Video and transcript of Rick Pitino's statement
by Mike Rutherford on Aug 12, 2009 8:45 PM EDT
in Basketball
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PrintThe man said exactly what he needed to say.
I wanted to make a statement, not a prepared statement because I am not good with those things. But I do want to say the past 7 months have been very difficult on the people I love. And I made a decision seven months ago because of something I preach to my players for the 30 some odd years I have been coaching. They’ve heard it once a week for the 30 some odd years and it goes like this. When you have a problem, if you tell the truth, the problem becomes part of your past, but if you lie it becomes part of your future. And I made the difficult decision to tell the truth to the federal authorities, the local authorities, to the university officials, and most important the people who love me most, my family and friends.
With that in mind I made a very strong case that I would not, a grand jury indictment is a very serious thing, and I have not commented on that for that reason. I have not said anything to any of you about any of it. But I am here today because I personally apologized to my family every single day. They are for all of us, our families, our wife and our children. Mine in particular, and as yours in particular are, they make the sun rise for me every morning. They are highly principled people, very strong morally, and very strong fundamentally, And I let them down with my indiscretion 6 years ago.
And I’m sorry for that, and I told them that every single day. And I want to tell them more than that, I want to tell my extended family, which is all my players, recruits that believe in me, families who believe in me, that I am sorry for that indiscretion 6 years ago. And you as professionals who have covered me, for 16 years, I want to apologize to you as professionals for that indiscretion 6 years ago.
There’s two things besides my apology to the university, most in particular Tom Jurich and Dr. Ramsey, who have been very strong with me throughout this period. My extended family, which is all the fans. You know, I came here during a very difficult time, when 9/11 hit, you needed a community to get you over it. In New York City, it was easy, because everybody knew the devastation of that and they got each other over it.
In Louisville, the impact obviously wasn’t felt like New York City but I needed this community to help me get over it. And the university officials, my friends and loved ones helped me get through this difficult time. I will continue to cooperate with the authorities as I have with day one. I believe in the judicial system and I will not comment on that. I hope that the trial comes quickly and we can do what all of you should have been doing during this time, is celebrating a Big East Championship, a wonderful season where we once again finished in the Elite Eight, with very dedicated players who paid the price to reach that pinnacle.
The second thing I am going to do besides be quiet about the indictment is I plan on accomplishing one thing and it is very very important for me. I plan on, regardless of how didfuclut a situation this is, to coach here at the University of Louisville for as long as I can physically can maintain the passion I have for the game of basketball, which is still stronger than when I was a head coach at 24 years of age. I love the game, love my players, love this university as well as this community. I don’t want to coach nowhere else, I don’t believe in anything as much as I believe in this university and this state. So as long as they will have me, for as long as they’ll have me, I will coach here.I’m not a spring chicken, but I’m certainly not over the hill. And I intend on recruiting the best athletes, the best people to this program, and go a little further than the past Elite Eight’s for many years to come.
So I thank you as professionals. I know there are much more pleasant things we would like to talk about. But, I do want to apologize once again to my loving family, my wife, university officials, as well as the extended family, all my players, and the great fans we have at the University of Louisville.
You can see Tom Jurich's statement and President Ramsey's statement on the C-J's site.
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Well I guess this make's things somewhat better...
I don’t really know how to feel about this whole situation. On one hand, wearing my Louisville jersey for the first time today I felt a little bit embarrassed. That hurts on some level. Rick embarrassed himself, and the University. On the other hand, the man had a problem in his personal life, and no one is perfect. He does seem contrite in his apology and I want to try and move on. Obviously this will be all anyone wants to talk about for next year, but I guess I’m glad that Rick is staying to finish what he started.
by Chris Redman is my hero on Aug 12, 2009 10:06 PM EDT reply actions
Pitino, TJ, and Doc Ramsey did what they had to do--and Pitino stated it well
I’ll bet this heartfelt apology helps staunch any further bleeding nationally—in fact, Pitino apologized so well, that it may actually help recruiting now, because innuendo was hurting it.
However…Oldman and I know…this is not the last that will slink out of this mess…and there may be more times for Pitino at the podium yet…I hope the hell not
I liked Pitino's statement, and his firm commitment to coaching here.
But I really liked Ramsey’s statement. That guy is a leader.
Good statement.
He said what he needed to say. It isn’t going to make all of this go away, but it helped with the fans I think. Still, it could backfire if something else comes out down the road like Sypher is claiming will happen. Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn out like that.
Well I'm happy.
The situation sucks, but I want him as a Coach. I remember the days before we had Pitino and I’m not ready to relive those. He put us back on the map. I’ll leave this with a Jay Z quote…. “the power of the P-U-S-S-Y”
I Accept this apology...
Pitino has always preached that to be better you have to have humility. This is exactly what this is. Humility. Name another coach that has had some type of scandel but handled it and addressed it like this. There’s very few. Most go down in a cloud of dust and flames. He stuck his neck all the way on the line w/ this one. So in theory this should make him an even better person and coach. THUS leading us pass Izzo (out coached?) Anyway, I adopted this from Pitino in my personal life and I feel like a better M.A.N. when I can show alittle humility, accept my mistakes, learn, and move on. Im still ALL-in-with-Coach P.
Plus mane. PUSSY lol
$!@fupayme.com/now
Register now!
by AllinWithMyCards on Aug 13, 2009 2:33 AM EDT reply actions
He could have done without the 9/11 reference
Getting some skank knocked up and throwing $3000 is not the same thing as over 3000 people being murdered….just saying.
First time I shot her, shot her in the side.
Hard to watch her suffer, but with the second shot she died...
I agree, but...
you probably didn’t have a brother in law die on you during that tragedy, so maybe he has an excuse.
I cringed myself
but I thought he saved it a bit by using it to talk about the support he received from the community and the university. So while it seemed contrived, it was also his way of saying we’ve stood behind him before and he owes us (again).
The 911 reference was both weak and obviously suggested by some PR person
What I wondered throughout the statement, as he kept saying “six years ago…six years ago” and that he had apologized to the ones he loves is this: Did he apologize six years ago or did he apologize once he learned of the open records request by the CJ?
Frankpos is right. This isn’t the end and it may not even be the beginning of the end. And I’ll say once again I hope I’m wrong about this and we can move on down the road. But some stains are more difficult to erase than others.
theoldman
I noticed the "six years ago" too.
But when you reread the transcript, it’s only in there 3 times. The repetition was obvious though, and effective.
However, I think he clearly answered your question about when he apologized to his family. He said he told his family the truth 7 months ago (Jan or Feb) – basically when he had to go to the FBI.
What if it was Krag?
We seem to be letting Rick off the hook pretty easily, and I’m not saying that we shouldn’t. It seems that he has put this all behind him and is working on moving on. This all needs to be between him, his family, and God, and obviously the Syphers.
I’ve been reading this blog for a while, and with generosity, I’ll say what I really think is the issue here. The real reason that we’re receiving him back with loving arms is that he’s a winner.
I’m wondering what the response would be like if this all was about Koach instead of Rick.
Would we be calling for his head? Would he get the same leniency? I want to think that we would do right by him, and I hope that we never have to find out.
He would be fired within the first 5 minutes
to be honest…but then again Krag hasn’t done what Pitino has done here in Louisville. Would you fire an employee who keeps your business running? What if he showed up late and produced nothing? It may be discrimination, but to each its own.
by Final4Galore on Aug 13, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions
I really, really don't understand this argument.
Basically, it seems that some people have a fundamental misunderstanding that you generally hire and keep employees because of what they can do rather than because of what they haven’t done. And this is especially true of jobs where you are paid in excess of $1 million per year.
On one hand you have an employee who gets the job done well, contributes to the business in numerous ways, including PR and fundraising, and is generally a clear asset to the community. All of this is in the face of a general knowledge that this guy has an ego and probably a few ego-related indiscretions in his past.
On the other hand, you have an employee who has done absolutely nothing well and who would already have been fired except for the fact that he is perceived as a nice, decent guy. That and timing issues are basically the only things saving Kragthorpe from being fired. And being a decent guy isn’t even a job-related duty. So if it turns out Krag can’t even make the moral claim, on what basis would you even dream of keeping this guy around? He wouldn’t have satisifed a single job duty besides getting the players dressed and on the field before game time.
Cumulative contributions...
Someone has beat me to the punch but I feel compelled to chime in nonetheless. People make cumulative contributions to their communities. Some contribute a LOT. Some contribute nothing at all. Those that are accomplished and have significantly contributed to the betterment of their communities may get a pass where others would not. One could argue about it being fair or not, but as long as the laws of the land have not be transgressed, MOST of us can accept it.
Grog
"There is no OFF position to the genius switch" - D. Letterman
ummm
If it were Kraghthorpe it would be a non story because he’s not a celebrity coach, and therefore some chick probably wouldn’t have tried to extort $10mm from him.
Low profile, unproven, and most of all relatively low paid public figures aren’t generally the victims of gold digging seduction and subsequent extortion attempts.
Christ, I live in new jersey and I’m sick of this story, I can’t imagine what it’s like fo you guys down there.
Do you by any chance work at GE?
Only company I’ve ever seen that refers to thousands as M and millions as MM, which always threw me off when I would leave work and see thousands expressed as K and millions as M.
During Season
Krag wouldn’t be fired, but pressure after the season he would be if in same situation.
i call BS
if rick were truly sorry, he would’ve come clean and laid it out when he said he was the victim on the extortion attempt. as it is, he left it in the rumor mill and hoped it would stay there. now that it comes out, though, it’s all apologies. he’s not sorry; he’s just sorry he got caught.
Trial coming up...
I think he addressed your concern by noting that a trial is coming up.
I’m a Pitino fan and make no apologies for it. I concede that this a slimy, putrid, ugly story and his actions have been reprehensible. But it was a human failing that I’m willing to forgive, since he asked us to do so.
We can all reserve the right to change our minds if we find some reason to do so later. But for now, I can accept his apology.
Grog
"There is no OFF position to the genius switch" - D. Letterman
Davidson07
All I have to say is that I am glad Pitino said what he did. I don’t like the situation but I will always stand behind Rick Pitino. Also, I got a thousand bucks says Davidson07 is UK fan. Go find a site for that lame ass team of yours. Maybe their still jacking “Little Ricky”.
by Cardinal Sinner on Aug 13, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions
The national media
is what will really hurt us and our recruiting. They have hammered him in the ground and people will be paying attention. He was on the upper front page corner of USA today. And can you imagine what signs we might see in the crowds of opposing teams this season?
The media will be not only brutal but completely unforgiving.
Look at how hiring Calipari brought out the naysayers and nothing has been proven against him. I realize it is not the same thing, but the media is like a pack of sharks. All they are doing is smelling the blood in the water, and it will be a feeding frenzy for as long as they can keep stirring it up. I appreciate Pitino trying to do the right thing( or what he presents as the right thing), but he will be a very long time in returning his reputation to any semblance of decency. Louisville supporters are not that much different from UK supporters, they both have morals that are mostly old-fashioned idea based. They will not be pleased seeing this thing rearing its head every little bit. I hope he can find a way to get past it, but I hope even more that his family can. You members of his “extended family” all have to make up your own minds as to support him or not. I want to see him on the sidelines until he is old and grey.
Losing to us, of course, but there. I said in a respones to a question on another blog that this is an opportunity he has been given. His best coaching is either behind him or ahead of him. He must decide which.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
recruiting
Like Brennen said today in McPaper recruiting will be difficult. I cannot comprehend how RP can look a recruit’s mother in the eyes and tell her he will teach her son to become a man. This will hurt recruiting. No doubt about it. And UofL needs to increase RP’s pay so he can afford stronger zippers.
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