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

fordham96 said:
You can count SJU in the group of schools that "passed" on Rick for several years. 2019...man we could have had this 4 years earlier....

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Think of some famous people who were outcasts who needed some time to recover - hollywood stars, musicians, politicians.

Sadly it's usually mega talented people who get second chances that perhaps most of us need.
 
Before the season began, i was at a couple of gatherings small and large, where Rick spoke. When asked about our chances, said something akin to, "I really like this time, I do. Don't repeat this, but I think this team could compete for or win the national championship."

There wasn't uproarious cheers, more like polite cheers. Mostly, the fans present smiled a bit internally. Was Rick just being Rick, saying something for a purpose? Was Rick trying to hype interest in the season without believing it himself? Or did Rick really beljeve what he was saying and sharing a heartfelt outlook? Maybe the answers are yes, yes, and yes.

A while back I visited the Reagan Presidential library and museum in Simi Valley, Calufornia. It's a beautiful building, in effect built around the retired Airforce One plane that was trucked there and re-assembled as the centerpiece of the exhibit.

At one exhibit , Colin Powell recollected a summit with Soviet president Gorbachev to discuss nuclear disarmament. After pleasantries exchanged, Reagan spoke about the need to stop the nuclear arms race by both nations, which was met with stoic disinterest by the Soviets. Reagan then shifted gears and began to explain our Star Wars Missile defense system, which would hypothetically stop and disarm any nuclear weapon launched. Powell and the U.S. entourage was silently aghast. The system didn't exist. Had Reagan lost his mind? Gorbachev's face turned red, and he angrily pounded his fist on the table and stormed out. Minutes later, he returned, regaining his composure and smiled broadly. "Gentlemen", he began, " The United States is not our enemy, you are our friends". The Soviets then agreed to the terms Reagan had laid out. To this day, no one on the U.S. side of the table present that day knew if Reagan knew that Star wars did not exist, and was a masterful piece of acting in a bluff, or if Reagan really believed it.

All we know for sure about Rick is that this team is running through the season looking like they can beat anyone. Suddenly, Rick's crazy assertion that this team might be good enough to win a championship doesn't seem crazy at all. Who knows if Rick meant it or not? All we know is the team is playing like they believe, and that an extraorfinary season has unfolded.
 
Beasts of the East said:
Before the season began, i was at a couple of gatherings small and large, where Rick spoke. When asked about our chances, said something akin to, "I really like this time, I do. Don't repeat this, but I think this team could compete for or win the national championship."

There wasn't uproarious cheers, more like polite cheers. Mostly, the fans present smiled a bit internally. Was Rick just being Rick, saying something for a purpose? Was Rick trying to hype interest in the season without believing it himself? Or did Rick really beljeve what he was saying and sharing a heartfelt outlook? Maybe the answers are yes, yes, and yes.

A while back I visited the Reagan Presidential library and museum in Simi Valley, Calufornia. It's a beautiful building, in effect built around the retired Airforce One plane that was trucked there and re-assembled as the centerpiece of the exhibit.

At one exhibit , Colin Powell recollected a summit with Soviet president Gorbachev to discuss nuclear disarmament. After pleasantries exchanged, Reagan spoke about the need to stop the nuclear arms race by both nations, which was met with stoic disinterest by the Soviets. Reagan then shifted gears and began to explain our Star Wars Missile defense system, which would hypothetically stop and disarm any nuclear weapon launched. Powell and the U.S. entourage was silently aghast. The system didn't exist. Had Reagan lost his mind? Gorbachev's face turned red, and he angrily pounded his fist on the table and stormed out. Minutes later, he returned, regaining his composure and smiled broadly. "Gentlemen", he began, " The United States is not our enemy, you are our friends". The Soviets then agreed to the terms Reagan had laid out. To this day, no one on the U.S. side of the table present that day knew if Reagan knew that Star wars did not exist, and was a masterful piece of acting in a bluff, or if Reagan really believed it.

All we know for sure about Rick is that this team is running through the season looking like they can beat anyone. Suddenly, Rick's crazy assertion that this team might be good enough to win a championship doesn't seem crazy at all. Who knows if Rick meant it or not? All we know is the team is playing like they believe, and that an extraorfinary season has unfolded.
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Who woulda thought, Reagan’s skill set acquired in his previous career would help us win the Cold War
 
I've told this story before, but at an NIL dinner that Rick was at, I had an opportunity to publicly address him. This was pre season 2023.

I told him that if he had success here, as a New York guy born on the lower East Side (like Looie), and luved in Queens and LI, that this could become his most rewarding coaching stop in his career. I wished him well and noted he was one of us, a New Yorker through and through.

I'd have never dreamed this program would be revived so quickly. Yes, lots of work to be done and games to be won, but this might just be the thing that stands above every other great thing Rick has accomplished.

At the very least, it's already come to be with our long suffering fans.
 
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