re: Pitino/Antoine

["Waiyan (Ian) Ma" <wma@bbn.com>]

Hi,

In one of the Rick Pitino shows, Pitino talked about how he handled his 
players. Actually it's very common sense. He will criticize his players 
only when they are up, because at that point, they can accept it and 
know it's good for them. Pitino is very careful of utterance, so I really 
don't worry about his relationship with his players.

On the other hands, if a player doesn't want to come because he doesn't 
like Pitino style. What can we do? not getting that player or replace 
Pitino. Currently, I don't see a player worth that.

In the Rick Pitino shows on the week that Celtics beat Knick in the 
Fleet center, the moderator Bob Lobel said RP told his friend after a 
previous Celtics-Knick game in NY, which Celtics lost, that with a few 
changes, he couldn't see why Celtics could not beat Knick. But I remember 
in the press after that NY game, RP said Knick is such a talented team 
that they can beat Celtics without Ewing, even without another body or 
two. Isn't it scary? what he said in the press were all for the revenge 
in the Fleet Center. I'm glad Paul Gaston paid him to be on the Celtics 
side rather than having him in another team.

About championship, I think it has been said more than once that the 
coach can get a team into playoff, but to win a championship, it all 
depends on the players -- both their talent and their will.

-ian

>Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 18:56:47 -0500
>From: galter@cstone.net (Gary Alter)
>Subject: Pitino/Antoine
>
>I still have serious doubts about Pitino as an NBA coach. Before you get
>ready to send out your flames, hear me out. I'm not questioning his uptempo
>pressing style, I think it's obviously improved the Celts. The problem I
>see, is his continual running criticism of the players throughout the game,
>...
>with it. How many free agents will want to come to the Celts? Stoudamire
>commented he didn't want to go to NJ because Calapari is always yelling.
>Think about it.
>....
>
>Please don't interpret my comments as not coming from a fan, I've followed
>the Celts for over 35 years and watch every game but as good a coach as
>Pitino is, in this day and age of NBA players, I'm not sure he's the kind of
>coach that will lead us to another championship.
>
>Gary
>