The Chris Herren story, part 9.

[JB <JBMetzEA@AOL.com>]

    It looks like the Boston press is bailing out Joe.
JB
        **************



Leaving Italy behind, Herren gets lucky break
By Peter May, Globe Staff, 10/5/2001
WALTHAM - The city of Bologna is one of Italy's undeniable treasures. It
boasts one of Europe's great universities, founded in the 11th century.
Among its landmarks is the oldest observatory in the country.
The city, nestled at the foot of the Apennines in north-central Italy, has
around 450,000 residents. Chris Herren thought he'd be one of those when he
signed on with Bologna's powerhouse basketball team, Fortitudo.
It didn't work out. Herren left the team in training camp, and Fortitudo
quickly signed a replacement. Last Tuesday, Herren flew back to the United
States, where he needed only eight days to find a new/old home. The Celtics,
needing help at point guard because of Randy Brown's ongoing groin troubles,
swooped in on Herren as soon as he was able to extricate himself from
Fortitudo. He signed a one-year, partially guaranteed deal at the third-year
minimum of $565,850.
''I got lucky. I got real lucky,'' Herren said yesterday, following the
first of the Celtics' two-a-days at the Sports Authority Training Center.
''Leaving Italy and to have this ... Right now, it's a perfect situation for
me. I'm playing for the Celtics. I'm 40 minutes from home. That sums it up
right there.''
Herren, who appeared in 25 games for the Celtics last season, signed with
Fortitudo in July. The thinking was he would get some needed playing time on
one of Europe's best teams. He also knew the Celtics had three point guards
returning, and he wasn't one of them.
He doesn't fit the mold of the American who might like the lifestyle and
succeed overseas. He's a gym rat from Fall River. He said he quickly ran
into problems, starting with his contract: He thought it went for six
months. It went for 11. He also discovered there were more games than he
anticipated and the training regimen (lots of cross-country running) was
even more demanding than that of many NBA training camps. His wife, Heather,
was also close to delivering the couple's second child.
''We had a different outlook on it before we left,'' Herren said. ''Our
minds changed when we got there. At the time, we thought it was a good idea
to experience different things. But once I got there, things changed ... I
wasn't aware ... I thought it'd be unfair to my wife to keep her in a
foreign country for 11 months with two kids and to give birth there. That's
a hard job. I wouldn't wish that on anybody.''
He returned without a job, but one quickly surfaced when the jinxed Brown
went down before camp even opened. Coach Jim O'Brien, who loves having point
guards who shoot 3-pointers, gave his imprimatur to the signing. Herren was
soon on board in time for Wednesday's late workout. Yesterday was his first
full day.
''I'm a Chris Herren fan, or Chris Herren wouldn't be in camp,'' O'Brien
said. ''He's a likable guy who works his butt off.
''Chris belongs in this league. He's a very hard-nosed kid that shoots the
basketball. Obviously, we are anxious to get Randy back on the court, the
sooner the better. But if Randy comes back, and he's not ready, we'll keep
Chris as long as we need to keep him. If that's a month, two months, a whole
year ...''
Herren isn't thinking that far ahead. Asked about the future, he said, ''The
future is 7 o'clock,'' a reference to the night session.
In the meantime, John Celestand is in Herren's place in Bologna, where he
can now visit the Palazzo Comunale or the Palazzo del Podesta. Herren is
happy battling traffic on Route 128 to make it to his new job.
The news on Brown is not encouraging. General manager Chris Wallace said
Brown was out ''indefinitely,'' and O'Brien was similarly pessimistic. ''I'm
very worried about Randy because Randy is worried about Randy,'' O'Brien
said. ''He rehabbed all summer and then he goes out and hurts it again. It
has been a chronic problem. But we believe, and our doctors believe, that he
can come back and make a full recovery. Unfortunately, we're going to have
to err on the side of caution as to when that time is.'' Brown worked on the
exercise bicycle during some of yesterday's morning session ... According to
the Celtics' recent SEC filing, the team will spend 50 percent less on
coaching and administrative salaries this year than last year. That's
because Rick Pitino isn't around. Last year, the team had a commitment of
$8.475 million in basketball administrative/coaching costs. Pitino accounted
for $6.75 million of that. This year, the commitment is $3.635 million.
Also, O'Brien is signed for three years, through the 2003-04 season. Wallace
and the four assistants (Lester Conner, Dick Harter, John Carroll, and Frank
Vogel) are signed through the 2002-03 season ... O'Brien continues to be
impressed by the condition of his players. ''These guys are fairly fit
people right now,'' he said. ''I'm also very pleased with their effort and
their desire, across the board.''
This story ran on page E2 of the Boston Globe on 10/5/2001.
) Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.