Re: Ever build a team? Ever run for Pres?

["Richard & Cynthia Davies" <davies@maine.rr.com>]

Excellent post, Theresa. As an entrepreneur for the past 7 years, I 
completely identify and agree with your assessment of the time it takes to
become really good at what you do.

Another point I might throw in: it takes us that long, and we work *every*
day! These guys have their summers off and they don't even play every day
during the season, yet we expect them to be at the top in short order. Now I
will say that this is where I think the money comes in; i.e. they make
millions so they should work every day even when they don't have to. But
like you said -- all human.

My personal vote would be to keep Pitino in office as long as the team
continues to get better -- and we won't really know that until the end of
the season.

Ah, but it's so easy to point the finger or pull the trigger when times are
tough, isn't it?

Rich D.

----------
>From: Theresa Lee <tjoyce@mit.edu>
>To: celtics@igtc.com
>Subject: Ever build a team? Ever run for Pres?
>Date: Thu, Dec 30, 1999, 3:43 PM
>

> My fellow listers,
>
> We must ask ourselves, are we better off than we were four years ago? If
> so, then the vote has to go to Pitino and he must stay in office to
> continue the job of returning the Boston Celtics to superpower status
> (note: use of word "super" in this context simply means better than all the
> other powers, not invincible).
>
> Are we better off than we were one year ago? If so, then Pitino must stay.
> If not, blame the soldiers, not McArthur! The strategy is sound, but the
> soldiers aren't following orders. Nay, don't just blame the soldiers, take
> them out and shoot them. Kill, kill, kill. Dismantle the army that can't
> win battles and whom we know won't win the damn war. No more training for
> these misfits! They must all go. They must be traded for the enemy's rank
> and file who surely know how to win battles AND wars. : )
>
> Let's not jump off the cliff too soon.
>
> They are young and developing. I am in the 10th year of my career; the 7th
> year of my current profession. I can't believe what I didn't know even
> three years ago. Certainly it took three years to learn my current
> profession and another three to be good at it. I cut this team a huge
> amount of slack overall. Yeah, I get frustrated. Yeah, I want them to win
> and NOW, but I also try to have some perspective about real human beings
> and what makes them tick. I don't expect them to go from nothing to
> something in one year, two years, three years even. I do expect progress. I
> have no idea where this team stood at this time last year in terms of wins
> and losses (anyone know?), but I do see improvement. Sure, two steps
> forward, three back...it's to be expected.
>
> Next time you're about to criticize the Celtics, Antoine Walker, etc. put
> yourself in their shoes. Or, better yet, relate it to your own work
> situation. Yeah, yeah, they get paid millions. There is a difference. But
> they also sleep, eat, put their pants on one leg at a time, etc. In other
> words, they are humans. How mature were you at 23, 24, 25? Mature enough to
> "lead" your peers at work? Experienced enough to be the top salesman at
> your company? Savy enough to be the spokesman for your company when a
> crisis hit?  Ask an entrepreneur about dumb, inexperienced, youthful
> mistakes and she will tell you that is what taught her success.
>
> This is an ongoing effort to build a team.  Let's let it happen and revel
> in it when it does. I am in for the long haul.
>
> Theresa
>