Veterans

[Peter Delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

Reading Pete May's column today about Pitino's sudden brainstorm that he
needs some veteran toughness, it's like, "Geez, Rick. And what do you
think about that new-fangled invention, the automobile?"

It's not like this team was exactly slopping over with veteran talent
when Pitino came on board, but the few we had (Rick Fox, David Wesley,
Radja) have been shipped off for such a negligible return (Tony
McBattie, Chauncey Anderson, any stiff on the bench) that it hurts. It
was fun in Rick's first year to have a bunch of rascally, energetic
young college kids out there trapping the opposition to death with their
"don't-know-it-can't-be-done" enthusiasm. Now, two years later, it's
simply obvious his young team doesn't know how it's done.

I couldn't believe he was willing to trade Fortson for two more young
kids. And hell, the few veterans he does have, like Pervis and the late
Marty Conlon, he doesn't even play. I mean, how long have I been talking
about people like Rick Mahorn and Mark Bryant??