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>http://www.bostonherald.com/bostonherald/sport/celts03241999.htm
>
``The only thing I feel terrible about is the fact Paul Gaston had to bring
me in here for that display. I feel bad he had to sign me to that type of
contract because I'm not living up to my abilities, either. I feel bad for
the Gaston family and for Celtics' fans.''

This is the second time in the last 48 hours that Pitino has accepted some
of the blame for the miserable play of this team. I'd LOVE Pitino to tell
us exactly what he thinks he's doing wrong. What exactly are his mistakes?
I've heard, "they're young"..."they're fat"..."they're selfish"..."they
don't pass"..."they've become predictable"...So...how exactly has Rick
screwed up? Did anybody see the Lakers game against the Magic on Sunday.
They were down, at the beginning of the second half, by something like 16
or 17 points. Christ...was it 20? Anyway, they came out and, yes, they
played good defense...but good defense doesn't matter if you don't
actually, at some point, hit some shots. The Lakers came out and didn't
turn the ball over, and they started hitting shots. Kobe went nuts in the
third and actually hit a bunch of, oh my God, outside shots! Then it became
Derek Harper's turn...and he was hitting the dreaded and much hated
"three!" Now, yes, the Celtics can't play defense. They're defense sucks
big time. But please...does anybody actually think looking at last night's
game that they could ever lose 120-118? Know what I mean? Sorry to bring
these guys up again...but you look at the Lakers and you know that they
have more than one or two guys who actually bring a real NBA offensive
game...most every night. They have a bunch of guys who have to be
stopped....they have a bunch of guys who have to be played at the defensive
end...who present a real problem for the other team at the defensive
end...who present real match-up problems at the defensive end. I've heard
Ricky say that "Defense is contagious." Yeah Rick...but so is offense.
Anybody see that virus hit this "team" latey.

Paul M.