No one says a word.
Everyone at the University of Louisville is mum, tight-lipped, non-verbal, incommunicado on the issue of UofL’s chances of getting into the Big 12 Conference expansion/realignment.
Everyone has been sworn to silence. Even if they don’t know anything, which they don’t.
Everyone that is except Rick Pitino who has become everyone’s nightmare, the proverbial loose cannon. Out there by himself, crusading for the preservation of the Big East.
On a day when the Big 12 appeared to be near reaching consensus, we get word that T. Boone Pickens is still not through tinkering with the process.
And Rick Pitino is still out there, turning out still another blog in defense of the Big East.
We suspect Pitino is using his good friend, Andy Katz at ESPN, to broadcast his message nationally, creating doubt, planting seeds of disunity, seeking to derail the process. In his latest blog Katz reports:
BYU, TCU and Louisville have all been mentioned as possibilities to join the Big 12. But Louisville, a source told ESPN.com, is interested in keeping Big East together with service academies to fill void left by Pitt and Syracuse, who are heading to the ACC.
We also suspect that Katz wrote his piece primarily to provide a platform in support of Pitino’s position because it certainly didn’t contain any news.
You may win the battle, Rick, but you’ll lose the war. You’re on the wrong side of this issue.
As Matt mentions, Rick has a life-long association with the northeast and career long preference for BIG EAST. Even in the UK days, Rick kept an avid eye on BIG EAST basketball. So, the thought of dropping this gator in a different swamp is naturally averse to him.
It is not his call, though. The Gridiron continues to shape the landscape of ALL college athletics. Until Jeff Walz wins a national title…Crum and Pitino’s accomplishments at UofL will always come up first in any discussion about UofL athletics.
We’re a basketball school in a football dominated NCAA.
I wish little Ricky P. would just retire. I am fed up with his antics over the past week. He just wants to continue taking trips to NYC and Providence instead of Norman and Ames. We do not need him to be successful at basketball. GO CARDS!
This plan, if true, is a crap sandwich for the fans. I have sixteen season tickets for football. If we add service academies and/or C-USA teams I will not renew my tickets. Jurich will not fill Papa John’s Stadium ever again… They will be giving tickets away again at Thortons gas stations!
What Linda said. Stick it Rick.
I am so mad about the Katz story that I could spit nails. It has to be Pitino giving Katz that information. Why does RP even care if U of L jumps to the Big 12 since he’ll be retiring in a few years. I have faith in TJ; he WILL do what’s best for U of L and what’s best for U of L is to JUMP to the Big 12 IF the invitation comes…Pitino can walk and we can get Brad Stevens to coach our beloved Cardinals…go CARDS!