Rick Pitino

[TopCatCal]

I wonder how many times over the years has this man, Rick Pitino looked at himself in the mirror & cussed himself out for leaving Kentucky. How many times has he thought about what might have been? How many times has he fantasized about what his record would be today if he hadn't left UK? I can't imagine anyone living with anymore regrets than Rick Pitino. When Dick Vitale told him that if he had not left Kentucky that he would have more wins than Mike Krzyzewski. Without question he would be on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches along with Wooden, Rupp & coach K. I truly believe if Pitino was still coaching here that his coaching resume would read something like.

15 Final Fours
5 or 6 National Championships
In excess of 1,100 wins

Knowing that he walked away from as he called it, The Holy Roman Empire of college basketball. Has no one but himself to blame. This has got to be a very bitter pill for him to swallow.

 

[Bleedin Blue in Ohio]

I agree. I loved Pitino when he was coaching the Cats and have often thought of the what if's...

 

[UK90]

I think plenty of those thoughts have been had on both sides of the aisle. It seemed like a marriage made in heaven, until he abruptly decided to divorce us and later become a douchebag.

 

[YardCat]

He is so conceited that he doesn’t do it much, he does things without thinking about the consequences. He has lived his live the same his entire life.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

How dare you ask this of Rick Pitino on the 33rd anniversary of the opening of Rae's Pizza Barn?

 

[ArcadiaFan]

Just a matter of time before he builds a team at Iona that he will tell the world "Is the best team I've ever had." He did a great job at UK but his ego was out of control in making him think he could go to the Celtics and bring back that Auerbach dynasty.

 

[blackcat714]

If a frog had wings yada yada with that being said Rick and Rupp were the two best coaches in UK history

 

[North Carolina Blue Wildcat]

How dare you ask this of Rick Pitino on the 33rd anniversary of the opening of Rae's Pizza Barn?

Too many new posters here for you to get the credit this deserves..👏👏👏

 

[MethodUK]

I loved Rick but I think time has shown that he comes with massive baggage that none of us really knew.

1. He was having some side action going on when he owned his Italian restaurant in Lex.

2. Would he have gotten in trouble the same way at UK at Porcini?

3. I think he would have started to recruit illegally after his shine started to wear out

4. Rick thinks he is bigger than the program. This goes with every team he has coached

5. Would his coaching style have lasted his entire career if he had stayed at UK?

I think things happen for a reason!

 

[tmuck]

I wonder how many times over the years has this man, Rick Pitino looked at himself in the mirror & cussed himself out for leaving Kentucky. How many times has he thought about what might have been? How many times has he fantasized about what his record would be today if he hadn't left UK? I can't imagine anyone living with anymore regrets than Rick Pitino. When Dick Vitale told him that if he had not left Kentucky that he would have more wins than Mike Krzyzewski. Without question he would be on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches along with Wooden, Rupp & coach K. I truly believe if Pitino was still coaching here that his coaching resume would read something like.

15 Final Fours
5 or 6 National Championships
In excess of 1,100 wins

Knowing that he walked away from as he called it, The Holy Roman Empire of college basketball. Has no one but himself to blame. This has got to be a very bitter pill for him to swallow.

LOL at Billy Donovan in the background with the sweet nuthugger shorts on.

 

[chroix]

He was here at a perfect time and left at a perfect time in my book. Restored the program. Hung a banner. Set us up to win another. Can’t ask for more and always good to leave on a high note.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It might be the biggest "what if" that college basketball has ever considered.

Pitino leaving Kentucky is the human equivalent of Lucifer's fall from grace. A total travesty of consequence for Pitino.

 

[Tubbyfan78]

Eff Rick Pitino

 

[yoshukai]

I wonder how many times over the years has this man, Rick Pitino looked at himself in the mirror & cussed himself out for leaving Kentucky. How many times has he thought about what might have been? How many times has he fantasized about what his record would be today if he hadn't left UK? I can't imagine anyone living with anymore regrets than Rick Pitino. When Dick Vitale told him that if he had not left Kentucky that he would have more wins than Mike Krzyzewski. Without question he would be on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches along with Wooden, Rupp & coach K. I truly believe if Pitino was still coaching here that his coaching resume would read something like.

15 Final Fours
5 or 6 National Championships
In excess of 1,100 wins

Knowing that he walked away from as he called it, The Holy Roman Empire of college basketball. Has no one but himself to blame. This has got to be a very bitter pill for him to swallow.

I’d say never. Narcissistic people never think they make mistakes and when things dont work out it’s always someone else’s fault. Actually the biggest mistake he made was going against his closest friends advice and taking the U6 job , thinking he was so loved he could turn BBN into U6 fans .

 

[howitis]

i'm glad he left before he was caught cheating and buying whores for his players. thank god he left

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Most underrated coach in college history.

If all players were exactly the same, he'd win the most titles.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Most underrated coach in college history.

If all players were exactly the same, he'd win the most titles.

All of this is true. He's the greatest basketball mind in college basketball history.

 

[Logan Sackett]

I agree with everything said buuutttt, He was given an incredible deal with the Celtics. Cant blame the man for taking that job. He turned into a dirty bird when he took the Louisville job. HaHa see what I did there, Dirty Bird!

 

[Cobb4uk]

I loved Rick but I think time has shown that he comes with massive baggage that none of us really knew.

1. He was having some side action going on when he owned his Italian restaurant in Lex.

2. Would he have gotten in trouble the same way at UK at Porcini?

3. I think he would have started to recruit illegally after his shine started to wear out

4. Rick thinks he is bigger than the program. This goes with every team he has coached

5. Would his coaching style have lasted his entire career if he had stayed at UK?

I think things happen for a reason!

I know someone who was around the program daily for years, they've passed, and they said,"he was the most egotistical SOB they had ever met and if you couldn't do something for him you were not welcome to be around him". There was a lot more tension around the program than many understand during his tenior. Fortunately his escapades were keep out of the media. Pinto didn't change, he was the same at UK, the Celtic's, and UofL, he got caught because ge thought he could walk on water. I'll give him credit for turning the program around but I'm glad he moved on or we would have endured all the heart ache our neighbors to the North is still dealing with.

 

[bowfreak]

Most underrated coach in college history.

If all players were exactly the same, he'd win the most titles.

I couldn't stand him at UL, but this is spot on. Probably the best coach of my lifetime.

 

[Fox2monk]

I couldn't stand him at UL, but this is spot on. Probably the best coach of my lifetime.

He was great in the 90’s and is an amazing coach but Cal still owned him.

 

[CatPhight]

 

[Louis_Skunt]

He was great in the 90’s and is an amazing coach but Cal still owned him.

Cal owned him at UK, but not when he was at Memphis.

I love Cal, im thrilled to have him....but Pitino is better. If they had equal players i think Pitino wins 4 out of 5 games. Thankfully, Pitino is a terrible recruiter.

 

[UK90]

Pitino is absolutely the better coach at getting the most out of his talent. But, luckily, Cal recruits such vastly superior talent that it hardly matters.

 

[travisbickle]

It might be the biggest "what if" that college basketball has ever considered.

Pitino leaving Kentucky is the human equivalent of Lucifer's fall from grace. A total travesty of consequence for Pitino.

I’ve said this before in other threads, but Pitino’s fall was truly Shakespearean/Greek tragedy level. Hubris at its finest.

 

[Fox2monk]

Cal owned him at UK, but not when he was at Memphis.

I love Cal, im thrilled to have him....but Pitino is better. If they had equal players i think Pitino wins 4 out of 5 games. Thankfully, Pitino is a terrible recruiter.

I dunno I mean look at how many freshman Cal used to beat Pitino, plus he even beat him when they were in their championship run years. I’d say Pitino is a better strategist and in game coach, but Cal doesn’t get enough credit for how prepared we are most game in the tournament and that reflects his overall success and how many high seeds he has beaten.

 

[ncaaky]

Most underrated coach in college history.

If all players were exactly the same, he'd win the most titles.

Funny, but he had the best players for many seasons at UK and only won one title. He had great players at UL over his 16 years there and won none. Pretty bold statement !

 

[BigBlueFan19]

I hate Rick, with a passion, but I have to agree with this post. I believe he regrets it every single day!!

 

[crashtestdummy]

Funny, but he had the best players for many seasons at UK and only won one title. He had great players at UL over his 16 years there and won none. Pretty bold statement !

not really, fans with a good understanding of the game will agree RP is the superior coach. even the fans that hate RP will agree. personality aside...dude can coach.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

I dunno I mean look at how many freshman Cal used to beat Pitino, plus he even beat him when they were in their championship run years. I’d say Pitino is a better strategist and in game coach, but Cal doesn’t get enough credit for how prepared we are most game in the tournament and that reflects his overall success and how many high seeds he has beaten.

Poor comparison. Pitino at UL is like fighting Tyson with one hand behind his back, its not a fair fight. Put Pitino at Duke and i he'd be unstoppable. Easier to get talent and crazy home court advantage.

If the Laetner game isn't proof, i dont know what is. Pitino took a handful of kids that wouldn't even be 1-star recruits, and went toe to toe with the best college team ever assembled (at that time). Thats serious coaching and kind of ridiculous to think about.

Ive said it once ill say it again. If all players were exactly the same and recruiting wasn't a factor, Pitino wins the most titles of anyone alive.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Funny, but he had the best players for many seasons at UK and only won one title. He had great players at UL over his 16 years there and won none. Pretty bold statement !

Not true. UL's best rated recruit was Samardo Samuels and he was about as big of a bust as Skal.

Pitino won at UL with many 2-star players. Russ Smith was the best i saw and he was a 2-star. Duke and UNC were loaded with All Americans, and UL had 0, yet was just as good or better.

Pitino had talent at UK and his team went to the title game 3 straight years. Prior to that, you going to tell me Brassow, Gimel Martinez, and Pricket were talented? Pitino could win with a middle school team. And look at him at Iona, that tell you anything?

 

[yes_takeaside]

It might be the biggest "what if" that college basketball has ever considered.

Pitino leaving Kentucky is the human equivalent of Lucifer's fall from grace. A total travesty of consequence for Pitino.

His quote was something like about the glory that would come to someone who restored the Celtics to what they once were

Pride caused Lucifer’s fall, so a very apt comparison

 

[Fox2monk]

Not true. UL's best rated recruit was Samardo Samuels and he was about as big of a bust as Skal.

Pitino won at UL with many 2-star players. Russ Smith was the best i saw and he was a 2-star. Duke and UNC were loaded with All Americans, and UL had 0, yet was just as good or better.

Pitino had talent at UK and his team went to the title game 3 straight years. Prior to that, you going to tell me Brassow, Gimel Martinez, and Pricket were talented? Pitino could win with a middle school team. And look at him at Iona, that tell you anything?

Pitino is one of the best coaches ever but to act like he’s some basketball Jesus who would be coach K for sure is revisionist history. No telling if we would have dominated or fell off after awhile. I’m sure he didn’t change as a person and we all know the crap he got into at UofL. Word is he had a lot of issues at UK that didn’t get out. We don’t wanna end up with a Bob Knight situation or worse UofL. I’m thankful for what he did here and I’m thankful for Calipari.

 

[UKrazycat2]

Crypt keeper is one weird dude.

 

[ncaaky]

And look at him at Iona

What did he do special at Iona? That story is a myth. Iona had been to the NCAA tourney every year but twice since 2012 and the two misses were NIT years. He took over a perennial Tournament team and is a genius for earning a NINE seed in the MAAC!

 

[Wildcats1st]

I wonder how many times over the years has this man, Rick Pitino looked at himself in the mirror & cussed himself out for leaving Kentucky. How many times has he thought about what might have been? How many times has he fantasized about what his record would be today if he hadn't left UK? I can't imagine anyone living with anymore regrets than Rick Pitino. When Dick Vitale told him that if he had not left Kentucky that he would have more wins than Mike Krzyzewski. Without question he would be on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches along with Wooden, Rupp & coach K. I truly believe if Pitino was still coaching here that his coaching resume would read something like.

15 Final Fours
5 or 6 National Championships
In excess of 1,100 wins

Knowing that he walked away from as he called it, The Holy Roman Empire of college basketball. Has no one but himself to blame. This has got to be a very bitter pill for him to swallow.

you make the assumption that pitino would have run a clean ship when the chips were down and that his asshole side would have never come out while coaching UK. He walked away no doubt it was early but based on his failures as a human at UL it was a matter of time before he started banging chicks at bravo pitino. The media would never have given him a free pass the way ratface gets at duke.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

Rick is lucky to be coaching anywhere. The nutless ncaa should have banned him from instilling values in young players.

 

[awf]

Cheating SOB, POS shouldn't even be in the coaching ranks........

 

[RipThru]

He was great in the 90’s and is an amazing coach but Cal still owned him.

It wasn't because of X's and O's.

 

[Fox2monk]

It wasn't because of X's and O's.

Apparently it must be, I hear Pitino can take Any players and win, why couldn’t he beat the superior talent if he’s so great?