Re: why trade Battie?

[KK <Kestutis.Kveraga@Dartmouth.EDU>]

Josh Ozersky wrote:

> btw, how about some props for this 12 page article I
> wrote?  Where's all the love?

It was a great article - I really enjoyed it. Keep up the good work!


As to the subject question, who knows? Why trade Eric Williams? Why sign
Banana Boy, Mills, Massenburg, Garnett, Schintzius et al.? Why draft Billups
to play PG? Why let Wesley and Fox go? 

Oh, I guess I know the answers to a few of these: Fox and Wesley had a losing
attitude, and we, you see, have a winning attitude; worse yet, they were too
ensconced in this weird non-Pitino defense, and kind of old (27 & 28) - we
don't need that. Eric Williams was not in great shape IN THE SUMMER, unlike
our Captain who is always in great shape; besides, we just HAD to sign Tyus
Edney. The signees all were/are a [(jumpshot, year of weight training, dozen
inches, brain transplant)] away from being All-Stars. 

With a record like that, we must place greater trust in our perspicacious El
Jefe, eagle-eyed scouts, and GM worthy of a 2nd round draft pick (half the
value of Eric Williams!). If they have their way, we'll get rid of all these
uncoachable kids while stockpiling valuable 2nd round picks. To restore our
winning tradition, we'll revamp the team with those 10 or so hidden gems -
veterans thought to be unsalvageable by the other 28 teams. Needless to say,
these reclamation projects are only an attitude change, a 40 lb. weight loss,
good health, and some NBA skills away from being All-Stars. Understandably,
they'll need  some time to get into "Pitino shape" and learn "the system", so
the winning will actually start in '00-'01, not next year*. Pitinochio will
baldly claim that by "next year" he meant next year AFTER acquiring these
veteran (potential) All-Stars. 


*the projection to be amended during the '00-'01 season.