The Pitino affair: Sex in a restaurant, a job in jeopardy
The restaurant in question: On the east side of Louisville, not far from the Ohio River.
He’s among the most successful and charismatic people in the Western World, but I’m not sure success and charisma will save Rick Pitino. This isn’t He Said/She Said. This is He Admitted To Police, which is an altogether different thing. And here, according to Andrew Wolfson of the Courier-Journal, is what the Louisville basketball coach has said he did:
• Met a woman in a restaurant and, after the establishment had closed its doors, had sex with the woman while an assistant was within earshot.
• Gave the woman $3,000 to have an abortion after she informed him she was pregnant.
• Met with the woman at the condominium of the team’s equipment manager, who would subsequently marry the woman.
Were he still an NBA coach, this would still be a seamy matter. Because Pitino works for a state-supported institution of higher learning, that makes it something more. The University of Louisville is in business not just to sell tickets to basketball games but to provide an education for the young and impressionable. Is such behavior, even if it happened more than six years ago, the sort a university can condone?
Rick Pitino’s marriage has long been the subject of much Bluegrass conjecture, but he remains wedded to Joanne Pitino, mother of his five children. (One of those, son Richard, just left his father’s staff to go work for Billy Donovan at Florida.) Beyond that, Pitino is Catholic. While coaching at both Kentucky and Louisville, Pitino has had a priest — Father Bradley, no relation — sit on the team bench. The Catholic Church does not condone abortion in any form.
This story has come to light only because Pitino reported to the FBI in April that the woman in question — Karen Sypher (nee Cunagin) — had made extortion demands through her now-estranged husband: First for college tuition for her children (she has four), two cars and $3,000 a month; then for $10 million. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to the FBI and extortion. Pitino has been charged with nothing. (Sypher has accused Pitino of raping her both at the restaurant and at the equipment manager’s condominium.)
But it’s not Sypher who’s the most recognizable person in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The truth might well be on Pitino’s side, but it’s an ugly truth.
Think of it this way: The enthusiasm for and scrutiny of basketball in Kentucky can be likened to the fervor for football in Alabama. And wasn’t Mike Price dumped as head coach by the Crimson Tide before coaching a game after reports surfaced that he’d had sex with a stripper in Pensacola, Fla.?
Price denies to this day such an encounter took place. (He settled a lawsuit with Sports Illustrated, which had reported the alleged assignation, out of court.) Pitino has admitted to having sex with Sypher and giving her $3,000. (Though his lawyer claims the money was for her to buy health insurance, not to have an abortion.)
Both the University of Louisville’s president and athletics director released statements in the wake of the Courier-Journal’s report. AD Tom Jurich: “We stand by [Pitino] and his family during this process.” But James Ramsey, the president, admitted: “I’ve now been informed that there may be other details which, if true, I find surprising.”
As Pete Thamel of the New York Times has noted: “There aren’t a lot of historical touchstones here, especially for college. The Patriots never considered firing Bill Belichick when his name popped up in as the ‘other man’ in a bitter New Jersey divorce case.”
And that’s the point. Belichick is a professional coach. He’s paid to win games, period. Pitino is paid — $2.25 million — to win, yes, but also to conduct himself in a way that confers honor on the University of Louisville. (Full disclosure: My dad was a U of L alum; I’m a Kentucky grad.)
He’s one of the best coaches in the business, but I’m thinking Rick Pitino isn’t long for campus life. Don’t look for Louisville to fire him, but look for a best-for-both-parties separation between the school and its famous coach. Look for him to be back in the NBA within 10 months.
Update: Pitino apologized for his indiscretion Wednesday and, according to Marlen Garcia’s story in USA Today, vowed to remain at U of L. And president Ramsey released another statement: “As we try to teach our students, when you make a mistake, you admit it and right it as best you can. Coach has done that today.”
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140 comments Add your comment
Bryan G.
August 12th, 2009
2:43 pm
Imagine if you had a coach at a public university who for years was sleeping with a married member of the State’s Board of Regents. Man, that would REALLY be a story.
SC Ace
August 12th, 2009
2:44 pm
I lived in Louisville for a long time (including when Pitino became coach of the Cards. I think he’ll be fine because, rightly or wrongly, people love him and will give him the benefit of the doubt. That said, if they have a sub-par year, if Calipari beats him, if recruiting dips… this will come back to haunt him.
And Porcino is closed now (we lived in walking distance). Over-priced Italian food, though supposedly very good.
Herschel Talker
August 12th, 2009
2:47 pm
MB – another phenomenal blog entry. Spot on, my friend. I’ll assume your last entry was just a hiccup.
BT
August 12th, 2009
2:51 pm
I feel awful for the Pitino family but I certainly think it is for the best you got rid of the UGA prediction blog. I was envisioning some of the Dawgs running you out of town. Glad things are ok now.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
2:51 pm
Either that one was or this one was, Herschel. You’ll have to decide. (But thanks.)
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
2:52 pm
I think I’ll be OK, BT. Nobody takes me seriously, anyway.
Mark Richt
August 12th, 2009
2:53 pm
Can’t wait for the same story to come out about me
?????
August 12th, 2009
3:03 pm
Mark, how can you acually email an AJC writer? From time to time, I’d like to email a writer, with a legit question, using my real name.
TommyP
August 12th, 2009
3:04 pm
He’s my favorite coach and one I’ve always wanted to emulate in coaching.
However, I still feel he’ll be coaching Louisville this upcoming season.
I feel horrible for his family, though.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:06 pm
If you look to the right side of the page under “Social Networking for the Antisocial,” you’ll find I’ve stuck my e-mail address over there. It’s mbradley@ajc.com.
bowman
August 12th, 2009
3:13 pm
MB writes: “Pitino is paid to win, but also to conduct himself in a way that confers honor on the University of Louisville.”
We soon will find out that Pitino is paid to win, the rest is just window dressing. This, unfortunately, is the ugly truth about D-I universities and the people who coach their “student-athletes.”
bowman
– -
“Art will always be Art.” – Goethe
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
3:15 pm
Mark,
Price did not have sex with the woman and this is generally acknowledged. I still have the vision of this woman in my head. She looked like Pat from Sat night live only thin of course. I categorically refuse to believe an older man imbibed with alcohol could have done anything with this one. He should have been fired solely on the basis of picking the world’s ugliest, manliest stripper. He was just fired for what was obviously poor behavior and basically just embarrassing himself and the school.
Interesting that you would make the analogy between UK basketball and Bama football. The fans of the 2 seem to have a mutual respect and admiration for each other’s success in the opposite sport. They’ve always admired our football tradition and likewise we’ve always been in awe of their basketball tradition. Its a unique admiration that is well known between fans of the 2 schools.
If Bama fired Price over far lesser allegations of just having a stripper party in his room then Pitino has got to go. The abortion, the affair itself, trying to arrange for the equip manager to marry her. The whole thing is a huge mess that dwarfs Mike Price’s one night mistake.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:15 pm
I’d hate to be U of L’s president today, Bowman.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:17 pm
Wait a second, Tide. You know — or have seen — the stripper in question?
Michael Harvey
August 12th, 2009
3:19 pm
Great coach, sad story, but I’m glad he did not buckle into the extortion demands.
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
3:23 pm
Mark,
They had a picture of her online. I would kiss the green, wart nosed evil witch in the wizard of oz before I would kiss this woman. And when I call her a woman I’m giving her the gratuitous benefit of the doubt.
If it had been a girl from say the Cheetah here in Atlanta I would have applauded Price for pulling that one off and suggested an elderly man of such vigor, energy, and charisma should keep his job.
Its like what the French had to say about Clinton/Monica Lewinsky. For God’s sake the man was president of the United States. He couldn’t do any better than Monica Lewinsky?
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:24 pm
I don’t really know how to respond, Tide. So I just won’t. OK with you?
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
3:26 pm
And please don’t google her picture, post it, and give the crimson tide crimson faces all over again. You can spare us that indignity can’t you? I’ld rather tack on another 5 years of probation yet again then see the sordid pic of this stripper.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:27 pm
I’ll spare you that much, TR.
Ryno
August 12th, 2009
3:30 pm
God bless the South, I love it.
This comment thread goes from a legit conversation about morality, ethics and a tough decision facing a university president and in a few short posts GOES 180 DEGREES in the direction of Strippers and Crimson Tide Football.
Jim
August 12th, 2009
3:30 pm
The bottom line is this guy is the guy who will have to sit across from high school kids parents and close the deal during recruiting. To say Pitino has damaged his reputation is putting it mildly. I am from Ky. and I know how rabid the fans are there. I also know that most high school kids parents will be leary about turning their kids over to a coach with this stuff as part of his resume. Me thinks he may be gone too.
Hillbilly Deluxe
August 12th, 2009
3:31 pm
Do these idiots never learn?
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:31 pm
We do have our priorities, Ryno.
catridder2004
August 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
I wonder who sat at that table next? LOL
No really, I am a straight pretty strict female; I do not like what he did but I detest what this @#%*% did! She is a con and I am sick of these women doing this. He didn’t rape her. No woman gets raped and goes back for more later. What a crock! Her ole man found out about it and at some point they concocted this scheme. Her husband didn’t want to pay child support or something. And as far as the pregnant thing. Another crock. No way – 2 weeks. You have to be 2 weeks past your period to even suspect. At her age? BS!! She forgot her hormone pills not her birth control pills! I feel for Petino’s wife/family. Heck, I am not sure I would be that angry with my husband after 6 years and a one nighter on a table! No threat to my marriage there. Now, if he has ran around before or since, that’s different.
TommyP
August 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
Well, we know Price was in hell based on the fact that Saban reigns supreme down there.
Poor Pitino’s gonna burn in Tuscaloosa!
Jim
August 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
You cannot have a coach sitting across from a high school kid”s parents who is trying to seal the deal and have this mess as part of your resume. Parents tend to be partial as to who will help their kids get through their college years. Me thinks he is gone shortly.
baconboy
August 12th, 2009
3:36 pm
Well I’m not so nice as to not paste a link to the picture of Mike Price’s stripper:
http://sports.espn.go.com/i/magazine/new/destiny_stahl.jpg
Though she looks suspiciously like Nick Saban in drag…
DawginLex
August 12th, 2009
3:36 pm
All of this will eventually lead to Rick’s resignation. He sent his son to UF to succeed Donovan who will be UL’s next coach. UK didn’t pursue Rick when Billy G left because this was a brewin’.
He won’t escape this one even though she appears to be a head case. too much bad pub for Jurich and the Prez to turn heads and pretend it isn’t there.
It is a shame too because the UK/UL basketball game was gonna become a instant classic every year with the talent being stockpiled in both camps.
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
3:37 pm
Ryno,
Its not a tough decision. They have to fire him. Plain and simple.
The Alabama side conversation came from the article because Mark referenced the Alabama situation with Mike Price and strippergate. The Alabama thing with Price has a great deal of relevance to this situation because its the only other pertinent situation similar to this Pitino problem that’s happened in the sec regarding head coaches and sexual scandals.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:37 pm
So now it’s Billy D. to the ‘Ville, huh? Back in March it was Billy D. to the Lex.
BT
August 12th, 2009
3:38 pm
Somehow I get the impression that the woman in question lacks a little on the beauty as well as morals. Of course Pitino is the one in question and more importantly the school.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
3:39 pm
Thank God the they closed the place down. How you like to be the patrons seated at that table for lunch the next day. Probably stickier than a table at an IHOP.
Reminds me of Monty Python’s “Every little…. is sacred”. Do they have to mention his religion? The fact that he totes a Priest around with him? That he didn’t have the Priest around with him that night?
Hey Rick turn the lights out and lock up when you are done.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
3:41 pm
baconboy, that was the lead singer for Twisted Sister wasn’t it?
» Rick Pitino sex scandal links John Clay’s Sidelines
August 12th, 2009
3:42 pm
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC on Pitino [...]
James
August 12th, 2009
3:45 pm
The Mike Price situation is an awful comparison. Mike Price was never accepted as Bama coach by a number of people who used his lapse to get rid of him. Rick Pitino is loved in Louisville and supported by everyone. Consider: suppose after being hired Saban engaged in the same conduct that led to Price’s dismissal. Would Saban have been fired? No way because Bama could never get a better coach than Saban just like Louisville cannot get a better coach than Pitino.
MightyQuinn
August 12th, 2009
3:46 pm
I am an Atlanta native but I live in Louisville from ‘83-’87, during which time they won a national championship. I coached rec league basketball while there and got to meet a lot of people involved in the basketball scene there by running camps. I can tell you, U of L’s president may fire him, but if you put it to a vote in the city, Petino stays in a landslide.
catridder2004
August 12th, 2009
3:47 pm
Who paid the ticket at the restuarant? Was he on his own time or the states? Did he buy her meal/drinks on the state as well? State auto, etc., for this after dinner mint?
Tale of the Tape
August 12th, 2009
3:50 pm
There is one main difference here.
Rick Pitino paid the woman after fornication to have an abortion and left her physical unharmed.
Mike Vick would have drowned, electrocuted, beaten, shot, tortured and/or hung the woman and her fetus.
EW
August 12th, 2009
3:50 pm
MB- Don’t remember all the details about the Price incident but I would venture a guess that somewhere along the lines he was dishonest about what happened. Pitino, by all accounts, has be open and honest from the jump. That’s all I need to know about him. As for his family and religion, he has his wife and God to answer to about that.
EW
August 12th, 2009
3:51 pm
has been** stupid laptop
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:51 pm
Supposedly the dinner was to celebrate the hiring of assistant coach Reggie Theus, the ex-Hawk. Although it’s not believed Theus was in attendance. This from the Courier-Journal’s report.
PMC
August 12th, 2009
3:52 pm
So you don’t feel he will be coaching Louisville this year Mark?
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:53 pm
I’m guessing he’ll be gone after this season, PMC.
PMC
August 12th, 2009
3:54 pm
Don’t they kind of need Rick Pitino more than he needs them?
EW
August 12th, 2009
3:55 pm
bowman, To extend your point, the same goes for the politicians running our country.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
3:56 pm
Not now they don’t.
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
3:57 pm
James,
The Price case is pretty relevant. It doesn’t matter if some people at Bama were unhappy when he was hired. Virtually every head coaching hire at virtually every program is going to have some people unhappy about the hire. That’s just the nature of fans.
The university president hired him with the approval of the board and the same president and board had him fired. They didn’t hire him just to find an excuse and turn around and fire him a few months later just because some people weren’t thrilled with the hire.
Bama Aaron
August 12th, 2009
3:58 pm
Well written blog Mark. As someone also originally from the Commonwealth I still follow the action up there. I could be wrong but unless you are correct and he decides to resign (which I believe would be the proper thing to do) I think his job is safe. And he has UK to thank for this.
As sad as it may be for athletics to have such a position of power in cases like this the Cardinals can’t afford to let the balance slip completely over to the Wildcats. It’s already slipping that way with the hiring of Calipari. Having to do a coaching search now would definitely hurt them.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
3:59 pm
I guess he actually learned something from his NBA days eh?
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
4:00 pm
That’s true, Bama. With Calipari and Wall in Lexington, the pendulum has swung back Kentucky’s way.
James
August 12th, 2009
4:00 pm
Tide Rising –
Would Saban have been fired under similar circumstances?
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
4:03 pm
Next thing you know Maury Povich will be yelling “Rick, YOU ARE THE FATHER!”
Michael Stipe
August 12th, 2009
4:04 pm
Everybody hurts — sometime.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
4:04 pm
Isn’t that what Darth Vader said to Luke?
gatorman770
August 12th, 2009
4:06 pm
At least he didn’t lie under oath about his infidelity or try to play word games like: “How do you define sex?”. Now did he use her for a humidor also?
Ted Striker
August 12th, 2009
4:09 pm
I don’t see Pitino returning to the NBA over this.
He isn’t historically scandalous, he’s firmly entrenched, and the issue isn’t related to the NCAA. (Plus Kentucky thinks he’s a traitor which makes folks at Louisville close ranks and love him even more.) Plus he broke the story himself — by reporting it to the police — and has credibility by making an unfavorable admission of a sexual tryst at a restaurant table. (I once made a similar unfavorable admission but my buddies called b.s. and didn’t believe me).
It’s true he has a moral turpitude clause and that no school is ever happy about bad publicity — except for Tennessee and Lane Kiffin (ZING!) — but let’s face it: Even presidents of the United States have outlasted marital scandal. Infidelity? Infidelity pre-dates the time the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
4:11 pm
But he obviously didn’t tell the whole truth either when he probably should have. Same thing.
Shady Kraft
August 12th, 2009
4:18 pm
Luke was on a need to know basis with Darth.
catridder2004
August 12th, 2009
4:18 pm
Thanks Mr. Bradley; so it is safe to say the tax payers paid for his/her drinks, etc. I wonder how much tip was left on the table? ha ha
Tide Rising
August 12th, 2009
4:19 pm
James,
Its a hypothetical that we’ll never know the answer to. I do know that if Saban did the Pitino thing he definitely would have been fired. Personally, I think Mike Price should have been given a break. I, along with a boatload of Bama fans, felt very sorry for the man.
The problem was also one of culture. Price was from the liberal northeast Wash state is in fact very liberal. He was warned on least 2-3 different occasions by Bama AD not to be at local bars and not to be buying young co-eds drinks at these bars. In Oregon there’s no problem with this. In conservative Bible belt Bama there is.
My feeling is that had Saban done the one night getting drunk and having strippers in his hotel thing he probably would not have been fired. But, if like Price he did this and in addition had been warned several times about hanging out at the bars drinking and buying co-eds drinks then yes. He would have been fired most likely.
mitch
August 12th, 2009
4:22 pm
Dear Mr. MB–I’ve driven through Kentucky several times and always right through the middle of Louisville. Your pal, Mitch
David
August 12th, 2009
4:25 pm
I want to wait a few days till all the facts come out before I make a judgment. At this time there is only a report from a leak from the police station. After the Duke Lacrosse team, I don’t believe the 1st thing the media publishes. The media is now about breaking the story, but not about having the correct facts in the story.
Glenn
August 12th, 2009
4:28 pm
Six years ago ? Oh good grief . Water under the bridge . Her husband was the extortionist ? Nice . Stay classy Kentucky !
Shady Kraft
August 12th, 2009
4:30 pm
except “thats the fact jack” Mark Bradley. You dont report news you dont have and for that I am thankful.
i'm swiss (aka Buckshot Prior)
August 12th, 2009
4:30 pm
“I’d hate to be U of L’s president today…”
I’ll tell you who I’d hate to be, MB — the former UL equipment manager / estranged husband of the woman in question. How pathetic is your life when you:
1) Marry a lady who you met as a result of her, um, doing your boss in a restaurant within hours of meeting
2) Become the messenger boy for said woman, carrying her list of extortion demands to said boss
Yikes…
Bama Aaron
August 12th, 2009
4:33 pm
I agree Swiss. As slimy as this story is that’s pretty pathetic…
gdawginkalamazoo
August 12th, 2009
4:38 pm
“I guess the pasta dish wasn’t better than sex”. Rick Pitino 2003 Porcini’s. “Cost a whole lot less though.” Rick Pitino two weeks later.
catridder2004
August 12th, 2009
4:45 pm
I am trying to work but keep coming back to this topic. I am PO’d! This is serious. This woman – and so many like her – accuse these guys of rape! This woman has falsely accused him of rape for crying out loud!! But ya know what? That part will be dropped with NO charges against her for false accusation! If these women would be prosecuted for this they would stop doing it unless it were true. Again, no woman in her right mind would go back for seconds. So, that in at least my mind makes her a liar! The only thing worse a woman can do than falsely accuse a man of rape is falsely accuse him of sexually abusing the kids in a divorce or to get even. Makes me sick!
funnygrlga
August 12th, 2009
4:54 pm
An article on msnbc.com says that he paid her $3k to get insurance, not an abortion. If she was pregnant, how did he expect her to get insurance???? He sounds like he is trying to cover that up with a really bad lie.
Ann Louie
August 12th, 2009
4:56 pm
Porcini’s is not closed. You are thinking of Deitrich’s, which did close. Porcini’s is alive and well.
Stuck in Kentucky
August 12th, 2009
5:00 pm
This is actual records from the LPD from the open records act. There have been rumors about this very thing from the time she was arrested. Rumors are huge here so I don’t pay them much attention, but this time they were true. If the other rumors out there about this situation is true then LOOK OUT!!! Not a firable offense, just really embarrassing.
Glenn
August 12th, 2009
5:01 pm
@
DP
August 12th, 2009
5:02 pm
As Tide Rising notes, Mike Price was warned about inappropriate behavior in Tuscaloosa bars before the episode in Florida that got him fired. I don’t know whether Pitino has any history of this or not. If not I’d be surprised if Louisville fires him.
Is there really an NBA team that wants Pitino after his disastrous tenure in Boston?
Go Big Blue
August 12th, 2009
5:03 pm
Sure does make every one forget about John Calipari’s troubles this offseason. They are both cheaters, but now the spot light is on Louisville.
Fans of sport and good games should hope Pitino stays. Imagine Slick Rick coming to Lexingotn in December to meet John Wall and Calipari. What a game it will be. The heckling and jeers form UK fans toward Ricky P will be priceless.
Stuck in Kentucky
August 12th, 2009
5:05 pm
From my understanding Pitino’s wife stays in NY a lot. I have never seen her here in Louisville or heard about her being about at charity events and such. I would not know who she was even if I met her at Porcini’s. And Ann is right, the place is open. Don’t get the alfredo sauce.
Glenn
August 12th, 2009
5:05 pm
@ swiss
The way I read it she had two husbands through this . The first one did the extorting . Then she married the equipment manager . The guy who didn’t come to her aid when Rick Petino was raping her at his condo . I bet he plays an instrument .
tiger7_88
August 12th, 2009
5:06 pm
Admit it, Bradley… you may not have posted the Mike Price stripper pic, but your curiosity got the best of you and you had to Google it and look, didn’t you?
Stuck in Kentucky
August 12th, 2009
5:07 pm
No she was single at the time of the tryst, then married the Rick’s asst 6 months later. It was her future husband’s condo they met at to discuss the bun in the oven
Brian20
August 12th, 2009
5:13 pm
you are crazy if you think Pitino is going anywhere, Syphers crazy ass will be locked up and all will be forgotten. Just in case you didn’t know or forgot they are building a multi-million dollar basketball arena that is set to open next year. Pitino is going no where and Calipari has proven nothing, but that he can recruit, he is a horrible coach and UK will win nothing.
catridder2004
August 12th, 2009
5:25 pm
tiger7 88
Bradley may not have but I did. OMG she is UGLY!!! Of course so is he. LMAO at this one – oh, by the way, I am a straight female. Curiosity always gets the cat.
Smitty
August 12th, 2009
5:29 pm
The fact that you and all the other sports media even jump on all of this is indicative of how bored and desparate we all are in our daily lives. Anyone who has met Pitino knows he is typical of the sports arena(competent, talented, arrogant,etc.) but here we go/; at least it gets attention off of Vick who is a nobody compared to Michael Irwin and Ray Lewis. And certainly no Snoop Dawg, todays “guest” on ESPN.The hypocrisy we swallow for entertainment is amazing.
DawginLex
August 12th, 2009
5:30 pm
I’ve heard the restaurant is good but come on!!
$3,000 to cancel your order??????????????????
Keeping It Real
August 12th, 2009
5:41 pm
If Vick,Buress,Stallworth and several other athletes are punished for committing crimes or acts that are considered unworthy of sports, then slick Rick needs to be punished also. He needs to go bye bye.
who did it
August 12th, 2009
5:49 pm
Well Rick did it are not only he n her know….but puttin M. Vick in that was not very nice…No they will not fire Pitino at louisville unless this affects the team if they go 16-16 this season Yes he be fired!
No More White For Rick | BigBlueRules
August 12th, 2009
6:10 pm
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2009/08/12/the-pitino-affair-sex-in-a-restaurant-a-job-in-jeo... Think of it this way: The enthusiasm for and scrutiny of basketball in Kentucky can be likened to the fervor for football in Alabama. And wasn’t Mike Price dumped as head coach by the Crimson Tide before coaching a game after reports surfaced that he’d had sex with a stripper in Pensacola, Fla.? [...]
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
6:11 pm
I will neither confirm nor deny anything, Tiger7.
Rick Pitino Affair Photos | Hot Web Trends
August 12th, 2009
6:15 pm
[...] The Pitino affair: Sex in a restaurant, a job in jeopardy | Mark …Mark Bradley of the AJC believes Rick Pitino will have a difficult time staying at Louisville after admitting he had sex with a woman and paid for her abortion. Read more [...]
Dawghater
August 12th, 2009
6:23 pm
Mark,
In today’s screwed up society, cheating on your spouse is like no big deal. Don’t you think with the pressure to win, U of L will find some way to keep him. Personally, I think there needs to come a time when people are held accountable for their bad decisions.
2Dinternational » The Pitino affair: Sex in a restaurant, a job in jeopardy | Mark …
August 12th, 2009
6:25 pm
[...] after admitting he had sex with a woman and paid for her abortion. Go here to read the rest: The Pitino affair: Sex in a restaurant, a job in jeopardy | Mark … Categories: SEX Tags: abortion, after-admitting, after-his, ajc, bradley, catholic-church, [...]
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
6:27 pm
I don’t think U of L will fire Pitino, Dawghater. I just think it could be made clear to him that both parties would be happier apart.
Oh, and for another take — much better than mine — on the Pitino matter, read this submission from esteemed former colleague John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
cosmos
August 12th, 2009
6:29 pm
In Mike Price’s case, he also used the school’s credit card after he had been warned about hanging out in bars. He paid for 2 strippers to go to his motel room but claimed he did not have sex ( don’t they all say that ). He was also not a popular choice with a lot of the alumni.
I would be surprised to see Pitino fired over this because he is a popular coach with the UL fans.
JustaThought
August 12th, 2009
6:31 pm
I think he’s going to resign. As a matter of fact it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if they “spin” it as a mutual agreement. Besides, I think it will be too big of a distraction to the team. Just imagine when the team goes on the road.
steg
August 12th, 2009
6:31 pm
OK, the Elvis wannabe (all the white outfits….c’mom….) gets nailed in his “Ole Kentucky Home” and we’re all acting surprised?
Dawghater
August 12th, 2009
6:33 pm
Mark,
Pitino spoke at one of my company’s national sales meeting back in the mid 90’s. It was during that time when he was at Kentucky and he was in L.A. talking to the Lakers about a job. I found Pitino arrogant and full of himself. He better learn to be humble if he wants this one to go away. Arrogant boosters vs. Pitino’s personality after this won’t mix well. Your collegue’s article was interesting.
Bill
August 12th, 2009
6:36 pm
A little Kentucky Blue showing up in this article?
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
6:38 pm
Let me also say this: Rick Pitino isn’t the first college coach (or even the 100th) to have an extramarital assignation. But he’s the first I know to admit having sex in a restaurant and paying the woman in question $3,000.
GT
August 12th, 2009
6:39 pm
You get these dapper dressed coaches, that look like pimps working a parking lot, then you acted surprised they have no character only because they have won a few basketball games. Could you imagine reading this about Roy Williams, now that would be some news, but this jerk who can barely hide his self centerness under about five coats of grease, who to me has always represented the rawer side of college athletics and the blind eye brings no surprise.
Mark Bradley
August 12th, 2009
6:42 pm
Wouldn’t think so, Bill. I grew up a Louisville fan. Ask anybody who knows me.
Hillbilly Deluxe
August 12th, 2009
6:45 pm
But he’s the first I know to admit having sex in a restaurant and paying the woman in question $3,000.
Sounds like he’s got a whole lot more money than he has sense.
toccoadawg
August 12th, 2009
6:56 pm
ye without sin cast the first stone