Rick Pitino is unraveling.
That's my interpretation of his press conference Wednesday, called so that the Louisville basketball coach could, well, who knows? It sounded like a man who has been under a lot of self-inflicted stress, who wanted to find someone else to blame and wanted someone to feel sorry for him.
This was sad, desperate and pathetic.
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"I told you last time that I wasn't going to say anything until the trial," he said. "But I think it's really necessary that I do now because I'm a little upset. This is a day I went home to comfort my wife who, obviously, as you would imagine the last seven months would be having a very difficult time, as her husband was blackmailed through the NCAA Tournament and extorted for millions of dollars."
The stress from being blackmailed, as he alleges. The mess from cheating on his wife, his family and his reputation in an upscale restaurant. The ethics of spending for an abortion in violation of his religious beliefs. The accusation that no one believes, that he committed rape.
Put it all together, and this is what you get, Pitino rambling nearly incoherently, blaming media, blaming his accuser, not seeming to realize who started the problem.
Pitino said his sex scandal involving Karen Cunagin Sypher has been pure hell for his family, and was upset about TV reports of audio and video recordings that Louisville police released to the media showing Sypher making accusations of assault.
Pitino has admitted to having consensual sex with Sypher six years ago, and said she has been blackmailing him. His attorney said he gave her money for health insurance to cover an abortion. Sypher came back with allegations of assault.But on Wednesday, Pitino complained that on the day Sen. Ted Kennedy died, apparently when he was home comforting his wife, they broke into the news in Louisville with an update about Sypher's tapes.
"That's a pretty sad commentary on us," he said.
To get this straight, he's saying his wife was upset about the blackmail, and then the media made things worse with their reports. Notice anyone missing from the blame here?
He also complained that his family and friends in New York are reading bad things about him in the tabloids.
"Everything that's been printed, everything that's been reported, everything that's been breaking in the news on the day Ted Kennedy died is 100 percent a lie, a lie," he said. "All of this has been a lie, a total fabrication of the truth."
All of it?
"Except what I told you."
Which, two weeks ago, was that you had been lying all along. It might be time for Pitino to step away from his job to breathe a little fresh air. It seemed that he was going to survive this scandal when, two weeks ago, he said if you admit to your problems and tell the truth, then they become part of your past. But it's not working out that way after all.
Look, the media have been known to do some low-down things. But at this moment, I'm not really into being lectured on ethics from Rick Pitino."Enough's enough," he said. "Everybody is tired of it. We need to get on with the important things in life like the economy and really some crucial things in life like basketball."
I didn't make that up. He counted basketball as a crucial thing in life. And maybe for him, it is now. It's the one thing he might have some control over.
I'm sure that this is just a bad idea of a sexual encounter that has gone to hell for Pitino, a hypocrite who preaches family values. He said that he understands the media, understands that everyone needs stories in this bad economy, but why are they letting this happen? And he suggested that if you're watching TV and a story about his problems comes on the news, "If you're fans of anything we've accomplished good, just change the channel. And if the newspapers want to write about it, just read something else."
Look, the media have been known to do some low-down things. But at this moment, I'm not really into being lectured on ethics from Rick Pitino.
The good news, he pointed out, is that Louisville basketball will go on as a powerhouse, and that he's still going to be able to recruit top-10 players. This won't change anything. Well, that isn't just good. It's apparently a crucial thing in life, like the economy, even on the day when Ted Kennedy died.
Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com
Comments (Page 1 of 19)
Pitano and Calipari both benefit from universities that only care about winning . If there bosses think nothing is wrong why would one not expect them to blame others and ignore what there role was.
Has it ever occurred to any of you in the sports and athletics media that maybe just maybe he dealt with all this crap back in March and doesn't want to put up with your nosy buns? It has to me- the man has yes, self-inflicted himself, but there's also a time for forgivenness. I've seen folks just go after him. Has it ever occurred to you that he's being blackmailed and there are criminal charges against the woman doing it? Do your freakin' homework and hush.
Hey denotchka,
Blackmail or not there would have been no such thing done if a law called ADULTERY had not been commited first. The follow up crime in this case is an afterthought.
Arrest PITINO. Throw his butt in jail. Show him that he is not above the law.
Pitino is a SLIMBALL who finally got caught. If his wife is dumb enough to forgive him and think that this was a one time occurance then I want some of whatever she is on because it is really good stuff.
Health insurance my BUTT!!!!! Call it what you will but it was a paid abortion by a so called "devout catholic". Another blemish on his so called morals. What a solid christian he is, hahaha.
He has children of his own that he is showing very poor moral character. And what about the recruits that he coaches. He is also a very big influence on them.
He should lose his job immediatly. If he does not have a morals clause in his contract then the University is not very smart. They are also in the limelight by allowing him to make excuses.
Let me know when the site "www.pitinoisanadulterer.com" is up and I will put it in my favorites.
DOWN WITH PITINO. What a jerk!
bsfcardz
adultry is not against the law. it is not a crime. so the first crime is blackmail. and at this point its the only crime. dumbass
"Bert said...
Pitano and Calipari both benefit from universities that only care about winning . If there bosses think nothing is wrong why would one not expect them to blame others and ignore what there role was"
There, they're, their - the proper word to use there is "their."
BTW, who is "Pitano?"
Didn't even bother to get a room, just banged her right there on the restaurant table. Real classy, Pimptino. Also married and claims to be a Catholic, which makes him a hypocrite. He should be fired immediately. Send your email to President@louisville.edu, SUBJ: FIRE PITINO NOW!
its called the mark sanford republican syndrome
I just wonder if he bought his wife a 4 million dollar diamond to say he was sorry like Bryant did? She may be forgiving and forgetting, but when you have a public job, you had bst be ready to deal with the press when you make a mistake in judgement as serious as he did. The court of public opinion is very harsher than his wife and kids apparently seem to be. His remarks to the press seem very ill-planned and the rantings of a man who has very little self control. He needs to get his personal life together and work on his family and not worry so much about basketball and more about the example he is setting for his children.
This writter is an as--h--. Go find something to write about other than this guy who is going through tough times.
What a sad, pitiful excuse for a man. All the tailored suits and $400 haircuts in the world won't ever instill a sense of decency and honor back to this secretive slimebag. What is it about these Southern "gentlemen" that seems to compel them to drop trou at the first flirtacious glance by some piece of white trash fluff? Repulsive!
Coulda, shoulda, woulda....Mr. Pitino....YOU CHEATED ON YOUR WIFE...I understand that NOW you're fessing up to the mistake you made. BUT, if you are the great b-ball coach you appear to be, your mental judgement should warrent that discipline. And that discipline went out the window upon penetration... Values preside upon any individual with a wife and family. I'm not saying that your coaching expertise should suffer, but your morel expertise has and it will never go away, with regret from your wife and children...They will never forget this experience.
TO ramwrd AND Hugh AND Bert and anyone else who wants to see the guy get fired and burn in hell....stop acting like yall have neva done anything wrong....im sure each one of you has sum type of thang yall do behind closed doors... the guy made a mistake and he confessed to his wrong doin and pleaseeee stop bringing up his religon cause we all SIN.... SEX is the most tempting thang in the world im sure u guys stay up all nite blogging and watching PORN.... S.M.H.
How can anyone who can't spell "moral" question someone's morality. Can you spell "moron"?
Wow!!! what the heck is going on in Louisville? I'm shocked!!! flat out Shocked!!! I'm from Lou, Ky but don't live there anymore! In case none of you have noticed, because you are stuck inside of a KY BUBBLE, but UofL IS THE LAUGHING STOCK OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL RIGHT NOW, IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION MEMPHIS IS 2ND!!! LOL Rick Pitino just sealed his faith today On a Day that THE WORLD MOURNS SENATOR KENNEDY'S DEATH BIG MOUTH RICK WENT LIVE AND DIRECT ON AIR, KICKING UP DUST AGAIN ABOUT HIS DUMB MISTAKE!!! PEOPLE THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE! HE KNEW THAT THE WORLD WOULD BE WATCHING TV TODAY FOR TED KENNEDY, & LOOKED TO SELL HIS STORY TO THE PEOPLE THAT WAS FOLLOWING HIS UNFORTUNATE DEATH!!! I HAVE BEEN A RICK PITINO BACKER FOR THE 17 YEARS THAT HE HAS BEEN IN THE KY AREA!!! I ACTUALLY KNOW RICK, BUT AFTER TODAY HE MADE UofL Look bad!!! really!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH HIM & THE LADY, & DON'T CARE! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! UofL got his back so he should have just SHUT UP!!! He will be fired!
Wow. Anthony Epps, you sound awful bitter. Pretty bad to talk about the man that gave you a chance. Oh but I am sure you are perfect. Never committed a sin or did something you regretted right. He didn't make U of L look bad. I think he knows he looks bad. You aren't here though. It is the top story on the news this interview with this obviously delusional woman. That is all everyone is talking about. He isn't the first man to cheat on his wife and pay for an abortion. Enough already. I think that is all he was saying. Let's move on to more important things. He didn't have to come out at all and admit what he did and I don't think what he did was right, but who am I to judge. He deserves the same privacy that everyone else does. Maybe it was dumb to call a press conference when he did, but at some point you just snap and have to do something about it. How long can you let someone talk trash about you that has been determined to be a lie by law enforcement. One can only take so much. I am not trying to start a war with anyone. In fact Anthony, I was a HUGE UK fan during your time and I respect you as a player. I just think if you were here in the Louisville area watching this circus you might feel a little different.
That is what PityNo says his own attornies, the authorities, the university, etc., told him, just STFU, and the scandal would be swept under the rug. Instead, he is reminding everyone he rented the woman`s husband, not her, admitted to paying blackmail to the woman`s husband, not her, refused to prosecute the woman`s husband, not her, takes a celibate male priest on secular field trip with him, not a nun. Then claims it was the woman he engaged in exhibition with in a restaurant, not her husband, and his only semi witness to his sexy body in sex is a man who works for him, not a woman. And he expects anyone to believe that? Even I am not that naive. Anyone who`d believe that would believe it was Iraq which was the rich country with weapons of mass destruction, not the US. And I don`t doubt he tried to manipulate his young male recruits, and was less nasty in some ways to those who decided to go along to get along. The gorgeous woman couldn`t do any better, for free, than his sorry, adulterous, ass? Not a chance. If she`d wanted to cheat, any guy on the team would have tended to be bigger, younger, and more vigorous. Please. PityNo is just aching for the spotlight, not the family he cheated on. Sounds to me, whatever your perspectives on various issues may be, you knew the man well enough to have plenty of reason to sound bitter.
His name should be changed to Fredo Pitino.
He's trying to protect his family but due to his fame the media's going to have a field day. Quit the tirades and just be happy that you kept your job.
Nope it is the media that is screwed up. AOL ='s Canned Spam.
Drop it. You reported it now let it go or we can let everyone knom how many times you cheated