Re: Pitino or Walker

[Kim Malo <kmalo19@idt.net>]

At 10:31 PM 7/8/98 -0800, damekmo@teleport.com wrote:
>>At 12:16 PM 7/8/98 -0800, damekmo@teleport.com wrote:
>><snip>
>>>Just curious, Pitino has proven what over his NBA coaching carreer? His
>>>playoff history as a coach? The Knicks had their doubts about his coaching
>>>ability / philosophy...yes?
>>
>>Not really. He got caught in the middle of a power struggle, where he was
>>the fair haired guy of the wrong person.

>Kim...when you say "not really" do you mean that his dismissal had
>"nothing" to do with a disagreement in management about the direction of
>the team, style of play, specific player acquisitions and moves determined
>by that style, and a question about the franchise player's development and
>the best use or possible mis-use of his talents within that style? One of
>the reasons Pitino was the "fair-haired guy" was because of a philosophical
>agreement between him and "the wrong person"? Yes? Does "not really" mean
>that none of the above were at issue during "the power struggle"...some
>were some weren't...these were but there were also others, or that the New
>York press at the time was fed these items by management in order to hide
>something else? (Although the screaming spitting rabid dogs of the New York
>press couldn't wait to throw out the "young college coach with the college
>style game but this is New York and can he handle the pressure?" crap
>whenever they could from the moment Pitino got into town 'til he left.)

My understanding is that the whole 'doubts' were mainly spin covering his
removal for the sin of not being the GM's personal choice, but that of the
loser in the power struggle. He did significantly improve them from the
dregs of the division into a playoff team of 50+ wins and was removed before
he had the chance to show if he could take them the next step. So the
understanding I have of the situation was that the power struggle per se was
the main determinant in what happened to him in NY rather than any real
concerns that his approach had done all that it could do. I could be wrong
about what happened there -which is why I keep referring to it as my
understanding. None of us were there behind the closed doors. I just thought
it worth putting forward as a counter to your original point, which seemed
to imply that the doubts were the primary reason for his rapid departure there.

<snip>
>Well, if I believe one......
>I believe the $105 mil. over six years report was correct. I think it's
>almost halfway between Rasheed Wallace's numbers and Kevin Garnett's. Seems
>a reasonable place for his agent to start.

Sure, if it's actually a starting point for negotiation rather than an
entrenched minimum demand. The agent would be stupid to start out lowballing.

> I also believe the reports over
>the last year and a half about Pitino chasing Mashburn are correct. He has
>a thing for Kentucky players...no? Would it be too strong to call it an
>obsession? Any other college coaches come into the NBA and start chasing
>their former players around with such.....vigor?  Who's next, Tony Delk? But
>for Pitino, it's "the system" above all else.

OK, I agree about the system being all and that providing basis for some
doubts. And Pitino's pursuit of his former players has become a leaguewide
joke (I like the word 'vigor' BTW). But how many other former college
coaches have had the opportunity, much less had a significant number of
their former players playing that are even potentially worth pursuing? I
agree with your assessment of Mash, but also do not think RP is totally
brainless or incapable of learning from his own mistakes. His early deals
certainly did include more than their share of KY players, but the last one
he actually made -as opposed to was rumored to be looking at- didn't. 

-Kim
Kim Malo
kmalo19@idt.net