Chip Scoggins column: Pitino shows Minnesota his lighter side

[BleedGopher]

per Chip:

Between recruiting, hiring a coaching staff, evaluating players and settling into a new job, Pitino has been too preoccupied to offer a sneak peek into his personality.

In interviews, he’s come across as an ultra-serious basketball prodigy who learned the game from the cradle with a Hall of Fame coach as his father. On Thursday, Pitino showed he has a sense of humor and some charisma, too.

Pitino Ball will look foreign to Gophers fans. Whether it works remains to be seen, but Pitino’s entire focus revolves around full-court pressure defense and run-and-gun offense. He’s quick to note that Florida International ranked in the top 10 nationally in steals last season.

“That’s an indication of how aggressively we play defense,” he said.

“People concern themselves with how Mo and Elliott are going to fit,” he said. “They’ll be fine. They’re going to be in the back of the press. They’ll be fine. Guys like them can definitely play in this style.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/207812461.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

KSTP WEB EXTRA: Gophers Chalk Talk Road Trip

http://kstp.com/sports/stories/S3036343.shtml?cat=7

Go Gophers!!

 

[Winasota Gopher]

per Chip:

Between recruiting, hiring a coaching staff, evaluating players and settling into a new job, Pitino has been too preoccupied to offer a sneak peek into his personality.

In interviews, he’s come across as an ultra-serious basketball prodigy who learned the game from the cradle with a Hall of Fame coach as his father. On Thursday, Pitino showed he has a sense of humor and some charisma, too.

Pitino Ball will look foreign to Gophers fans. Whether it works remains to be seen, but Pitino’s entire focus revolves around full-court pressure defense and run-and-gun offense. He’s quick to note that Florida International ranked in the top 10 nationally in steals last season.

“That’s an indication of how aggressively we play defense,” he said.

“People concern themselves with how Mo and Elliott are going to fit,” he said. “They’ll be fine. They’re going to be in the back of the press. They’ll be fine. Guys like them can definitely play in this style.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/207812461.html

Go Gophers!!

How did that show his lighter side?

I like my Pitino just the way he is... When he has a + .500 big 10 record he will be allowed to smile, when he finishes in the top 3 he can laugh, and when he gets a big championship he can tell 2 jokes.

 

[Monty519]

How did that show his lighter side?

I like my Pitino just the way he is... When he has a + .500 big 10 record he will be allowed to smile, when he finishes in the top 3 he can laugh, and when he gets a big championship he can tell 2 jokes.

The actual article hit on a few of his "quips":

• On his frenetic style of play: “I feel like we need to be like the Harlem Globetrotters the way you guys are anticipating the way we’re going to play.”

• On whether he will schedule Louisville, his father’s team: “Not yet. I’m trying to get a D-II school out of Louisville to come in here.”

• On center Elliott Eliason: “He won’t be able to play until he beats me in a pushup competition.”

• On center Mo Walker: “He’s lost 20 pounds, which is great. That’s a deck chair off the Titanic, as they say. He’s got to lose about 40 more.”

• On forward Oto Osenieks: “I said, ‘Oto, do you have the nickname Oto-matic?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ Then I looked at his stats and he made two threes [all season].”

The Oto one is awesome haha

 

[Winasota Gopher]

The actual article hit on a few of his "quips":

• On his frenetic style of play: “I feel like we need to be like the Harlem Globetrotters the way you guys are anticipating the way we’re going to play.”

• On whether he will schedule Louisville, his father’s team: “Not yet. I’m trying to get a D-II school out of Louisville to come in here.”

• On center Elliott Eliason: “He won’t be able to play until he beats me in a pushup competition.”

• On center Mo Walker: “He’s lost 20 pounds, which is great. That’s a deck chair off the Titanic, as they say. He’s got to lose about 40 more.”

• On forward Oto Osenieks: “I said, ‘Oto, do you have the nickname Oto-matic?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ Then I looked at his stats and he made two threes [all season].”

The Oto one is awesome haha

Thats good stuff... Obviously I didn't read the article I went off of Bleed's recap. I'll read it now.