Rick Pitino - Head Coach at St John’s University!!!

During Matt Doherty's meltdown 8-20 2001-02 season at UNC, he was walking through the gym while one of his guards was practicing free throws in order to improve. Allegedly, Doherty shouted to him somethin akin to "Why are you practicing free throws? You suck, and are wasting your time trying to get better. You won't. "

Any surprise why that team quit on him?

Rick recruited this team, banished others. I don't know what you get by saying that the kids you brought here are incapable of succeeding. Even if that were true, those same kids raced to a 19 point lead, only to give it all back and more.

Slow lateral movement wasn't the reason our guys didn't get back on defense and gave up multiple fast break opportunities.

It wasn't the reason for standing around on offense andvthen launching many 3 point shots that had no prayer of going in, including air balls, a blocked 3 pointer, and those that slammed off the backboard or hit the side of the rim.

It wasn't the reason for giving up so many 2nd chance baskets or getting out hustled in the 2nd half.

It wasn't the reason for dumb fouls on rebounds or in the backcourt.

And it wasn't the reason for some kids being on the court yesterday who played without a shred of confidence.

Maybe that's at the heart of this team's problems: no confidence in big moments.

Maybe it's because instead of instilling that confidence, it's all too obvious that the coach has lost confidence in the team, a mortal sin in coaching.

Repent, Rick, repent!!
 
At 40 I wouldn’t expect Pitino to change. At 70? No shot. Words don’t shoot 1-14 to start the half. Miss free throws and game winning shots. Get beat down the court or dribble the ball out of bounds.

Coach is dead on here. Hate the delivery all you want but he’s here to do one thing. Win. His time is limited and he’s not wasting any of it. Sorry.

This off-season will be the great. Buckle up.
 
Hey coach, and I know for a fact you read this board, STOP embarrassing your kids and look in the mirror. These are kids that you brought in. You knew their strengths and weaknesses when you brought them in. You didn't just realize they we slow, lacked lateral movement, didn't have the greatest basketball IQ. Knowing this is who will be here for Year One, you should have built your scheme to this team, not next years or the year after. Your full court press does not work because you don't have the foot speed and the rim protector in the back when you do get beat.... and your team gets beat down the court all the time! Your half court sets are non-existent. A three man weave at the top of the key and high pick and pop after three passes is not an offense. Watch UCONN and Marquette and the half court sets they run. Beside talent, there is a reason they are top of the league....coaching.

Coach, I love that you came here to help St. John's resurrect a dead program. Thank you. Let's do it the right way. Coach the kids you have. Support and build them up. That is why they committed to you. Not to be consistently ripped apart by their coach. Why would other kids want to come here when they hear and see what you have done to these kids.... please Stop! We have a few games left and the Big East Tournament. Apologize to the kids in private. You take some responsibility for not coaching them the right way. Have their backs in private and in public. It's not to late finish the season on a positive note.... not the way St. Johns fabs expected but at least with some pride and hope for next season.

To the kids.... than you for coming to St. Johns and working as hard as we all know you do.
 
I am a Pitino supporter but must admit that the quotes he is giving publicly are kind of surprising to me. However, I think there is a method to his madness.

I think he is trying to set the tone for future recruits. Those who sign with us will know EXACTLY what he is expecting. Those who won't come because of what he is saying would not workout for him anyway, so this is his way of weeding out the weak. Hopefully, this helps him find the players with the personality that HE NEEDS to succeed. I think this is his way of making sure his next roster is filled with kids that match his personality (with talent).

Why do I think this? He tipped his hand at the post game presser when he was asked about the job that Coach Holloway is doing and he said, with a smirk, that he put together a team "to mimmick his personality of all tough kids. So they did a wonderful job without NILs being exorbitant. So it just goes to show you that it's not about NILs but it's about recruiting to the coach's personality."

He knows that most of these kids were hired guns for good NIL payments and those are not his type of players. Let's face it, those are the type of kids who will be all about themselves. Love him or not, but if they all had the mindset and toughness of Jenkins, we would currently have 19 wins and would be dancing. Does he frustrate me at times? YES! But without him, I really think we have 5 less "W"s.

Now, I know what many of you will shoot right back and say: HE RECRUITED THESE KIDS. However, he mentioned that he didn't have much of a choice and he had NO WAY to evaluate their level of toughness in such a short time period.

So, here is what I am doing (and I suggest you all should to save your sanity): I will wait until next season halfway through the conference schedule to truly know the state of the program under Coach Pitino. If this program is in the same rut then the game has truly passed him by and he will not get it done. Maybe I am just a pathetic optimist when it comes to this program, but I still think this man can and will bring us deeper into the NCAAs than anyone since the man who has his name on the court and building roamed the sidelines in that magical year that Patrick Ewing ruined for us!

Many of you know me, but in case you don't: I've been a fan of this program for more than 40 years. I bleed red and white. I have been a season ticket holder for many years and still go to several games a season. I will support this program until the very bitter end even if they lose every single game.
 
jimredd517 said:
Hey coach, and I know for a fact you read this board, STOP embarrassing your kids and look in the mirror. These are kids that you brought in. You knew their strengths and weaknesses when you brought them in. You didn't just realize they we slow, lacked lateral movement, didn't have the greatest basketball IQ. Knowing this is who will be here for Year One, you should have built your scheme to this team, not next years or the year after. Your full court press does not work because you don't have the foot speed and the rim protector in the back when you do get beat.... and your team gets beat down the court all the time! Your half court sets are non-existent. A three man weave at the top of the key and high pick and pop after three passes is not an offense. Watch UCONN and Marquette and the half court sets they run. Beside talent, there is a reason they are top of the league....coaching.

Coach, I love that you came here to help St. John's resurrect a dead program. Thank you. Let's do it the right way. Coach the kids you have. Support and build them up. That is why they committed to you. Not to be consistently ripped apart by their coach. Why would other kids want to come here when they hear and see what you have done to these kids.... please Stop! We have a few games left and the Big East Tournament. Apologize to the kids in private. You take some responsibility for not coaching them the right way. Have their backs in private and in public. It's not to late finish the season on a positive note.... not the way St. Johns fabs expected but at least with some pride and hope for next season.

To the kids.... than you for coming to St. Johns and working as hard as we all know you do.
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He said he didnt know their strengths and weaknesses. Said he didnt not have time to watch much of them. Said that will not happen again.
 
Mullins Revenge said:
He said he didnt know their strengths and weaknesses. Said he didnt not have time to watch much of them. Said that will not happen again.
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Sorry, but there is no way he didn't have tons of tape on each and every kid he recruited. His assistants as well. It is their jobs. They didn't pick names out of a hat and give them scholarships. If they didn't know that is even a bigger problem.
 
jimredd517 said:
Sorry, but there is no way he didn't have tons of tape on each and every kid he recruited. His assistants as well. It is their jobs. They didn't pick names out of a hat and give them scholarships. If they didn't know that is even a bigger problem.
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But what if they were the best of what was available? It is possible. He said this will not happen again, so let's see.
 
ZanMan said:
But what if they were the best of what was available? It is possible. He said this will not happen again, so let's see.
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Totally agree. I am sure things will be different next year. My only point was maybe should have adjusted how to coach this group based on who they are and no need to rip them publicly the way he has.... moving on.... thank you and let's finish on a positive.
 
jimredd517 said:
Totally agree. I am sure things will be different next year. My only point was maybe should have adjusted how to coach this group based on who they are and no need to rip them publicly the way he has.... moving on.... thank you and let's finish on a positive.
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I agree. I am not a fan of ripping my players publicly whether they are paid or not. But I truly think this is part of his game plan going forward. We shall see!
 
Rick: “Maher’s 114 crew are all out of shape, with horrible lateral movement, constantly inhaling pale ale. This will never happen under my watch again. I will recruit imbibers who better fit our NIL Liver Transplant Program criteria with no exceptions”
 
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