Re: Holley/MacMullan: Pitino/Walker - One Will Be Gone

[damekmo@teleport.com]

>I caught a small part of Jackie MacMullan and Michael Holley on
>WEEI with Dennis and Callahan and the gist of their statements
>seemed to be that the Walker - Pitino relationship is unhealthy,
>and Il Duce would have loved to have traded him to Indiana for
>Davis, Harrington, Travis Best....

I've wondered why Walker's teammates seem to revere him so much? Is revere
too strong a term? Perhaps. But over and over we hear that Antoine is a
"problem child" yet his teammates vote him to be co-captain. Kenny is happy
that Mercer's gone because now he won't hear Ron whining for the ball every
time down court and can concentrate on getting the ball to his go-to guys,
Antoine and Pierce. Has one negative word been said about Antoine by a
single teammate? While it's easy to criticize players once they've left and
Antoine seemingly isn't going anywhere, just yet anytime soon...maybe...and
therefore his teammates are stuck with him and perhaps have to make the
best of the situation, it seems as if nothing, nada, zero complaints from
teammates have ever been reported. Reports about players hating to play for
Ricky, but nothing about Antoine. Reports about Rick hating to coach
certain players, but nothing from teammates directed at Walker. I don't
write this to defend him, but I wonder if the players do see a problem and
take Antoine's side. How much respect do the players actually have for
Pitino as a coach? Is Pitino in over his head, and the players know it?
I've also wondered what opposing players say to the Celtics about Pitino?
Are there players around the league who think Walker, and everybody else on
that team, would be better served if they were traded/left. Is Pitino
respected by other players around the league? Maybe we'll only find out
when Pitino gets his ass fired this year! Did I write that? 46
wins...yea....46 wins, that's what I'm pickin'.

Paul M.