Re[2]: coaches

[mberry@journalink.com (Mark Berry)]

I usually agree with Paul on just about everything, but we have polar opposite 
views on Pitino.

The guy is one of the top 5 basketball coaches in the world, and that's a 
conservative estimate because there are plenty of people who know more about 
this game than we do who would put him right alongside Riley at the top of the 
profession.

You don't just get stupid all of a sudden. Pitino pulled off a miracle with last 
year's team. This year you might as well throw out. And I don't want to hear 
about Larry Brown, because he had cap room to sign Geiger and an idiot in 
Detroit who gave up Ratliff for Stackhouse. Remember, Pitino has been saddled by 
all of M.L.'s bad moves (so bad, they aren't even dump-able), although he would 
have wriggled out of some of it had Brown not gotten cold feet on the Radja 
trade.

Anyway, Pitino's one mistake, in my mind, is underestimating the value of 
veterans in the NBA. Golden State has had plenty of talented young guys come 
through over the years, but it wasn't until they added veterans like John Starks 
and Terry Cummings that they started winning. Philly added George Lynch and 
Harvey Grant. Milwaukee has Armen Gilliam and Dell Curry. Toronto added Willis 
and Oakley.

I think Pitino understands that now and will bring in some veterans this 
offseason. There are a lot of things I'm not sure about with this team, but one 
of them isn't Rick Pitino. The guy can coach. Period.

Sorry Paul. I respect your opinion, but I disagree on this one. Guess we're not 
soul mates after all.

Mark


_______________________________________________________________________________


Subject: Re: coaches


From:    damekmo@teleport.com at Internet


Date:    5/6/99  7:26 PM





>You guys who threaten of a Pitino firing if he doesn't make the playoffs next
>year make me laugh. Can you even offer a decent replacement?

Let me think...now I know someone's mentioned this guy's name before.
Something like. Yeah, that's it....Phil Jackson! Yeah...I think he'd do in
a pinch.

>George Karl? LOL. Have you
>already forgot the many, underachieving teams that did well in the regular
>season but choked in the first round of the playoffs?

Yeah D...I was really laughing when the Sonics played the Bulls in the
finals. Remember how funny that was. Oh man....those were the days...huh?

>Jerry West for GM? LOL.
>In your dreams would he come here. Phil Jackson? Sure, I would give him a try
>but you would have to totally change the offense to fit his style and that
>would take a few years to get the players to fit that.

So let me get this straight. The Celtics don't make the playoffs next year,
but the team sticks with Pitino because? Yeah I get it...they stick with
Pitino because at that point he'll be a "proven" failure. No point in
rocking the boat then. May as well play out the string and wait 'til the
contract runs out to start over.

>Have you guys forgotten the parade of failures we
>have already had of Jimmy Rodgers, Chris Ford and ML Carr?

Now I understand why they hired Pitino. Tradition!

>You think it is so
>easy by just changing the coach.

Well...you did mention Larry Brown.

>You would think Pitino was actually
>suiting up or something. THIS IS A PLAYERS LEAGUE!

So maybe Ricky should try shutting up every now and then when the players
take the court.

>Getting a new coach and a
>new system will just guarantee more blowups and rebuilding and more losing.
>We got a bigtime coach. You can criticize him but throwing him out would be
>STUPID...

If this guy doesn't make the playoffs next year, what makes you think he
ever will? If he can't squeeze 41-45 wins out of this team in year
three...get rid of him and cut your losses.

Paul M.