Re: MERCER & PITINO

[Alex Wang <awang@mit.edu>]

Hi Dorine,

While you may be right about Pitino possibly annoying players with his 
style, I can't say that this is the reason Mercer is gone. I don't think
that Mercer (or more importantly, his agent) was thinking, "We'd take
$30M if only Pitino didn't yell so much." Despite "suffering" through
Pitino's coaching the last two years, Mercer was still looking to extend
his contract for a long time. This wasn't a case of Mercer wanting to
bail out, despite what the papers said, or he could have pulled a Marbury
instead ("I don't care how much you offer, trade me somewhere that I'll
be happier").

Pitino has had disagreements with more than his share of players, probably.
At the same time, there are quite a few of his former players that have
only great things to say about him. 

Hopefully the yelling will get toned down now that he'll have more practice
time. 

Alex

> Without getting into any discussion about Mercer's attributes as a player, I 
 *have said all along that Pitino's style would not set well with many players.
> If I worked for someone who yelled the whole day long and was never satisfied
 *, and whose word you couldn't trust, I'd bail out too.  Don't give me any cra
 *p about this being a sport, not a regular job - some players will be able to 
 *shrug it off, but some won't.  I'm wondering how long Pierce will be able to 
 *stand it.  If he's such a good coach, and he's teaching them properly, has a 
 *game plan and sticks with it, why should he feel he has to call out every dar
 *ned play?  It's annoying to the audience, so what can the players feel?  The 
 *coach is not supposed to be the focal point of the game, and I think Rick wan
 *ts to be.  He's an egomaniac who will brook no interference.  Bill Parcells, 
 *for all his disposition, doesn't do that.  Even if he did, we couldn't hear h
 *im on television.  I can't imagine sitting very close to the Celtics' bench a
 *nd having to listen to that all evening for the many $ it costs to sit there.
 *  
> 
> Sorry for venting, I'll go back to being myself now.  
> 
> Dorine
>