Pitino: "I will stay as President"

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

This report from Bloomberg: (In my opinion, this is the worst possible
development.)

Boston Celtics Coach Pitino Says He Might Resign After Season
By Scott Soshnick and Michael Buteau 
Boston, Nov. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino told his
players that he would resign after the season if the team doesn't improve. 
``Come January, if we don't start playing better defense and we don't start
executing better, even though we all enjoy each other -- it's a tight-knit
group -- I told them `you'll have a new coach next year,''' Pitino said in
an interview this morning. 
The Boston Globe, citing an unidentified person close to the former
University of Kentucky coach, reported that Pitino disclosed his intentions
after Monday's 24-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics, 4-6
heading into tonight's game against the Houston Rockets, have missed the
playoffs the past five seasons. 
Pitino said he would remain as the team's president, even if he quit as
coach. 
The Celtics have called a press conference for this afternoon so that Pitino
could clarify his position, team spokesman Jeff Twiss said. 
Before the season, Pitino said he would consider stepping down as coach if
the team didn't make the playoffs. 
``It's no different than what I said then,'' Pitino said. ``Basically I said
that if I didn't see marked improvement I would not blow up the team I'd
change the coach.'' 
Pitino, 48, signed a 10-year, $50 million contract with the Celtics in 1997
after eight years at Kentucky. 
The paper said Pitino would likely return to the college coaching ranks,
although he denied that. 
``A lot of friends and family might want me back in college, but that's not
necessarily what I want to do,'' Pitino said. 
A New York native, Pitino played at the University of Massachusetts and
coached at Boston University and Providence College before beginning his
first stint in the NBA with the New York Knicks in 1987. He guided the
Knicks to a two-year record of 90-74 before joining the Wildcats. 
He has enjoyed his most success in college. He led Providence to the Final
Four in 1986, won the 1996 National Championship with Kentucky and lost in
overtime of the 1997 title game to Arizona. 
Pitino replaced M.L. Carr after the 1996-97 season. Since then, the Celtics
have gone 94-130. 
The Celtics are among the most storied franchises in all of sports. They've
won a National Basketball Association record 16 championships.