re: My case against Obie and Chris Wallace

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Bird made the point:

>Why is it that I think that Gaston's main concern is money (i.e. winning just
>enough to turn a healthy profit), and not building a dominant team?

This must be why he paid Pitino more then any other basketball executive in
the NBA.  He was wrong about Pitino, so was I, but with input from Red,
Larry etc... he went out and paid big money for what he thought was the "New
Red" and the head basketball man for what potentially was the next 40 years.

It was a brilliant and balls'y move.  It crashed and burned.  But Pitino did
build the training facility and taught Gaston a valuable lesson about giving
anyone complete control.

I think he has tried hard to improve this team since he has taken over with
Pond.  He doesn't draft or coach the players, he has been the "traditional"
owner as he has seen his elders be.  Cuban is the new breed. The NBA screwed
the Celtics over Bias and Lewis, then they wasted three or four drafts
before Paul G. took over.

When over-spending will bring in a championship, Gaston will find it.
Before then it's just a waste of money.  Walker and Pierce aren't near to
carrying this team to the finals.    It's just not time yet.

(Imagine, If Pitino had been able to pull this off, with his friend$, he
could have ended up buying control from the Gastons when they were ready to
sell.  Talk about a dream job for a basketball guy.  Be the Celtics saviour,
coach, president, then owner.  Talk about owning a city.)

<Jim