Re: QUESTIONS

["Starke R. Farrell" <sfarrell@tsixroads.com>]

Many on the newsgroup are down on Pitino now.  I would expect that from
those
who weren't  members of the ng and mailing list during the ML years.  It
is hard
to believe that so many regulars have apparently given up after a few
tough
losses, however.
   Many are questioning Pitino's moves and even his coaching ability.
Many are
questioning his credibility as a human being altogether. They say Pitino
is too
controlling or Pitino should have kept a certain player etc.  In any
organization, a takeover usually results in a GM bringing on their own
people.
That makes sense.  David Wesley and Rick Fox would not be guaranteeing
us more
wins now. Their last year was a 15 win season.   Giving up a first round
pick
for Potapenko makes no difference either.  We have had top rate rooks
the past
three years.  More rookies would not get us more wins now.  A group of
players
with under 5 years experience hasn't won a championship in the NBA.  NOT
yet
anyway.  We need veteran leadership.
    We will trade Anderson.  Nobody seems to mind that.  He is not
producing.
He was a better option than Billups, however.  We will probably trade
Mercer.
That is not  a big deal either.  Mercer has not taken us to the next
level.
Paul Pierce, who can defend, rebound , and hit the trifecta, will make a
better
2. At which point, we can add a big dude to help us defend.   No one on
this
team right now should be untouchable.  We should look at trading anyone
if it
means an upgrade in talent.  The current squad is not capable of winning
a
championship with the inability to move the ball on O and the lack of D.

    Teams don't get from a 15 win season to the playoffs in 2 years
usually.
Look at the Clipps.   I realize Larry pulled it off.  The team already
had a
solid core of veterans.  We have no such core.  We do need someone like
an
Oakley who can be a guide for the younger players, who knows how to be
successful on this level.  Oak never won a ring, but has been to the
finals and
deep in the playoffs several times.  He also sacrifices his body for
hard fouls
and diving after loose balls.  Talk about a good example for all of our
underage
players.  (By the way, can Antoine legally buy a beer yet?)
    So, in summary, the group should lay off our hailed leader and our
troops.
We need some changes, no doubt.  We don't need consistent negativity
from our
faithful, however.  Heck, we have been losing for years now.  We see
light at
the end of the tunnel and at the first sign of adversity, we give up.
We all
knew deep down that we wouldn't be contenders this year.  Let's let the
team
grow and add some members.  Let's let the players and the coach figure
out their
roles. (Pitino is tough on the guys.  It's better he is tough now so he
can
lighten up later, instead of being another laissez-faire  M.L. type
coach)
Let's do our best to maintain some sort of positive thinking/hope/faith
in our
team.

Starke

ps Happy Easter