Genuine contrition goes a long way toward forgiveness.
In my heart I know I would have loved to hear these words from Rick Pitino: “I made a mistake. A big mistake. I am truly sorry. I have learned my lesson. I should have known better.” But I did not.
But what I did hear and see was a genuinely heartfelt apology.
So, good for Rick Pitino.
And good for my Louisville Cardinals.
I am pleased that the decision makers at U of L are standing by the coach, and haven’t fallen prey to some knee jerk dismissal for PR’s sake. I am pleased that he will continue to be U of L’s coach.
As a former prosecuting attorney, I sense the facts as presented so far could lead to a lot of other scandalous possibilities. But, as has always been my policy here, I don’t discuss personal matters regarding the sports figures I cover. You haven’t read here any prior conjecture about this situation before, and you won’t in the future.
As I learn things about how the scandal and pending legal proceedings might affect the program or recruiting or Pitino’s relationship with his players and ability to coach, I’ll report what I know. As for the gossip about his or Karen Sypher’s personal life — several salacious bits of which I’ve already been emailed — you won’t hear it here. Sorry.
I’m frankly more interested in how Syracuse stole recruit Fab Melo at the last moment? And what type of rotation is The Rick planning for the upcoming season?
Now I’m going to watch my Tigers try to salvage a win in Beantown.
– Seedy K
9 Comments
Glad to see you take the high road with the rumormongering. Guess you found that high road after Billy Gillispie left town?
I have had the same policy since I started writing. I never passed along any information regarding Billy Gillispie’s private life.
I believe your insinuation that I have a double standard to be incorrect
The difference, Fake Gimmy, is that the rumors around BCG did have to do directly with his job.
“Blew off lunches and meetings. I’m told he blew off the opportunity to make a cool half million bucks to do three one-minute ads for Dawahare’s, never returning the calls from those long time big time Wildcat supporters.
He was derisive of his players, some of whom felt he came to practice on more than one occasion stoned, drunk or hungover.”
CD, I thought when you wrote this it was a cheap shot for a guy who just got fired and I still do. You can split the hair if you want but it sounds pretty close to rumors about a person’s life outside his job to me.
Everything a highly marketed, highly paid D-1 coach does or does not do that becomes part of the rumor mill affects their ability to perform their job both in a positive and negative way.
Here’s one, bring back Denny as interim if Pitino bails.
Point taken. I shan’t attempt to split hairs.
Thanks, Big Smooth. I’ve been grepping through Seedy’s archives and can attest that the “stoned, drunk and hungover” quip was the only time Seedy dipped into Gillispie’s outside life rumors.
Readers, I admire your diligence. I stand by my promise earlier not to split hairs.
I disagree on the “heartfelt apology” point. He tried to divert attention the entire time, bringing up how long ago it happened, 9/11… it was less than genuine.
I’m glad he gets to keep his job, and I do think Rick’s a great coach- but the apology was lame. I don’t care if it is old news to him and his family, it’s new news to everyone else. A “press conference” should put everyone on the same page. Unfortunately for Rick, it just came across as more “bs speak” we’ve all come to know from him.
UK23
Your point about “heartfelt apology” is well taken. I was just on “State of Affairs” addressing that. What I believe is that it was the most heartfelt apology that Pitino, a man of power and charisma, is capable of. I would have loved for him to have gone further, used the word mistake, ask for forgiveness, i.e. exhibited some real genuine contrition.
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