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Jersey Red: C's To Finish First In Division Next Season
Wed, Jun 16, 1999
RED'S WORLD: Pitino has high hopes for Celtics
By KEN 'JERSEY RED' FORD
Last week I told you that at long last I would address the Boston Celtics
and I wish I hadn't, but a promise is a promise!
The reason I'm hesitant to start a column on the C's is that I could get
halfway through this thing and have to throw in the wastebasket and start
over because even as I write on Friday evening, Pitino and Company are
actively involved in several scenarios that could change the complexion of
the team. They are listening to offers and they are making offers and
something could happen anytime and then again absolutely nothing could
happen at all!
Pitino knows what he wants and he also knows what he will give to get it.
But he will not give away the store. If they trade will be based on need
and not on greed and Pitino fully knows what the Celtics need to get to
the next level.
The problem is every team they are talking to is very greedy in what they
want from the Celtics. The president and head coach has laid all on the
line guaranteeing that Boston will make the playoffs next year and the
media is already having a field day with that Pitino promise claiming that
he is in big trouble if he doesn't deliver on that promise. And you better
believe that the media wants him to fail because that's the nature of the
beast today.
So you can look for some full court journalistic pressure placed on the
coach next season, but guess what? He could care less about what they
write in the papers or what they say on talk radio. I've known him for
about 30 years and there is nothing more he enjoys than the "pressure"
when comes to that.
He is one of the richest human beings I have ever been around. At Midnight
Madness in his second year at Providence College, he boldly announced that
the Friars would make to the Final Four! I stood there dumbfounded and
told him afterwards that he was NUTS. So what did the exorcist do? He took
them to the Final Four in one of the most brilliant coaching jobs ever in
the annals of college basketball.
Then was off to New York and the Knicks -- a team that had just won 22
games. In his two years there he coached them to 37 wins in his first year
and 52 in his second, inclduing playoff appearances in both and he had
them right on the cusp of going for a ring the next season. But was
working for a general manager, Al Bianchi, who was unhappy with Pitino's
style of play so Rick beat the posse out of town and headed off to the
most pressured job in all of college basketball -- Kentucky.
The only problem there was he took the job when they had just received a
near death sentence from the NCAA. So what does he do at his press
conference? You got it. He guarantees a national championship.
They had no players. They had the toughest schedule in basketball and they
had fans who were used to winning. And they had the dreaded media who
loved attacking Pitino for his guarantee.
I told him the night he took the job and made that statement that he was
NUTS. So what does he do? He leads the Wildcats to six SEC Championships,
five Sweet Sixteens, four Elite Eight appearances and three Final Fours!
In his last two seasons at Kentucky he coached his team on Monday evenings
in championship games winning one and playing Arizona to the wire in the
other in Bluegrass land.
He was bigger than the governor and everywhere he went he needed a police
escort. His name hangs in the rafters of Rupp Arena and when he left they
took hard -- real hard, but they wished him well, which brings us to
today.
Two years ago he took over a Celtics team that had won 18 games. That year
this storied franchise was at its lowest point. Again he made promises at
his press conference and immediately afterwards I told him he was NUTS.
Well, he went out and won 36 games in his first year and then came the
strike and with "the season from hell", a season he openly says was his
worst as a coach. And what does he do the minute the season is over? He
guarantees the playoffs next season!
My response to him this time was you are not longer NUTS you are INSANE. I
can't repeat what he said, but I'm telling you right now that I have never
and I do mean never seen him so eager for a season to start. He has placed
himself right where he loves the best, hanging with one hand off a ledge
on a top of a mountain called the NBA and he loves it! This sick, sick man
loves it.
At the end of the season the players were told, that unlike last season,
they had better show up in "shape" shortly in early July. They will hold a
mini camp at the new facility in Waltham and he expects everyone to show
up. Then it's on to the summer league games in California, where he will
be in basketball heaven. And fortunately, I have been invited to make the
trip!
He has already had free agents work out and strength coach Shawn Brown is
logging up the frequent flyer miles as he travels around the country
checking up on the status of the players conditioning program.
General Manager Chris Wallace and Head Scout Leo Popeil have been to the
NBA tryout combines and working the phones and then there's the meetings.
Pitino and his staff have held more meetings than the UN General Assembly,
leaving no stone unturned.
As only I can do, I chide him about being in the unemployment line if he
doesn't make the playoffs next year.
This past Saturday evening we had dinner in Newport along with Holy Cross
Coach Ralph Willard, long-time friend Joey "Bombatz" Iracane and two
friends of his from Fall River, Angelo Filippi and Freddie Bielawski. Rick
was saying how much he truly loved living in New England and I blurted
out, "enjoy while you can because if you don't make the playoffs next year
you will be coaching in Alaska."
He got that look in his eyes and said not only will they make the
playoffs, but they be an impact team in the post season. I was about to
say, "you're nuts" but caught myself because the look in his eyes and the
tone in his voice was scary and also because I'm sick and tired of him
making a fool of me. ]
As a matter of fact I wish the season was going to start tomorrow and so
does he.
As for trades, all I can tell you is stay tuned. Ron Mercer is a very hot
commodity, but he will be playing in the last year of his contract and
with that in mind he should put some big numbers and start slashing to the
hole getting rebounds and playing Pitino defense.
Paul Pierce is like Elliot Ness --untouchable. Antoine Walker has hired a
personal trainer and is working on his game on a daily basis in Chicago.
Kenny Anderson has pleaded with Rick not to trade him. He wants to be a
Celtic and if I had to bet on today I think he will!
Vitaly Potopako is working out regularly in Waltham. Tony Battie will be
significantly better and in my opinion, Dana Barros is the consummate pro,
a Boston kid who wants to end his career in Boston.
They all know what Pitino expects of them and like the coach, they did not
enjoy being booed last year by the hometown fans. So on paper looks pretty
good doesn't it?
The only problem is the games aren't played on paper. The players must be
prepared to play every one of the 82 games as a cohesive unit. I'm
convinced they will win on the parquet and win often. It's the road that
concerns me as I'm sure concerns Pitino.
With all of that being said mark down the date because now I'm going to
make a guarantee: the Celtics will finish first in the division next year!
You can start saying, "Are you nuts?"
Next week, we'll take an in-depth look at the NBA draft by one of the
foremost hoop experts in America -- me! (Shhh. Shhh. Don't tell anyone but
the local kid blew everyone away last week in Chicago and his stock is
soaring).
Ken "Jersey Red' Ford writes a weekly column for The Herald news.
© 1999, The Herald News