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02-11-2010, 10:23 AM
Well, this would definitely solve the recruiting battle between Louisville and UK.
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02-11-2010, 11:26 AM
I can't really blame Rick Pitino for this one. He has hit rock bottom with the whole Karen Sypher deal.
I want to know theVILLE's take on this!
I want to know theVILLE's take on this!
02-11-2010, 12:12 PM
outdoorsman43 Wrote:I can't really blame Rick Pitino for this one. He has hit rock bottom with the whole Karen Sypher deal.Oh I can't blame him for wanting to get out either but the Nets? Just retire man...lol
I want to know theVILLE's take on this!
I always thought he should have never taken the Louisville job anyways.
02-11-2010, 12:15 PM
I thought he learned his lesson last time. Pro players have huge EGOS to deal with and are not impressionable minds, like college. His wife though has been spending time between Florida, where their son is an assistant for Billy Donavan, and New York area where they are from. Maybe that's why he would leave, to help salvage their marriage.
02-11-2010, 01:43 PM
I really dont see it happening. I Think that he stays in the end but it will be interesting to see Louisville fans get uptight.
02-11-2010, 02:30 PM
He could potentially coach Lebron James and John Wall.
02-11-2010, 04:13 PM
[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4905028"]Rick Pitino of Louisville Cardinals: No truth to report of interest in New Jersey Nets job - ESPN@@AMEPARAM@@http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4904948@@AMEPARAM@@4904948[/ame]
NO way does pitno go to the NBA...he may leave louisville but he will not got to the NBA! Guarantee that
NO way does pitno go to the NBA...he may leave louisville but he will not got to the NBA! Guarantee that
02-11-2010, 04:15 PM
Louisville coach Rick Pitino is denying a newspaper report that he's interested in a return to the NBA with the New Jersey Nets.
"There's not an ounce of truth to it," Pitino told ESPN.com's Pat Forde.
"I have no interest, period," Pitino said Thursday. "I'm done with coaching professional basketball. I've put the professional ranks behind me."
The New York Daily News reported Thursday that sources close to Pitino said the former Boston Celtics and New York Knicks coach had reached out to Nets brass in recent days and had intermediaries recently contact Nets president Rod Thorn on his behalf.
A source close to Thorn said the Nets' president has denied that he spoke to Pitino, the Daily News reported. Later Thursday, Thorn sent a text message to The Newark Star-Ledger saying: "Have not had any contact with Pitino. To my knowledge, no one in our organization has, either."
Sources within the organization told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that Pitino may have gone through a third party to get word of his interest to people close to incoming Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, a Russian billionaire expected to be approved by the NBA's board of governors next month.
A source close to Pitino who exchanged text messages with Pitino on Thursday morning told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that there was no truth to the report about Pitino having any direct or indirect contact with the Nets.
The source close to Pitino told Katz that while Pitino did speak with Thorn at the funeral for former New York Knicks player and coach **** McGuire earlier this week, that conversation was the sort one would normally have at a funeral -- not about a job.
“
I'm done with coaching professional basketball. I've put the professional ranks behind me.
”
-- Rick Pitino
The Nets are a woeful 4-48 and on pace to match or eclipse the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73) for the league's all-time futility record.
The source told ESPN.com that Pitino continues to recruit as much as possible for the 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes and beyond and has been on the road as much as allowed under NCAA regulations.
The source also said that contrary to the Daily News report, Pitino has not been worn down by a pending extortion case in which a former mistress has been charged.
Last year, Pitino told police that he had consensual sex in 2003 with a woman currently facing charges of attempting to extort him. The woman, Karen Cunagin Sypher, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of trying to extort money from Pitino, lying to the FBI and intimidating a witness. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After the allegations became public, Pitino told reporters the situation had been "pure ****" for his family.
Louisville has struggled at times this season while the Bluegrass State's basketball fans have been caught up in Kentucky's return to prominence. The Wildcats (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 3 AP), sparked by freshman phenom John Wall, are 23-1 overall, 8-1 in the SEC and lead the SEC East. The Cardinals (15-8, 6-4) are sixth in the 16-team Big East.
Pitino's personal issues returned to the spotlight when fans in the student section at West Virginia chanted Sypher's name at Pitino during a game in Morgantown last month. During one of the chants, which occurred during a timeout, WVU coach Bob Huggins motioned toward the students to quiet down.
But Pitino dismissed any connection between that incident and suggestions that the grind of his job is wearing on him.
"Because of what happened at West Virginia, I'm worn out?" he told ESPN's Forde. "I've been on the road recruiting, I've been working 18-hour days, and I'm worn out because I went into a place where they denigrate everybody?"
Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein also denied that there had been any contact from Pitino to the Nets in any form. Klein said Pitino has shown no signs of being tired of Louisville and is working toward securing a top-five recruiting class in 2011.
Pitino said he has no interest in leaving Louisville and that the only job he's looked into in nine years here was Providence, because of his ties there, and that he informed Louisville about that communication before deciding to stay with the Cardinals. Pitino coached Providence to the 1987 Final Four.
According to Klein, the contact between Pitino and Providence came at the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio, after Tim Welsh was fired as coach. Providence ultimately hired Drake's Keno Davis.
"I can tell you that I won't be surprised if Coach Pitino is here for a long time," Klein said.
ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde, ESPN.com college basketball writer Andy Katz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
"There's not an ounce of truth to it," Pitino told ESPN.com's Pat Forde.
"I have no interest, period," Pitino said Thursday. "I'm done with coaching professional basketball. I've put the professional ranks behind me."
The New York Daily News reported Thursday that sources close to Pitino said the former Boston Celtics and New York Knicks coach had reached out to Nets brass in recent days and had intermediaries recently contact Nets president Rod Thorn on his behalf.
A source close to Thorn said the Nets' president has denied that he spoke to Pitino, the Daily News reported. Later Thursday, Thorn sent a text message to The Newark Star-Ledger saying: "Have not had any contact with Pitino. To my knowledge, no one in our organization has, either."
Sources within the organization told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that Pitino may have gone through a third party to get word of his interest to people close to incoming Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, a Russian billionaire expected to be approved by the NBA's board of governors next month.
A source close to Pitino who exchanged text messages with Pitino on Thursday morning told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that there was no truth to the report about Pitino having any direct or indirect contact with the Nets.
The source close to Pitino told Katz that while Pitino did speak with Thorn at the funeral for former New York Knicks player and coach **** McGuire earlier this week, that conversation was the sort one would normally have at a funeral -- not about a job.
“
I'm done with coaching professional basketball. I've put the professional ranks behind me.
”
-- Rick Pitino
The Nets are a woeful 4-48 and on pace to match or eclipse the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73) for the league's all-time futility record.
The source told ESPN.com that Pitino continues to recruit as much as possible for the 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes and beyond and has been on the road as much as allowed under NCAA regulations.
The source also said that contrary to the Daily News report, Pitino has not been worn down by a pending extortion case in which a former mistress has been charged.
Last year, Pitino told police that he had consensual sex in 2003 with a woman currently facing charges of attempting to extort him. The woman, Karen Cunagin Sypher, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of trying to extort money from Pitino, lying to the FBI and intimidating a witness. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After the allegations became public, Pitino told reporters the situation had been "pure ****" for his family.
Louisville has struggled at times this season while the Bluegrass State's basketball fans have been caught up in Kentucky's return to prominence. The Wildcats (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 3 AP), sparked by freshman phenom John Wall, are 23-1 overall, 8-1 in the SEC and lead the SEC East. The Cardinals (15-8, 6-4) are sixth in the 16-team Big East.
Pitino's personal issues returned to the spotlight when fans in the student section at West Virginia chanted Sypher's name at Pitino during a game in Morgantown last month. During one of the chants, which occurred during a timeout, WVU coach Bob Huggins motioned toward the students to quiet down.
But Pitino dismissed any connection between that incident and suggestions that the grind of his job is wearing on him.
"Because of what happened at West Virginia, I'm worn out?" he told ESPN's Forde. "I've been on the road recruiting, I've been working 18-hour days, and I'm worn out because I went into a place where they denigrate everybody?"
Louisville spokesman Kenny Klein also denied that there had been any contact from Pitino to the Nets in any form. Klein said Pitino has shown no signs of being tired of Louisville and is working toward securing a top-five recruiting class in 2011.
Pitino said he has no interest in leaving Louisville and that the only job he's looked into in nine years here was Providence, because of his ties there, and that he informed Louisville about that communication before deciding to stay with the Cardinals. Pitino coached Providence to the 1987 Final Four.
According to Klein, the contact between Pitino and Providence came at the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio, after Tim Welsh was fired as coach. Providence ultimately hired Drake's Keno Davis.
"I can tell you that I won't be surprised if Coach Pitino is here for a long time," Klein said.
ESPN.com senior writer Pat Forde, ESPN.com college basketball writer Andy Katz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
02-11-2010, 04:32 PM
People around Pitino are saying that he did show interest in the Sacramento Kings and New Jersey Nets jobs.
Wait, didn't this happen like in 1997 to another team from Kentucky? Oh yeah, it did. Back then he wasn't interested in going back to the NBA either, but know what, he winded up with the Boston Celtics.
I'm not saying that Rick will wind up in the NBA, but its very possible.
Wait, didn't this happen like in 1997 to another team from Kentucky? Oh yeah, it did. Back then he wasn't interested in going back to the NBA either, but know what, he winded up with the Boston Celtics.
I'm not saying that Rick will wind up in the NBA, but its very possible.
02-11-2010, 06:47 PM
This may be more than just a rumor. Ricky P. likes to name his succesor, i.e. Tubby Smith at UK. Ralpha Willard is already on board at UofL so the transition to a new incoming coach wouldn't be hard on the players already there that's coming back. Interesting to say the least.
02-11-2010, 06:50 PM
theVILLE Wrote:Rick Pitino of Louisville Cardinals: No truth to report of interest in New Jersey Nets job - ESPN
NO way does pitno go to the NBA...he may leave louisville but he will not got to the NBA! Guarantee that
And Bill Clinton "Did Not" sleep with that woman....... As a matter of fact, didn't Pitino say that he didn't sleep with that woman also????
I guess you can't always beleive what someone denies......
02-11-2010, 06:59 PM
BlackcatAlum Wrote:People around Pitino are saying that he did show interest in the Sacramento Kings and New Jersey Nets jobs.
Wait, didn't this happen like in 1997 to another team from Kentucky? Oh yeah, it did. Back then he wasn't interested in going back to the NBA either, but know what, he winded up with the Boston Celtics.
I'm not saying that Rick will wind up in the NBA, but its very possible.
Very good point. But I would hope that Rick has to see the writing on the wall that the NBA just is not a good fit for coaches like him. I still do not see him heading out but it is going to be interesting to watch develop over the next couple months. Besides why would Pitino say that he can potentially be leaving when he is fighting to get his team to believe in him and work towards the tourney.
02-11-2010, 07:01 PM
Scotty doesn't know Wrote:Very good point. But I would hope that Rick has to see the writing on the wall that the NBA just is not a good fit for coaches like him. I still do not see him heading out but it is going to be interesting to watch develop over the next couple months. Besides why would Pitino say that he can potentially be leaving when he is fighting to get his team to believe in him and work towards the tourney.
Pitino is a teacher. NBA coaches are not teachers, they are coordinators and call X's and O's in the last five minutes of a game. You are dead-on, Pitino does not fit the mold of what is needed in the NBA. Not a knock, just the way it is. In the NBA, the players are in charge. In college, the coach is in charge.
02-11-2010, 07:24 PM
Stardust Wrote:Pitino is a teacher. NBA coaches are not teachers, they are coordinators and call X's and O's in the last five minutes of a game. You are dead-on, Pitino does not fit the mold of what is needed in the NBA. Not a knock, just the way it is. In the NBA, the players are in charge. In college, the coach is in charge.
EXACTLY!! Thank you. That is exactly what I was trying to say.
02-11-2010, 08:38 PM
Ricky Whitesuit complains about the WVU students chanting "Karen Sypher???" In the words of Larry the Cable Guy "that's funny, I don't care who you are."
02-11-2010, 09:20 PM
dangerousdaneerfan Wrote:Ricky Whitesuit complains about the WVU students chanting "Karen Sypher???" In the words of Larry the Cable Guy "that's funny, I don't care who you are."
Lets see You guys are the #6 team in the nation! It was at WV, Louisville is way down this year from avg...and yet WV had to cheat to beat louisville, that funny right there, I dont care who you are!!
hh:
02-11-2010, 09:20 PM
Stardust Wrote:Pitino is a teacher. NBA coaches are not teachers, they are coordinators and call X's and O's in the last five minutes of a game. You are dead-on, Pitino does not fit the mold of what is needed in the NBA. Not a knock, just the way it is. In the NBA, the players are in charge. In college, the coach is in charge.
Maybe he just wants to coach wall??:biggrin:
02-11-2010, 09:25 PM
Thats pretty bad if Pitino is going to leave after just having one bad season! He needs to be a man and stay at Louisville and battle it out on the recruiting front and see what it feels like to not be the best!
02-11-2010, 09:28 PM
Pitino didnt have as bad of a NBA coaching career as people seem to think. As the knicks coach he had an above .500 record and a couple playoff appearences. He actually won one playoff series before meeting Michael Jordan the in the next round. He cpmletely turned the Knicks around. When he came to the knicks they had only won 24 games the previous season and he came in and had them in the playoffs the very next season, a his second season won a series in the playoffs. He wasnt by no means a great NBA coach but he wasnt that bad either.
02-11-2010, 09:39 PM
theVILLE Wrote:Lets see You guys are the #6 team in the nation! It was at WV, Louisville is way down this year from avg...and yet WV had to cheat to beat louisville, that funny right there, I dont care who you are!!
I call it justice for what happened to us in the 07 BET when Sosa took his infamous "walk in the Garden" that the refs never called. BTW, I have an extra box of tissues for the continued crying over the 05 onside kick. :moon:
02-11-2010, 09:40 PM
leecoukfan Wrote:Thats pretty bad if Pitino is going to leave after just having one bad season! He needs to be a man and stay at Louisville and battle it out on the recruiting front and see what it feels like to not be the best!
Funny he did not do that at UK when he left for the Celtics.
02-11-2010, 10:33 PM
dangerousdaneerfan Wrote:I call it justice for what happened to us in the 07 BET when Sosa took his infamous "walk in the Garden" that the refs never called. BTW, I have an extra box of tissues for the continued crying over the 05 onside kick. :moon:
Oh well the ball bounced off Ebanks and to the parking lot and it was WV ball...What goes around comes around i guess!Its not that the ref missed the call..it was that they didnt know so they gave it to WV
02-11-2010, 11:10 PM
theVILLE Wrote:Oh well the ball bounced off Ebanks and to the parking lot and it was WV ball...What goes around comes around i guess!Its not that the ref missed the call..it was that they didnt know so they gave it to WV
Bottom line is that Louisville blew a 12 point lead on us like he blew a 17 point lead on 'Nova. I don't think you are going to get many people on this board to feel sorry for Pitino and his problems. Just relax and remember that football season is just 5 months away.
02-11-2010, 11:13 PM
dangerousdaneerfan Wrote:Bottom line is that Louisville blew a 12 point lead on us like he blew a 17 point lead on 'Nova. I don't think you are going to get many people on this board to feel sorry for Pitino and his problems. Just relax and remember that football season is just 5 months away.
Yeah but just because they blew a twelve point lead dont mean to cheat and skip the rule book! and the refs help blow 5 of them...NOVA loss yes i dont feel sorry, but the WV game, yes i do they hustled the whole game and got cheated in the end!
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