1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Thursday. “College Basketball-Money & Power Corrupt”
0-
“College Basketball-Money & Power Corrupt”
-0-
Rick Pitino is gone.
For all the great things he has accomplished, for all the wins, the 7.7M salary he earns, he couldn’t do the job correctly, honestly or with responsibility.
He was swept out of the University of Louisville…12-hours after the FBI slush fund scandal involving Adidas shoe company, and at least 4-assistants, broke loose.
Pitino invoked the phrase “he saw nothing-he knew nothing”
But in previous scandals involving programs Pitino has been around, it’s the same old story.
This time he claims he had no knowledge two of his assistant coaches hooked up to deliver over 100,000 to top recruit Bryan Bowen, who chose UL despite hardly having been recruited. Now we know he took six figures of cash, to sign on the dotted line.
Of course Pitino didn’t know.
Just like a year ago, he was not aware one of his assistants was using an escort ring for sex parties with potential recruits, their fathers, their guardians. That led to harsh NCAA sanctions too.
Of course Pitino didn’t know.
Prior to that, the messy lawsuit, in which Pitino finally admitted to having sex in a restaurant with the wife of his team manager. At first denials, then a lawsuit, and allegations of an abortion and an attempt of extortion.
Pitino began his career as a coach at Hawaii. When he was interim head coach, the Rainbow Warriors got hit with sanctions.
He was rewmofed after a 5-minute meeting with the school President. He leaves with a (416-141) record at the UL, and an NCAA ring.
He won a title down the road to at the University of Kentucky. His prior stops were building a tourney team at Providence College.
His tours of duties in the NBA involving coaching the Knicks and Celtics, though there was not much success.
It boggles the mind why someone, who has had so much success, has to cheat? Or maybe, they cheat because that’s the only way they can succeed?
Pitino is without 7.7M left per year on what could have been a lifetime deal. A Hall of Famer in basketball, now on the steps of the Hall of Shame too.
Too big..too powerful…too many excuses.
“I didn’t know”.
You are the CEO of one of the top programs in the nation. You are supposed to know, and you are supposed to do something about it too.
Money and power corrupt people.
Maybe Rick Pitino should have known that too.
-0-0-0-0-0-
