I'm going to say 3. He's arguably top 5 coaches of all time.
How many more titles do you think we would have if Pitino never left?
- Thread starter silentsaregolden2.0
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He would have won in 1998. He would have continued his run and matched UCLA.
I think he would have flamed out by 2010 but he'd have matched UCLA.
I think he would have flamed out by 2010 but he'd have matched UCLA.
So he had one when he left. Let's give him 1998 (although that's not a gimme due to that Duke game)
I'd say 3......MAYBE 4. So we'd be at 9 maybe 10 at the moment.
For him to match UCLA means he'd have won 5 here. That's really pushing it. Winning more than 3 now is REALLY hard to do. Wooden and K won 15 between them. And nobody has come close really.
Rupp got 4 but that was in a wholly different era.
If you can hold 3 titles in this modern era, you're pretty damn elite.
I'd say 3......MAYBE 4. So we'd be at 9 maybe 10 at the moment.
For him to match UCLA means he'd have won 5 here. That's really pushing it. Winning more than 3 now is REALLY hard to do. Wooden and K won 15 between them. And nobody has come close really.
Rupp got 4 but that was in a wholly different era.
If you can hold 3 titles in this modern era, you're pretty damn elite.
It seemed like we were beginning a dynasty when he left. I'm going to guess at least three more, one more than we have.
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In 28 years?
4 is an absolute bare bones bargain basement minimum. Pitino at UK was NOT Cal at UK despite some similarities in some ways. That man never had any tiny passing interest in Little House on the Prairie.
4 is an absolute bare bones bargain basement minimum. Pitino at UK was NOT Cal at UK despite some similarities in some ways. That man never had any tiny passing interest in Little House on the Prairie.
3 total.
Maybe 4, if we are lucky.
And we are sitting here wondering if he is ever going to retire.
Maybe 4, if we are lucky.
And we are sitting here wondering if he is ever going to retire.
I think we have 11 at least had he stayed. He was a monster at the end and starting recruiting like Coach K. He would have battled K for best coach all time in the modern era.
I think counting on any more than two would be being optimistic to be honest. If you look at the elite coaches of all time, not counting Wooden because that run is something that would never happen again, you'll see titles and final four runs often come in bunches. '96-'98 probably would have been Pitino's bunch, and maybe you get one more from him.
Roy Williams had a five year span of two titles and three final fours and didn't make much noise after that until he struck lightning again with two title games in two years, winning one. Coach K had a three year span of three title games in a row, winning two. Then another three year run with two title games, winning one. Jay Wright had a run of two titles in three years. Pitino had a two year run at Louisville with two final fours, winning one title. Billy Donovan basically did nothing at Florida until the back to back titles, then ended on a run of four Elite 8s in four years.
I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility at all that if Pitino stayed here his career would still look similar to what it looks like now. The run from '96'-98 where he picks up two titles, the another similar run in the mid '00s where he gets another. I think at some point he wears out his welcome here because, for better or worse, the job has a shelf life.
Roy Williams had a five year span of two titles and three final fours and didn't make much noise after that until he struck lightning again with two title games in two years, winning one. Coach K had a three year span of three title games in a row, winning two. Then another three year run with two title games, winning one. Jay Wright had a run of two titles in three years. Pitino had a two year run at Louisville with two final fours, winning one title. Billy Donovan basically did nothing at Florida until the back to back titles, then ended on a run of four Elite 8s in four years.
I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility at all that if Pitino stayed here his career would still look similar to what it looks like now. The run from '96'-98 where he picks up two titles, the another similar run in the mid '00s where he gets another. I think at some point he wears out his welcome here because, for better or worse, the job has a shelf life.
The three year run of title game appearances in 96-98 says it all. And no, I’m not crapping on Tubby because he richly deserves his due for delivering the 98 championship. But Pitino had UK at the pinnacle. If he had stayed, it’s not hard to imagine additional titles.
If he had stayed the past 28 years he would have won 4 more maybe 5 titles. He is a great coach and could coach any talent level. Players in the 90’s were way more talented than current day players. The game was better and believe it or not officiating was better. Rick would have been best of all time.
1996= 1
1998= assuming 1 = 2
Then from 1999- 2025 =-27 years of not missing a single beat on recruiting, I think he would have a minimum of 5 more, for a conservative estimate of 7 National Championships, and several more FF’s!
1998= assuming 1 = 2
Then from 1999- 2025 =-27 years of not missing a single beat on recruiting, I think he would have a minimum of 5 more, for a conservative estimate of 7 National Championships, and several more FF’s!
It’s hard to tell. Too many variables.
Would he eventually have gotten the NBA itch anyway and left in, say, 2002 as opposed to 1997?
Would be have humped someone in a Lexington restaurant, paid for an abortion and set up a sham marriage to one of his staffers? And if so, would UK have retained him through the scandal?
I think he probably would have won another couple, but I can’t confidently say he would have won 5 or 6 more.
Would he eventually have gotten the NBA itch anyway and left in, say, 2002 as opposed to 1997?
Would be have humped someone in a Lexington restaurant, paid for an abortion and set up a sham marriage to one of his staffers? And if so, would UK have retained him through the scandal?
I think he probably would have won another couple, but I can’t confidently say he would have won 5 or 6 more.
2005-2014 was a great era for his coaching style, he did particularly well with UL in 2013 and posted a good result. He very realistically could’ve won 2-3 at Kentucky in that 10 year span, especially since he wouldn’t be coaching against Kentucky and getting knocked out by them. So if we give him ‘98 (I do), that’s 4-5 right there. Now he’s relevant in this era and would be able to construct rosters even better than the great job he’s doing at St. John’s. So if he had a 40 year run here that was nearing it’s close, I think he’d have 5 right now and would be gunning hard to get his 6th with this final spurt (squirt) that he’s on.
Hard to imagine a timeline where Rick stays put that long, no doubt he would’ve had to weather scandals at Kentucky and the media would’ve raked him even harder than he was at Louisville. He wouldn’t have survived the 2005-2014 era, Lexington would’ve been an unmitigated shit show (and even more of a blast than it was for me personally) , same as he couldn’t survive it at Louisville.
Hard to imagine a timeline where Rick stays put that long, no doubt he would’ve had to weather scandals at Kentucky and the media would’ve raked him even harder than he was at Louisville. He wouldn’t have survived the 2005-2014 era, Lexington would’ve been an unmitigated shit show (and even more of a blast than it was for me personally) , same as he couldn’t survive it at Louisville.
I would say 1, maybe 2, more. The real Pitino would have eventually showed himself at Kentucky and he would have a scandal. To answer MegBlue05, I do not think Kentucky would have let him stay after a scandal. Good coach, not a great person.
I would say counting 96 and the team he left in 98. I'd say at minimum 5 more to go with those 2 for a total of 7. We would've passed UCLA a long while ago.... We would be sitting at 14 right now and King's of college basketball!
He didn’t quit coaching but I think going to UL may have been a let down for him that sucked some life outta him.
if pitino had stayed at UK he would have won 5 maybe 6 titles total by now. He would be in the hunt for a title except a few years here and then. Pitinos system and how he pulled in and developed assistant coaches was the model for longterm success to win consistently. If he had stayed I. Spot 30 years I think he has 5 title and alot of ff
Got 2 since he left I think he wins 3-4 if he had stayed or 1-2 more then we have now but who knows maybe he has more then that.
In going two. I firmly believe that he has been the only coach that has left UK basketball with championships still in the tank. Sutton without the cash spill? Maybe but certainly not after his personal issues. Joe B.? I think he was done. Tubby and Cal done.
I think he would have gotten the one in '98. And maybe had McGrady on the team to give them an overwhelming advantage (1)
A final 4 in the 99-00 years.
Then he would've had a run again in '01 (Michael Bradley's senior year) so another title then. (2)
Likely a Final 4 in the 02-04 era as he wouldn't have had to rebuild like he did at UL.
Likely would've had a true contender in '05 with Dean, Garcia, Palacious and the UK brand, so another title then. (3)
Then I could see a lull from 06-11, just like what happened in real life at UL as the one-and-done era took hold.
I can assume he would've course-corrected like he did at UL with the '12-'14 run and wouldn't have ran into UK 2 of the 3 years in the postseason, so another title then (4).
If you assume he didn't get fired after '17 like he did and didn't waste time at Iona, you could bring the St Johns era forward and maybe he gets another title in that span? (5)
So UK would have 11 total titles and Pitino would have 6 over the course of 35 years? I could see taking one of these away, like the title I'm giving him in 01 or 05 or the period from 2017-2024.
A final 4 in the 99-00 years.
Then he would've had a run again in '01 (Michael Bradley's senior year) so another title then. (2)
Likely a Final 4 in the 02-04 era as he wouldn't have had to rebuild like he did at UL.
Likely would've had a true contender in '05 with Dean, Garcia, Palacious and the UK brand, so another title then. (3)
Then I could see a lull from 06-11, just like what happened in real life at UL as the one-and-done era took hold.
I can assume he would've course-corrected like he did at UL with the '12-'14 run and wouldn't have ran into UK 2 of the 3 years in the postseason, so another title then (4).
If you assume he didn't get fired after '17 like he did and didn't waste time at Iona, you could bring the St Johns era forward and maybe he gets another title in that span? (5)
So UK would have 11 total titles and Pitino would have 6 over the course of 35 years? I could see taking one of these away, like the title I'm giving him in 01 or 05 or the period from 2017-2024.
People forget he coached during all those years. How many did he have?
Pitino got in his own way more times than not. The one n done era wouldn't have been kind to him here either
Pitino got in his own way more times than not. The one n done era wouldn't have been kind to him here either
