RE: another indictment

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

FWIW, I don't believe the Celtics ever conspired to get Pitino
to quit.  I think they may have given up/mailed it in, which is pretty
bad, but these things happen.  A coach who is as intense as Pitino,
after three and half straight years of losing, tantrums, threats, trades,
and so on --you could see how a player would have motivation problems.  The
unattributed quote about "getting rid of pitino" is 
as unbelievable as David Stern secretly suspending MJ and all the 
other crap you hear about on the internet.  I don't think that's the kind
of guys they are, I don't think they hated Pitino (although they may have
hated playing for him), and I don't think any of them would ever, ever
admit to something that damaging in a casual aside to an opposing player.
As tommy heinsohn would say, "gimme a break!"

Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Cecil Wright [SMTP:cecil@hfx.eastlink.ca]
> Sent:	Monday, January 22, 2001 9:51 PM
> To:	celtics@igtc.com
> Subject:	Re: another indictment
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kestutis Kveraga"
> 
>  And if a time comes when they don't want to play for Obie anymore, it'll
> be
> time for him to go too. Coaches are easily replaceable in the NBA; Walker-
> and Pierce-caliber players are not.
> 
> **Is this the same Toine who everyone bitched about since he "allegedly"
> came into camp out of shape?  Who takes poor shots to the detriment of the
> team?  Who ballhogs and takes it one on three?  Who is on the verge of
> setting a record for most shots blocked in a season?  Now, if he doesn't
> like the coach, the coach should be canned???  Ah, not all fans feel that
> way.  I agree with Mark and have said before that if they did this
> deliberately to get rid of Pitino, than they are not the kind of players I
> want to go to war with.
> 
> >
> > --- You wrote:
> > As I said, I think these players, especially the two "team leaders,"
> exposed
> > their true character earlier this season. I don't think you can change
> that.
> > They worry about "touches" and quit on their coach. That's the bottom
> line.
> > --- end of quote ---
> >
> 
> If this is the case, I agree with you Mark.
> 
> > Heck, if I played for a coach whose system was clearly not working, and
> who constantly screamed from the sideline micromanaging every play and
> publicly deriding me for every mistake I made, I'd quit on him too.
> 
> Good thing you never played for Vince Lombardi.  Let's not forget that
> this
> is a team who started off 2-0.  Lost the next 4 straight but of those
> losses, 3 of them were 2 point heartbreakers to the Cavs, Knicks and
> Philly.
> You can diss Pitino all you like but the team was playing pretty well at
> that point.  And if they could have shot free throws like professionals,
> they would have started out 5-1.
> 
> Cecil