Red Tells Pitino To Make The Call, And More Interesting Stuff From Jersey Red

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Back from asylum briefly with some interesting Jersey Red material,
including 1.5 draft choices for O'Neal. I'm trying to figure that one
out. Moesha might be the best athlete in the draft, but it's basketball
not the decathalon. Trade scenarios: Must be talking about Fortson...
I don't think worms have cocks...
Ray

Jersey Red
Herald News - July 5, 2000

In reviewing the NBA draft, the Celtics came within a whisker of getting
Jermaine O’Neal in a trade with Portland, but the ever-cunning Jerry
Krause from Chicago threw a monkey wrench into it. As a matter of fact,
he was the catalyst for throwing the plans of many teams on tilt. But
that’s what Krause does best.

The reports in the Boston papers that the Celtics were going to give up
three No. 1 draft choices for O’Neal were erroneous. It actually boiled
down to one-and-a-half.

Once it was evident that the trade wasn’t going to get done, Rick Pitino
opted for his choice of Jerome Moiso, whom he truly feels is the best
athlete that went in the first round.

As the Celtics’ choice got closer, there were still some interesting
players on the board and Pitino addressed his staff and said let’s put
it to a vote; at which point Red Auerbach, who was puffing on his cigar,
interjected in a booming voice, "A vote? A vote? This isn’t a democracy;
this is a dictatorship! You take the guy you want Rick."

It was hilarious. Red Auerbach speaks, everyone listens, and I can’t
impress on you enough the mutual respect and close bond shared by Pitino
and Auerbach.

At the end of the evening, Pitino lauded Celts’ GM Chris Wallace for
doing a masterful job of preparing himself and the staff for the draft,
and everyone was relatively happy.

Now, the Celts are on the prowl, as in pulling out all the stops to try
to get Austin Croshere and perhaps Mark Jackson from Indiana. Also,
there are some trade scenarios in the works and a couple of very good
CBA and free agents on the hot list.

I can tell you this very honestly: Pitino, my friend, has been in a
semi-funk since the Celtics missed the playoffs. But in the past two
weeks, he has reminded me of the old Rick, and he is more determined
than ever to turn this team around and is thriving on the challenge,
leading me to believe the Celtics will be a factor in their division
from here on in.

However, I must caution you die-hard Celtics fans that they will not win
the NBA championship next year or maybe even the year after, but they
are a team that will be reckoned with and I am starting to see a glimmer
of light in what has been a very dark tunnel.

There has already been a lot of negativity concerning the Celtics
picking Moiso at No. 11, and I concur that some of it is deserved. At
UCLA, he averaged three points and three rebounds per game and that’s
nothing to write home about. However, the young man was phenomenal in
all of the pre-draft camps and just about every team that worked him out
individually loved him.

In college, you work under a system, as opposed to the more player-run
NBA, and Pitino feels Moiso’s up-side is up to him. The day after the
draft, he told the young man that he "will" hit the weights immediately
and bulk up, so he will immediately start working with strength and
conditioning coach Shaun Brown while eating about 10,000 (well, almost)
calories a day.

You will be able to get your first peek at Moiso and several of the
other free agents at the Celtics Boston Summer League at UMass Boston
July 17-21. This event was a huge success last year, as more than a half
dozen teams competed under the careful eye of their general managers,
coaches and owners. Even George Steinbrenner, who has a piece of the
Nets, showed up for two nights.