Pitino (well, what else would it be?)

[bird <birdw@teleport.com>]

Well, this will certainly not be a popular opinion I dare say, but 
here goes anyway.

I'm of two minds about Rick Pitino's departure.  Like many, I thought 
he had a good chance of turning the team into a winning team when he 
came in.  He didn't.  On the other hand, I can't agree with those who 
think that he "failed miserably".  Failed?  Yes, I guess you'd have 
to say that, because, for me, not failing as coach of the Celtics 
equals getting more wins than losses, and that's not the case for 
Pitino.  But I think he did some good things.  The team is actually 
better now than when he started -- he made some good moves and some 
bad ones.  I certainly had a lot of problems with the style _and_ 
substance of his coaching, but he also knows more about basketball 
than I do.  I don't see Jim O'Brien changing much about the system or 
how it's implemented.  While O'Brien is probably capable, Pitinoball 
without Pitino is like Imperial France without Napoleon.  What's the 
point?  The real question is, who will be GM and President? Who will 
own the team?  As Jim M. said, this ought to have been done at the 
end of the season, so that these things can be settled.  Right now, 
we are, in actuality, rudderless (in opposition to those who thought 
we were directionless with Pitino at the helm, this actually defines 
that state).  Everything is up in the air.

So, back to my two minds.  Pitino did a capable job, but not 
spectacular, and spectacular was what the team needed.  Unfortunate. 
On the other hand, he's now a former C's coach, and a losing one at 
that, so he can finally drop off my radar screen, for which I am 
grateful.  His system is probably still in place, though, so we 
should see more of the same.  Also unfortunate.  He ought to have 
left at season's end, but, like so many things Pitino did or said, 
chalk this one up to "Should have" or "ought to have" and not "did".

What's truly and most unfortunate, though, is the validation all the 
vulture-like media types wil heap upon themselves, crowing about they 
all saw it coming, should have happened earlier, how wonderful it is, 
blah blah blah.  For me, these folks are in the same category as 
those who would boo the team at a home game.  They'll see this as an 
opportunity to talk about how terrible Pitino was, but they tend to 
minimize the responsibility of the players.  I'm pretty sure Rick 
Pitino knows how to run a fast break.  I'm not so confident about a 
bunch of the players knowing that, or translating what they know onto 
the court.

The timing of this is simply incredible.  I'm watching tonight's game 
with a Blazer fan/friend.  Think I'll get any crap?  Lord, I'd better 
get out the shovel, 'cause I'm gonna hear it tonight.  Have mercy.

I can't help but feel a little sorry for Rick Pitino.  Poor bastard. 
Sure, he "failed" but no one can say that he didn't work hard or 
wasn't knowledgeable (though they, of course, did try to say that). 
It just didn't work out.  Will the next coach/GM/President/owner team 
work out?  Hell if I know.  Let's hope so.  Some of the names being 
bandied about in the List sound decent, but I guess we're not going 
to know until season's end.  More's the pity.  Lottery sounds more 
likely than playoffs now, to be sure.

Ah, rebuilding.  Such a lovely process.  Can we do this every year?

Regards,

Bill, Celticus "Tirdius" Maximus