Re: Observations-2/27/00

[damekmo@teleport.com]

>4) This team never fast breaks, which is unbelieveable. To be a finesse team,
>with a small power forward in Walker who can dribble better than any power
>forward, and you can't fast break, it is unbelieveable. You have to blame
>this on Pitino. I don't think he understands the fast break. It is either
>that or this team just doesn't hustle. Either of the two you have to blame on
>Pitino because this is a mentality thing, a gameplan thing. In anything, you
>have to be good at something to be sucessful. What are we good at? You can't
>be a finesse team but then play the slowdown game. So let's get rid of Walker
>for a knockem and sockem power forward who will fit the gameplan...
>
>DJessen33

Wait a minute. What did Rick Pitino say when he was hired. Wasn't he
supposed to be the "King of the Fast Break?" Wasn't he supposed to know the
fast break better than anybody alive? Wasn't he going to turn the league
around, showing other coaches how it's done, how effective it can be?
Wasn't he going to save the league from idiots like Pat Riley by
implementing the fast break and press? You know, I agree that one of Pierce
and Walker is going to be traded, but this wouldn't be necessary if Pitino
weren't so clueless. He thought he could actually get a bunch of stiffs and
turn them around because he held the key to making them NBA players. People
were actually going to see Walter McCarty in Pitino's system and think,
"Man, that guy's good! We really need a player like him. Go get McCarty!"

> So what we need is a Dale Davis type power forward who can
>strengthen the middle, gobble up rebounds and block a few shots (same
>recommendation as last summer).

Didn't Ricky already address that problem by picking up "Shorty?" What
about Battie and his famous shot blocking skills? How many moves has Ricky
made during his tenure as "Genius GM" and he can't pick up a bruiser who
isn't a stiff? Ricky said it last week and it bears repeating. He's failed.
Why should any of us believe that he'll actually help this team when he
trades Walker or Pierce? Why should any of us believe that he'll know what
to do with the new players?

Paul M.