Jersey Red: Hardaway Not Coming; People Don't Want Mercer Traded

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

      Wed., June 9, 1999
      RED'S WORLD: Belmont had a pair of winners
      By KEN 'JERSEY RED' FORD
      <snips>
      
      I spent the weekend on Nantucket Island. On Sunday morning, when I arrived 
      at the airport to pick up Celtics coach Rick Pitino, who was there to play 
      in a charity golf tournament for the Boys' Club, I had the privilege of 
      meeting Dennis Eckersley, who arrived on the same private jet as Pitino 
      along with a group of other Celtics.
      I'm not into this "celeb" thing and never ask for autographs, but I wanted 
      to shake his hand. After all, it's the hand of a man who will go into the 
      Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
      ***
      There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not told at least four to five 
      times to pass a message on to Pitino and the message is: Please don't 
      trade Ron Mercer. All I can say at this juncture is: Don't count on it. 
      I will address the Celtics and the upcoming draft next week. Pitino has 
      six or seven possible moves up his sleeve and some of them are shockers. 
      I can tell you this: Penny Hardaway will not play for the Celtics and I'm 
      jumping for joy. He would not have been a good fit for this team for a lot 
      of reasons. 
      As stands right now, Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce will play for this 
      team and I'm really happy about that. Mark my words, you will rue the day 
      that you booed Walker.
      ***
      Speaking of booing, how refreshing was to see and hear the Portland Trail 
      Blazer fans give their team a thunderous standing ovation after being 
      ousted by San Antonio in four games. It moved announcer Bob Costas to call 
      them some of the classiest fans in basketball. 
      The fans in Boston are a disgrace. You boo the Sox. You boo the Bruins. 
      You boo the Celts. You boo the Patriots. 
      ***   
      
      Dave Checketts is getting a lot of heat in New York for lying to the media 
      and Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy about talking to Phil Jackson and it's 
      justified, but how about Jackson? 
      There's an unwritten rule that a "coach" does not talk about a job unless 
      the other "coach" has been fired!
      ***
            
      I'm hearing Coach 'K' might be interested in the Cleveland job and if he 
      is, he gets and who can blame him.
      ***
      Ron Artest of St. John's could be the sleeper of the draft. He's got a 
      little Barkley in him and is as tough as nails.
      ***