Rick Pitino keep it classy

[Bluest Member]

The difference between a casual fan and Pitino is that Pitino gets paid $6 Million a year to represent the University of Louisville with class and dignity in both win or defeat.

Seems to me he is about as classy as the fanbase and administration at that portalet hole of a university,he was a thin skinned narcissist at Kentucky,but has turned into a Low Life Street Scum at UL

 

[sluggercatfan]

I hate to say it but in the society in which we now live rude/crude behavior in now the norm and, unfortunately, what RP did isn't that big of a deal. If he is held accountable I will be more than happy to admit I was wrong on this one but I ain't too worried about having to do that.

Sorry ..but even Jerry Eaves said on his show this afternoon that if true he should be punished because coaches should be above that

 

[ukfan79]

And the guy who can't coach owns the "great" one.

What a piss take.

Yeah these football only guys are pathetic. I wish like hell we could get a Cal-type equivalent (that would be a Nick Saban or Urban Meyer maybe?) to take over our football program. But it's not going to happen.

They are so butt hurt that our football program sucks balls that they can't embrace and enjoy the awesomeness that is our basketball program. I hate that our football program sucks too. And I am no bandwagon fan. I drove down to Lexington twice this year to watch our football team.

 

[Bluest Member]

Sorry ..but even Jerry Eaves said on his show this afternoon that if true he should be punished because coaches should be above that

Looks pretty cut and dry to me,what's worse is the POS outright lied about it too

 

[.S&C.]

I don't know....i kinda like it. Rivals are supposed to hate each other. Basketball has become way too watered down on that front. The players all know each other and laugh and hug after the games nowadays. Rick is from the old school where rivals almost came to blows on the court. He hates us and we hate him. That's what UK/UL is supposed to be IMO.

Another great post about the issue. Even if you hate him and want his jersey removed, this is exactly why we watch. Don't be a candy ass.

 

[UKCatsFan10]

Can you imagine the national media story if Calipari flipped anyone off on national television??? Moreso than that, can you imagine what UL fans would be saying if Cal flipped their crowd off?

 

[rabidcatfan]

What if, back in 1997, Pitino thanked the Celtics but turned them down and committed to being the head coach at Kentucky. I know people may say now that they hate Pitino, but if you could of had him stay and build his own dynasty at UK, where do you think we'd be at the moment? I can't imagine anyone would have NOT wanted him to remain as our coach back then, regardless of how they feel about him now.

First off, Dirk Nowitzki and Tracy McGrady may have been Wildcats. Jermaine O'Neal too. I think Michael Bradley sticks around for the full four seasons instead of transferring to Villanova. That being said, if Pitino had stuck around until now, making him the 2nd longest tenured coach at UK behind Rupp at 26 seasons, going on 27. With the pedigree of being the coach at UK and the atmosphere around the program, I think he avoids a lot of the pitfalls that have plagued him at UL.

During his 6 non-probation seasons at UK, he produced a round of 32 team, two Elite Eight teams, a Final Four Team, A National Runner-Up, and a National Championship team. I don't think it is reaching too far to assume that he would have kept that trend going, finishing the 90's with another National Championship (probably 98 or 99) and spending much of the 2000's as the premiere program in college basketball going to multiple Final Fours and winning (at least) another National Championship. I'd imagine he'd have begun to slow down a bit by 2010 without much pressure from the program down the road and by 2015 would have produced another couple of Final Fours and another National Championship, bringing his total titles to (at least) 4.

Pitino is a great coach, but I think he greatly diminished his legacy in basketball the day he left for Boston. Had he stayed here I firmly believe he would be considered among the all-time 4 or 5 greatest coaches to ever coach the game. As it is, he's still a hall of famer, but I dont think he'll ever be considered among the top 10 all-time.

 

[.S&C.]

First of all if your birthdate falls behind 1987, you don't need to respond for obvious reasons.

He would be on par with coach K, and I believe it's that simple. It is one of the biggest mistakes in the history of sports and will always be.he also showed how hard it is to win with the Louisville brand. There's no denying it.

 

[ukfan79]

Where would Cal be right now if Pitino had stayed at UK? Maybe he'd be the Louisville coach (seriously). I could see them going after him right around the time Memphis did. I shudder at that thought.

As for Pitino, maybe he could've kept his nose clean here? I don't know though. People say he was sleazy when he was here and we just didn't hear about it without message boards and 24/7/365 media.

IF he could have kept his nose clean, not be an adulterer, etc, etc. I think he could have 4 or 5 national titles and be mentioned in the same breathe with Coach K.

 

[mdlUK.1]

4 or 5 national championships is just not realistic. It takes a lot of luck as well as skill to win titles.

 

[WildcatFan60]

I agree with the previous poster, he would be on par with Coach K. I believe UK would be close, if not have already broken UCLA's 11 championships record. He'd probably also be there with Coach K in terms of total wins.

Woulda/coulda/shoulda.......

 

[sambowieshin]

I am not so sure it would have been as peachy as some think. Based on his personality traits, the only difference would have been that he eventually would have stuck around long enough to bang a skank on a table at Columbia Steakhouse, invite ho's into Wildcat Lodge, bring sanctions down on UK and wear out his welcome with the UK fanbase. Then he would have been fired at UK and rehired at UofL. Pretty much where things are today but with the mess on us from NCAA sanctions instead of Little Brothel.

 

[Mojocat]

I think Eric Crawford is a good writer. What I don't understand is why he has to let his fan side bleed through so many of his columns. This one reads like he is a complete unabashed UL fan. But I guess he is. He was to make UL feel good.

An equally valid take would be that Pitino had almost every conceivable advantage in this game but still couldn't best Cal.

Eric Crawford seems like a good guy. He's like, I think, Bob Valvano, who also seems like a good guy. I listened to Bob for about an hour today, and on both the supposed middle finger ("I don't think he did that") and the press conference snub ("he didn't hurt anyone or anything, you might not like it, but it's not a matter of right or wrong"), he defended Pitino. Just like he did with Whoregate. Eventually, he got around to saying "how much he appreciated and enjoyed the relationship he has with Rick and the program (uofl)."

Apparently, neither Crawford or Valvano can see the obvious point that if your personal relationship to the coach is important to you, it destroys your credibility. Also, if your first instinct is to defend someone, there's no point in opening your mouth, because everyone knows what your take will be irrespective of the facts......

 

[Cats192]

Cal would have kept Memphis running as a power and then left for UCLA last year.

 

[.S&C.]

Where would Cal be right now if Pitino had stayed at UK? Maybe he'd be the Louisville coach (seriously). I could see them going after him right around the time Memphis did. I shudder at that thought.

As for Pitino, maybe he could've kept his nose clean here? I don't know though. People say he was sleazy when he was here and we just didn't hear about it without message boards and 24/7/365 media.

IF he could have kept his nose clean, not be an adulterer, etc, etc. I think he could have 4 or 5 national titles and be mentioned in the same breathe with Coach K.

I wouldn't be scared of cal at Louisville. Rick has already shown what happens when you make that move. You might win some, even a title, but you cannot overtake UK. It can't be done with the brands being so different.

 

[Calsarmy]

One thing I do believe is that RP would have tried a bit harder to stay on the straight and narrow. Knowing it DID MAKE a difference to the fans here. At UL he did, can and does run wild. Makes no difference to them. Their standards are simply lower. The finger to the fans from their point of view was to be worn like a badge of honor. Having said that my wife told me she could have seen me doing to the fans. LOL. Who knows,,,,,,,,,

 

[Bluest Member]

Another great post about the issue. Even if you hate him and want his jersey removed, this is exactly why we watch. Don't be a candy ass.

The fact he flipped fans off doesn't bother me as much as the fact he Lied/Denied doing it,the man is a Habitual Liar and I can't stand Liars.

 

[Blueathletics]

If Crawford was honest about it he'd have a follow-up removing the term 'inconclusive' with all the new evidence

 

[IL Wildcat]

Well, the first thing I would say would be different, had Pitino never left, would be that he had learned to swallow some pride and decided to build something sustainable. His pride led him away and his pride then led him to Louisville. So, things would be much different today had he decided to stay for the long haul. Had that happened, I believe UK would likely have at least 10 titles by now (maybe even having passed UCLA by now) and the Cats would have been a perennial title contender for the last 20 years. Pitino would have been the best coach in the game during the late 90s and early 2000s and he'd still be reeling in recruits based on his success and the UK name with relative ease.

But it all begins with that ego. Rick Pitino is a case study in the dangers of pride and covetousness. His personality, as it is, guarantees he'd never have stayed at UK much longer, even if it weren't to Boston, it wouldn't have been long. He thinks he's bigger than UK and bigger than UL. I'm convinced the only reason he's still at Louisville is because his pride has been driving him to be bigger than Calipari and UK. But now, with the hookers for recruits scandal, he's gonna be forced out, and he'll never find another big name program that will put up with the size of his ego.

 

[.S&C.]

The fact he flipped fans off doesn't bother me as much as the fact he Lied/Denied doing it,the man is a Habitual Liar and I can't stand Liars.

Ok, but this isn't your neighbor. This is a HC in a high level sport. Of course he's gonna lie. We're number one? That's his way of telling you lol.

 

[Mojocat]

Vitale used to say it every game - that if Rick had stayed at UK, his achievements would've rivaled Coach K's.

Maybe.

But look, he's clearly not the coach he was at UK. He's rebounded nicely since 2012, but it's no secret that by March of 2012 many in Louisville were done with him. Won't go through all the stats, but the summary is that in his first 10 years at Louisville he was out of the NCAAT in the first weekend 7 times. And even in the last 5 years, his record isn't close to what it was in his years at UK.

Clearly, some parts of the game have passed him by. He can't lure a top recruit with whores and bags of cash, and on the rare occasion he gets one, he turns a one and done into a second round pick.

So I ask the obvious question: for those of you who think he'd have set all the records had he stayed at UK, why do you assume that in 2015 the Rick Pitino we'd have would look like the 1996 Rick Pitino instead of, you know, the 2015 version we see now?

 

[.S&C.]

Can you imagine the national media story if Calipari flipped anyone off on national television??? Moreso than that, can you imagine what UL fans would be saying if Cal flipped their crowd off?

It would be a massive story. Louisville is small potatoes. What they do just doesn't make much news.

 

[ManitouDan]

At this point Pitino should join Trump and Hillary , he would fit right in !

 

[ukfan79]

4 or 5 national championships is just not realistic. It takes a lot of luck as well as skill to win titles.

How is that unrealistic over 26 years? He already had one, then almost another right after it. Would he have won it in 1998? Tubby did. So there are two there. It would not be unrealistic at all to think he could have won 2-3 more in the last 17 years. Freaking UCONN won 4 over a 16 year period.

 

[WildcatFan60]

When I drifted over the the Cards boards on Saturday, most seem pleased that Pitino had flipped us off. Again, just another indication of the kind of administration. coaches and fans at UL.

 

[Bluest Member]

Ok, but this isn't your neighbor. This is a HC in a high level sport. Of course he's gonna lie. We're number one? That's his way of telling you lol.

I despise Blue Collar Liars most of all,especially narcissistic ones that believe they are better and above everyone around them

 

[.S&C.]

How is that unrealistic over 26 years? He already had one, then almost another right after it. Would he have won it in 1998? Tubby did. So there are two there. It would not be unrealistic at all to think he could have won 2-3 more in the last 17 years. Freaking UCONN won 4 over a 16 year period.

Exactly. Some people just don't think about these things. So quick to Yap yap yap yap yap yap....

 

[rabidcatfan]

I think he would've kept his nose clean here, or would've done a better job of keeping it under wraps because it is a different culture and atmosphere at UK than it is at UL. Yes fans of UK can be wild and unruly, but they aren't on the level of disrespectful that a lot of UL fans are. The culture of the program rubs off on it's officers or vice versa.

I think Pitino would be on a legendary track by season 27 and would have DEFINITELY have won at least 4 National Titles by now. Hell, he almost won his second back in 1997 and would have been close several times after that if not winning it out right. I think he would have won it all in 1998 because that team was good and would've probably played better under Pitinos tutelage. Same goes for the 1999 squad. That team could have had Nowitzki and McGrady on it. Who knows, but I think we go to our 4th consecutive title game that season. Maybe things slow down a bit in the early 2000's, but I think things pick back up by 2004 or 2005 and we see the 5th National Championship game of the Pitino era. My guess is that we are 3-2 in title games at this point of the Pitino era. Then I see us going to the 6th title game of the Pitino era in mid to late 2000's and by 2015, we would have 9 National Titles and would be knocking on the door of number 10.

 

[JasonS.]

Lot of ifs, but interesting to think where Calipari would be right now in that alternate universe ... Indiana, perhaps?

And who is Louisville's coach?

 

[Aike]

Exactly. Some people just don't think about these things. So quick to Yap yap yap yap yap yap....

Haha, no joke. Between UK totals and Pitino at UL, there are LITERALLY 4 Titles since 1996.

That's with both UL and UK going through rebuilds during that time.

Had Pitino stayed at UK and stayed the course, 4 Titles would be the over/under, not pie in the sky.

 

[.S&C.]

Lot of ifs, but interesting to think where Calipari would be right now in that alternate universe ... Indiana, perhaps?

And who is Louisville's coach?

Cal would be somewhere big. I don't think he'd pick Louisville. Maybe UCLA, or like you said Indiana. Hey, could be Kansas. That would be scary.

Louisville would have a guy like Rick Banres by now.

 

[Mojocat]

I think Pitino would be on a legendary track by season 27 and would have DEFINITELY have won at least 4 National Titles by now.

Why do you think he'd have won 3 national titles at UK when he's only one one at Louisville?

Unless you think they all would've come in that 4 year period he was with the Celtics? There's a slight chance of that - he was on such a roll when he left UK, maybe if he never leaves, he somehow gets to 4. But the obvious question about that is, would that 4 year period have possibly been that much better than 1994-97, the 4 years before, because we were on a serious, serious roll in those 4 years - and he had 1 title to show for it. Like someone else said, I think you're underestimating the amount of luck, skill, karma, sugar and spice it takes to win, even if you have the best team.

Beyond that 4 year period with the Celtics, I'm not sure how you argue he gets 3 titles. It's not like he left Boston and quit coaching, where all you have is conjecture about how he might have done. He has a record! He's been coaching. And he's won exactly 1 title in all that time....

 

[.S&C.]

Why do you think he'd have won 3 national titles at UK when he's only one one at Louisville?

Unless you think they all would've come in that 4 year period he was with the Celtics? There's a slight chance of that - he was on such a roll when he left UK, maybe if he never leaves, he somehow gets to 4. But the obvious question about that is, would that 4 year period have possibly been that much better than 1994-97, the 4 years before, because we were on a serious, serious roll in those 4 years - and he had 1 title to show for it. Like someone else said, I think you're underestimating the amount of luck, skill, karma, sugar and spice it takes to win, even if you have the best team.

Beyond that 4 year period with the Celtics, I'm not sure how you argue he gets 3 titles. It's not like he left Boston and quit coaching, where all you have is conjecture about how he might have done. He has a record! He's been coaching. And he's won exactly 1 title in all that time....

There's a huge difference in where he is now and UK. Just look at what he was accomplishing at UK vs. UL. Contrary to repeated nonsense, the schools matter greatly.

 

[Blouman]

If Crawford was honest about it he'd have a follow-up removing the term 'inconclusive' with all the new evidence

Valvano is a DOUCHE! Biggest Pitino Suck Up in town!

 

[kitkoodle]

what pisses me off about this you would think at least ACC would step in, if cal had did this media, ncaa and the sec would be all over him..not only that..he complained about the refs on tv..and in the sec you do that you are fine

 

[Mojocat]

There's a huge difference in where he is now and UK. Just look at what he was accomplishing at UK vs. UL. Contrary to repeated nonsense, the schools matter greatly.

Could be - I have argued the same. But now I'm not so sure. The game seems to have passed him - not the technical aspects, but the kids. He simply can't coach/teach/relate to most highly rated players today. Which means he has to count on taking kids who aren't as good and overachieving with them. It's hard to get 1 title that way, much less 3. Even if - as you say and I agree - it's easier to win big at UK as opposed to uofl.

 

[IL Wildcat]

Yep, seems pretty clear. The fans immediate reaction seems to confirm it.

The most disgusting part of it, to me, is how Pitino tried to play the victim in his weak denial by claiming horrible things were being yelled at him when the audio on the video doesn't confirm that at all. All anybody yells is something like "one and done". Besides, Pitino is very well compensated to take abuse from opposing fans and should quit playing the victim when the video shows the fans behaving much better than him.

UK should go ahead and take down his banner. This was just the final straw.

Yep, if Rick thinks that was "disgusting" and abusive, he's got another thing coming. Our coach had the class to ask fans to show some mercy to Pitino and the Cardinals. Do you think other ACC coaches and fans will do the same in those road games this season? Ha! Not a chance!

Just for the record, in both videos you can hear the crowd pretty well. There was no profanity being yelled at him. There were no mentions of hookers or Minardi Hall or recruiting tactics. This was an easy day for Rick. He's just a spoiled jerk with an ego the size of Texas. He knows this was very possibly his last shot and they lost the game. So, these are true colors, flipping the bird to Rupp Arena and UK fans.

 

[.S&C.]

Could be - I have argued the same. But now I'm not so sure. The game seems to have passed him - not the technical aspects, but the kids. He simply can't coach/teach/relate to most highly rated players today. Which means he has to count on taking kids who aren't as good and overachieving with them. It's hard to get 1 title that way, much less 3. Even if - as you say and I agree - it's easier to win big at UK as opposed to uofl.

It's true the game certainly could have passed him, but coach k adapted to win more, maybe if situations were different Rick would have done the same.

I do believe Rick going to Louisville gives us a good glimpse of what the differences are in coaching a blue blood vs. a second tier.

 

[Aike]

Why do you think he'd have won 3 national titles at UK when he's only one one at Louisville?

Unless you think they all would've come in that 4 year period he was with the Celtics? There's a slight chance of that - he was on such a roll when he left UK, maybe if he never leaves, he somehow gets to 4. But the obvious question about that is, would that 4 year period have possibly been that much better than 1994-97, the 4 years before, because we were on a serious, serious roll in those 4 years - and he had 1 title to show for it. Like someone else said, I think you're underestimating the amount of luck, skill, karma, sugar and spice it takes to win, even if you have the best team.

Beyond that 4 year period with the Celtics, I'm not sure how you argue he gets 3 titles. It's not like he left Boston and quit coaching, where all you have is conjecture about how he might have done. He has a record! He's been coaching. And he's won exactly 1 title in all that time....

I think you're looking at it wrong.

He won one at UK. He won one at UL. UK also won one while Rick was in Boston. That would get him to three titles.

Now figure in that he's at UK instead of UL. Better program, better resources.

Realize that UL was down a bit when he took that job. With UK, he left on an uptick, so there would have been no rebuilding necessary.

I think at least one additional title over 2 decades of time makes the most sense.

Obviously this is all conjecture. Pitino surely could have melted down or burnt out before any of this was possible.

 

[CharlieT71059]

oh my, Gasp, We would not have had Billy Clyde in out coaching tree!!