ADVERTISEMENT

Pitino blames racism for recruiting woes at UK...

MdWIldcat55

All-American
Dec 9, 2007
20,856
73,778
113
Excerpt quoted in the Courier Journal: As for the mention of racism, Pitino goes on to say that "the segregated past of Kentucky basketball still cast an ugly shadow on the school" and that the parents of some African-American recruits he tried to lure as UK's coach "were dead set against their sons playing at the Rupp Arena."

Odd that it has been decades since I've heard a hint of Kentucky losing a player because of "the segregated past" which ended 50 years ago. Could it be that the king of the passive-aggressive liars has invented this as a back-handed slap at UK (which he claims to still love?)

Nah, I don't believe that for 15 seconds...
 
First thing, his recruiting was pretty good. Once we were completely out of probation he signed Delk, McCarty, Prickett, Rhodes class, which was considered historically great.

Second, Sean Woods said something to the effect that his mom had an issue with the arena back when they did a ten year anniversary thing. So I wonder if he's invented a memory here.

Lastly, the only recruiting issues we ever had were all blamed on the conventional wisdom that Pitino would leave us for the NBA, which he did.

Odd that parents would have an issue with the arena name for Pitino but no for Joe B.
 
This is the same person who called his own press conference and claimed the black hooker they hired couldn't possibly have kept a diary because she "couldn't string two sentences together". U6 is lucky they didn't have the outrage machine marching down Floyd Street.
 
Last edited:
Excerpt quoted in the Courier Journal: As for the mention of racism, Pitino goes on to say that "the segregated past of Kentucky basketball still cast an ugly shadow on the school" and that the parents of some African-American recruits he tried to lure as UK's coach "were dead set against their sons playing at the Rupp Arena."

Odd that it has been decades since I've heard a hint of Kentucky losing a player because of "the segregated past" which ended 50 years ago. Could it be that the king of the passive-aggressive liars has invented this as a back-handed slap at UK (which he claims to still love?)

Nah, I don't believe that for 15 seconds...
Looks like Pitino is going to try to make as big a noisy mess as he can.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blueaz
I've not had the intense revulsion for Pitino that most UK fans, especially here, seem to harbor. I usually give him a pass for the great job he did here, and for not being able to get out of his own way... sort of like a humorous old acquaintance who's a mess but essentially harmless.

No more. That asswipe has burned the last bridge with us. Take his damned rag out of the rafters NOW.
 
just wow
I don't give a flying fig what he did here, anymore - his negative statements and actions since have far outweighed his accomplishments
if anyone, ANYONE still supports that SOB in any way, shape or form, please put me on ignore.

and no, I'm not gonna "bless his heart,"

I want his name out of our rafters
 
First thing, his recruiting was pretty good. Once we were completely out of probation he signed Delk, McCarty, Prickett, Rhodes class, which was considered historically great.

Second, Sean Woods said something to the effect that his mom had an issue with the arena back when they did a ten year anniversary thing. So I wonder if he's invented a memory here.

Lastly, the only recruiting issues we ever had were all blamed on the conventional wisdom that Pitino would leave us for the NBA, which he did.

Odd that parents would have an issue with the arena name for Pitino but no for Joe B.
Billy Donovan's recruiting was good, when he left, recruiting went to shit.
 
Billy Donovan's recruiting was good, when he left, recruiting went to shit.

Pitino's transfer game was strong (Ford, Pope, Anderson, Evans), but I wouldn't say his recruiting went to shit.

93: Sheppard, Epps, and Pope (transfer)
94: Walker, Padgett, Edwards, Mills, Anderson (transfer)
95: Mercer, Turner Mohammed
96: Maglorie

Put the pieces together where we were an overtime away from a three-peat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: anon_q409idbs5m40a
Pitino's transfer game was strong (Ford, Pope, Anderson, Evans), but I wouldn't say his recruiting went to shit.

93: Sheppard, Epps, and Pope (transfer)
94: Walker, Padgett, Edwards, Mills, Anderson (transfer)
95: Mercer, Turner Mohammed
96: Maglorie

Put the pieces together where we were an overtime away from a three-peat.
Donovan was here until 94. We only got Mercer because he couldn't get into Vandy and we had to hire Simeon Mars to get Magloire. Then there was the Micharl Bradley, Ryan Hogan, and Myron Anthony class who simply was elite and no where near as good as the talent we lost that year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Real Deal 2
Yeah I'm sure hoes played no role...

daddy_squirts.jpg
 
Excerpt quoted in the Courier Journal: As for the mention of racism, Pitino goes on to say that "the segregated past of Kentucky basketball still cast an ugly shadow on the school" and that the parents of some African-American recruits he tried to lure as UK's coach "were dead set against their sons playing at the Rupp Arena."

Odd that it has been decades since I've heard a hint of Kentucky losing a player because of "the segregated past" which ended 50 years ago. Could it be that the king of the passive-aggressive liars has invented this as a back-handed slap at UK (which he claims to still love?)

Nah, I don't believe that for 15 seconds...

I don’t see a problem with the excerpt. The perception of UK (some of it deserved, some of it not) was indeed a handicap for UK coaches to recruit black players, including Pitino.

I wrote a short article in the 1990’s which discusses this a little & provides examples:

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/louisville.html

Thankfully since that time with Tubby Smith & now Calipari & the passage of time that has largely ceased to be a real issue in recruiting.

Now if Pitino is claiming it’s still a significant issue then I disagree with that. But i agree it was a real issue in the past & obviously UK should continue to ensure that any issues which may crop up in the future which potentially could alienate black players & recruits be proactively avoided and dealt with.
 
Last edited:
This was probably true for some recruits. Hiring Tubby Smith as head coach did A LOT for UK basketball in the eyes of the African-American community.
 
Yeah all the great black players never come here rolls eyes. Like John Wall, Cousins, Davis, MKG, Mashburn, toine walker, this list would get ridiculous if I kept going.
 
Last edited:
Excerpt quoted in the Courier Journal: As for the mention of racism, Pitino goes on to say that "the segregated past of Kentucky basketball still cast an ugly shadow on the school" and that the parents of some African-American recruits he tried to lure as UK's coach "were dead set against their sons playing at the Rupp Arena."

Odd that it has been decades since I've heard a hint of Kentucky losing a player because of "the segregated past" which ended 50 years ago. Could it be that the king of the passive-aggressive liars has invented this as a back-handed slap at UK (which he claims to still love?)

Nah, I don't believe that for 15 seconds...
Doesn't seem to be affecting Cal...hmm maybe blame yourself rick.
 
I remember a kid back in 91 or so that both Louisville and Kentucky were recruiting named DeWayne Morton I believe. Word was back then that his parents were adamant that their son would never play for Kentucky due to perception of the past. Never bought into the whole race thing at Kentucky. Hell, we were the first school in the SEC to have black football players. Not Alabama, Not LSU but Kentucky.
 
Didnt Rupp have the first African American kids in the sec??? What's this idiot talking about..can we as BBN just make up our mind to never talk about him again, take him down from the rafters so he doesn't have to be next to any racist and we all move on from this POS!!
 
For the sake of argument, let's say he is being accurate. Whom would that have been? What great recruit(s) did we lose out on because of that stigma? I know that Tubby's downfall was losing out on recruits but racism in that case would have made zero sense as the issue. Can anyone recall recruits in the RP era we thought we were going to get and didn't?
 
Most definitely time for his name to come down from the rafters. He is tarnished and an embarrassment just alone for the things he did at UL and now this phony attempt to last blame and shame on UK. No one can defend him any longer or point out - but look at all he did to bring UK back, he is total scum.
 
Excerpt quoted in the Courier Journal: As for the mention of racism, Pitino goes on to say that "the segregated past of Kentucky basketball still cast an ugly shadow on the school" and that the parents of some African-American recruits he tried to lure as UK's coach "were dead set against their sons playing at the Rupp Arena."

Odd that it has been decades since I've heard a hint of Kentucky losing a player because of "the segregated past" which ended 50 years ago. Could it be that the king of the passive-aggressive liars has invented this as a back-handed slap at UK (which he claims to still love?)

Nah, I don't believe that for 15 seconds...

Then what was his excuse at UofL, he had recruits at UK the were way above anyone he recruited at UofL. Why do you think he resorted to cheating at UofL, he couldn't get top notch recruits there for some reason.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT