Pitino - Love/Hate Thread
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classof2010
Well-known member
I love the posters on here who crap on Pitino. Always talking about winning the right way. Give me a break. First off, college athletics always dirty. Atleast, now the players are getting compensated legally. Also, we have paid players in past just not good players. Abe Keira and Sid Wilson come to mind. The whole Pitt Scandal happened the same time as Baylor. Only 6 seasons later, Scott Drew had them in an Elite 8 and Norm had a circle jerk. I graduated over 10 years ago been a fan since 1997. I want to win because I’m tired of hearing about the 80s from these puritanical alums. Most of these folks are either collecting Social Security or close to it. Pitino is not perfect but, he is the guy to bring us back to those years in the 1980’s. I’m tired of being hit up for donations that contribute to mediocrity! Emailed Cragg and he got back to me. Nice guy, even with Anderson signing the extension definitely think he is not guaranteed to be here for long haul.
——-Classof2010 post=453910 said:
I hope Mike Cragg is Athletic Director at St. John’s for the long haul.
Cragg has introduced a level of professionalism long absent from the St. John’s athletic department. I
I also don’t believe that CMA’s contract extension was agreed to without the approval of President Shanley and the Board Trustees.
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beast of the east
Active member
1. At one time there was more than 20 workers per person collecting social security. Now there are 3. I have a few years to go, and saved carefully in case SS goes bust, but thank you for working for my benefits. Almost for certain they won't be there for you. I guess I don't care, so I'm not puritanical.Classof2010 post=453910 said:
2. You want to win because you are tired of hearing about the 80s? I'm tired about hearing about it too, but that's about the stupidest, poorly articulated reason for wanting to win.
3. Think of this. Let's say it was your sister, or girlfriend, or mom, put on her back by Pitino for unprotected sex which may have impregnated her. How would you feel about him then? Would you want Daddy Pitino to coach this team?
4. Donations to the school have nothing to do with winning. Even if they did, I'm sure you haven't donated a dime. You can't ask to be taken off the email list. IT will save you from ranting about supporting a school who almost certainly supported your academic studies (95% of students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships or grants). If you didn't, you were either too wealthy or not bright enough.
5. I'm so happy Cragg wrote back to you. He will always respond to followers of the program. He is a tireless worker. But I would say, after you engaged him, and he took the write to write back, and you post that garbage, he wasted 5 minutes of his life, as I just did.
we all accept that college sports is a very dirty business and no one is saying we are the holiest progrAm that exists. However Coach Pitino’s transgressions we’re really bad, they really went far and above the norm and if he would move to coach in a major confèrence the school would be under a larger microscope. Are we ready to accept that , I don’t think so at the moment, but can’t say how things would be in a few years. I understand and share your frustrations which may be greater for those of us who have less time to see us dance and who lived through the great years and find it so much harder to accept the decline. You want to climb the hill, we can’t believe how far we have fallen as a program. Trust me the fall is much harder to accept.Classof2010 post=453910 said:
one thing that I have come to réalisé is if he ever would be hired at SJU I have no doubt the large majority of the fan base would rally behind him.
Agree completely RMN. What many of our fan base fail to realize is that our program has fallen to somewhere between completely irrelevant, and a total laughingstock. Now, that can change pretty quickly, but I'm starting to wonder if I have enough years left on this earth to see that change happen. As for Pitino, if he does his penance at Iona, and if our program is as above reproach as some claim it is, there is no reason why he couldn't come here, completely play by the rules and have us back on top in no time. In any event we have a coach for at least another few years, so we'll see what happens when our next coaching vacancy happens.redmannorth post=453968 said:
Spocky Ramone
Well-known member
https://nypost.com/2022/01/29/rick-pitino-not-ruling-out-another-job-after-iona/
The money quote:
“I can’t say [I won’t coach at another college], because then you look like a liar if you ever do. My total motive is to stay here. I’m a New Yorker. I want to end my career in New York. I live in a place I want to live. But you never know.”
The money quote:
“I can’t say [I won’t coach at another college], because then you look like a liar if you ever do. My total motive is to stay here. I’m a New Yorker. I want to end my career in New York. I live in a place I want to live. But you never know.”
RedmanMike
Well-known member
Pretty soon - like this spring when he leaves Iona to take a Power Five job and a reporter reminds him that he said he would finish his career at Iona - you'll hear the other Pitino go-to line... "That's how I felt at the time."
Well either way his critics will trash him. Remember a poster on here literally said the fact he is coaching Iona and not a Power 6 school is evidence in itselt that no one significant wants to touch him. Therefore why would SJU?
But if he leaves for say Maryland that makes him a jerk too because he went against his word.
And if he said nothing to a reporter who asked him a question people would simply say he was being evasive about his job and can't be trusted.
In other words it doesn't matter what he does it will be spun by his critics as evidence he is shady.
RedmanMike post=454020
Pretty soon - like this spring when he leaves Iona to take a Power Five job and a reporter reminds him that he said he would finish his career at Iona - you'll hear the other Pitino go-to line... "That's how I felt at the time."
But if he leaves for say Maryland that makes him a jerk too because he went against his word.
And if he said nothing to a reporter who asked him a question people would simply say he was being evasive about his job and can't be trusted.
In other words it doesn't matter what he does it will be spun by his critics as evidence he is shady.
RedmanMike post=454020
Pretty soon - like this spring when he leaves Iona to take a Power Five job and a reporter reminds him that he said he would finish his career at Iona - you'll hear the other Pitino go-to line... "That's how I felt at the time."
If Mr. Pitino does leave Iona he will not be the first, nor the last college coach to pivot.
Think of the number of college coaches that recruit a player in November and have their agents solicit offers from colleges for vacancies 4 months after in March.
Think of the number of college coaches that recruit a player in November and have their agents solicit offers from colleges for vacancies 4 months after in March.
beast of the east
Active member
Have any 70 year old coaches in college basketball ever taken a new prestigious head coaching job? I think most schools would think there are better options for them.fordham96 post=454023 said:
No but obviously very few of them have the luxury of being available past 70. I mean K was never going to leave Duke, Boeheim was never going to leave Syracuse. At least voluntarily.
Closest is probably Larry Brown getting the job at SMU.
Beast of the East post=454026
Closest is probably Larry Brown getting the job at SMU.
Beast of the East post=454026
Have any 70 year old coaches in college basketball ever taken a new prestigious head coaching job? I think most schools would think there are better options for them.fordham96 post=454023 said:
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We spend so much time discussing Rick. To me he is many things; a guy who played it loose to say the least at Ky and Louisville, embarrassed himself and family with restaurant incident and has moved around a lot. Iona was fortunate and gutsy enough to offer him a job knowing he has his flaws, but is obviously a HOF coach, recruits well, will attract transfers and gives the program a lot of publicity & likely adds fundraising value as well.
Tim Cluess was a great success at Iona and for most a tough act to follow. I do believe, however, Rick will not only dance at Iona, but probably steal a game, something Tim did not accomplish. Yeah he is getting on in age but he still has productive years to go. Would not shock me if he leaves Iona or stays.
It is hard enough for me to stay attentive to the SJU situation and perpetual search for competence. At times it can be equated to making a u-turn in Panama Canal. That said I am a college hoops junkie and simply enjoy good games. I may be in minority, but I wish we played Iona every year Pitino is there. Who cares about bragging rights and the theory we would have the most to lose? Just lace them up and go at it.
My last post on Rick I hope
Tim Cluess was a great success at Iona and for most a tough act to follow. I do believe, however, Rick will not only dance at Iona, but probably steal a game, something Tim did not accomplish. Yeah he is getting on in age but he still has productive years to go. Would not shock me if he leaves Iona or stays.
It is hard enough for me to stay attentive to the SJU situation and perpetual search for competence. At times it can be equated to making a u-turn in Panama Canal. That said I am a college hoops junkie and simply enjoy good games. I may be in minority, but I wish we played Iona every year Pitino is there. Who cares about bragging rights and the theory we would have the most to lose? Just lace them up and go at it.
My last post on Rick I hope
beast of the east
Active member
Either a basketball junkie, or would love to see this site explode if Iona beat us by 10.Paultzman post=454032 said:I may be in minority, but I wish we played Iona every year Pitino is there. Who cares about bragging rights and the theory we would have the most to lose? Just lace them up and go at it.
My last post on Rick I hope
When I advocated for Pitino hire 3 years ago I said I understood the reluctance on some specifically with the baggage.
But here are 3 truths that cannot be ignored if they had hired him:
1)He instantly becomes the best coach in the BE and that includes Jay who is a future Hall of Famer himself.
2)He would immediately make them relevant nationally and recruit at a high level and
3)He would make SJU games must see and must attend. You don't think he would pack the Garden? In addition the schedule, he would bring high level non-conference teams to the Garden.
Those 3 things I am certain. And because he was available (under normal circumstances he would not be) SJU was looking at a gift in the face and chose a different direction. And again there are valid reasons for that and Mike Anderson is a good coach but I would have rolled the dice.
But here are 3 truths that cannot be ignored if they had hired him:
1)He instantly becomes the best coach in the BE and that includes Jay who is a future Hall of Famer himself.
2)He would immediately make them relevant nationally and recruit at a high level and
3)He would make SJU games must see and must attend. You don't think he would pack the Garden? In addition the schedule, he would bring high level non-conference teams to the Garden.
Those 3 things I am certain. And because he was available (under normal circumstances he would not be) SJU was looking at a gift in the face and chose a different direction. And again there are valid reasons for that and Mike Anderson is a good coach but I would have rolled the dice.
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NMBeast of the East post=454035 said:Either a basketball junkie, or would love to see this site explode if Iona beat us by 10.Paultzman post=454032 said:I may be in minority, but I wish we played Iona every year Pitino is there. Who cares about bragging rights and the theory we would have the most to lose? Just lace them up and go at it.
My last post on Rick I hope
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Personally, I don't like the Rick Pitino idea. That said, I totally understand the attraction. There are few guarantees in life, but you can bet your life....if Pitino came to St. John's, there would be an immediate impact. I mean, he's done that at Iona.
And, when you are starving like we are, it's no wonder people are interested.
And, when you are starving like we are, it's no wonder people are interested.