Pitino's comments

["Cecil Wright" <cecil@hfx.eastlink.ca>]

Heard bits and pieces of Pitino questioned today by May and Bulpett:

He said that a few disturbing things happened last night.  The team has had
good chemistry and worked hard all season.  Last night's behavioural
patterns were a result of a buzzer-beater, buzzer-beater, buzzer-beater,
double overtime losses.  They reacted in the wrong way and some bad things
happened.  Coming back on the plane, he listened to the team for 2 hours and
they felt they must understand how to speak to each other and start to
police themselves.

He feels that good things will come out of this but he was dismayed though.
There will be NO suspensions because that would not really be teaching
anything but he is very upset inside.  He is chaulking it up to a mistake.

When asked about a player dissing him, he said there was no real disrespect
shown to him.  If there was, he'd bring the player in and that would be it.
But what he said recently to the fans also goes for the players.

He was really disappointed when he looked at Heinsohn and Cousy because that
is not what being a Celtic is all about.

He's recognizing that his dream of making the playoffs this years isn't
panning out.  But he gives congrats to Doc Rivers.  He's got them playing
well and he has stars that will make sacrifices such as Armstrong.  They
have stars who sacrifice.  Don't screw it up by getting REAL stars.

We have good players who are working extemely hard.  But he came to a
reality during this past week.  Billy Donovan, when he had him in '86 was
the Pillsbury Doughboy.  Now, he's amazed at his polish and how he's getting
his team to make the necessary sacrifices it takes to make it that far.  It
pleases him to feel that he has made an effect on his life as well as other
players from his past like Mark Jackson, Ewing, Johnny Newman and Gerald
Wilkins.  Effecting lives of these young men is more important than Wins or
Losses.

When asked if his message is getting through to the C's, he said it didn't
last night.  He was disheartened but he feels it was an isolated incident.
He'll forgive it right now.  He's never had to deal with anything like that
before on any of his teams.  But again, they have busted their butts for him
and he knows how difficult the past few losses have been when they have
worked so hard.

He wants the team to go 10-0 the rest of the way for the fans and the team
and he'll make decisions after that.

If he deems there is no improvement next year, he would look at other
options for himself because he will not just take a paycheck from Gaston.

Cecil