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Pitino: Everything Written In The Holley Column Is 1000 Percent False
[The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]
CELTICS NOTEBOOK
Pitino disputes column
He holds a team meeting to discuss
critical comments
By Michael Holley, Globe Staff, 03/27/99
PHILADELPHIA - Rick Pitino said he
had another team meeting
yesterday. The purpose was to discuss some
of the comments made about him in a column
that appeared in yesterday's Globe.
''Everything written was 1,000 percent
false,'' Pitino said before the Celtics
played the 76ers at the First Union
Center. ''There was not an ounce of truth
to it.'' But, Pitino remarked, ''I don't
doubt that those things were said.''
Pitino said he disputed several segments
of the column. They were:
The assertion that he singled out Paul
Pierce following the Celtics' loss to the
Nets March 1. Several sources claimed that
the coach blamed the rookie forward. He
denied that. ''I would never say one
player was responsible for a loss.'' He
said he instructed Pierce about a
defensive error in that game, but that he
did not see Pierce crying, as sources said
he did.
The assertion that he screams and curses
at players.
''I know that's false, because I have a
policy this year where I am not going to
curse,'' he said.
The assertion that he hungers for control
to the point where he monitors the tickets
players are allotted for each game.
''I don't even know how many tickets the
players get,'' he said. ''My style of
management is just the opposite: I allow
people to do their jobs and concentrate on
basketball.''
A comment in which he was quoted as
saying, ''I'm not going to give you any
names, but there is only one player on
this team that I don't enjoy coaching.''
He was also quoted as saying that he
didn't like players who are not
''passionate'' about basketball and
players who are ''cowards.'' Yesterday,
Pitino said that the quote was a
''misunderstanding'' and that his
intention was to say that, ''If there were
a player on this team I didn't like, I
wouldn't tell you because that information
stays in the locker room.''
On Friday, the coach commented that he has
been in enough losing situations to know
how certain players react under pressure.
It was mentioned that some players might
be tuning him out because of his coaching
methods. He said, ''I know what happens in
these situations. When you have a coach
who is a disciplinarian, players say they
need more of a players' coach. When you
have a coach who is a ''players' coach,''
players say they need a disciplinarian.''
Confidence isn't shot
Antoine Walker began the game shooting a
recently familiar 1 for 7 from the field.
He finished 9 for 23, but said there
wasn't a point when he was losing
confidence. ''Oh no,'' he said, ''it's not
going to come back all at once.' ... When
Allen Iverson and Eric Snow were
scratched, it ended the Sixers' two
longest consecutive-games-played streaks.
Iverson was at 87 games and Snow was at
73. Also, the Sixers had been one of three
teams in the league (Indiana and
Sacramento were the others) to have the
same starting lineup all season ... If
Philadelphia practices today, rookie Larry
Hughes will certainly be working on his
free throws. The guard missed his first
six and then made six of his last seven.
The Sixers missed a startling 14 free
throws ... Dwayne Schintzius played one
minute, long enough for old buddy Rick
Mahorn to talk trash to him and for Pitino
to crack that the 7-foot-2-inch center
gave the team, ''a hell of a minute.''
Schintzius managed an offensive rebound
and a foul while on the court ... Paul
Pierce was 2 for 11, but was solid on the
boards with seven (three offensive) ... It
was mentioned to Sixers president Pat
Croce that Iverson, leading the league in
scoring, has emerged as one of the top
four players in the league. ''It's good to
hear someone else say that, because we've
felt that way for a while,'' he said ...
The last time current Final Four
participant Ohio State advanced past the
Sweet 16 was 1992. Their coach that year,
Randy Ayers, is now a Sixers assistant.
Will McDonough of the Globe Staff
contributed to this report.
This story ran on page G05 of the Boston
Globe on 03/27/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.