just for the record. . .

["Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>]

Just a few notes for the record (i.e., my two cents):

1) The Battie and Bowen for Rogers thing *was* a deal. 

Pitino himself has publicly commented on/confirmed the "trade". The league
nixed it - after both teams had signed off - due to the "2 month rule"
(Battie could not be traded with another player after having been traded
within the previous two months). This was not something dreamed up by some
sportswriter's overactive imagination, but if it helps you sleep better at
night, please - by all means - continue to believe whatever helps get you
through these troubled times.

2) Please, whoever that was, don't ever mention Antoine and McHale in the
same sentence again!

I don't know where this myth has sprung from, but Antoine - who can do so
many wonderful things on the court - is NOT a great post-up player. Perhaps
he may become one, but he has yet to show any signs of becoming one. The
numbers don't lie. Walker's percentages when one subtracts three point shot
attempts and makes are as follows: 

1999: 43.6%
1997-98 44.7%
1996-97: 43.8%. 

A post-up player should at least be making 50% of his shots. Sure, Walker
occasionally can take your breath away with a spin and slam from the post,
but much more typically he simply tosses up the ball as if it were a
hand-grenade ready to go off. Actually, Walker might well be considered a
better three point shooter (46th in the league) than he is post-up player -
where his 43.6% (even AFTER subtracting his three point attempts) does not
even crack the top 50 shooting percentages in the league. 

-Tom Murphy