Re: trade thoughts

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: Mark Piotrowski <markp@edu15.coe.ufl.edu>
>
> >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.

Yeah, well, I knew I shouldn't have brought up the Ricktator, but I wanted 
to mention how he appeared to be different from Wallace & Co. in some 
substantial ways, like seeming to stick to a plan of athleticism by 
getting players who are, making some trades in our favor (Moiso bye-bye) 
and attempting to provide at least some possible cap flexibility by not 
signing marginal talent like Wallah to long-term contracts or taking on 
long-term cap albatrosses (Kenny, EWilliams).  It's true the current junta 
is much lower-key, but people acted like Poultrino was the only guy to 
ever put a spin on something, use hype to sell product (gasp!), or even 
that he is the most egregious example of these things.  He's a "snake-oil 
salesmen" who sold a bill of goods to the fans, instead of a guy who 
actually tried to turn the team around.  It's all a bit silly to me.

> 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.

Didn't you take this from a quote by Shaq, when he said (pre-Fakers 
"dynasty" (hah!)) that he had won at every level except "college and the 
pros"?  Wasn't even a "Pitinoism" was it?

>  He's going to remind
> everyone that Bird, McHale and Parrish aren't walking through that
> door.

You know, people often bring this incident up as Il Duce "attacking the 
fans".  LOL!  Nothing he said was untrue, and to pretend that there wasn't 
a sizeable media constituency that were out to get him, or that there wasn'
t a "fellowship of the miserable" out in radio-talk-show-land is naive.

> 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.

Much worse that that apex of coaching ML Carr, who set the bar so low that 
no one could look up at it.  (All right, you didn't even mention ML.  And 
Pitino did talk up his players/moves.  So does Obie and Wallace (re: our 
centers).  It's not necessarily negative; it might even give a player 
enough confidence to improve.  Aw, it's true, though, Pitino did fail.)

I guess this is the point where someone says "I told you so".

(The Celtic "Tird",
  Celticus "tirdius")

P.S. The substitution patterns and unwise personnel moves irritated me, 
too, Mark, especially the former.  A guy would get hot and you could start 
seeing the countdown timer hover over his head -- precious seconds before 
Coack P gave him the hook.  And I have to confess I have to agree on your 
major point: I'm glad Rick Pitino is gone, too.