Rick Pitino blaming everything but himself for first-year St. John’s failure is terrible look
He lamented St. John’s “s–tty” facilities, he bemoaned his team’s lack of toughness, he suggested that his assistants had flunked him by failing to import players whose talents were perfect matches for Pitino’s preferred frenetic system. He called out specific players as slow (though he mentioned how much he liked them personally).
And for the first time, St. John’s was forced to witness the flip side of the Pitino coin. Since March, the coach has enjoyed an endless runway of patience and good will. Nobody was necessarily expecting miracles this year, just good reasons to care about the Johnnies again. Mostly, this team delivered that until its recent slide toward the bottom of the Big East....
Post by reindeerfan on Feb 19, 2024 14:22:08 GMT -5
I felt Pitino made a mistake going to St. John's. He doesn't need the money. He could have won 20 games a year at Iona, without getting out of his PJ's. His staff was doing most of the work for him anyway. At this point he should be more concerned about legacy than money. As far as what he has done at Saint John's, its not helping his legacy.
I felt Pitino made a mistake going to St. John's. He doesn't need the money. He could have won 20 games a year at Iona, without getting out of his PJ's. His staff was doing most of the work for him anyway. At this point he should be more concerned about legacy than money. As far as what he has done at Saint John's, its not helping his legacy.
In spite of his BS, he never intended to play MAAC teams twice a year for the rest of his life. Heck, I don't even want that.😜 Iona was not going to build his legacy.
IMO, it had little to do with money. His ego needed to be fed. Not a big enough rush for him to be a winner in a lower mid major conference. Winning 20 games a year at Iona was no big deal for him. They would never likely have more than a one bid opportunity and could not attract the talent of a big program. And if he made the tourney was always going to be a high seed.
He needs to be the "great and adored Rick Pitino" in the sweet sixteen to the final four with a power conference behind him. St Johns was almost as convenient logistically as Iona. They play in the Big East, Games in the Garden (even though their on campus faciltiy is barely better than the Hynes Center).
Took the Iona job just to keep his hand in the game till his name was cleared. It was always a stepping stone.
Last Edit: Feb 19, 2024 14:45:22 GMT -5 by paulie74
I felt Pitino made a mistake going to St. John's. He doesn't need the money. He could have won 20 games a year at Iona, without getting out of his PJ's. His staff was doing most of the work for him anyway. At this point he should be more concerned about legacy than money. As far as what he has done at Saint John's, its not helping his legacy.
Completely agree, and this is why I am happy he did go to St. John's! 😁
Post by nashvillestag on Feb 19, 2024 15:09:48 GMT -5
Although it wasn't stated specifically in this article, the notion that he was in an emergency situation and didn't have time to recruit the type of players he wanted last spring, something that has been suggested he has complained about as one of his excuses, certainly falls flat when it is remembered that he got the gig almost immediately after his Iona team lost in the NCAA Tournament to UConn last March. Guess what, with the 50 and more coaching changes that happen every season, and many delayed to after the Final 4 to boot, every new guy has to work the transfer portal correctly to put a decent team on the floor the very next season. And at least at this time it appears as though he failed in that quest. To be honest I was surprised when the makeup of his transfer haul included a guy from Harvard, Penn, two from his own Gael squad plus a VMI guy who happened to be Fairfield's own Sean Conway, a decent mid-level D-1 player but certainly not a Big East talent who was going to elevate St.John's to a different level. I have no ax to grind here considering I had a chance meeting with him last year in which he couldn't have been nicer or more friendly to me (that some on this forum know about who I told), but that said, this situation right now is a continuation of a pattern he has had in the past where excuse making becomes his way of explaining failure. He's still a HOF coach and always will be, but certainly this type of reacting to losing more than expected will always hurt his reputation to some degree.
Last Edit: Feb 19, 2024 17:29:04 GMT -5 by nashvillestag
Post by nashvillestag on Feb 19, 2024 15:25:24 GMT -5
Actually as I re-read the article, I was wrong. He certainly inferred he was short on time when he suggested that "we had to put together a team at the last second." Last second? In mid-March? Great article by Mike Vaccaro BTW who is one of the best in the business IMO.
Last Edit: Feb 19, 2024 16:55:08 GMT -5 by nashvillestag
Post by reindeerfan on Feb 19, 2024 17:00:44 GMT -5
Rick Pitino needs to win 120 games to crack the top 10 in coaching wins all-time. I propose it would be easy to do this at Iona, and more much more difficult at St. Johns.
I agree, his ego couldn't take being on a small stage. I will be surprised if he lives long enough to win 120 games for Saint John's.
This reminds me of that old story about the snake who asked the boy to carry him across a river, promising not to bite him if he did. The boy agreed and once they got to the other side of the river, the snake bit the boy, who asked the snake as he died how he could break his promise not to bite him. The snake replied "You knew what I was when you picked me up." Father Shanley made a terrible mistake in hiring Pitino. Everyone knew his true character. And now, in a moment of adversity, it is again revealed. No one should be surprised. Saint Johns deserves a lot better than that; I would have fired him yesterday.
This reminds me of that old story about the snake who asked the boy to carry him across a river, promising not to bite him if he did. The boy agreed and once they got to the other side of the river, the snake bit the boy, who asked the snake as he died how he could break his promise not to bite him. The snake replied "You knew what I was when you picked me up." Father Shanley made a terrible mistake in hiring Pitino. Everyone knew his true character. And now, in a moment of adversity, it is again revealed. No one should be surprised. Saint Johns deserves a lot better than that; I would have fired him yesterday.
Great story and every bit is true. Saint Johns as well as Iona knew what they were hiring when they bought into slick Rick. However, Pitino like many con men are very out going and put you at ease at first but then in adversity their true character is revealed.
St. John’s has five games left in the regular season before the Big East tournament, starting with a matchup with Georgetown on Wednesday. The Red Storm hold a 14-12 record and sit in ninth in the Big East, ahead of only Georgetown and DePaul. Those two teams have won just a single conference game between them this season.
“I’ve been disappointed the entire year,” he said. “I’m sure [Georgetown coach] Ed Cooley is disappointed. I’m sure the DePaul coach is disappointed. When you lose, everybody’s disappointed.”
Pitino actually defended his comments on Monday, too.
Pitino insisted that he "truly wasn't ripping anybody" when he was making his comments, and that he was "fine with what I said."
"I was pointing out exactly — in a monotone voice — why we lost," he told Newsday. "I am not always calm and certainly not when I rip someone ... I was not ripping anybody.
"I sometimes want my players to hear my words and read my words. That was my intention [Sunday]."
Regardless, it sounds like March — specifically the end of it — can’t come soon enough for Pitino.
