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
Tag: rick pitino
Rick Pitino on being fired from Louisville
Here's Rick Pitino's first interview after being fired this week as head coach of the University of Louisville men's basketball team. Pitino lawyer Steve Pence promised a bare knuckle fight if his client were to be fired. So far they've sued apparel company adidas for alleged damage to Pitino's reputation. No legal action has yet been filed against the University of Louisville. With David Padgett now in charge of the Louisville basketball team, all university employees associated with the program have been ordered by the school to have no contact with Pitino. Rick has many detractors who are not necessarily Kentucky fans. Yahoo sports columnist Dan Wetzel isn't buying a thing he watched in Pitino's interview. Thanks for that, Danny Downer. True
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
Pushed by writer, John Calipari keeps it vague re: shoe scandal; both Pitino and Jurich are definitely out at UofL
Lexington Herald Leader sports writer Jerry Tipton did not allow University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari to wriggle out of media questions about the FBI shoe company pay-for-play scandal. When Calipari sidestepped KSR's Matt Jones inquiring about the loss of Cal's rivalry with Rick Pitino, Tipton pressed Calipari to reassure Big Blue Nation that UK has nothing to worry about now that NIKE is being investigated. Instead of denying any involvement, Calipari gave no such assurance to BBN. Coach Cal said that he wouldn't comment beyond saying that neither the FBI or the NCAA has contacted UK. It was a golden moment for Coach Cal to "swear on the lives of my children" that he knows nothing of shoe
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
There’s gold in them there Cards, at least there was…
The Sunday, October 8th Courier Journal will blast out a series of pieces all surrounding the money flow at the University of Louisville, most of which has gone to a few prominent leaders even as athletics shows an annual net loss. Here's Tom Jurich's earnings sheet for 2016: With all of the reverberating tremors from the U of L's various scandals, perhaps the most eye-opening revelation is just how much money was being sopped up by Tom Jurich, Rick Pitino, former president James Ramsey, and their associates. The Courier-Journal has done exhaustive pieces on Pitino's 98% grab of previous Adidas money intended for the basketball program, and Jurich's extremely healthy revenue stream. Pitino is out and with very little chance of getting much
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
Once Shining Moment: UofL’s rock bottom is at hand
The University of Louisville athletics department is imploding over the massive FBI sting that rocked much of the college basketball world today. The best college sports town in America is tone deaf. As UofL awaits an NCAA decision that could wipe out years of glory, two more Cardinal coaches cry out "Hold my beer. We can make it worse with fraud and corruption to enrich agents and financial leeches." Federal law enforcement documents reveal references to one, maybe two, University of Louisville assistant coaches negotiating with shoe company Adidas on the landing spot for one or more prized recruits. A side note: those connected to assistant coach David Padgett say he was shocked to learn of today's indictments and has zero knowledge
The Beasman can’t stop laughing about Clemson trouncing UofL
THE BEASMAN cats on fire as cards fold (unaired portion of script) THEY DISSED US, LARRY! THEY DINT SHAKE OUR HANDS SO THE KENTUCKY WILDCATS HAD TO CRUSH THEIR SOUTH CARAMALINER SOULS FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN A ROW! WE ARE UK! WE ARE BIG BLUE! KENTUCKY PROUD! STOOPS TROOPS! AWWWWWW C-A-T-S CATS! CATS! CATS! WE LOVE US SOME KENTUCKY WILDCATS! BENNY SNELL SAID IT BEST: WE BE 3 AND OH! WE BE 3! WE BE 3! WE BE 3! I ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT! I ARE A COLLEGE STUDENT. GOOOOO BIG BLUE! BUT THE STOOPID TOP 25 PO STILL DON’T GOT NO U UH KAY IN IT. WHAT IN THE SAM HILL
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