Pitino May Suspend And Trade Unruly Players

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

That UCLA job looks better and better...
                 Bickering C's at a loss: Pitino vows punishment 
                 by Steve Bulpett 

                 Wednesday, March 29, 2000

                 ORLANDO - The Celtics lost more than a game last night.
                 According to Rick Pitino, they lost a large measure of dignity.

                 Late in the third quarter of their most lopsided defeat of the
                 season - a 122-87 collapse against the Magic - arguments
                 erupted on the sideline. The result last night was a distraught
                 Pitino saying major suspensions and even trades could follow.

                 Witnesses said the incident hit critical mass when Antoine Walker,
                 Danny Fortson and Doug Overton were removed from the game
                 at a timeout with 1:54 left in the third and Orlando having taken a
                 22-point lead on a Pat Garrity fast break hoop. Shouts from the
                 bench for people to get back on defense turned into an internal
                 mess. The three aforementioned players were said to be among
                 many involved, but they were the only ones who did not play
                 thereafter.

                 According to one fan seated nearby (the media was positioned
                 out of clear sight on the far end of the baseline), there was much
                 arguing and it appeared players were close to making the
                 confrontation physical.

                 Pitino said it remained a verbal matter.

                 ``They started fighting amongst themselves, and there will be
                 major suspensions (today) on this basketball team,'' he said.
                 ``I'm going to sleep on it (last night).

                 ``It could be season-ending. It could be one or two games. But
                 I'm going to really sleep on it. I'm very upset right now, so I don't
                 want to react at this point. But there will be major suspensions.''

                 Asked the extent of the problem, Pitino said, ``Fighting amongst
                 each other, on the court, during a timeout. It will never happen
                 again. It's extremely unprofessional, very un-Celtic-like. These
                 guys have been good, and unfortunately they're going to pay
                 dearly for this, because it's not an isolated incident.

                 ``There's too much pointing fingers, blaming each other. In all
                 my years of coaching I've never seen as unprofessional an
                 attitude, and there'll be major suspensions and probably maybe
                 major trades at the end of the year because of it. I'm going to
                 sleep on it and not react. I'm really upset - very upset. But I'll
                 sleep on it and not react too much now.''

                 Attempts by coaches to calm the matter were not met well.
                 Walker and Fortson and others continued to yell.

                 Pitino did not name those mainly involved, but it was said that
                 even peacemakers ended up having their harsh say.

                 ``Just yelling at each other, finger-pointing, blaming, childish
                 behavior - things that you'd never see from a professional
                 athlete,'' Pitino said. ``I'd never see that from a Bernard King.
                 Totally unprofessional. You can't be a Celtic and have that.

                 ``It has nothing to do with frustrations. You don't do that. You
                 can't do that as a pro, and we'll nip it in the bud and it'll never
                 happen again as long as I live.

                 ``The coaching staff is extremely bothered, very upset. You
                 know, picking on the weak really, really is upsetting.''

                 Pitino's words left much in question, but he said he will elaborate
                 today at a morning practice that was hastily called (a day off had
                 been planned).

                 Walker, a Celtic co-captain, downplayed the incident in his
                 comments.

                 ``I mean, 71 games into the season guys are emotional, guys
                 want to win, want to play hard,'' he said. ``Situations happen. I
                 mean, everybody's professional athletes here. Everything's not
                 going to be picture perfect the way you want it to be. But
                 everybody on this team is still great friends with each other. Just
                 frustrations through the point in the game with things not going
                 well for you. You play well in the first half and it doesn't go well
                 for you in the second half and frustrations happen.

                 ``But everybody on this team is real friends. We've just got to
                 regroup. It's good that we don't play a game until Friday. We've
                 got to catch ourselves. We're not having as bad a season as we
                 showed tonight. We've got to put it back together and start
                 putting some wins together.''

                 According to Pitino, all the players will not be together when the
                 Celts host Washington Friday.