Richard Pitino to Minnesota

**theVILLE** · 04-03-2013, 03:06 PM

The Gophers have done much better! I didnt think they would get better than Tubby but I was wrong. Richard will have them Elite level before long!

**theVILLE** · 04-03-2013, 03:11 PM

Very close to making a deal per Andy Katz

**FBALL** · 04-03-2013, 03:45 PM

Haha .

This time Pitino replaces Smith.

**theVILLE** · 04-03-2013, 03:50 PM

Much better trade that way lol

**#1 Blackcat Fan** · 04-03-2013, 04:35 PM

theVILLE Wrote:The Gophers have done much better! I didnt think they would get better than Tubby but I was wrong. Richard will have them Elite level before long!

If your being sarcastic i understand your comment. If not what has Richard done to make you think he will have the Gophers at an elite level before long?

**outdoorsman43** · 04-03-2013, 05:33 PM

Ummmm, this was a flat out "name" hire. Tell me exactly where Richard has proved himself. He has been a head coach for one season, replacing Isaiah Thomas at FIU and went 18-14. Not exactly bad, but c'mon Ville. You have to admit you only are hyping him up because he is Rick's son.

I'm not saying he will be a bust, but I'm not sure where your hype is coming from other than he is Rick's son.

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 12:39 PM

Its a much better hire than I ever dreamed they would get, but yes I am hyping him because he is Rick's son. However, I am impressed with his coaching in that one season. He almost had FIU dancing. If I heard this right he only had one maybe 2 scholarship players at FIU? Thats pretty impressive record to only do that. I was impressed with him while at UL too. I have no worries that he will be a great coach some day. In my eyes, great hire by the Gophers.

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 12:52 PM

#1 Blackcat Fan Wrote:If your being sarcastic i understand your comment. If not what has Richard done to make you think he will have the Gophers at an elite level before long?

I was being a lil sarcastic, yes. But I dont have any doubts that he will be a terrific coach. His work at FIU proves that to me. Sure he was 18-14 but you have to look deeper into that. He took over that program in one season and they had their first winning season since 2000. 18-14 was the best record for that school since 1988. 11 conference wins also broke a school record. He made it to the conference championship after been predicted to finish second to last in the conference. He failed to win the championship to WKU. Which is a good team. He done all this with very very limited talent. To me thats nothing to be ashamed of for a young coaches first season.

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 12:58 PM

Rick's first season was 17-9. His first season record at UK was 14-14 and had them in the Elite 8 after 2 seasons. Im not saying he will have Minnesota winning championships or even in the final 4. But I'd bet in 3 seasons they are Sweet 16 or Elite 8. Because if Im not wrong here, I think Minnesota loses alot this season, not 100% certain on that

**#1 Blackcat Fan** · 04-04-2013, 01:18 PM

theVILLE Wrote:I was being a lil sarcastic, yes. But I dont have any doubts that he will be a terrific coach. His work at FIU proves that to me. Sure he was 18-14 but you have to look deeper into that. He took over that program in one season and they had their first winning season since 2000. 18-14 was the best record for that school since 1988. 11 conference wins also broke a school record. He made it to the conference championship after been predicted to finish second to last in the conference. He failed to win the championship to WKU. Which is a good team. He done all this with very very limited talent. To me thats nothing to be ashamed of for a young coaches first season.

Thanks for the explanation on your thoughts Ville. I will say he has been groomed to succeed, but he now has to prove himself.

**outdoorsman43** · 04-04-2013, 03:23 PM

theVILLE Wrote:Its a much better hire than I ever dreamed they would get, but yes I am hyping him because he is Rick's son. However, I am impressed with his coaching in that one season. He almost had FIU dancing. If I heard this right he only had one maybe 2 scholarship players at FIU? Thats pretty impressive record to only do that. I was impressed with him while at UL too. I have no worries that he will be a great coach some day. In my eyes, great hire by the Gophers.

Not saying it's not a potential great hire. He took FIU to their first winning season in 13 years in his first season.

Not exactly rooting for him though. Dirty bird was the one who leaked Eric Bledsoe's transcript. Not one of my favorite people, but could end up being a good hire for Minnesota.

**FBALL** · 04-04-2013, 03:48 PM

Minnesota is not Kentucky.

**outdoorsman43** · 04-04-2013, 03:51 PM

It is also said FIU's possible sanctions don't have anything to do with Pitino. It was all Isiah Thomas.

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 05:58 PM

#1 Blackcat Fan Wrote:Thanks for the explanation on your thoughts Ville. I will say he has been groomed to succeed, but he now has to prove himself.

As far as a first season goes, I dont think he could have done better. But yes he will have to prove himself now

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 06:00 PM

outdoorsman43 Wrote:Not saying it's not a potential great hire. He took FIU to their first winning season in 13 years in his first season.

Not exactly rooting for him though. Dirty bird was the one who leaked Eric Bledsoe's transcript. Not one of my favorite people, but could end up being a good hire for Minnesota.

Lol I kinda like him for tht! And its a good hire for minnesota. This is a good chance for him to get a good name built for himself

**theVILLE** · 04-04-2013, 06:02 PM

FBALL Wrote:Minnesota is not Kentucky.

You are correct. I wasnt saying Minnesota was on UK level. I was just comparing first seasons to his dads who will be a hall of famer soon.

**FBALL** · 04-04-2013, 07:37 PM

theVILLE Wrote:You are correct. I wasnt saying Minnesota was on UK level. I was just comparing first seasons to his dads who will be a hall of famer soon.

You might want to use Big Richard's first year in Boston then.

**theVILLE** · 04-05-2013, 01:35 AM

FBALL Wrote:You might want to use Big Richard's first year in Boston then.

Once again that makes Richard look even better. Ricks first years at boston was a struggle

**FBALL** · 04-05-2013, 10:03 AM

theVILLE Wrote:Once again that makes Richard look even better. Ricks first years at boston was a struggle

In not trying to make him look better or worse. Just a fair comparison.

**toussaints** · 04-05-2013, 04:53 PM

Tubby replaces Billy G, Pitino replaces Tubby

It was pretty clear what Minnesota was thinking when they fired Tubby. Minnesota's A.D. was the same guy that hired Shaka Smart at VCU. He thought he had a pretty good shot at getting Smart to come to Minnesota.

**RavenBoy** · 04-06-2013, 01:43 AM

Dont think much of this hire. His dad can coach but not him, so far anyways.

**theVILLE** · 04-06-2013, 01:48 AM

RavenBoy Wrote:Dont think much of this hire. His dad can coach but not him, so far anyways.

Explain that?

dangerousdaneerfan · 04-06-2013, 11:23 AM

FBALL Wrote:Minnesota is not Kentucky.

Quite true. Where else in the Country does a coach win 40 games in two years get fired???? Only at UK!!!!!

**FBALL** · 04-06-2013, 12:12 PM

Evidently Minnesota is not Kentucky then. Tubby won 21 games last year and 23 the previous year at Munnesota before they fired him. He was not fired from Kentucky.

dangerousdaneerfan · 04-06-2013, 01:53 PM

FBALL Wrote:Evidently Minnesota is not Kentucky then. Tubby won 21 games last year and 23 the previous year at Munnesota before they fired him. He was not fired from Kentucky.

I was refering to Billy Clyde Gillespie.

**FBALL** · 04-06-2013, 03:50 PM

I wasn't.

**theVILLE** · 04-06-2013, 04:13 PM

dangerousdaneerfan Wrote:Quite true. Where else in the Country does a coach win 40 games in two years get fired???? Only at UK!!!!!

For one Tubby didnt technically get fired at UK. And secondly, he won 44 games at Minnesota the last 2 seasons. So that response was incorrect. You also get fired at minnesota for winning 40 games in 2 seasons. And Billy G's firing I dont think was caused by his record or anything. I think alot of it was his public appearance