A selection of your responses on whether Rick Pitino has a future in Boston:

Slim pickings
He should have left after last season. Not only is he a bad NBA coach, but he is even a worse GM. Didn't anyone tell him you can't press in the NBA for 48 minutes or that you can't go to a player's home and tell his parents what a wonderful experience he will have with him as coach. Better yet that when you continually overpaid for average talent, trade your first round pick after 1 week (Billups) and have a ball-hog in Walker as your leader chances of winning are slim to none and slim didn't stay very long.

David Ostrow
Woburn, Mass.

	Chris Herren, left, recently shared Rick Pitino's pain.

His old Kentucky home
I think this year will be his last year and I think he will come back to Kentucky after "Tubby" leaves when the year is over.

Jarod Martin
London, Ky.

All they need is Mark Pope
I think Rick Pitino should just leave right now, then Boston can get a coach who can coach rather than a guy who cries. Did Pitino think he can draft the Kentucky Wildcats and expect them to win in the NBA? ... Don't get me wrong, I think Pitino is a great coach. ... In college that is where you can have one star and lead them to 20 wins. I like Boston, but Pitino is not the only problem they have.

Alan Lim
San Francisco

Follow Coach Cal back to college
I strongly believe this will be Pitino's final season in Boston. He was under the misconception that NBA players play hard-nosed defense every night. That is just not the case when you have to play over 80 games, plus the playoffs. Now that Calipari made the leap back to the collegiate level, Pitino sees that it is "okay" to admit you were wrong, and go back where you belong.

Shane
Charlotte, NC

Personnel moves not his forte
I think Pitino is pathetic as a player personnel guy. Now even he realizes it. He shouldn't blame the players he handpicked. Although that is what his ego is going to force him to do. He can always go back to KU to repair his wounded ego, then leave them again for another failure in the NBA. Better yet maybe he can write another book on what it takes to win.

Derek Kissel
Chicago

Burned baby, burned
As an avid Knick fan, it is no surprise that he would issue such a statement. Rick is the master of the burnout theory, knowing when to leave a little after he burns out his players. After all, Rick's idol is Larry Brown.

Alan Swartz
New York City

You say goodbye
You can't press in the NBA, Rick! And you can't play Vitaly Potapenko over Tony Battie. And why do you always sit players after they hit big shots? LEAVE!

Marc Schloss
Washington, DC

When pillars crumble
Pitino only has himself to blame for this. He drafts Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer, touting them as future pillars of the franchise, and then trades them (didn't Billups put up 40 points the other night?). Then there are the on again, off again, Antoine Walker trade rumors. First he's "untradeable", then Pitino nearly pulls the trigger on a deal for Indiana's Austin Croshere.

Of course we can't leave out how he wanted to have a "young and aggressive" team. What does he do? Goes out and signs 30 something point guard Randy Brown. Finally, his idiotic statements about leaving the team after this year if they don't make the playoffs. Then, today, backpedaling off of those remarks. I think I speak for most of the Celtic fandom when I say that his act has worn very thin. Give it up Rick, you're a glorified college coach!

John Dewey
Boston

We want him in Kentucky
Things are going rough for Tubby down here in Big Blue Land and this will be Saul's last season playing for the Wildcats now that he is a senior. With his biggest fan, former athletic director C.M. Newton, gone at Kentucky the pressure will be on UK to let go of Tubby if it's another subpar year for the Cats. There is no resentment from UK fans towards Rick Pitino and the people here would love to see him back. There's also a team a few miles up the road in Bloomington who have lost their head coach and have an interim right now. Can anyone picture Pitino wearing the Ol' Red Armani of IU?

John Willen
Louisville, Ky

Duncan ball bounced away
It's not Pitino's fault that the C's stink. Its their management and just plain bad luck. In the '97 draft the Celts had the best chance at the number one pick. Instead they got the 3rd and the 6th. Just imagine where the Celtics would be now with Tim Duncan. Since '97 they've only got 1 good draft pick in Pierce and haven't landed any free agents or any decent trades. I still don't understand why they choose Moiso at 11th this year over E. Thomas, D.Mason, or C. Alexander.

Steve Czupryna
Chicopee, Mass.

This ain't no college
I think he's done after this year. Coaching in the NBA and coaching the college game are two totally different animals and Pitino is much more suited to the college game. Just because a coach is great at the college level, doesn't mean that they will be great in the NBA and vice versa. It would be very interesting to me to see how well someone like Phil Jackson would do with a college program.

Steve Decker
Covington, Ky.

Normal commentator says Rick's had enough
Just like the popular beer ads, Pitino should know when to say when. He's tried hard, I'll give him that, but honestly, I feel that the man has no idea what he's doing. Sure, he's able to mark X's and O's on a chalkboard, or whatever type of board he chooses to write on, but the NBA and Pitino are not synonomous, so I suggest going back to college. But enjoy the greater Boston area while you can.

Mike Kay
Normal, Ill.

Please go away
Pitino: Don't hesitate, just do it! There's no doubt in our minds that Rick Pitino is an excellent coach and there's too many reasons to think he is diggin' himself into the ground by making all these dumb moves or just no making them. It is not the Ron Mercer deal...Mercer's best days in the NBA were played in Boston! It is not Vitaly Potapenko's coming... bringing in Andre Miller would have killed the Celtics! It is not paying Battie too many bucks... Tony's attitute and abilities are needed in this team. The real problem in Boston is Antoine Walker and everybody knows it. He is not a true Power Forward and he is not a true Small Forward. So what the hell is he? He is an overrated and overpaid player which talents don't measure up to his statistics. His ego is bigger than his talent. His turnovers and poor shot selections hurt this team more than any of Rodman's retarded actions on and off the court. His presence affects the development of this team. Trading for Danny Fortson has been the best move Pitino had ever made besides drafting Paul Pierce. Fortson is a proven Power Forward and a premier rebounder. Now we're a seeing what everybody knew was going to happen: Danny Fortson is the league leading rebounder and maybe will be for the next 5-6 season but for the Golden State Warriors. His post-up game is awesome and his teammates enjoy his toughness and unselfish style of play. ... Coach, don't think about it any more. Don't waste your time in something that doesn't have any logic.Time is running out!

Kevin Drum
Lowell, Mass.

A vote of confidence, sort of
Rick Pitino will remain as coach of the Boston Celtics until he can raise another championship banner. Pitino is a proven winner. It would be too easy for Pitino to step down. Pitino does not have the players to win a championship or even a playoff series. There's not a coach in the league that could turn the Celtics into a championship caliber team, right now! The Celtics have to build through free agency and quality draft picks. The Lakers and Portland are perfect examples of how to build a championship team. I don't know if the Celtics are a player away or a draft pick away (Duncan) from championship level, something has to change. Over the past few years there has been many trades, but mediocre player for mediocre player doesn't change anything. Pitino will finish what he started and raise another banner!!

Tony McLaughlin
Boston

What's up, Rick?
I think he should step down. We have been hearing this positive mental attitude crap for 4 years now and they still stink. He came here complaining about the salary cap and contracts like Dino Raja's. Now we have Vitali locked into a long-term deal? What is the difference in those two players. We are no better now than we were 4 years ago. Trading Mercer was a great move too! Maybe he should go on a hunting trip with Bobby Knight!

Ken LeGendre
New Hampshire

Heading into waters where a Shark swam
I think Rick Pitino is a great college coach but his style of coaching just doesn't work in the pro's. He also dont have the horses to win right now.He has had control in Boston for three plus years, nothing really has changed. Its time for college. May I suggest UNLV?

John Given
Las Vegas

Do you know the way to Bloomington?
FINALLY! Rick's recent meltdown was music to my ears and I'm sure to most in Celtic nation. Since Ricky was hired as the Celts savior, he has done about as much as M.L. Carr did when he was sinking the SS Celtics ship. RP's coaching style doesn't work with today's NBA prima donnas. If he stays in the NBA, perhaps he could take all those underachieving players he selected (except Paul Pierce--he got lucky on that one). Maybe the current owners along with Pitino can remove themselves from the Celts reigns and turn them over to Larry Bird and his team of investors. At least Bird would be committed to putting together a team that is dedicated to winning a championship for our storied franchise. Take your act to Indiana Rick!

Mark Moriarty
Denver

Hoosier suitors
I think he'll quit. It's not your game, Rick. Come back to what you do best and restore the glory in my home state. I.U. needs a coach.

Mike Tankersley
Chicago

Rick Pitino should be the next coach of Indiana University. The opportunity to turn around one of the top programs in the nation is one that he can't pass up.

Todd Hublar
Columbus, Ind.