Re: The Orlando Sun-Sentinel

[Kestas <Kestutis.Kveraga@Dartmouth.EDU>]

At 12:06 2/16/00 PST, you wrote:
>said it took "pleading" by Conner.  When I heard Conner describe the event, 
>Rick asked him why Pierce was slipping.  Lester told him that he had played 
>in the Summer league with Paul, and he was the second best player on the 
>court, next to Magic.  Rick said, "OK, let's take him".  Conner was 
>basically shitting his pants because he had been in the job about a week and 
>he had to stick his neck out like that.   Pitino had said months earlier 
>that Pierce and LaFrentz might be the two best players in the draft.

OK, I think by now we are arguing over fine-grained semantic points. Let's
just say that Pitino, being a belt-and-suspenders kinda guy, just wanted to
be double-sure that he was taking the right player, and consulted his
newest assistant to that end. By the same token he was involving his fine
staff in the decision-making processs more, as a good boss should.  Kudos
to him for that, and I mean it. 

>>We should give Rick credit for listening to his assistant, but,
>>IMO, it is far from a sure thing that he would've taken Paul without the 
>>timely input from Conner. We'll probably never find out, because by now 
>>Pitino himself likely believes that he was going to take Pierce with that 
>>pick, Conner or no Conner. Memory is kind that way.
>
>Just read your own statements that are based on nothing but your own 
>personal opinion of Rick Pitino

Of course! It says right there: "IMO". I never claimed it was fact. 

> and tell me that you are objective!  

I think an individual opinion is subjective by definition. I'm certain that
my statements are tinged with personal bias, just like yours, or anyone
else's, are.   

> You are 
>not.  I will not sit here and tell you that I think Rick Pitino has done a 
>perfect job, or even that I am satisfied with the job he has done, but it is 
>pretty evident to me that he has a lot of critics who don't want to give him 
>any credit at all.

Well, I gave him credit in the above quote. I also gave him (and still do)
credit for the Cleveland trade, the Mercer/Fortson trade, the Billups/Kenny
trade, the signing of DeClercq, listening to Adrian's old coach to give AG
a shot, and a bunch of other things. In fact, I even support his signing of
Cheaney, even though that hasn't worked out too well so far.   

>>Insofar as bashing Pitino with his own statements, I believe it was in 
>>response to Pitinoites' using that pick to argue that their idol was a fine 
>>judge of talent, while most credit for the pick should have gone to Conner.
>
>Pitino did credit Conner! That's the whole point of mine and Alex's posts.  
>Are you blind?

No, but you apparently have comprehension difficulties. I just said in the
paragraph quoted above that this was originally said to counter Pitino
supporters' claim that the Pierce pick was all his doing. I pointed out
that Pitino himself had given credit  to Lester Conner for convincing him
to take Pierce.  Frankly, I'm tired of belaboring this point. 

How about that maudlin piece by Red Foley? Somehow it doesn't compute in
his janitorial brain that one can be a veritable basketball encyclopaedia,
work his ass off, and still fail at NBA coaching.  Success is not just a
choice.