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

[Redenbacher]

That's what will keep bothering me. Saturday was last year's Luis, this year was much much better in that regard. Which is why I'm wondering if his people told him that he has to show off and get attention to be a 1st draft pick.

This aligns with what sju79 said in the other thread- that both RJ’s agents and parents want him to go pro this year. But if Repole throws a bucket of money at him, he may stay here another year.

 

[NCJohnnie]

Not directed at you specifically but anyone who ever played basketball at any competitive level, including Rick, knows, that even on a horrible shooting night, something can click in great players. Maybe calmly making 2 free throws to make it a 2 point game would flip the switch.

Rick knows that, everyone does.

So maybe it was something else. We know Rick has a temper and maybe he said something to RJ that caused RJ to go off on Rick and get banished.

Maybe RJ looked so deer in headlights that Rick knew or thought he was useless.

Either way, Rick isn't going to say, but i cant believe at face value Rick would bench his MVP with 5 minutes to go in a national championship elimination game.

Reuben Prey over RJ in a big moment? C'mon, that's just not believable.

Hear what you're saying Beast but that is exactly what Rick did - benched RJ with under 5 minutes to go. I love RJ and really hope he comes back to us but disagree with those who say that he was the same RJ we saw all year except with more missed shots. To me he was much closer to the RJ we saw much of last year and I have to say I was not surprised by Pitino's decision. You can argue it both ways but it wasn't surprising at least to me.
Anyway agree that we will likely not hear anything more from Rick on it at least for a little while although we'll all be watching the last VICE episode for clues.
RJ had a super year and we would be very fortunate if he decides to run it back with the coach under whom he became our third Big East POY.

 

[Beasts of the East]

Add Deivon too. It wouldn’t surprise me that he needs surgery too. We will be fondly talking about these 3 Champs as long as we are blessed to live.

Amazing that Brady also tore ligaments in his thumb. Our strength coach needs to work on thumbs.
Each of these kids are gamers (including Deivon). Each played with serious injries. Scott, Kadary, Deivon, and Brady.

Any wonder why we weren't great outside shooters?

 

[paultzman]

Amazing that Brady also tore ligaments in his thumb. Our strength coach needs to work on thumbs.
Each of these kids are gamers (including Deivon). Each played with serious injries. Scott, Kadary, Deivon, and Brady.

Any wonder why we weren't great outside shooters?

Matt, a former thumb wrestling champion at SJU, was recently admonished by Pitino for his matches this year w the entire roster. We should now see a spike in our perimeter game.

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Of course, but not in the last 5 minutes of a one and done game, for me, period end of story. How about the rest of the team? Luis was absolutely clutch all year, at times after playing poorly up to crunch time.
But how about them? Richmond is gone, now you BENCH Luis!!!?? Throw away your best chance to move on for your ego!! Typically, thinking nothing about nothing except yourself?
And then you go before a microphone and embarrass yourself and him. Personally, I think of Pitino much like I did Pete Rose, great, great, great at what he does, no denying, but I wouldn’t want to have a beer with him.
And just to be clear, my original comment was directed at Pope’s much more than yours but if you think benching Luis was a good decision, I would wonder how many more games you thought Luis should have been benched where he wound up very much one of the instrumental pieces in pulling the game out in the end.
Sorry, but you don’t let a guy play that way for two years and reap and glow in the clutch dividends and then pull him in that situation for any reason but blind, dumb emotion getting the best of you. He let that whole team that bled for him all season down,
Clearly my opinion.

Outstanding summary and post . Logen .
Listening to the Media , Broadcasters , Announcers , Steve Lappas , etc
It seems the prevailing tide is quite opposed to Pitno’s decision .

There is also the other matter that , unless you are a programmed robot , why habitually take players out of games with 2 fouls ?

Calipari didn’t . He let his guys play with 2 fouls in the first half and also with 4 in the 2nd half

KR must have sat for a good 15 minutes in the 1 st half , when we could have used him , once we got the lead . But , no he sat .

I’m convinced with KR, Luis in the game at the 4:56 minutes left in the game , we win !’

And , in my opinion Cal outcoached Rick in this biggest of games ..
We were 2 points down with nearly 5 minutes to play . Arkansas was wilting .
But , without RJ , we collapsed . Smith played poorly down the stretch . Scott was1-10 but , nobody is complaining about that .

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Smith was not horrendous, except for that critical turnover in the last couple of minutes. Was 4-11 from the field, 5-7 free throws, 6 rebounds. Not great, but not deadly.

The 7 shots he missed were mostly at the Rim . Bunnies . He also gets a great many of his drives blocked .
And , the 2 free throws missed were at crunch time .

Plus , he doesn’t run the offense like KR . In my mind , 11 shots file him is several too many .

He wasn’t the same player after the injury .

And , that pass to the Arkansas player was the dagger in the heart . Up to then , we were still in it .

 

[Knight]

I'll admit this publicly--Rick Pitino knows more about basketball and the players on his team than I do. But we can still question the decisions he made because we are fans, less informed and success-starved. I'll entrust the program and its success to his capable hands.

 

[redmannorth]

Outstanding summary and post . Logen .
Listening to the Media , Broadcasters , Announcers , Steve Lappas , etc
It seems the prevailing tide is quite opposed to Pitno’s decision .

There is also the other matter that , unless you are a programmed robot , why habitually take players out of games with 2 fouls ?

Calipari didn’t . He let his guys play with 2 fouls in the first half and also with 4 in the 2nd half

KR must have sat for a good 15 minutes in the 1 st half , when we could have used him , once we got the lead . But , no he sat .

I’m convinced with KR, Luis in the game at the 4:56 minutes left in the game , we win !’

And , in my opinion Cal outcoached Rick in this biggest of games ..
We were 2 points down with nearly 5 minutes to play . Arkansas was wilting .
But , without RJ , we collapsed . Smith played poorly down the stretch . Scott was1-10 but , nobody is complaining about that .

This must be the 10th time you have said exactly the same thing in at least 10 posts since Saturday Afternoon.
And I have to say you have not moved the needle in my mind 1 inch.
And if you repeat your opinion another 10 times or more, as well as that of the holy Steve Lappas, my opinion will still not budge.

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

Some of the things written about RJ being selfish and lazy are bullshit -:stinking pile of garbage. Have these posters met him? Chatted even a minute? Gone to more than 1-2 games? Drove their asses to Providence without tix with the hope of scoring tix st $400 for starters of just be in the same city if they couldn't. Gone to NIL events whete rj is generous with his time snd gracious, holding babies, taking hundreds of pics with fans and signing tons of autographs.

Now as far as Rick's decision to bench his best player, having two days to think about it, if we win Rick's a genius. If we lose, well, he's going to take well deserved heat.

Still a great coach, but msybe this L is on him for taking a gamble and losing.

Look at it this way - do you think Cal was worried that rj got yanked or glad to see him on the bench. Yes. You have your answer.

hyr


BOE , glad to see you finally weigh in on this topic .

And , a great summary of the event and RP decision that most of the rest of the Country think was a terrible move by him and might have cost us the game .

No , Pitino fumbled this game badly and it’s on Rick and not RJ .

Cal is happy as a can be that Luis didn’t play the last 4 :56 of the game . Without KR , RJ was the only guy to go to , down 2 points .

And , the Pitino press conference was a train wreck . His A train was off the Tracks .

No one disputes Pitino is a great Coach but , he blew this one .

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

This must be the 10th time you have said exactly the same thing in at least 10 posts since Saturday Afternoon.
And I have to say you have not moved the needle in my mind 1 inch.
And if you repeat your opinion another 10 times or more, as well as that of the holy Steve Lappas, my opinion will still not budge.

To each their own opinion . I wouldn’t try and change anyone’s opinion .

I believe what I saw . You saw it different . No problem there .

I do have a question for you . With nearly 5 minutes to go in a 2 point game and no KR and no Wilcher on the Court , who do you think was going to try and win the game for is?

Lefty? Prey ? Smith ? Scott ?

Zuby has won games for us in the final seconds but , who among that group couldhave gotten him the ball . And , his best scoring spot has been within 2 feet of the basket on a pass from Wilcher and a put back on another .

No one denies he’s a gamer but , he wasn’t going to be able to carry us by himself

So , for the 11th and last time , Luis belonged in the game .

Forget about Lappas but , he’s right.
You think Cal would have pulled Luis in that situation ?
Beast said it best “ Cal was thrilled RJ wasn’t in the game .”