RE: Bulpett on Walker and Pitino

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

Tom, 

I guess you're right, or at least I don't feel like arguing on behalf of
Pitino any more.  I am in favor of a back-to-basics approach, and hope
the next coach can get the team to pass the ball, run the fast break, play
defense, etc.  It actually might be better to get a Doug Moe type of guy
who just lets them run wild...anything would be better than what we are
seeing now.  I also sincerely hope that the next coach uses Vitaly Potapenko
to at least 75% of what he is capable of doing.  I really feel like we have
a pretty good roster if we could just get them to play good basketball.  I
guess we may have to trade Antoine if he's that much of a cancer, but I
don't really think the talent is the problem.  

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Thomas Murphy [SMTP:tfmiii@worldnet.att.net]
> Sent:	Tuesday, January 09, 2001 4:43 PM
> To:	Celtic list; OzerskyJA
> Subject:	Re: Bulpett on Walker and Pitino
> 
> Well, thanks for the comments on the screed. I'm especially glad you
> enjoyed
> the "$ucce$$". I think we're all entitled once in a while to let off
> steam.
> 
> I was just a little miffed at the revisionist history Bulpett (the guy who
> wrote the public letter asking Pitino to stay) and others are now trying
> to
> peddle in wake of this latest turn in the Pitino soap. Pitino is guilty of
> the same sins both he, Heinsohn and Pulpett try to hang on the league's
> players. Try reading the Bulpett article and substitute Pitino's for Twon
> in
> the generalizations - it makes interesting reading.
> 
> Now we hear that Pitino is a scorned prophet of old-school basics?
> 
> The same guy who'd rather you take a three to a two and who can't even
> teach
> man-to-man defense or how to block out?
> 
> Now we hear that Pitino is the coach who tried every variation under the
> sun?
> 
> Josh, let me remind  you of what Pitino 'trying' something amounted to: 5
> minutes of V and Fortson together on the court during garbage time. Was
> his
> 'halfcourt experiment any more rigorous? Maybe it was as long as the
> 'experiment' with Twon at the SF spot - an experiment I don't ever
> remember
> seeing. But he probably tried it in practice and it didn't work, huh?
> 
> Now we hear that Pitino was a saint whose kindness and understanding to
> Walker was his downfall?!?
> 
> I don't think so!! His handling of Twon was lousy, to be sure, but it was
> only a piece of a larger puzzle. Unfortunately for Twon's sake (and the
> C's
> too), too much water may have already passed over the dam, at least in
> Boston.
> 
> Now, as to *seriously* dissecting what is wrong with the team and Pitino's
> 'coaching' of it - you're basically asking for a rehash of what I, Kestas,
> Joe, Dorine and others have attempted to point out for at least the last
> two
> years. I really don't feel like going through all that yet once again.
> (I'm
> sure there are many on the list who concur even if they don't agree with
> my
> particular assessment).
> 
> Jack Ramsey for one seems to think there are straightforward specifics
> that
> could be addressed in the near term. (He's an exception among the coaching
> fraternity however. The way these coach's stick together make cops look
> like
> stoolpigeons). But I wish Ramsey good luck in trying to get his son-in-law
> to give those suggestions an adequate trial. O'B seems to have inherited
> Pitino's 'empirical' philosophy - after all, he's already experimented
> with
> an 8-man rotation and seems ready to junk it after playing the deepest and
> most talented team in the entire league!!
> 
> Back to Pitino. We all experience failure, but failure should at the least
> lead to reassessment. I think what Pitino said after the GS game says it
> all
> for his re-assessment skills:
> 
> "I don't understand".
> 
> After 3-plus years he doesn't understand why his theories don't yield
> empirical results. I know - it must be the players fault ;)
> 
> But we didn't hire a theorist or analyst - we hired (I thought) a COACH.
> Someone who could connect and motivate - not dictate from an ivory tower.
> It's not like we asked a lot of the man - we all know the team is short on
> talent and experience. No one expected a banner (except perhaps Rick
> himself) and no one thought that even Red himself could be expected to do
> much with the team. But the team has REGRESSED over his tenure. Josh, I
> may
> be wrong, but I think you had a little laugh over my prediction of 34 wins
> for the season despite all the fine 'additions' (the Randy Brown
> experiment,
> the Chris Carr experiment, the Blount experiment, the Herren experiment).
> Well, I based my prediction on what I saw as a clueless coach who
> basically
> was a one-trick pony (his trap/press zone plus oodles of 3pointers) who
> had
> played his one trick and watched it fail the past three seasons. Season
> one
> he had the element of surprise. Since then Rick has been basically mailing
> it in and collecting his check. Yeah sure, he's tinkered a bit, but given
> the nature of the tinkering it was like rearranging the deck chairs on the
> Titanic. What's worse is that I think in his heart of hearts he knows it
> to
> be true - that's why it ate Pitino up so much.
> 
> I'm sure Pitino will land of his feet - hell, he's got $25 mil to tide him
> over. I'm sure he'll end up in some college program and win, because (as I
> and others have said) his system is PERFECT for college - young players
> with
> little experience, no concept of a team game, marginal ball-handling
> skills,
> and a short 3-point line.
> 
> It's just that his egotism, previous success and ungodly wealth left him
> woefully unprepared to face any type of adversity (just like the players
> he
> was paid to coach). Not only could he not relate to players on less
> hierarchical terms but he apparently lacked any capacity for re-evaluating
> his assumptions and processing criticism (even self-criticism) except of
> the
> most superficial nature. These flaws (along with his legendary impatience)
> are what make him a lousy and inflexible pro coach.
> 
> -TomM
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>
> To: OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>; 'Thomas Murphy'
> <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>; Celtic list <celtics@igtc.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 12:08 PM
> Subject: RE: Bulpett on Walker and Pitino
> 
> 
> > For example, just to continue in my response to Tom, Pitino
> > clearly didn't try to force his system down everyone's throats --
> > he wasted two whole seasons trying to be a halfcourt team.
> > He tried going man to man, and that didn't work.  The team
> > was getting killed in down low, so he brought in Fortston
> > and Vitaly -- and then found running to be impossible..... I just
> > can't imagine what the best coach in the world does when he
> > can't get results no matter why adjustments he makes.  And in
> > fact, every coach from John Wooden on down has had losing
> > situations like this.  Is it inexplicable?  I've been closely analyzing
> > it every day for the past ten years, and reading all the analysis by
> > all of you, and none of us is any closer to knowing the truth.  SETI
> > will detect alien life before we get it.  God knows the players don't.
> > Pitino doesn't understand it.  Maybe it's not arrogance but the
> Unknowable
> > Mystery of Celtic Badness.  All I know is -- bring back Larry!
> >
> > Josh Ozersky
> > Marketing Communications Specialist
> > Corning Museum of Glass
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: OzerskyJA [SMTP:OzerskyJA@cmog.org]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 2:59 PM
> > > To: 'Thomas Murphy'; Celtic list
> > > Subject: RE: Bulpett on Walker and Pitino
> > >
> > > A very enjoyable screed, thomas, and of course anyone that uses
> > > dollar signs for "success" deserves extra credit, and maybe even a
> > > job at the New York Post.  But I'm still waiting to hear why Pitino
> > > was such a terrible coach.  I mean, I've read about his substition
> > > patterns, his monkey outbreak defense, his sideline badgering --
> > > but he's a golden boy in the coaching fraternity, where they are
> > > quick to smell a gimmick.  He may be all the things you say, but I
> > > really don't believe him when he says it's his fault that they didn't
> > > pass, play defense, box out, reverse, etc. etc.  I still can't
> understand
> > > why the players, many of whom are marginal types struggling to
> succeed,
> > > would have such inexplicable stubbornness.  Yes, yes, I know, as Bob
> > > Ryan tells me every day, the game is different than it was in the 80s.
> > > But the players were making huge guaranteed sums then; and if I'm not
> > > mistaken, almost all of the teams not in Boston, Philadelphia, or Los
> > > Angeles were terrible.  I mean, we could count on wins anywhere almost
> > > every night!  So I am willing to believe it was because Pitino was
> such
> a
> > > bad coach, but I won't take it on faith.  What did he do that was so
> > > wrong?
> > >
> > > Seriously.
> > >
> > > Josh Ozersky
> > > Marketing Communications Specialist
> > > Corning Museum of Glass
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Thomas Murphy [SMTP:tfmiii@worldnet.att.net]
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 2:08 PM
> > > > To: Celtic list
> > > > Subject: Bulpett on Walker and Pitino
> > > >
> > > > It is funny how some people want to place all the blame for the
> Pitino
> > > > fiasco on either the players (as is no other team in the leagues has
> to
> > > > deal
> > > > with similarly situated players) or his skills as a GM. Don't get me
> > > > wrong,
> > > > I think coaching players who make as much or more in salary can be a
> > > > trying
> > > > profession (certainly more trying than bullying kids out of HS with
> the
> > > > loss
> > > > of scholarships) and Rick's record as a GM sucks. For me, however,
> > > Rick's
> > > > greatest failure was as a coach - he is one of the worst coaches
> I've
> > > ever
> > > > witnessed. I'd also like to disagree with the thesis advanced by
> > > Bulpett:
> > > > that Pitino's 'one big mistake' was Walker. After all, no matter how
> > > > disagreeable one finds Walker's attitude to be, Pitino was still the
> > > coach
> > > > -
> > > > not Walker. Also, Bulpett seems to forget that it was precisely
> Pitino's
> > > > handling of Walker made a bad situation worse. Beyond the question
> of
> > > > whether Pitino or his admirers will successfully scapegoat Walker
> and
> > > > other
> > > > players for the actual regression of this team over the last
> three-plus
> > > > years, I'd like to point out that Pitino has several flaws that led
> him
> > > to
> > > > being THE most inflexible, obstinate 'coach' I have ever seen.
> > > Ironically
> > > > each of the flaws is something that Pitino himself attributes to the
> > > young
> > > > people he coaches:
> > > >
> > > > Pitino was making way too much MONEY - hence he was less worried
> about
> > > the
> > > > final outcome (victories) than worried about achieving that final
> > > outcome
> > > > HIS way (via the trap/press/3-pt barrage etc.). Just a brief perusal
> of
> > > > Jack
> > > > Ramsey's column shows there were plenty of options for the coach but
> he
> > > > refused to relent from his orthodoxy - at the very most substituting
> his
> > > > half-court trapping zone for his full-court pressing zone. Not much
> > > > imagination or creativity on display for $25 mil, eh? It was like
> three
> > > > years of watching the poor players running their heads into a brick
> wall
> > > > with Pitino ranting about how they have to WANT to break that wall
> with
> > > > their heads, the wall won't give until they BUY into the guru's
> > > > 'teachings'.
> > > > No wonder most of the players act as if their confidence is shot.
> > > >
> > > > Pitino was (and still is) EGOTISTICAL to a fault - nothing that
> happened
> > > > over the past three-plus years made him re-examine his own premises
> > > about
> > > > how to win B-ball at the pro level. With regards to personnel
> > > management,
> > > > in
> > > > his Globe interview he says he thinks he wasn't dictatorial enough!
> The
> > > > problem wasn't him not being not harsh enough, it was that he - Rick
> > > > Pitino - changed the rules depending on the person, a hallmark of
> > > > dictatorship not fairness.
> > > >
> > > > Pitino was (and is) SELFISH - he talks a great game (like Walker)
> but
> > > his
> > > > actions speak louder. He is not leaving the team for the good of the
> C's
> > > -
> > > > if that were the case he would have left last year when it was
> obvious
> > > > that
> > > > he had run out of 'tricks'. After having coached  the creampuff part
> of
> > > > the
> > > > team's schedule (and taking more $eltic green) he's leaving now to
> suit
> > > > his
> > > > own schedule (i.e. recruiting schedule). No one else on this team
> has
> > > the
> > > > luxury of cutting and bolting (check note above on money). This
> episode
> > > in
> > > > C's history has always been about Rick's likes and dislikes and
> nothing
> > > > else.
> > > >
> > > > Pitino also has enjoyed wealth and success TOO EARLY just like the
> folks
> > > > he
> > > > coaches insofar as he was fortunate enough to have always enjoyed
> > > success
> > > > before Boston but too stupid to realize that luck plays a role in
> such
> > > > success. LOTS of people work hard every day without enjoying the
> kind
> of
> > > > $ucce$$ bestowed on Pitino and NBA players. $ucce$$ does not
> necessarily
> > > > follow from hard work. Pitino was so successful so early in his
> career
> > > > that
> > > > he never realized that success may not simply be an individual
> choice.
> I
> > > > think this is why he shows such a fundamental disrespect to others -
> > > > particularly others who he views as losers. Rick's arrogance is why
> some
> > > > people are so gleeful now that his failure has been sealed - kind of
> > > like
> > > > the plot line from Orson Welles "The Magnificent Ambersons" - young
> > > > arrogant
> > > > sh!thead (who BTW feels it is his right to preach to others how to
> > > improve
> > > > their pathetic miserable loser lives) finally gets his.
> > > >
> > > > I say good riddance to the egotistical sh!thead who never had the
> > > patience
> > > > or time of day for the opinions or feelings of 'losers' - welcome to
> the
> > > > 'fellowship of the miserable'. It is human to fail - the true mark
> of
> a
> > > > superior person is how they face up to adversity. In confronting
> > > adversity
> > > > apparently for the very first time late in life Pitino was exposed
> for
> > > the
> > > > type of person he is - 'me first, everyone else second - either win
> MY
> > > way
> > > > or else f*** everyone' -  just like his star pupil, Antoine Walker.
> > > >
> > > > He leaves this team in a worse situation than he found it both on
> the
> > > > court
> > > > and in business terms. And please, do not wave those three draft
> picks
> > > in
> > > > my
> > > > face. It is not as if Pitino said to himself: 'gee we need to invest
> for
> > > > the
> > > > future, wonder if I can trade for some picks'. Both the Denver pick
> and
> > > > the
> > > > pick coming via Salt Lake were the results of desperation trades
> brought
> > > > on
> > > > by Pitino's mercurial handling of personnel and represent the sugar
> used
> > > > to
> > > > induce Boston to suck down a bitter trade pill (EW's contract,
> losing
> > > > Fortson for essentially nothing). Neither pick represented Pitino
> > > looking
> > > > out for the future as much as saving face in trade negotiations. The
> > > very
> > > > next thing Pitino does solely for the good of the team will be the
> > > first.
> > > > Not that he has to, no one is pretending that it isn't a business -
> > > except
> > > > for Pitino that is, with his pious flim-flam cant (worthy of a
> > > mountebank)
> > > > about leaving for the 'good of the team' and 'positioning the team
> for
> > > the
> > > > future'. Good riddance!
> > > >
> > > > -TomM