Re: Tim Duncan

["Jonathan Brainin" <jbrainin@planet.net>]

>>There was a power struggle between Pitino and the Knicks GM.
>
>Somebody won...somebody lost. Why? Anything to do with the direction of the
>team?

No.  Had everything to do with an idiot GM who was fired within two years
of this confict as the Knicks fell near the bottom of the division.

>Gee, I don't know...were you living in New York then and anytime after? 

Was then.  Still am.

>The Knicks got knocked out of the playoffs and Pitino left...suddenly. 
>They had every chance to continue the run and gun style, but ...after a brief
>interlude they went with...?  

Two or three years missing the playoffs or early round eliminations, 
culminating in hiring Don Nelson who couldn't survive to the all-star break 
at which point the Knicks went with the world renown coach Stu Jackson.  
Finally in desparation, they hired the Slick One.

>Pitino saw the writing on the wall, just as the Knicks saw that Pitino-ball 
>was a loser in the playoffs. 

Wrong.  He saw that the Knicks were severely lacking in talent and was
forced out because of his attempts to get the Knicks to draft or acquire
players who could take them to the next level.  Al Bianchi feared for his job
and basically forced Pitino to Kentucky.

>You and Kim keep mentioning a "power struggle." This had "nothing" to do 
>with which person was going to make decisions concerning the future of 
>the team and what they were going to do? 

Everything.  And history proved Pitino correct.  Al Bianchi was fired quicker 
than a bong at a Grateful Dead show, the Knicks went nowhere until hiring 
Riley, and Ewing still hasn't delivered a championship yet.  

>And especially how Ewing was going to be used...that is...you either go 
>with a guard oriented offense or you play Ewing and a shot? Pitino got it 
>wrong. 

Poppycock.  If this was all it took, why hasn't Ewing won yet?  Maybe because
he isn't capable of dominating an entire game, forget a seven game series?
Maybe because he's not a leader and all the great players are leaders who 
make those around them better?  Maybe because, basically, Ewing is a
great second option?  

>He was on the wrong side of the argument. 

Yeah, and where is Al Bianchi, that great Knicks saviour today?  Staring at
all those banners that could have been in his garage?