Heinsohn Likes The Celtics Chances

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Precisely why I turn down the sound on the TV and listen to Howard
and Max, although if Max keeps raving about Kenny Anderson, I'm
going to shut the radio off too....


      Boston Herald 

      Celtics' chances? Heinsohn likes 'em
      by Jim Baker 
      Sunday, October 31, 1999
      Hubie Brown, having mentioned most every Eastern team but the Celtics as a 
      playoff possibility, was asked the other day if this isn't the season Rick 
      Pitino leads Boston to the promised land of the NBA playoffs.
      ``Do I detect a bit of sarcasm?'' Turner's 10th-year analyst asked.
      He did - and he knew there's far deeper sentiment from many New Englanders 
      about this once high-flying franchise that tomorrow night tips off the 
      first local all-cable slate of any major Boston team.
      Except for NBC's March 12 76ers matinee invasion, it's an all-cable lineup 
      by necessity. The Celtics have so lost their appeal by losing so often, no 
      TV station wanted them. That's the attitude their $7 million-a-year coach 
      must change in his third season.
      Hubie, hawking tomorrow night's TNT 76ers-Spurs and Lakers-Jazz openers on 
      Turner's 80-game slate, wasn't optimistic about a C's rebirth. But not 
      surprisingly, Tom Heinsohn was looking forward to Fox Sports New England's 
      81-game launch in Toronto at 7 Tuesday night.
      ``This is the first year he (Pitino) has an opportunity to coach the way 
      he can,'' Heinsohn maintained. ``The first year, he had leftovers who 
      didn't play his style. He had to disassemble the team, and last season, 
      with the lockout, he couldn't talk to his players from July till 
      February.''
      Excuses, excuses, some might react, including the fellowship of the 
      miserable, Pitino's tag for the audience of WEEI, his team's radio 
      flagship that also launches coverage in Toronto with Howard David and 
      Cedric Maxwell. That's in contrast to Pitino pal Bob Lobel, who's back 
      today hosting the coach's weekly Ch. 4 show.
      But Heinsohn, beginning his 19th cable campaign with Mike Gorman, insists 
      the Eastern picture is so wide open ``anybody can win anything this 
      season.
      And the Celtics spent the preseason looking for the right mix to play 
      their fast-paced game. I think we'll be in the hunt with a fun team to 
      watch.''
      If you're surprised Heinsohn refers to the C's as ``we,'' then you're a 
      Hub newcomer. But what he hopes will happen is a must if the C's are to 
      grow beyond fractional and one-point ratings.
      FSNE will dress the C's package well with Eric Frede returning to host 
      ``Celtics Central'' at 6 and a 6:30 pregame before joining Gorman, 
      Heinsohn and Willie Maye on game telecasts.
      Frede also hosts the ``Celtics Prime-Time'' postgame with Pitino's 
      assessment.
      But when FSNE lands all Fox Sports Net programming after New Year's, with 
      NESN swinging from Fox to ESPNEWS, the Celtic postgame and Pitino 
      postmortems will vanish due to network wishes.
      <snips>