RE: my fear

["Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>]

Good caveat Mark. I agree that we should be careful in assessing O'Brien's
role in the turn-around. I'm sure the players were ready for anything
different and anything different was bound to catch the rest of the league a
little off-guard (kind of like Ricky's first year as coach). Those little
wrinkles will be documented and analyzed however and the enthusiasm is bound
to dim as the memory of Pitino fades from the players' recollection. Then
we'll see how good a coach O'B is. (My god, he wants to add MORE 3-pt
shooters to the offense).

It truly seem unfortunate that Celts management has decided to simply take
the path of least resistance and follow in Detroit's footsteps - but even
more so because they are retaining Wallace and Papile without adding any
big-picture guy. I also fear we may witness a similar result insofar that
O'B will, like Irvine, let his 'star' player run amok. This is not to say
that Stackhouse and Walker are cancers, but they share a lot of traits and I
believe that both of them need a coach that can reign them in. Stackhouse
didn't have such a coach this year and I doubt Twon will next.

BTW isn't it ironic that Grant Hill endorsed Irvine only to leave via free
agency. It makes me shudder to think that Pierce may do the same . . . Just
because he endorses O'B now doesn't mean he won't leave if, to quote
Fortson, Boston continues to resemble "a sinking ship." This is my deepest
fear. Unfortunately it seems to me that management is settling for shuffling
the deck chairs when a drastic overhaul is STILL needed to avoid another
Titanic.


> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 14:56:02 -0400
> From: "Berry, Mark  S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
> Subject: My fear...
>
> Detroit fired George Irvine today. This is what worries me about
O'Brien...
>
> Irvine was appointed interim coach after the Pistons fired Gentry on March
> 6, 2000. The team finished last year at 14-10 under Irvine, who was
endorsed
> by stars Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse. (Sound familiar??) This year
they
> finished 32-50, admittedly without Hill (but Orlando didn't have Hill
> either).
>
>
> Does it change the fact that Obie deserves a chance? No, but it's just
> something to think about when appointing him resident genius. I think the
> jury is still out.
>
> Mark