Oh, how I wish I could…32 years ago. Time to move on.
Said the last thing he time the team "crowd Laettener, but he hasn't missed a shot all game, whatever you do, don't foul him"
Says that's what he regrets about that ending.
It obviously bothers him. In that regard I feel bad for him.He has said the same thing for 30 years. He said that at the Father and Son Camp in the Summer of '92....I was there. We watched a replay of the game.
That game was the rebirth of UK basketball. As agonizing as it was in the moment, we've won 3 titles since then. Prior to that point you have to go back to 1951 to to get to 3 titles.
We were on a 14 year year draught at that point. I refuse to look at that game negatively any longer and haven't since HS to be honest. Once we beat them in '98 that devil was slayed.
Time for the next rebirth.
He just said it. So I shared it. I wasn't even alive yet so that shot doesn't hurt me that much, at least compared to those who watched it live. It's UK history, with a new quote on it from the coach at the time, so I shared it here.32 years ago. Time to move on.
32 years before the shot, Cotton Nash hadn't played a varsity game yet.Oh, how I wish I could…
All he could have done better is put a man on Grant Hill, making it harder for him to throw that inbound pass.The grass always looks greener from the other side. Refs were blowing whistles on everyone who looked at Laettner that game. And if he wasn’t going to miss a turnaround with two seconds left and a man in his face there’s no way on Earth he would have missed a foul shot from the same spot with all the time in the world.
It took me near thirty years to realize it. And maybe it’ll take him longer. But Pitino did everything right in that game. Everything.
In fact, while K coached that game too and beat him, he had more NBA talent on his roster. He also had the refs on his side, pretty clearly.
In that game, largely recognized to have been the best college game ever played, there’s a real strong case to be made that Rick Pitino turned in the best single-game coaching performance in history. Time to stop beating himself up over it.
Yup, and he shouldn’t have even been in position to take that shot if the refs called the game fairly and thru his punk ass out for stomping on a player.The grass always looks greener from the other side. Refs were blowing whistles on everyone who looked at Laettner that game. And if he wasn’t going to miss a turnaround with two seconds left and a man in his face there’s no way on Earth he would have missed a foul shot from the same spot with all the time in the world.
It took me near thirty years to realize it. And maybe it’ll take him longer. But Pitino did everything right in that game. Everything.
In fact, while K coached that game too and beat him, he had more NBA talent on his roster. He also had the refs on his side, pretty clearly.
In that game, largely recognized to have been the best college game ever played, there’s a real strong case to be made that Rick Pitino turned in the best single-game coaching performance in history. Time to stop beating himself up over it.
32 years before the shot, Cotton Nash hadn't played a varsity game yet.
The chances of the ball going to anyone but Laettner = nonexistent. I will echo what has been said a thousand times, Pitino should have had one of our tallest players guarding the inbounds pass. The defense that Pitino set up allowed a straight pass to Laettner at the free throw line instead of an , up for grabs, lob. It is more than possible the ball would have gone to the side for a last second heave from 3/4 court. Still, it was a great game by a well coached UK team.The grass always looks greener from the other side. Refs were blowing whistles on everyone who looked at Laettner that game. And if he wasn’t going to miss a turnaround with two seconds left and a man in his face there’s no way on Earth he would have missed a foul shot from the same spot with all the time in the world.
It took me near thirty years to realize it. And maybe it’ll take him longer. But Pitino did everything right in that game. Everything.
In fact, while K coached that game too and beat him, he had more NBA talent on his roster. He also had the refs on his side, pretty clearly.
In that game, largely recognized to have been the best college game ever played, there’s a real strong case to be made that Rick Pitino turned in the best single-game coaching performance in history. Time to stop beating himself up over it.
I can assure you, it's not new.He just said it. So I shared it. I wasn't even alive yet so that shot doesn't hurt me that much, at least compared to those who watched it live. It's UK history, with a new quote on it from the coach at the time, so I shared it here.
The interview was new, and even being on this board since 2004 I've never heard it. Sorry for my ignoranceI can assure you, it's not new.
And leave four of our guys—but not our four tallest—playing number 1 Duke four on four with Laettner in and Mashburn fouled out and Laettner still not having missed a shot all game and the refs still whistling anyone who looked at him?The chances of the ball going to anyone but Laettner = nonexistent. I will echo what has been said a thousand times, Pitino should have had one of our tallest players guarding the inbounds pass. The defense that Pitino set up allowed a straight pass to Laettner at the free throw line instead of an , up for grabs, lob. It is more than possible the ball would have gone to the side for a last second heave from 3/4 court. Still, it was a great game by a well coached UK team.
This. And you would think future coaches would learn from it. But nooooope. And I've seen it bite coaches right in the ass.All he could have done better is put a man on Grant Hill, making it harder for him to throw that inbound pass.
Nah we probably win that game. That game was the title game that year and is STILL the best game of college basketball EVER played.I often wonder if we made the Final Four that year how we'd do. Indiana would've wanted revenge and that was Knight's last great team there. Who knows. If we knock Duke out the Hoosiers may have won another title.
Nah we probably win that game. That game was the title game that year and is STILL the best game of college basketball EVER played.
Well, they actually were better in 1993 until Alan Henderson got hurt.I often wonder if we made the Final Four that year how we'd do. Indiana would've wanted revenge and that was Knight's last great team there. Who knows. If we knock Duke out the Hoosiers may have won another title.
That’s my mother. She was born in 46. Remembers that shot like it was yesterday. I remember it because of how upset everyone was while being so happy at the same time. I was 7.That is life and man is that crazy.
It is weird (not in a bad way) to look at stuff that way. Someone who was my age (44) in 1992 would have been born in 1948 and is now mid-70's. Life is short. As long ago as that shot was, it simply doesn't feel like it to me.
There was one reason they didn't.....If the refs had any back bone at all they should've tossed Laettner for stomping on Timberlakes chest.
Yet it still hurts every time you see it replayed.32 years ago. Time to move on.
Some will. Some won't. Some can't. You're the first, people who buy "I still hate Laettner" merchandise are probably usually the second, and Pitino probably falls into the third.32 years ago. Time to move on.
If he had stomped on a couple different kentucky players he would of got his ass beat.If the refs had any back bone at all they should've tossed Laettner for stomping on Timberlakes chest.
EXACTLY!!! That's what still makes me sick. It was so obvious. But they just didn't want us to win and did everything they could to make that happen. Id they had tossed him, we win.If the refs had any back bone at all they should've tossed Laettner for stomping on Timberlakes chest.
It was a tough spot and no real error in my mind. In hindsight would have been better to put someone ont he inbounds but if so you'd have one less back to try and break up the pass. And once throw was made and caught you did have to be very careful not to foul. Sounds easier than it was in practice to defend perfectly.The grass always looks greener from the other side. Refs were blowing whistles on everyone who looked at Laettner that game. And if he wasn’t going to miss a turnaround with two seconds left and a man in his face there’s no way on Earth he would have missed a foul shot from the same spot with all the time in the world.
It took me near thirty years to realize it. And maybe it’ll take him longer. But Pitino did everything right in that game. Everything.
In fact, while K coached that game too and beat him, he had more NBA talent on his roster. He also had the refs on his side, pretty clearly.
In that game, largely recognized to have been the best college game ever played, there’s a real strong case to be made that Rick Pitino turned in the best single-game coaching performance in history. Time to stop beating himself up over it.