Re: trade thoughts

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@edu15.coe.ufl.edu>]

>(C'mon, Moiso for another player and a pick?  Highway robbery! 
>Unless Larry Brown can perform a miracle -- maybe, maybe -- this 
>looks like one to put in our column.)  I hate to bring up Il Duce 
>again, but this seems quite opposite in many ways to the previous 
>regime.  All the better.

One of the nicest, most calming aspects of this trade (and maybe i'm 
speaking too soon) is the absence of the Pitino uber-hype that went 
along with every single move he made.

I'm glad to not have to read tomorrow, Pitino saying:

"Roshown Mcleod is a proven winner.  Everywhere he's played he's won 
-- St. Johns, Duke.  Well everywhere except Atlanta and Philly...and 
high school.  But his AAU team was terrific.  He's going to remind 
everyone that Bird, McHale and Parrish aren't walking through that 
door.  But Roshown Mcleod is walking through that door.  Ahem....I 
said Roshown Mcleod IS walking through that door."

[At this point Wallace covers the mic and spits "Mcleod is supposed 
to come through the door when i said that" at Chris Wallace, who has 
that "god-not-this-crap-again" look on his face.  "oh forget it", 
Pitino mutters and continues...]

"With the quality talent, athleticisticabiltyness and length we 
aquired in the draft -- which i tried to trade along with our next 10 
draft choices for Jamaal Mashburn and some white guy -- we think our 
pressing unit will decide that success is a choice.

"We're ecstatic about getting Mcleod.   I recruited him when i was at 
Providence University, umm, i Mean Kentucky, and we've been trying to 
land him for 3 years now.  He's a weightroom away from being Cedric 
Maxwell, a jumpshot away from being Scott Wedman and smackdown with 
the ugly stick away from being Greg Kite."

I mean every player Pitino ever acquired was some key to the 
championship puzzle and he had to announce it.  I have to imagine 
that built up unrealistic expectations in everyone's head -- player, 
coach and fans.  Just make the moves and let the play on the floor 
speak for itself.

thats enough ranting,
mark

[disclaimer:  I was very excited when Pitino came on as coach -- i 
REALLY believed he could turn things around -- but i look back at the 
last three years as basically a failure.  I am as low on him now as I 
was high on him in 96 (and that was pretty high).  2 things that 
sting the most are (1) Pitino's idiot personnel moves -- don't 
confuse activity for quality. and (2) watching his substitution 
patterns drove me NUTS.  Someone would get hot and Pitino would yank 
him.  Someone getting beat on the boards?  leave him in.  Ugh]