Ainge has some clout now

The moment spoke volumes about Danny Ainge and his rekindled relationship with the Boston Celtics.

In the middle of Friday's press conference to announce he'd been hired as head of basketball operations, Ainge was sitting next to Celtics President Red Auerbach. Auerbach pulled out his famed cigar and reached for matches on the table. Ainge beat Red to the grab and refused to give him the lights. Auerbach tugged at Ainge's elbow, but Ainge wouldn't give in.

"You know I don't like the smoke," Ainge told the Celtic big-wig.

It was kind of pest-like, but Auerbach didn't mind because Ainge is like a son. Ainge soon took over the microphone, something he's been doing very well as an NBA broadcast analyst for TNT, and oozed out some pithy quotes for the seventh-largest media market in America.

Ainge will be good for the Celtics. He deserved the stripes. He's custom-made for the job. He represents a player link to the glory days and was on the court when the Celtics last earned an NBA championship, their 16th, back in the '80s.

What's interesting is the mounting web of local ties, some through BYU, which are now tying up the scene in Boston.

You've got Steve Pagliuca, a leader on the Celtic management team, who is serving on the board of directors with Ainge for Steve Young's Forever Young Foundation, located in Park City. Pagliuca is also connected with Ainge through Bain Capital, a huge capital investment firm in Boston.

Bain Capital has myriad BYU ties, including links to former Olympic organizers Mitt Romney and Fraser Bullock. Romney is now governor of Massachusetts, and Bain is an LDS area authority with a home in Alpine.

The managing director of Bain Capital is senior partner Bob Gay, who serves as president of the BYU President's Leadership Council. It was Gay, a frequent speaker at BYU's school of management, who helped Bain Capital grow a capital base of more than $14 billion. Gay and his wife, Lynette, were presented the 2003 President's Award during the annual President's Dinner at BYU on March 21st.

The President's Leadership Council is the group credited with finding money to erect BYU's new indoor football practice facility and student athlete center — a $50 million price tag realized in less than a year.

It was Bob Gay who got Pagliuca connected with the Forever Young Foundation.

So, how does this all relate to Ainge's new job as director of basketball operations for the Celtics?