[quote="Monte" post=395022][quote="MJDinkins" post=394988][quote="Paul Massell" post=394987][quote="Monte" post=394985]
Respectfully disagree Paul, that he doesn't have something to prove. Pitino will always have something to prove, it's his nature. And especially now. He's old but there's still a lot of gas left in that tank IMO.[/quote]
Even so, I don't think we are in a time where Pitino could come into Iona and make them a top 25 team. Maybe sniff it in a given year but not consistently. I love college basketball as a coach's game but it is barely hanging onto that and there are only a few coaches that distinguish themselves in that way. All the rest do it by recruiting. Different world than when Pitino came up and certainly no comparison to 1970s. I think I recall Calhoun's Div III St Joseph squad beating Yukon but if a great coach could make any team top 25 then Calhoun would have had a lot of money thrown at him the past several years to fix some big name schools and get them into the top 25.[/quote]
Put me in the boat who also don't think Pitino will consistently field a top 25 Iona squad. Maybe in a given year or parts of a season, but not consistently. He'll fare a quality and competitive team similar to Cluess but Pitino will emphasize defense.
Besides, I don't think Pitino will be coaching Iona past year 3. Just my opinion.[/quote]
I give him 3-5 years, he avoids scandal and reestablishes himself, then he bolts for a high D1 job. He'll be in his early 70's then, still young enough to have a nice run at another school. I know he'll be watched very closely, but so are other coaches. He'll play by the same rules as most other college coaches with regard to recruiting. Maybe just a little more cautious. He's succeeded every where else that he's coached, no reason to think he won't at Iona. Having said all that, wouldn't trade him for CMA for all the tea in China, if that's sill an acceptable term to use. lol.[/quote]
Just think about this in terms of Pitino and St. John's. If he really really wanted the SJU job, he would have quietly arranged to drop by campus to say hi, charmed the pants off everyone, acted contrite, and perhaps even be offered a job. Just like local area recruits, he dropped a lame comment about not being contacted by St. John's about the vacancy, likely just to get his name out in people's minds that he is available and interested.
In terms of Iona, Pitino will know when to get off of that carousel, and it will be when it serves Pitino best. He may be there till his career ends, or he may jump ship if something better comes along.