Then on the other hand...

[Gregory Odegaard <grodeg@kalama.com>]

More juicy stuff from the net:

Pitino... Back to College With You 
August 4, 1999, Jeremy D Sack.



When the Celtics hired Rick Pitino, over 2 years ago, I applauded this move as the first step toward Celtic respectability. This most hallowed of NBA franchises had fallen upon rough, rough times. The Big Three... Bird, McHale and Parish had moved on, Reggie Lewis had passed away, and the roster was saturated with overpayed, underskilled players who lacked, any semblence, of a winning attitude. The soon to be dismissed Coach, and General Manager, M.L. Carr seemed to have taken it upon himself to drive the Celtics into the ground, while driving the Boston faithful out of their minds.

It got worse. The Celtics had little salary cap flexibility and had recently insulted and turned their back on Larry Legend and Bird's desire to Coach an NBA franchise. This team desperately needed an identity; this team desperately needed a charasmatic leader; this team desperately needed an offensive and defensive scheme; but above all else, this team needed the instant respectablity that only a few Coaches garner. These Coaches, the ones with the "names" automatically change the nature of a franchise by enthusing fans, ownership, and players, while making the team more attractive to free agents throughout the league. This alone, usually translates into more wins the following season...and as the talent catches up with everything else the Coach brings, a winner is formed.

Unfortunately for Celtic fans, of which I am NOT one, things did not work out as planned. While no one person deserves all of the blame, I think Rick Pitino, above all else, is responsible for the stagnant, unfortunate state the Celtics find themselves. Just as he would have received, and did receive that first year, most of the credit, he must incure a majority of the blame. Remember, Pitino is the Coach, but more than that, he holds total control over the teams personal decisions, meaning there is no other party (like a Nelson-like GM) to hold his league.

So, what does he do? Unable to meet Mercer's salary demands, Pitino packages Mercer with two chumps in exchange for Danny Fortson, Eric Williams, and Eric Washington. This is actually a decent deal for the Celtics since Fortson can play, and a healthy Williams is a quality contributer, but that does not change the bottom line...Pitino's first draft produced nothing that came remotely close to changing the team's fortunes.

In other moves, Pitino once traded away a then rising youngser in the pre-knee injury Eric Williams (who was just reaquired) in order to free up Cap room wrongly spent on Chris Mills. Mills, a product of the Cleveland Cavaliers' slow game, could not play the fast paced offense or trapping defense necessary, thus making his huge contract a huge waste of money. When Pitino did, somehow, manage to trade away Mills, he received only Walter McCarty, Dontae Jones, and John Thomas. McCarty, still a Celtic, will spend his career as a 10-15 minute player, Jones illed someone and is out of the league, Thomas rebounded this past season for the Toronto Raptors.

In other Pitino moves, he mispent millions on Travis Kight, but luckily dealt Knight for underacheiving Tony Battie. Battie has some upside, but signing Knight and getting Battie are hardly big time moves. Later that summer, he broke the bank to retain Antoine Walker long term, despite the fact Walker still has not decided on a position, shoots a terrible % from the field, and is not a quality leader. Walker, after a great season 2 years ago, took steps backward last season, and is currently over weight and squabbling over trade rumors.

All in all, Rick Pitino has done nothing to change the Celtic fortunes. While other young teams, such as the Sixers and the Raptors, took major strides this past season, the Celtics appear to be wallowing in NBA mediocrity... a place they may very well remain for a few years.

Rick has not made Boston a place where big time free agents want to be, and when Pitino has spent big bucks, he's usually shelled it out to the wrong people and had to cover his ass by trading the very players he once covetted. All I can say is, he's lucky Paul Pierce fell in his lap.



- Jeremy D Sack