Interesting that Richard Pitino was among the first candidates to be mentioned when Western Kentucky Univeristy decided to fire basketball coach Ken McDonald.
Some believe Richard is ready to move on again, especially after Rick Pitino’s confusing remarks recently about retirement. So much for working together with dad long-term to build and maintain a powerhouse program.
If one is serious about winning national championships. one doesn’t set deadlines that would be can be used against him in recruiting battles, just as Army generals don’t advise tipping your hand in warfare, which college basketball is in this region.
Pitino indicated about 12 days ago that he would retire after his current contract ends at the University of Louisville after the 2016-17 season. It wasn’t the first time that he’s suggested the possibility of retirement, as if approaching the age of 60 came with some sort a countdown clock.
This past Friday, however, the coach was wondering how people had concluded that he had set a retirement date. “I set no retirement date,” he said. “That was a joke. I was talking about how much I’m enjoying my job. Suddenly I go home and it’s all over ESPN I set a retirement date.”
Almost an admission that he’s not serious about lots of things he says during his press conferences. He becomes an entertainer in front of a microphone, sometimes for the comedy, other times for drama, often coming up with surprising scenarios, anything but the predictable.
Our guess that he miscalculated the effect that his passing remark would have on people around him, possibly including some in his immediate family.
Ricky has been the king of hyperbole since he’s been in Kentucky. One of the most outrageous statements he made, among others is that he has a guard that is “unguardable”
Really, that guard should be able to score 70 points a game then you would think. He has said “this is the greatest team I’ve ever coached” more than one can count. His business dealings are the same way. He is not to be trusted, is not a man of his word and has left many a person dangling, not to mention his ex, in a cloud of confusing misleading egomanical comments. Not sure how he ever got elevated to the status he has. Is he protected by the mob or something. Sure didn’t appear that way when he was in Boston.
Rick Pitino has been at Louisville to long. Both Rick and Louisville could use a change.
I agree it is time for a change.