Walker article 8/25/00

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Mr. Holley,  Your just adding fuel-to-the-fire with a slanted story such as
this.

I don't think there is any question that Walker is a good person.  All the
positive things he does for kid's and the communities he lives in he
deserves to be applauded for.  Your story would have been great if it only
focused on this angle without the negative issues you forced into it.

A second article about how Pitino is to add "starters" without trading
someone would be interesting.  Or:

When does Walker take responsibility for his lack of conditioning and lack
of leadership?

Why don't you report how/if Walker is going to show up for camp in great
basketball shape?  Is he?

How he has continued to improve his game in the off-season so he can become
an All-Star player again?

How he does or doesn't want the "job" of team captain and the required
leadership that entails?  How is he planning on leading this team?

Maybe he just want's to play hoops. That's OK.  Or does he want to be one of
the greats?  What is he doing to get there? Or why isn't he trying?  Or does
he, mistakenly, think he is already?

Attempting to create/enlarge a rift between the coach who believes Walker
can be a great player, who pushed like hell to get him to be an All-Star,
who want's Walker to be the best HE CAN BE, is nothing but mean spirited
trouble making.  It doesn't help Walker or Pitino or the team.  So what was
the point?  What were YOU trying to achieve?

If other teams thought Walker was the answer to a championship they would
make an offer Pitino couldn't refuse.  Or the free agents would be lining up
to join the team to play with him.  His basketball friends wouldn't refer to
the negatives about his game or attitude.

To suggest that Pitino is creating this atmosphere around Walker is garbage.

These players need to take responsibility for themselves.  They alone are
responsible for their conditioning, skill training, attitude and on court
effort.

Do you think he heard boo's (not by me) because of too much or too little
effort in these areas?

Your quote "You can't try to trade a player all summer and expect him to be
enthusiastic about playing for you in the fall." suggests that Walker isn't
a professional.  Is he? Or are you just setting up an excuse you can use if
he doesn't play up to his ability again?

I believe he is a professional.  I believe he does come to play.  I also
think he can be a lot better.

If he doesn't want to hear his name in trades he should play in a manner to
become untradable like Duncan, Malone, Kobe, Mourning.  He isn't in their
league yet.  I don't know if he will be.  But it would be great to see him
try.

Make the players take responsible for what they have control over.  Make
Pitino responsible for what he has control over.  Make the "sportswriters"
responsible for what they have control over.

There is enough blame to go around when it comes to negativity about this
team.  Realize yours.

Sincerely, <Jim