Dick Harter – Defensive Guru

Sometimes overlooked, sometimes under-appreciated. But its time to give the man with the defensive plan some due. Sure, we’ve had coaches who have talked about defense being the top priority. But the proof is in the pudding. And the pudding tastes great thus far. At 17 – 8 and sitting atop the Eastern Conference, we rank 7th in the league in points allowed. We are seeing our players front the post, move with their feet, and attack the passing lane with as much vigor as we have seen in these parts in quite some time. Harter has the pedigree. As a college coach, he was known for being a master of the zone. While the NBA and its new rules aren’t really like college, Harter has shown the ability to create and employ an effective helping man-to-man defensive system. And besides, anyone that can get Kenny Anderson AND Antoine Walker to step up their D deserves a medal. A or at least an A- grade on my report card.

Jim O’Brien – Head Coach (the Anti-Rick)

After 3 and a half years of watching Rick Pitino from afar, I can only offer my sympathy to Antoine Walker who had only one year off from the man between college and the pros (ML Carr was the coach his rookie year). If you could create an anti-Rick, I believe it would be Jim O’Brien. Jim is probably never going to be confused with the Zen Master in La-La Land. But after so much micromanaging, the guys needed someone that would treat them like men. Someone that would provide direction and instruction without stifling the player’s creativity. Someone that would let the guys make a mistake without having to look over their shoulders knowing they’ll get yanked at the next dead ball. And perhaps, as a rookie head coach, Jim is someone that can admit that he’s learning as he goes as well. Like any diehard fan of any team, I sometimes question his decisions on player rotations. I see Milt Palacio in particular as a guy that could lose a game for us at any time. On the other hand, I’ve also seen streaks of brilliance (or at least creative scoring ability) which is likely why Milt is in the rotation to begin with. I believe that the rookies beyond Joe Johnson could use some more playing opportunities. However, I strongly believe in the necessity to earn minutes through strong practice performances and letting younger players learn from the vets. O’Brien has made sure to publicly support Kedrick and Forte, and has ensured us that they are still very much in our future plans. And I believe him. And perhaps that quality is what separates Jim from Rick Pitino the most. I’ll give him a solid B+ grade.

Chris Wallace – The Real GM

I hate to continually drag Rick Pitino’s name through the mud (ok, no I don’t; but Rick’s got thick skin) but there has sure been a noticeable change of direction since Wallace started calling the shots on personnel decisions. Instead of a reactionary, near sighted approach, we’ve seen a solid, businesslike, vision for the near to mid-range future that is very encouraging.
We have two young stars that are locked up long term and don’t hear their names brought up in trade rumors. We have solid, if unspectacular, players that seem to have accepted their roles on this team and work to concentrate on doing what they do best.

For the draft, we can give Wallace an incomplete grade. Joe Johnson fell into our laps, so that was a virtual gimme. Kedrick Brown is a project player comparable to a straight-from-high-school pick. With three first rounders, it was a gamble I applaud. Joseph Forte was expected to contribute more right away, but seems to be going through an adjustment period trying to learn the point guard spot. Why didn’t we choose Tinsley or Parker? You might ask a lot of GM’s that same question and Forte could still be the better long-term pick. Like I said, incomplete.

The real test is what he does now. The team is rolling, but many would agree that we still have weaknesses (though not as glaring as the National media would like you to believe). The trading deadline is looming, and there are many teams that will be nearing the redline on the panic-meter. Miami, Denver, Golden State, and New York come to mind. I’ll let you work on the Trade Checker to work out your own scenarios, but there are two basic schools of thought here. Do we go for the gusto and pull off a trade that we hope puts us over the top at the expense of future potential or salary flexibility? Or do we play it safe and upgrade within reason with a mind towards the future? If I haven’t already tipped my hand, I’ll tell you I favor the latter, and of course I’ll tell you why. The Sixers were able to obtain Mutumbo last year in a move that paid off very well. However, off the top of my head Mount Mutumbo himself is about the only guy I can think of that we could add to the C’s core roster to give us a shot at knocking off the Lakers (or Spurs for that matter) this year. In addition, given the C’s current moveable assets, I don’t know if we could afford him. Furthermore, with Iverson back in the swing, and a roster getting healthier, I can’t imagine the big guy is on the market anyway. So there’s no need to sell the farm for an outside shot at the big enchilada. I fully expect Wallace to make a move only if it affects our long-term competitiveness in a positive manner. And that’s why I give him an A- letter grade thus far.

Other mentionables

Red pretty much gets a lifetime achievement award, and Paul Gaston hasn’t been in the news lately. Owners are like refs, if you don’t notice them, they are doing their job well.


All in all, keep up the good work boys. The real grades that matter are wins and losses, and right now we are atop the East. The final grades won’t be in till June, but we’re definitely on the right track.

Jeff Clark will forever be known as "that guy" that goes off on the message boards. If you want to hear more of his insight (or just tell him to shove it) then call him out on the message boards, he'll find you