Bulpett's article

[kevin.lok@lycosmail.com (kevin)]

i can't stand this Pitino drivel/double talk or whatever you want to call it (in singapore, we called it  TC - talk cock).

``I've said this since he's been a young kid and I recruited him, that if he wanted to he could strive to be the next Magic Johnson-type player,'' Pitino said
Oh yeah, Magic like? But can't play small forward? TC. Makes you think he's balling Fortson out of his contract year.

Why does he overprasise/defends Walker always? I never hear him give the same whenever KA (Utah game) or Pierce has very good games. I think the rest of the team might feel alienated by the "Walker favoritism" by Pitino.

http://www.bostonherald.com/bostonherald/sport/cnotes03092000.htm
Pitino sees potential: Believes Walker could be Magic-al
Celtics Notebook/by Steve Bulpett
Thursday, March 9, 2000
Last Wednesday night, Celtics coach Rick Pitino was backing away from Celtic legends as he defended his team. One week later on the same podium at the FleetCenter, Pitino was tossing out the name of a Laker legend as a lure for Antoine Walker.
Walker had just finished a 30-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist masterpiece in a 112-101 win over Milwaukee, his fourth career triple-double, and Pitino was moved to magnanimous comparison.
``I've said this since he's been a young kid and I recruited him, that if he wanted to he could strive to be the next Magic Johnson-type player,'' Pitino said. ``Now, I would put that type of pressure on him because very few people can ever reach that level. What I mean by that is someone 6-9 with his ballhandling (skills) who can dictate and change the offense.
``I can diagram a perfect play and it won't be executed as well as Antoine penetrating and finding an open man, because that's a spontaneous thing that defenses can't guard against. When he does that and passes the basketball, he makes us so much better.
``Very few forwards can guard him off the dribble and when he thinks pass before shot, with this basketball team, he makes everybody better. And somebody on this team needs to make everybody better, because we're a little limited in certain areas.''
The last Celtic triple-double with as many as 19 rebounds was authored by Larry Bird (28-19-15) on Jan. 13, 1982 against Atlanta.
Walker's other triple-doubles were April 16, 1997 (23-10-10) against Charlotte, the next game two nights later in Philadelphia (23-12-13) and on Feb. 1, 1998 against Houston (27-14-10).
The Celts won all four of Walker's triple-double games.
``You're not supposed to lose when he's having a career night,'' said Paul Pierce.
No change for coach
Pitino is hoping he doesn't have to field more questions about his address for next season. After last week's rant on the reception the Celts have been getting, the speculation that he could go elsewhere only increased.
Jokingly asked before last night's game against the Bucks whether he'd dealt with the issue yet that day, Pitino smiled and said: ``I think that's pretty much behind us, I hope.''
Not quite. Though Pitino last week shot down talk of a move to UCLA, the matter is still up for discussion out west. It may have cooled, however, when the Bruins took out top-ranked Stanford.
``He may get coach of the year,'' Pitino said of UCLA coach Steve Lavin. ``That young man is in no jeopardy of being fired at all. And certainly everybody knows I'm coming back, so it's foolish to even mention my name.''
Fortson starts, sits
Danny Fortson started at center and had three points and five rebounds in nine first-half minutes. He didn't play in the second half. . . . Dana Barros (sore lower back) was eligible to come off the injured list last night, having missed five games, but was in civilian clothing.
``Pretty soon,'' Pitino said of Barros' comeback date. ``He's looking good and we'll activate him pretty soon.''