriot's Day everyone (I hope that doesn't offend the non-New
Englanders out there who do not recognize this important holiday). :  )
I'll be watching THE marathon.

Theresa