Today the University of Louisville locked up Rick Pitino until the 2016-2017 season. And not "locked up" in the sense that Karen Sypher will be after the extortion case is heard in a few months (a REVERSE SYPHER!!! NO ONE SAW THAT COMING!). Pitino signed the extension today, and the salary hasn't been released that I've seen but Jurich was quoted as saying it was his goal to make it competitive with the top coaches in the country.
ESPN had a quote from AD Tom Jurich reading, "I think as we move forward, it's very important for us to be stable," Jurich said. "We have a great coach at the top, we have an icon at the top and I don't think there's five coaches that are in the same discussion as Coach Pitino so it's important we keep him."
Like the guy or not, he can still coach. In 3 of the last 4 years, the Cards have finished either 1st or 2nd in the Big East, which is still regarded as one of the top conferences in the NCAA despite a "down" season. He has compiled a 220-86 record since coming to Louisville, a 71.8% winning percentage. Overall he is still has a .732 win percentage, good for 12th among active coaches. He is also the only coach in history to take three different schools to the Final Four.
Pitino said today, "My moving days have long been over. I've been here nine years. It feels like nine days. Now I'm going to be able to end this career at the place I want to end it at." Another quote from the AP article on ESPN said, "I thought when I first came here I'd stay six to eight years and probably have one more move left in me. Then I realized that there's no other place that I would want to be." He also was quoted as saying the only time he was leaving was when he retired.
I realize there is a lot of "coach speak" that goes on, and after seeing the revolving door of coaches with the football program, it's hard to ever take someone at their word. However I do feel that Pitino has endeared himself to the community of Louisville and the University. I personally have always been a fan of his as long as I can remember, and hope he does stay here until he retires--and not a Brett Favre-ish retiring of coming back every year and re-retiring. (Yeah, I really went there, too.)
Break down his stay here however you want, he has had success. Zero Championships thus far, but still success. In the modern era of the NCAA Tournament, as I said here, it takes almost as much luck to win the Tournament as it does having the most talented and athletic team. It is EXTREMELY difficult to string together a number of wins against absolutely great teams almost immediately after playing in a conference tournament. I still firmly believe the NCAA Championship game should no doubt have been Kansas v. Kentucky, however both of those teams can now attest to just how grueling the tournament is. So I feel that the Final 4 in 2005, and the back to back Elite 8 runs in 2008 and 2009 were a very good feat. All a coach really can do is compile the best team he can, coach them to play the style of game best suited for them, and hope you get a little lucky along the way.
Congratulations to Coach Pitino and his contract extension, and I hope he stays here a long time.
You forgot the Enzyte extension joke. Shame on you.
ReplyDeleteThe moral of the story is: embarrass your employer with a sex scandal (doesn't help that your school is Catholic and you paid to abort a baby), and repeatedly underachieve, and you will get an extension and raise! Go Pitino!
ReplyDeleteTo be fair PAMB, UofL isn't a Catholic institution. Pitino is a Catholic and he claims that the proudest moment of his life is when he kissed Pope John Paul II's ring. That's all I am going to say on the matter.
ReplyDeleteWell Boogie, according to a 2008 poll, 49% of Catholics consider themselves pro-life, while 48% consider themselves pro-choice. I'm in no way defending Pitino's actions, but if you have a problem with Pitino allegedly being involved in an abortion, you also have a problem with 48% of the people sitting in the pews with you on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteURL for the poll: http://www.lifenews.com/nat4450.html
ReplyDeleteI never said I had a problem at all, I was just stating a fact and clarifying something for PAMB. And you can drop the "allegedly" from your statement. Youre too smart for that.
ReplyDeleteI know a few catholics personally who have HAD abortions...I also know non-catholics who have abortions...it's not just "catholics" who are pro-life, it's any technical "christian."
ReplyDeletePAMB, I guess what you posted is about like taking 2 different schools to final 4's, only to have the seasons and f4's vacated, and then landing a "dream job" and being the highest paid coach in the country...
You boys play nice......Pitino is Pitino and he is up for every job for a reason....dont really hear Calipari named tossed so much!!
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