There's something like 10 kinds of crazy in the ever-expanding story on Louisville coach Rick Pitino and his relationship with the alleged extortionist Karen Cunagin Sypher. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the information she was holding over the married Pitino's head involved an extramarital affair. Still, this is now approaching pure soap-opera levels of melodrama.The latest, as reported by the Courier-Journal, is that Pitino admitted to police investigators that he did have sex with Sypher and subsequently gave her $3,000 for an abortion after she claimed she was pregnant.
The sexual interlude took place after-hours at a restaurant where he had been drinking at the bar. According to the interview, Pitino strongly suggested that he may have been drunk. He told the police this after Sypher had recently made allegations that he raped her back in August 2003.
"Luckily" for Pitino, his executive assistant had been there as Pitino's designated driver. He corroborated Pitino's version. From the Courier-Journal's report:
That witness, Vinny Tatum, an executive assistant to Pitino, told the FBI that he didn't see what happened but heard "only the sounds of two people that seemed to be enjoying themselves during a sexual encounter," according to Abbott's report.Oh, it gets sleazier. Sypher got in touch with Pitino a couple weeks later to let him know she was now pregnant and he was the father. They agreed to meet at the condo of the strength coach for the Louisville basketball team, Tim Sypher, a longtime friend of Pitino's. There, the still single Karen Cunagin decided to get an abortion but claimed not to have the medical insurance to pay for it. Pitino gave her $3,000 to cover the costs.
For a while, what information and news that had been leaking really made this look like a completely crazy woman going after Pitino. Her attorney had quit, and the court had to appoint one for her. She lacked much credibility as she claimed that Pitino raped her that night, and then said he sexually assaulted her at Tim Sypher's condo at their second meeting -- while Sypher was upstairs. And then married Sypher six months later.
Rick Pitino will most likely still be coach at Louisville. His reputation and image, though, are toast. The creepiness. The weirdness. Everything about this is just ugly, tawdry and sleazy.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Didn't they make of movie of this called Fatal Attraction!
Always good to have an alibi from a guy named Vinny,lol.
Just another guy who thinks he's god's gift because he wins "games" and makes an outrageous living because of it. No wonder so many athletes act the way they do. They're biggest role models at young ages act like priviledged schmucks so they figure can to. I guess when people keep treating like a superhero, you start to believe it! Too bad so many are villians.
As a basketball coach, I'm embarassed once again! Thanks Rick.
Hey folks, Pitino is winning. If he was a coach who lost most of his games, he would be gone by now. In other words...FIRED.
LET HE AMONG YOU WHO IS SINLESS THROW THE FIRST STONE.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS LADY HAD CONTACT WITH MR. PITINO AFTER THE ALLEGED RAPE. MOST VICTIMS RUN TO THE POLICE AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE, SUCH AS LACERATIONS< BRUISES AND OTHER VITALS.
RICK SHOULD HAVE PULLED A KOBE BRYANT AND SETTLE THE ISSUE.
This lady is one word....CRAZY!
You cant just blame the lady....Pitino acts like he was above the fray....NEWSFLASH! He is a married man and he knocked up someone and paid for an abortion.....can't take the moral highroad on this one!
tim sypher married her?? what a nitwit
First Pitino made a bif drunden mistake and is paying for it...but secondly this woman is nuts!
I bet she wasn't even pregnant to start with! If she were, she would have had the child, and asked for child support for 18 years. With his salary, she would have been able to live the life of luxury. Does she have any proof she had an abortion? Does she have any proof the child was his? While it was wrong for her to have sex with her, it is done all the time unfortunately. Let him deal with his family and his embarrassment. And above all, let him coach!
So, what's new? At the University of Louisville, it is just business as usual - one embarrassing episode after another. Such a high profile individual should be expected (make that required) to serve as an example to all. He survives because when there is revenue involved the administrators here will condone anything.