Former University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino has promised to go after the three people he says got him fired. In his forthcoming book, Pitino has promised to tell "the real story" of his removal and the dismissal of athletics director Tom Jurich. Pitino blames the school's "board of traitors" (trustees), especially chairman David Grissom, trustee "Papa John" Schnatter, and interim school president Dr. Greg Postel. The former coach also says his book "will not be kind" to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin. Pitino and I will discuss his book on WHAS radio in a few weeks. Follow me on Twitter @terrymeiners for show updates.
Tag: david grissom
The Beasman: Virginny brings misery on Main Street to Suckville
THE BEASMAN va shocks Louisville - radio sketch Friday, March 2, 2018 (laffs) I’M STILL LAUGHIN ABOUT THE VIRGINNY GUY HITTING THE THREE AT THE BUZZER TO BEAT LOSERVILLE. OH LARRY. (laffs) YOU GOT TO ADMIT THAT WAS A BIGGER LONGSHOT THAN KIM JONG UN SHOOTIN A NUKE-U-LAR MISSILE AND HITTIN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY RIGHT ON THE HEAD. (laffs) ALL US GOOD AND CLASSY CAT FANS WAS KINDA HOPIN Y’ALL WOULD BEAT VIRGINNY SO WE COULD SAY WE BEAT Y’ALL BY 30 AND Y’ALL BEAT #1 SO THAT MEANS KENTUCKY IS THE BEST. (laffs) BUT THAT’S OK…IT WAS STILL FUN WATCHIN ALL THEM SNAGGLE TOOTH CARDINAL FANS CRY THEIR CROCKER-DOW TEARS THINKIN THEY
UofL severs ties with final two shoe scandal connections
The University of Louisville threw a little more water onto its dumpster fire of scandals by releasing student-athlete Brian Bowen and assistant basketball coach Kenny Johnson today. Bowen's scholarship to attend UofL remains valid but he was told he will never play basketball for the Cardinals after the FBI revealed secret meetings about shoe company money being funneled to his family. Johnson was terminated likely as another illustration by the school to the NCAA that it was cleaning house of the entire Rick Pitino leadership team, save for new acting head basketball coach David Padgett and a few support staffers. Rick Pitino tells me he is completely finished with coaching although he told ESPN earlier this week that (when he is proven innocent
Rick Pitino on his firing and UofL’s “smear” of Tom Jurich
In his first comprehensive interview since being fired at the University of Louisville, Rick Pitino defended Tom Jurich against what he called the UofL administration's "smear" tactics. He also talked about "Coach 1" Jordan Fair, controlling his employees, David Padgett's new Cardinals team, board chairman David Grissom & the board of trustees' agenda, severance money for both Pitino and Jurich, his adidas lawsuit, thoughts for Cards fans, and much more #L1C4 From the Courier-Journal: "Did Pitino throw Jordan Fair under the bus?" Pop the popcorn. Here is the entire half hour conversation. WDRB 41 Louisville News FULL TRANSCRIPT of the Pitino conversation via WDRB News HERE Rick Pitino and I have had some fascinating, insightful radio interviews over the years. Will he ever
We, the hazy future of Louisville
Tom Jurich and Rick Pitino have both been fired with cause. Pitino’s sixteen year term was burdened by multiple scandals. That’s cause. More litigation to come as Pitino's lawyer promised "a bare knuckle fight." Earlier today, Jurich was offered a relatively miniscule buyout if he resigned before the University of Louisville board of trustees voted to fire him. He declined the offer and was then told the school is considering filing a lawsuit against him. No other details were given. Legal teams for both Pitino and Jurich were given very short appearances before the boards. Pitino lawyer Steve Pence said he had "a well prepared and solid one hour presentation" at Monday's hearing yet there wasn't "a
AUDIO – Gov. Matt Bevin on UofL chaos, Tom Jurich’s future, and who controls the board of trustees
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin popped by the WHAS Radio studios today. I was expecting him on the phone but he said he was speaking nearby and decided to make it a studio visit. He stayed for three segments (a total of 45 minutes) as I ran through a litany of topics: the chaos at U of L, whether he controls decisions of its board of trustees, the future for suspended athletics director Tom Jurich, since Jurich raised $300 million and was paid $19m - how is that not a great ROI, snaring Amazon HQ2, coal vs EPA, casino gambling or marijuana to rescue pension collapse, Lil Andy Beshear, and a Twitter question from my son Simon. I appreciate the governor hanging
THE SHOE DROP — FBI sez u r gr8 2 b n r sting
u 2 dum 2 no u n trubble Imagine how many FBI agents were monitoring rampant text messaging on the morning of September 26 just as U.S. Attorney Joon Kim was releasing shocking details of shoe company fraud and corruption schemes tied to college basketball. Guilty thumbs were flying on phone screens as suspected coaches, premium recruits, family members, agents, financial managers, et al. furiously texted vital evidence displaying their guilt, knowledge of, or innocent shock over the announcement. FBI agents were high-fiving as thousands of solid leads dropped right into their electronic laps. Federal law enforcement don’t need no stinkin’ badges to gather intel on active indictments. This rancid scheme of shoe pimps and greedy college coaches selling teenage talent
The Louisville meltdown – bare knuckle fights, sleepless nights
Could Tom Jurich retain a position of authority at the University of Louisville? Yes. Don't believe the denials. There is backstage maneuvering to examine that possibility. More on that in a moment. First, let's deal with the nuclear meltdown that rocked our world. Since the University of Louisville's ties to a funneled shoe money scandal rocked the basketball world, the commonwealth of Kentucky is soaking in schadenfreude - taking pleasure in the misery of others. Rick Pitino is out. Tom Jurich is out (for now) after once again refusing to fire Pitino. That's the Jurich loyalty factor. "If he goes, I go." Well, Pitino is definitely gone after the FBI sting illustrates Louisville's involvement in a pay-for-play scheme to
Every CEO knows that you don’t mess with the profit center
The obvious tension among University of Louisville officials is no secret. Mounting pressures from a myriad of financial, legal, and NCAA entanglements have left the school's leaders singing out of different hymnals. The Courier-Journal's Tim Sullivan projects that VP of athletics Tom Jurich's massive new deal with adidas will break the wall of silence between the administration and the athletics department. Here is my previous blog post referenced in Sullivan's CJ column. What's next? UofL Foundation Chairman David Grissom won't say whether he has asked interim President Dr. Greg Postel to fire head basketball coach Rick Pitino for a "fresh start" following the NCAA scandal. Lots of sources say that's exactly what happened in July around the time of the new Yum Center