Projo : Rick Barry's verdict on Ricky P

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

http://www.projo.com/report/pjb/stories/03217483.htm
Rick Barry's spreading the word: Pitino's out, Bird's in
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
Rick Pitino on his way out? Larry Bird on his way in?
``That's the latest rumor,'' says NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry.
Speaking on a teleconference call yesterday to promote a national search
for the Basketball Fan of the Year, Barry addressed Pitino's situation
with the Celtics. He included the Celtics president and coach with
former New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari and current Chicago Bulls
coach Tim Floyd as college coaches who have failed in the NBA.
``Rarely do you see a college coach come in and bring success,'' Barry
said. Calipari flopped in New Jersey, and Floyd is struggling in
Chicago, mostly because the Bulls are rebuilding in the wake of Michael
Jordan's retirement.
Pitino posted losing records in his first two seasons in Boston, and his
team has a 22-28 record going into tonight's game at Golden State. After
leaving Providence College, Pitino did coach two playoff teams in New
York, in 1988 and 1989, before returning to college basketball at the
University of Kentucky.
The rumor that Barry passed along is interesting but highly suspect.
First, Pitino stands to leave $29 million behind if he walks away from
the Celtics after this season. Celtics owner Paul Gaston, by many
accounts a prudent businessman, is unlikely to authorize a huge buyout
to get rid of his basketball boss.
That's not to say Pitino will be here next season. Turning the Celtics
around has proven to be an extreme challenge, and he has yet to succeed.
He has said that being an executive in the Celtics' organization is very
difficult.
Given Pitino's history, who would be surprised if he quit the pros and
went back to college? Do you think he would be interested if, say, the
North Carolina job became available? The constant player shuffling he
does in his role as president is better suited to the natural changeover
that occurs in the college game.
Also, if Gaston declined to extend the contracts of Pitino's assistants,
do you think Pitino would be happy going to work every day?
Bird's return to Boston as coach is unlikely. He expressed no interest
in coaching the Celtics because, he said, he never could match the
success he enjoyed in Boston as a player. Also, he was underutilized as
a special assistant to Dave Gavitt and M.L. Carr. And he burned a few
bridges with his comments about the organization in his recent book.
Bird, finishing his three-year run as coach of the Pacers, is likely to
return with his family to Naples, Fla., instead of moving them to
Boston.
Barry said college coaches often fail in the NBA because they don't know
the pro game, they don't earn the respect of pro players, and they don't
surround themselves with respected former players as assistants. How can
an assistant coach who never played in the NBA instruct a young pro how
to play the low post when he never played it himself? Barry asked.
A 12-time NBA all-star, Barry yearns to coach in the league. He has put
in time with teams in the CBA, Global League and USBL, and will coach
the USBL Florida Sea Dragons this year.
``I keep sending out resum es and keep trying to dispel the perception
that I'm a terrible person and difficult to work with,'' Barry said.
``People have the perception of Rick Barry as an ogre. It's not true.''
Barry suggested that former players in executive capacities won't hire
him because they didn't like him when they were rivals on the court.
``I didn't go out there to make friends,'' Barry said of his playing
days.
UsFANS is an Internet-based advocate for sports fans. Frank Stadulis,
president, said the group has 110,000 members and is growing. UsFANS
gets involved with issues such as the NBA lockout last year, television
blackouts and revenue-sharing.
The search for the Basketball Fan of the Year will include every NBA
city. Check the organization's Website, www.USFANS.com, for details.