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``I think it's become a much more difficult job than I ever
anticipated,'' Pitino admitted. ``A big part of it is that we couldn't
build through free agency. We had to do it through the draft. Then we
drafted two players who are no longer here (Chauncey Billups and  Ron
Mercer), so the draft really didn't help us as much as we'd like -
although we do think we got better through the trades we made with
those people.''

Through a season that has included some hard-to-fathom losses and a
general feeling the Celtics have underachieved to a degree, Pitino is
trying to keep things in perspective. He insists he is not thinking
about any number of other coaching opportunities that could be his.

``My intention is to coach here three more years and try to get this
done,'' said Pitino, whose contract calls for four years in the front
office after that. ``I came to the NBA to be part of a championship.

``It's a difficult road because of the obstacles, and I still think
we're one or two pieces away. But people elsewhere are getting older.
The Lakers certainly aren't old, but other teams are getting older. And
I  think we've had tremendous growth with the talent we have.''

A quick exit is really not in his nature when you examine history.
Pitino was actually interested in the Celtics job when Jimmy Rodgers was
fired in 1990, but he hadn't completed his turnaround task at Kentucky.

``I've given up so much to come here,'' Pitino said. ``You know, we had
a great situation at Kentucky. We had the best talent. We had the best
program in America. We had the program of the '90s. I was maybe coaching
at the school of the century. We had it really going. So to give that
up, I've got to make it worthwhile with the Celtics.''