A LOT OF CELTIC GREEN

By Steve Wulf

With lowered banners and lifted spirits, Boston and the Celtics welcomed Rick Pitino last Thursday at a press conference on the old parquet floor of the new Fleet Center. Actually, "welcomed" is an understatement. Pitino, who agreed to leave his old Kentucky home two days before to become coach and president of the once proud but lately pathetic franchise, was coddled, crowned and canonized.

Cynical sportswriters believed him when Pitino said it wasn't about the money; it was about the challenge and the tradition. Red Auerbach, the legendary coach, said he willingly gave up his title as president because "Rick has been my choice all the way down the line--I never dreamed we could get him." And Celtic Hall of Famer John Havlicek, resplendent in a green blazer, proclaimed, "This is a great day in the history of this great franchise." The love-in was so overwhelming that people wouldn't have been terribly surprised if the Celtics had announced they were adding Pitino's number to the retired numerals on the banners that usually hang from the rafters but were brought down to eye level for the occasion.

If and when they do give Pitino his number, what would it be? So many are taken, including No. 1 (founder Walter Brown) and No. 2 (Auerbach). Maybe No. 5, for the number of teams Pitino has rescued (Boston University, Providence College, the New York Knicks, Kentucky and, presumably, the Celtics). Perhaps No. 20 for the number of hours in a day Pitino usually devotes to the job. Or No. 44 for his age when he took over the team. Better yet, No. 70 for the estimated millions of dollars Celtics owner Paul Gaston has promised Pitino over the next 10 years. That makes Pitino the highest-paid coach. In any sport. Ever.

As ridiculous as the sum might sound, especially in comparison to the $21,000 Pitino made in his first year at B.U. in 1978, he may be worth it. First, $7 million a year is less than any decent superstar makes in basketball or baseball, and basketball coaches have found in recent years that when they say it's either him or me, the owner invariably says it's you, since your guaranteed contract is much smaller.

More importantly, Pitino's track record is extraordinary. He led B.U. to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 24 years. At Providence he inherited an 11-20 team, then took the Friars to the Final Four in his second year. The Knicks were one of the sorriest franchises in the N.B.A. when he took over in '87, but they won the Atlantic Division in his second year. When Kentucky came calling, that Holy Roman Empire of college basketball was in ruins. In eight seasons, Pitino went 219-50 with three trips to the Final Four and a national championship in '96. He was so beloved in Kentucky that few Wildcats fans hollered when he decided to take over the Holy Roman Empire of pro basketball.

Still, he had promised Kentucky recruits he would be there for them, raising an obvious ethical question that was also posed in the press conference. "Coaches who say they are going to stay and then leave are not liars," said Pitino. "They're saying what's in their hearts at the time." Pitino had maintained he was staying put as late as two weeks ago, when he was promoting his motivational book, Success Is a Choice. The Celtics became his choice after he talked with team consultant Larry Bird and former team executive Dave Gavitt, who spoke highly of Gaston. Joanne Pitino, the coach's wife and the mother of their five children, also gave the move her blessing. The money, Pitino said, had only a little to do with it. "When your pockets are empty, you make a business decision," he said. "When your pockets are full, you go with your heart."

Pitino will have his work cut out for him. "They won 15 games for a reason," he says of the 15-67 Celtics. "There were a lot of injuries, but also a lack of talent. The N.B.A. is a players' league, and talent prevails." The Celtics will have two first-round picks this year, and the coach is also hoping his style of play--movement on offense, pressure on defense--will attract free agents. His personal style is also winning. Pitino has been known to visit an elderly nun as a favor to a friend of a friend. He will call a team meeting if he thinks the players aren't tipping enough.

Four hours after the press conference, the Indiana Pacers announced that Bird--No. 33 in the rafters--was their new coach. Bird will get an estimated $4.5 million a year to return home. His predecessor, Larry Brown, was just lured to the Philadelphia 76ers for $5 million a year. Hmmm. Kind of makes Phil Jackson wonder what he's worth, what with the Chicago Bulls headed for another title.

Even the most casual fan will like having Pitino around next season, matching wits with Jackson and Pat Riley and Lenny Wilkens. Besides, the Celts have been away too long--1986 was their last title. "I can promise you that in the next few years, we will raise another championship banner," said Pitino. Everybody in Boston believes him.