All Things Pitino rumor mill thread

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EG#9 said:
The thing is, anybody can claim Pitino is unhappy at Minnesota and use the following reasons: the weather, the facilities, the media (though I think this one is overblown). Those reasons fit the story line of why any coach would be unhappy at Minnesota. I could claim to be an insider at Iowa or Nebraska and claim their coaches are unhappy because of the weather, the limited recruiting base, and lack of diversity that is unattractive to recruits. That would seem to make sense and nobody could call me a liar because it fits the narrative of why a coach would be unhappy at those schools. The same could be true of Illinois where it is know that the recruiting scene around Chicago is shady and why numerous coaches turned them down when they hired Groce.

We are not ever going to have a coach that loves the weather in Minnesota, but hopefully we can take care of the facilities issue. Almost every school has drawbacks that could potentially make a coach unhappy.
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+1 All these "issues" people are claiming Pitino has here and that he doesn't want to be here aren't insider information they are just obvious things that any coach at Minnesota has to deal with right now and people are saying Pitino wants out because his name has been out there for a few jobs. I don't buy that Pitino sees this job as just a stepping stone and wants out I think he genuinely thinks he can build Minnesota into a good basketball program and sees a future here now that doesn't mean if Louisville opens up in 7 years and they want him he is gonna stay in Minnesota instead but I do think he will only leave for a few certain situations.
 

scher215 said:
The bright side to Pitino leaving would be we get to go through another coaching search, and those can be particularly awesome and fun here on Gopherhole.
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F'in guilty pleasure!
 


GoldenAle said:
If he wants to leave, good riddance. He should put an end to these rumors if he is in it for the long haul.

There are much better fits for our school/team out there than Richard.
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If there is any truth to these rumors it is better that he is gone, recruiting is going to take a hit big time the way it is, really need someone that is interested in building a program.

Oops didn't see the twitter post, that is positive.
 


say what? where did he say he's not talking to other programs??
 



I have a lot of respect for Richard to make a statement. You can easily let those rumors stir and use them to your advantage even if you have no intention of leaving. Good for him. Maybe he isn't a sleazy east coaster like we all try to convince ourselves.
 






Funny to see the Bama fans varying reactions to this on Twitter.
 




mnsportsgeek said:
I have a lot of respect for Richard to make a statement. You can easily let those rumors stir and use them to your advantage even if you have no intention of leaving. Good for him. Maybe he isn't a sleazy east coaster like we all try to convince ourselves.
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I wish he had made the statement earlier. I still wonder about the damage done in the meantime because it did fester for quite a few days. My assumption is he didn't like what he heard from Alabama.

In any case, I'm happy that we can now look to the future. I really want to see what this current group can accomplish in the next few years. Hopefully we can add a couple more pieces and go from there.
 

Bad Gopher said:
What the hell does "heavily in the mix" mean? Interest by Alabama, interest by both?

Still not convinced that the guy isn't a job hopper and/or doesn't like it here.
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My take. It means his agent wants folks to know he is wanted but was maybe never really considered the job? Normal stuff, posturing for raises, etc. Not that one will come.. but I doubt there was a lot of "smoke to this fire". Maybe some.. but not a lot.
 

Rouser said:
My take. It means his agent wants folks to know he is wanted but was maybe never really considered the job? Normal stuff, posturing for raises, etc. Not that one will come.. but I doubt there was a lot of "smoke to this fire". Maybe some.. but not a lot.
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Interesting to note the local Alabama media is denying he was really that much in the mix. Seems like this guy has been referenced a bunch of times in the Alabama message boards over the last few days.

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Its totally human for Pitino to listen, and I can appreciate his not wanting to talk about it. When I was in the corporate world I would get a call from a head hunter from time to time despite being happily employed with no real desire to leave. I would listen, let them wine and dine me for a bit and hear about the opportunity and then politely thank them for the opportunity.

Being on the other side of it I'm sure it would look like I was entertaining or wanting to shop around but in my heart I knew my intentions. I hope that's where Richard is, not so much because I think he's irreplaceable, but because we are 2 1/2 years into this thing and he needs to see it through. Switching schemes/regimes would be a terrible thing to do at this juncture.
 

To me, this statement says nothing, other than, "I'm happy". It doesn't say, I'm not going anywhere.

Classic coach-speak - "I'm really happy here, love the situation I'm in..." to appease fan base, but also leaves the door open to "...that doesn't mean I couldn't be happier somewhere else, so feel free to give me a call if so compelled".
 

Bad Gopher said:
What the hell does "heavily in the mix" mean? Interest by Alabama, interest by both?

Still not convinced that the guy isn't a job hopper and/or doesn't like it here.
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He's like most people in his generation and most of us too. If someone comes calling, you listen. That's not disloyal. It's just career management. I never thought he was a long termer, and I still don't. But it is in his best interests to get this program on the map nationally and that will be good for his career and our program. I think he can do it.
 

golfing18now said:
Interesting to note the local Alabama media is denying he was really that much in the mix. Seems like this guy has been referenced a bunch of times in the Alabama message boards over the last few days.

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That is some of the fan reaction I have seen as well while others are just mad and talking about how quickly there search has gone down hill since they thought they would get Marshall a couple days ago.
 

golfing18now said:
I wish he had made the statement earlier. I still wonder about the damage done in the meantime because it did fester for quite a few days. My assumption is he didn't like what he heard from Alabama.

In any case, I'm happy that we can now look to the future. I really want to see what this current group can accomplish in the next few years. Hopefully we can add a couple more pieces and go from there.
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I think you answered your own question. (Okay, you didn't ask a question.) But I'm sure he didn't make the statement earlier because he was in the process of learning more and he waited until he heard something he didn't like. Or maybe Bama heard something they didn't like.

I do think it's odd that so many people here are quick to read Pitino's statement as a stern declaration that he's not going anywhere. Clearly, he's not going to Alabama, and that probably means he's not leaving during this offseason. The statement, while better than nothing and helpful, does a great job of saying nothing.
 

Goldy Gopher said:
That is some of the fan reaction I have seen as well while others are just mad and talking about how quickly there search has gone down hill since they thought they would get Marshall a couple days ago.
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We were in their shoes two years ago. It's a bad place to be. My sympathy to the Tide hoops faithful.
 

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Hates Monikers said:
I think you answered your own question. (Okay, you didn't ask a question.) But I'm sure he didn't make the statement earlier because he was in the process of learning more and he waited until he heard something he didn't like. Or maybe Bama heard something they didn't like.

I do think it's odd that so many people here are quick to read Pitino's statement as a stern declaration that he's not going anywhere. Clearly, he's not going to Alabama, and that probably means he's not leaving during this offseason. The statement, while better than nothing and helpful, does a great job of saying nothing.
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Of course he's going somewhere. The first time his team gets into the tournament he's gone. He's not building a program. He's building a career.
 

Hates Monikers said:
I think you answered your own question. (Okay, you didn't ask a question.) But I'm sure he didn't make the statement earlier because he was in the process of learning more and he waited until he heard something he didn't like. Or maybe Bama heard something they didn't like.

I do think it's odd that so many people here are quick to read Pitino's statement as a stern declaration that he's not going anywhere. Clearly, he's not going to Alabama, and that probably means he's not leaving during this offseason. The statement, while better than nothing and helpful, does a great job of saying nothing.
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I agree. In an odd sort of way, the thing that I like the most about Pitino (and father) is the thing that I like the least. I absolutely love the transparency/honesty/blogs/radio interviews/video clips/critics of players (good and bad), and all the information that he willingly shares. I admittedly swallow all that up. It helps me feel more connected to the program. But on the other hand, his comments like this one that sound more calculated/contrived/over the top are so out of character that it sends us all into a 70 page thread trying to dissect the actual "meaning" of what is being said.

Not sure what I'm looking for.... Maybe a quicker denial of interest from Pitino or maybe the University stepping up and sweetening the pot, like UNI/Wichita State/Dayton, if this truly is the guy that we have identified to get us out of basketball mediocrity -- even if that means plugging your nose while you are doing it.
 

jamiche said:
Of course he's going somewhere. The first time his team gets into the tournament he's gone. He's not building a program. He's building a career.
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Thanks for the inside info. When did you talk to him about this?
 

The coaches at UNI/Wichita State/Dayton have accomplished far more than Pitino has at Minnesota. No need at this point for the university to sweeten the pot

As far as his denial / non denial what do people expect him to say? "I am here forever" that can't be said nor should it be said.
 


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