College rumors tick Rick

[kevin <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

why can't Rick just say "no, those rumours aren't true" period? He got
to add (spin) "This is to the point where it hurts more than me. It
hurts people at schools who are well-respected and who I respect."

Clintonesque? I believe he's gone, once a good opening comes, he's gone.



http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/basketball/cside04052000.htm
College rumors tick Rick
by Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, April 5, 2000
CHARLOTTE - Rick Pitino was here with the Celtics last night, and he
said he is not going anywhere. Amid reports that he is entertaining
offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, UNLV and (add your favorite school
here), he said again there is no truth to any of it.
``The rumors are so ridiculous that I don't want to dignify them,''
Pitino said before the C's lost to the Hornets, 112-105. ``I really
despise irresponsible journalism. This is to the point where it hurts
more than me. It hurts people at schools who are well-respected and who
I respect.
``I don't think in this day and age you can just make up things. I think
you have to have some respectability. Some.''
Pitino said he hadn't had time to digest the UNLV rumor, but he noted
that Tubby Smith and Bill Guthridge are still in place at UK and
Carolina, respectively.
``They're saying Tubby's going to the Atlanta Hawks, but Tubby has no
interest at all in going to the NBA,'' Pitino said. ``And Bill Guthridge
has an outstanding team coming back. He's not going anywhere. There's no
substance to it at all. It's totally made up.''
The Pitino rumors, meanwhile, are not confined strictly to the college
ranks. It's being reported that the New Jersey Nets have Pitino high on
their list to replace Don Casey, who will likely be fired at season's
end.
Nets ownership tried unsuccessfully to lure to Pitino to New Jersey in
1996.
Pitino reiterated that he will give Celtics owner Paul Gaston a clear
path out of his remaining deal if he doesn't believe the club has made
sufficient progress at the end of next season.
``Any coach, after four years, if they're not winning, they're not going
to enjoy coaching,'' Pitino said. ``If there comes a day when Paul says
he wants to move in a different direction, then I'll say, `Here's who I
have in mind who would be a good replacement.' And there would be no
hard feelings.
``I'm trying to put a positive spin on this. What I'm trying to say is
that I don't want to be kept on because money is owed to me. That's not
why I want to stay or be kept on. I would just shake your hand and say
you don't owe me the money. That's the way I feel. Then I'll go coach
another pro team or coach a college team.
``I think that people made too much of what I said. If I don't feel that
the job's being completed, then I will thank Boston for giving me the
opportunity and walk on. And I don't think that's such a bad way to look
at things.''
After catching a commercial flight to Indianapolis Monday to see protege
Billy Donovan coach Florida against Michigan State in the NCAA final,
Pitino chartered a flight here so he could be at yesterday morning's
shootaround.
Celtics notes
David Wesley hasn't spoken a great deal about the aftermath of the Jan.
12 auto crash that killed Charlotte teammate Bobby Phills, but the
former Celtic did want to communicate to his friends from Boston who
have expressed concern.
``I'm doing much better,'' said Wesley, who was driving alongside Phills
at a high rate of speed that morning when Phills lost control of his
car. ``It's one of those things that when you have to watch something
like that happen, there's no book. There's no set way to get through it.
But I'm doing all right.
``I have my good moments and I have my bad moments. Basketball helps me
keep my mind off of it. My family helps keep my mind off of it. But I'll
never forget anything about it, and I think about it every day still.''