Rick Pitino's Coaching Career
Running Head: The Career of Rick Pitino
The Career of Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino’s illustrious coaching career has taken him many different places. He has experienced many highs, lows, and faced different types of adversity. His coaching career has not only affected his life in the basketball world, but also his personal life, which many times come with the territory. Pitino’s career hasn’t been without controversy, but it has been one of success. Pitino, a Sicilian American[->0] and native of New York City[->1], grew up in the Village of Bayville[->2] and was captain of the St. Dominic High School[->3] basketball team in nearby Oyster Bay[->4], Long Island[->5] (Nack, 1996). After high school he enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst[->6] in 1970. There he was a standout guard for the Minutemen basketball team[->7]. His 329 career assists rank tenth all-time at UMass, as of the 2009–10 season ("Record book," 2010). He led the team in assists as a junior and senior. The 168 assists as a senior is the eighth-best single season total ever there ("Record book," 2010). Pitino was a freshman at the same time future NBA[->8] legend Julius …show more content…
Erving[->9] spent his junior year at UMass, which was also is last before moving on to the NBA. The two never played on the same team, however, because freshmen were ineligible to play varsity basketball at that time. Other teammates of Pitino's include Al Skinner[->10], who also went on to become a successful college coach. Pitino also played with professional baseball player Mike Flanagan[->11], who went on to pitch in the major leagues and win the AL Cy Young Award[->12] in 1979[->13]. Pitino earned his degree from UMass in 1974[->14]. Many people fail to realize that Rick Pitino stared his coaching career at the University of Hawaii. He started his career there as a graduate assistant in in 1974. In the 1975-76 season, however, he was promoted to a full-time assistant ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino served as Hawaii's interim head coach late in the 1975-76 season. Coach Bruce O'Neil[->15] was fired after the Rainbow Warriors' started the season 9-12 ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino led Hawaii for their final six games, going 2-4 in the span ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino's time at Hawaii was marred by a 1977[->16] NCAA[->17] report on sanctions against the program. According to the report, Pitino was implicated in 8 of the 64 infractions that led the University to be placed on probation ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). The violations involving Pitino included providing round-trip air fare for a player between New York[->18] and Honolulu[->19], arranging for student-athletes to receive used cars for season tickets, and handing out coupons to players for free food at McDonald's[->20] ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). He was also cited, along with the head coach, Bruce O'Neil[->21], for providing misinformation to the NCAA[->22] and University of Hawaii[->23] officials. Also in 1977, the NCAA infractions committee recommended that Pitino and O'Neil be disassociated from Hawaii athletics ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). In 1989, Pitino would dismiss the report, saying "I didn't make any mistakes; I don't care what anybody says” (Rhoden, 1989). After all of the controversy of Hawaii, Pitino accepted an assist coaching job under first year coach Jim Boeheim at Syracuse. He served as an assistant coach at Syracuse for two seasons before accepting the head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. He accepted this job at the ripe old age of 25. In the two seasons before his arrival, the team had won a mere 17 games. Pitino successfully began to turn the program around. He produced a 91-51 record in five years there, departing as the most successful coach in Boston University history (Fagan, 1997). In his final season there, he guided the Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years (Fagan, 1997). He was twice named New England Coach of the Year, once in 1979, and once again in 1983(Fagan, 1997). Pitino left Boston University to take an assistant coaching job for the New York Knicks as an assistant coach under Hubie Brown. Pitino’s stint was short and after getting his first taste of the NBA, Pitino decided to return to the college game. He accepted the head coaching job at Providence University in 1985 and took over a team that went a dismal 11-20 in the year before he took over (""this is friars," ). Pitino, once again immediately turned a program around. In his first season at providence he led the Friars to a 17-14 record and a birth in the NIT ( national invitational tournament) tournament. The second season, however, is when the real transformation began.
Coming into the 1986-1987 season, the Friars were not expected to be serious contenders in the Big East. Coached by a young 34-year old upstart named Rick Pitino, Providence entered the season with the game plan of using the 3 point line to make up for the shortcomings of the team. The star of that Providence team was a small point guard from Long Island known as “Billy the Kid”. You might know “Billy the Kid” as current Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan.
Providence torched the Big East with their new weapon, the 3 point shot. The Friars went 10-6 in conference play, and 21-8 overall in regular season play. Donovan led the Friars in points and assists with 20.6 points and 7.1 points per game. Donovan also shot 41% from 3 point range on the season. The Friars entered the 1987 NCAA Tournament as a #6 seed in the Southeast region. In their first-round matchup against #11-seeded UAB, Providence handily defeated the Blazers 90-68. In the second round, the Friars barely defeated the #14-seeded Austin Peay Governors 90-87 to advance to the Sweet 16 in Louisville, Kentucky. It was in Louisville, Kentucky where the Friars took their game to another level. Against #2-seeded Alabama, Providence hit 14 of their 22 3 pointers to beat the Crimson Tide 103-82. From there, they moved onto the Elite 8 to face the #1-seeded and conference foe Georgetown Hoyas. Once again, Billy Donovan and the 3 pointer carried the Friars to victory, winning 88-73 to advance to the school’s second Final Four. It was there where the Friars lost to conference foe Syracuse 77-63, thus ending Providence’s Cinderella run.
After Providence’s Cinderella run the New York Knicks came calling for Pitino. He accepted the job as the New York Knicks new head basketball coach.
More than anyone, President of the University of Kentucky Dr. David Roselle understood how the scandal, investigation, and sanctions would traumatize the university and its followers. But he also recognized who the real victims of the scandal would be. So during the darkest days of the controversy, Roselle visited the UK locker room and spoke to the remaining Wildcat players." I know it's very, very tough on you right now," he told them. "The public is on you. I think, I hope, and I believe there will be a day you'll be able to say to yourself, 'I am glad I accepted a scholarship to be a basketball player and student at the University of Kentucky.' I think you'll see that day."
Given Kentucky's NCAA transgressions, just having a season was no small feat. And athletic director C.M. Newton soon informed Roselle that Pitino had agreed to visit Kentucky. There was still hope.The owners of the Knicks had other ideas. Despite general manager Al Bianchi's tepid response, some in Knicks management didn't want Pitino to talk to Kentucky. Pitino was summoned by representatives of Gulf + Western, parent company of the Knicks (and New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden) and told not to take the interview. And then, says Pitino, "the most interesting thing happened."
Pitino's next-door neighbor in Bedford -- a bit of a misnomer, given that you sometimes couldn't actually see your neighbor's house through the heavily wooded acreage -- was Stanley Jaffe, famed Hollywood producer of such films as "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Fatal Attraction," and "The Bad News Bears." Pitino knew Jaffe very well. And Jaffe was a huge Knicks fan. Shortly before Pitino was scheduled to leave for Kentucky, Jaffe pulled up in his Mercedes. "Rick, I don't want you to leave," Jaffe said. "I want you to stay with the Knicks. You got to trust me on this." "Stanley, you're a producer of movies. What do you mean, trust you?" "I can't go into any further detail. You need to trust me. I don't want you to leave." "Stanley, I'm going to go there. If I like it, I'm going to go. I think it's in my best interests." "Rick, can you just trust me?" "I do trust you, but you're a producer." "Gulf and Western buys all my movies." (Paramount Pictures was another of Gulf + Western's holdings.)"Stanley, I appreciate it." Pitino shrugged off the odd conversation and went back to his preparations. On Monday, May 22, Pitino flew to Lexington. While at dinner at the city's well- known Coach House, he was approached by Jerry Tipton of the "Herald-Leader." Would Pitino care to comment on a 1977 NCAA report implicating him in eight of 64 rules violations that led to two years of probation for the University of Hawaii?
Uh, oh. At 10 o'clock that night, Newton knocked on the door of the condominium where Kentucky officials had hidden Pitino for the trip (no more Radisson hotels for candidates). He had heard about the incident at the restaurant and was aware of the Hawaii/ NCAA story that would appear in the next day's "Herald-Leader." He was there to cut his losses.
"We're in so much trouble here, we can't have the slightest thing go wrong," Newton said. "I'll have a plane take you back [to New York] in the morning. I really want to apologize for everything."Pitino was furious, but also relieved. He could return to the Knicks and try to outlast Bianchi. He wouldn't have to battle his wife Joanne over a move to Kentucky. He wouldn't have to deal with the reconstruction of a gutted program.At 6:30 Tuesday morning, Newton called Roselle. "Have you read the paper yet?"Roselle had not, so Newton gave him the broad strokes of the Hawaii infractions story. He told Roselle he was putting Pitino back on an airplane."Well, I'd like to meet him," said Roselle, who had spoken with Pitino on the phone several times in recent weeks. "Don't send him away."At 8 a.m., as Pitino was packing his bags, there was another knock on the condo door. It was Newton again."David Roselle wants to meet with you," said a beleaguered Newton. "Would you do me one favor and just meet with him?""C.M., I don't know …""Look, I just need a favor, Rick. We'll take you home right afterward."
Pitino and Newton drove to Roselle's office later that day, unsure how the situation would play out. Newton believed in Pitino, but was convinced that the Hawaii story had ended the courtship. Roselle had other ideas.Roselle was surprised by the Hawaii report, mostly because UK had contacted the NCAA during its background check of Pitino. He was concerned about the "Herald-Leader" story, but it wasn't a deal-breaker. He liked Pitino. More important, he trusted Pitino and trusted Newton, the man who had made him Kentucky's first choice. If Pitino had made some mistakes as a low-level assistant more than 10 years earlier, Roselle could live with that. He was certain Pitino was the coach Kentucky needed.
Preliminary negotiations began, with Roselle insisting he would deal only directly with Pitino. He was hiring Pitino, not Pitino's agent, so why complicate the discussions with a third party in the room?
Roselle asked Pitino what would be an acceptable contract length.
Pitino said five years was the standard. Roselle said he would give him a seven-year deal."Two of the first years should be on us, not on you," said Roselle, referring to the NCAA's two-year ban on postseason play.Newton was thrilled by the meeting and the job offer. But Pitino still had to convince Joanne. There was also the matter of calming the media storm regarding the Hawaii story. In an earlier news conference, Pitino had told reporters, "One thing you won't have to worry about is cheating with Rick Pitino. It didn't happen in Hawaii as far as I'm concerned." Newton had added, "I have absolutely no questions about Coach Pitino's integrity or compliance, or so on, as head coach throughout his entire head coaching
career."
As it turned out, Joanne had been listening to P.J. Carlesimo that night at dinner at Bravo Gianni. She had heard their friend rave about Lexington and the people at UK. She still didn't want to leave New York, but she had no objections about Lexington.What she couldn't understand is why Pitino would walk away from the Knicks. It was his dream job. He had the players. And he had turned them into title contenders. But Pitino explained that it would only be a matter of time before the BianchiPitino combination unraveled."Look, Joanne, you've got to trust me on this one," he told his wife. "It's not a question of if I go or the GM goes. It's a question of longevity in this business -- and I'm not going to have that longevity with the Knicks."(Nearly two years later, Pitino got a phone call alerting him to a news story about to appear that he would find interesting. As would be reported in the next day's New York papers, there was a major shakeup at Madison Square Garden, and among other changes Bianchi was ousted and replaced by Dave Checketts. The prime mover behind the changes was soon introduced as the president and chief operating officer of the Garden's corporate parent. The new president's name? Stanley Jaffe. "I couldn't believe that he didn't tell me, because obviously things would have probably changed if he did tell me," says Pitino. "I would have stayed [in New York]. I just didn't put two and two together that a movie producer and my next-door neighbor was going to be the head of Paramount.")
Pitino returned to New York, met with Knicks management, and told them he was taking the Kentucky job. Newton then sent associate athletic director Gene DeFilippo and his wife, Anne, to pick up the Pitinos on the school's private plane. On June 2, he was introduced as Kentucky's 19th head basketball coach. Pitino was a Yankee, but he was now their Yankee."You know how it is in Kentucky," says Oscar Combs, founder of the widely read "Cats' Pause" and cohost of the UK pregame radio show. "You're only a Yankee down here if you're losing."
Pitino's arrival in Lexington was considered a major coup by most fans. It came about a week after an issue of "Sports Illustrated" hit the newsstands with a cover photo that was provocative and memorable in its jarring simplicity. It featured a basketball player, his back to the reader, with his head bowed down and a ball held against his right hip. On the back of his blue jersey, where a player's name usually would be stitched, was the word Kentucky. The headline hanging over the player's head was "Kentucky's Shame." Inside was a damning and poignant analysis of the program's sins and the penalties it would have to pay for absolution. Wrote SI's Curry Kirkpatrick: "Proud, elegant Kentucky stood threadbare, stripped of its medals and conceits, dispossessed of image and reputation, exposed as a common NCAA felon."
"One thing I promise," said Pitino during his introductory news conference, which was telecast live statewide. "You'll see us on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" again. And we will be cutting down certain nets. It won't be for what you saw last week. That's yesterday's news."Tiny flecks of spit flew from Pitino's mouth as he spoke. Cameron, who was standing nearby, could see them silhouetted against the TV lights. He also could see the faces in the crowd, spellbound and astounded by Pitino's audaciousness. The new coach warned UK fans to do whatever was necessary to buy season tickets, because "they're going to be the most precious things in life sometime. It was a halftime speech to the commonwealth, a one-man pep rally. His words resonated with those who lived and died with Big Blue. For at least one day, Kentucky was Kentucky again.
[->0] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_American
[->1] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
[->2] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayville,_New_York
[->3] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Dominic_High_School_%28Oyster_Bay,_New_York%29
[->4] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_Bay_%28hamlet%29,_New_York
[->5] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island
[->6] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Massachusetts_Amherst
[->7] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMass_Minutemen_basketball
[->8] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association
[->9] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Erving
[->10] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Skinner
[->11] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Flanagan_%28baseball%29
[->12] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cy_Young_Award
[->13] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979
[->14] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974
[->15] - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruce_O%27Neil&action=edit&redlink=1
[->16] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977
[->17] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA
[->18] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York
[->19] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honolulu
[->20] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s
[->21] - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruce_O%27Neil&action=edit&redlink=1
[->22] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA
[->23] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Hawaii
The Career of Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino’s illustrious coaching career has taken him many different places. He has experienced many highs, lows, and faced different types of adversity. His coaching career has not only affected his life in the basketball world, but also his personal life, which many times come with the territory. Pitino’s career hasn’t been without controversy, but it has been one of success. Pitino, a Sicilian American[->0] and native of New York City[->1], grew up in the Village of Bayville[->2] and was captain of the St. Dominic High School[->3] basketball team in nearby Oyster Bay[->4], Long Island[->5] (Nack, 1996). After high school he enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst[->6] in 1970. There he was a standout guard for the Minutemen basketball team[->7]. His 329 career assists rank tenth all-time at UMass, as of the 2009–10 season ("Record book," 2010). He led the team in assists as a junior and senior. The 168 assists as a senior is the eighth-best single season total ever there ("Record book," 2010). Pitino was a freshman at the same time future NBA[->8] legend Julius …show more content…
Erving[->9] spent his junior year at UMass, which was also is last before moving on to the NBA. The two never played on the same team, however, because freshmen were ineligible to play varsity basketball at that time. Other teammates of Pitino's include Al Skinner[->10], who also went on to become a successful college coach. Pitino also played with professional baseball player Mike Flanagan[->11], who went on to pitch in the major leagues and win the AL Cy Young Award[->12] in 1979[->13]. Pitino earned his degree from UMass in 1974[->14]. Many people fail to realize that Rick Pitino stared his coaching career at the University of Hawaii. He started his career there as a graduate assistant in in 1974. In the 1975-76 season, however, he was promoted to a full-time assistant ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino served as Hawaii's interim head coach late in the 1975-76 season. Coach Bruce O'Neil[->15] was fired after the Rainbow Warriors' started the season 9-12 ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino led Hawaii for their final six games, going 2-4 in the span ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). Pitino's time at Hawaii was marred by a 1977[->16] NCAA[->17] report on sanctions against the program. According to the report, Pitino was implicated in 8 of the 64 infractions that led the University to be placed on probation ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). The violations involving Pitino included providing round-trip air fare for a player between New York[->18] and Honolulu[->19], arranging for student-athletes to receive used cars for season tickets, and handing out coupons to players for free food at McDonald's[->20] ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). He was also cited, along with the head coach, Bruce O'Neil[->21], for providing misinformation to the NCAA[->22] and University of Hawaii[->23] officials. Also in 1977, the NCAA infractions committee recommended that Pitino and O'Neil be disassociated from Hawaii athletics ("Hawaii's basketball history ," 2012). In 1989, Pitino would dismiss the report, saying "I didn't make any mistakes; I don't care what anybody says” (Rhoden, 1989). After all of the controversy of Hawaii, Pitino accepted an assist coaching job under first year coach Jim Boeheim at Syracuse. He served as an assistant coach at Syracuse for two seasons before accepting the head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. He accepted this job at the ripe old age of 25. In the two seasons before his arrival, the team had won a mere 17 games. Pitino successfully began to turn the program around. He produced a 91-51 record in five years there, departing as the most successful coach in Boston University history (Fagan, 1997). In his final season there, he guided the Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years (Fagan, 1997). He was twice named New England Coach of the Year, once in 1979, and once again in 1983(Fagan, 1997). Pitino left Boston University to take an assistant coaching job for the New York Knicks as an assistant coach under Hubie Brown. Pitino’s stint was short and after getting his first taste of the NBA, Pitino decided to return to the college game. He accepted the head coaching job at Providence University in 1985 and took over a team that went a dismal 11-20 in the year before he took over (""this is friars," ). Pitino, once again immediately turned a program around. In his first season at providence he led the Friars to a 17-14 record and a birth in the NIT ( national invitational tournament) tournament. The second season, however, is when the real transformation began.
Coming into the 1986-1987 season, the Friars were not expected to be serious contenders in the Big East. Coached by a young 34-year old upstart named Rick Pitino, Providence entered the season with the game plan of using the 3 point line to make up for the shortcomings of the team. The star of that Providence team was a small point guard from Long Island known as “Billy the Kid”. You might know “Billy the Kid” as current Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan.
Providence torched the Big East with their new weapon, the 3 point shot. The Friars went 10-6 in conference play, and 21-8 overall in regular season play. Donovan led the Friars in points and assists with 20.6 points and 7.1 points per game. Donovan also shot 41% from 3 point range on the season. The Friars entered the 1987 NCAA Tournament as a #6 seed in the Southeast region. In their first-round matchup against #11-seeded UAB, Providence handily defeated the Blazers 90-68. In the second round, the Friars barely defeated the #14-seeded Austin Peay Governors 90-87 to advance to the Sweet 16 in Louisville, Kentucky. It was in Louisville, Kentucky where the Friars took their game to another level. Against #2-seeded Alabama, Providence hit 14 of their 22 3 pointers to beat the Crimson Tide 103-82. From there, they moved onto the Elite 8 to face the #1-seeded and conference foe Georgetown Hoyas. Once again, Billy Donovan and the 3 pointer carried the Friars to victory, winning 88-73 to advance to the school’s second Final Four. It was there where the Friars lost to conference foe Syracuse 77-63, thus ending Providence’s Cinderella run.
After Providence’s Cinderella run the New York Knicks came calling for Pitino. He accepted the job as the New York Knicks new head basketball coach.
More than anyone, President of the University of Kentucky Dr. David Roselle understood how the scandal, investigation, and sanctions would traumatize the university and its followers. But he also recognized who the real victims of the scandal would be. So during the darkest days of the controversy, Roselle visited the UK locker room and spoke to the remaining Wildcat players." I know it's very, very tough on you right now," he told them. "The public is on you. I think, I hope, and I believe there will be a day you'll be able to say to yourself, 'I am glad I accepted a scholarship to be a basketball player and student at the University of Kentucky.' I think you'll see that day."
Given Kentucky's NCAA transgressions, just having a season was no small feat. And athletic director C.M. Newton soon informed Roselle that Pitino had agreed to visit Kentucky. There was still hope.The owners of the Knicks had other ideas. Despite general manager Al Bianchi's tepid response, some in Knicks management didn't want Pitino to talk to Kentucky. Pitino was summoned by representatives of Gulf + Western, parent company of the Knicks (and New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden) and told not to take the interview. And then, says Pitino, "the most interesting thing happened."
Pitino's next-door neighbor in Bedford -- a bit of a misnomer, given that you sometimes couldn't actually see your neighbor's house through the heavily wooded acreage -- was Stanley Jaffe, famed Hollywood producer of such films as "Kramer vs. Kramer," "Fatal Attraction," and "The Bad News Bears." Pitino knew Jaffe very well. And Jaffe was a huge Knicks fan. Shortly before Pitino was scheduled to leave for Kentucky, Jaffe pulled up in his Mercedes. "Rick, I don't want you to leave," Jaffe said. "I want you to stay with the Knicks. You got to trust me on this." "Stanley, you're a producer of movies. What do you mean, trust you?" "I can't go into any further detail. You need to trust me. I don't want you to leave." "Stanley, I'm going to go there. If I like it, I'm going to go. I think it's in my best interests." "Rick, can you just trust me?" "I do trust you, but you're a producer." "Gulf and Western buys all my movies." (Paramount Pictures was another of Gulf + Western's holdings.)"Stanley, I appreciate it." Pitino shrugged off the odd conversation and went back to his preparations. On Monday, May 22, Pitino flew to Lexington. While at dinner at the city's well- known Coach House, he was approached by Jerry Tipton of the "Herald-Leader." Would Pitino care to comment on a 1977 NCAA report implicating him in eight of 64 rules violations that led to two years of probation for the University of Hawaii?
Uh, oh. At 10 o'clock that night, Newton knocked on the door of the condominium where Kentucky officials had hidden Pitino for the trip (no more Radisson hotels for candidates). He had heard about the incident at the restaurant and was aware of the Hawaii/ NCAA story that would appear in the next day's "Herald-Leader." He was there to cut his losses.
"We're in so much trouble here, we can't have the slightest thing go wrong," Newton said. "I'll have a plane take you back [to New York] in the morning. I really want to apologize for everything."Pitino was furious, but also relieved. He could return to the Knicks and try to outlast Bianchi. He wouldn't have to battle his wife Joanne over a move to Kentucky. He wouldn't have to deal with the reconstruction of a gutted program.At 6:30 Tuesday morning, Newton called Roselle. "Have you read the paper yet?"Roselle had not, so Newton gave him the broad strokes of the Hawaii infractions story. He told Roselle he was putting Pitino back on an airplane."Well, I'd like to meet him," said Roselle, who had spoken with Pitino on the phone several times in recent weeks. "Don't send him away."At 8 a.m., as Pitino was packing his bags, there was another knock on the condo door. It was Newton again."David Roselle wants to meet with you," said a beleaguered Newton. "Would you do me one favor and just meet with him?""C.M., I don't know …""Look, I just need a favor, Rick. We'll take you home right afterward."
Pitino and Newton drove to Roselle's office later that day, unsure how the situation would play out. Newton believed in Pitino, but was convinced that the Hawaii story had ended the courtship. Roselle had other ideas.Roselle was surprised by the Hawaii report, mostly because UK had contacted the NCAA during its background check of Pitino. He was concerned about the "Herald-Leader" story, but it wasn't a deal-breaker. He liked Pitino. More important, he trusted Pitino and trusted Newton, the man who had made him Kentucky's first choice. If Pitino had made some mistakes as a low-level assistant more than 10 years earlier, Roselle could live with that. He was certain Pitino was the coach Kentucky needed.
Preliminary negotiations began, with Roselle insisting he would deal only directly with Pitino. He was hiring Pitino, not Pitino's agent, so why complicate the discussions with a third party in the room?
Roselle asked Pitino what would be an acceptable contract length.
Pitino said five years was the standard. Roselle said he would give him a seven-year deal."Two of the first years should be on us, not on you," said Roselle, referring to the NCAA's two-year ban on postseason play.Newton was thrilled by the meeting and the job offer. But Pitino still had to convince Joanne. There was also the matter of calming the media storm regarding the Hawaii story. In an earlier news conference, Pitino had told reporters, "One thing you won't have to worry about is cheating with Rick Pitino. It didn't happen in Hawaii as far as I'm concerned." Newton had added, "I have absolutely no questions about Coach Pitino's integrity or compliance, or so on, as head coach throughout his entire head coaching
career."
As it turned out, Joanne had been listening to P.J. Carlesimo that night at dinner at Bravo Gianni. She had heard their friend rave about Lexington and the people at UK. She still didn't want to leave New York, but she had no objections about Lexington.What she couldn't understand is why Pitino would walk away from the Knicks. It was his dream job. He had the players. And he had turned them into title contenders. But Pitino explained that it would only be a matter of time before the BianchiPitino combination unraveled."Look, Joanne, you've got to trust me on this one," he told his wife. "It's not a question of if I go or the GM goes. It's a question of longevity in this business -- and I'm not going to have that longevity with the Knicks."(Nearly two years later, Pitino got a phone call alerting him to a news story about to appear that he would find interesting. As would be reported in the next day's New York papers, there was a major shakeup at Madison Square Garden, and among other changes Bianchi was ousted and replaced by Dave Checketts. The prime mover behind the changes was soon introduced as the president and chief operating officer of the Garden's corporate parent. The new president's name? Stanley Jaffe. "I couldn't believe that he didn't tell me, because obviously things would have probably changed if he did tell me," says Pitino. "I would have stayed [in New York]. I just didn't put two and two together that a movie producer and my next-door neighbor was going to be the head of Paramount.")
Pitino returned to New York, met with Knicks management, and told them he was taking the Kentucky job. Newton then sent associate athletic director Gene DeFilippo and his wife, Anne, to pick up the Pitinos on the school's private plane. On June 2, he was introduced as Kentucky's 19th head basketball coach. Pitino was a Yankee, but he was now their Yankee."You know how it is in Kentucky," says Oscar Combs, founder of the widely read "Cats' Pause" and cohost of the UK pregame radio show. "You're only a Yankee down here if you're losing."
Pitino's arrival in Lexington was considered a major coup by most fans. It came about a week after an issue of "Sports Illustrated" hit the newsstands with a cover photo that was provocative and memorable in its jarring simplicity. It featured a basketball player, his back to the reader, with his head bowed down and a ball held against his right hip. On the back of his blue jersey, where a player's name usually would be stitched, was the word Kentucky. The headline hanging over the player's head was "Kentucky's Shame." Inside was a damning and poignant analysis of the program's sins and the penalties it would have to pay for absolution. Wrote SI's Curry Kirkpatrick: "Proud, elegant Kentucky stood threadbare, stripped of its medals and conceits, dispossessed of image and reputation, exposed as a common NCAA felon."
"One thing I promise," said Pitino during his introductory news conference, which was telecast live statewide. "You'll see us on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" again. And we will be cutting down certain nets. It won't be for what you saw last week. That's yesterday's news."Tiny flecks of spit flew from Pitino's mouth as he spoke. Cameron, who was standing nearby, could see them silhouetted against the TV lights. He also could see the faces in the crowd, spellbound and astounded by Pitino's audaciousness. The new coach warned UK fans to do whatever was necessary to buy season tickets, because "they're going to be the most precious things in life sometime. It was a halftime speech to the commonwealth, a one-man pep rally. His words resonated with those who lived and died with Big Blue. For at least one day, Kentucky was Kentucky again.
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