STrib: Konate joining team late; Walker and Mason both set to go on Friday

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per the STrib:

Minnesota freshman big man Bakary Konate is traveling to Puerto Rico separate from the team and will meet them today, coach Richard Pitino said at an open Coast Guard demonstration for both the Gophers and Louisville on Thursday.

"Not allowed to miss class," Pitino said, lowering his sunglasses. "Yes, I'm serious."

Konate is enrolled in English intensive classes this semester as a requirement for his admission to Minnesota. The center, who was named student athlete of the month in October, missed early warmups for a 7 p.m. exhibition game due to the English classes as well. Konate made it to Williams Arena at 6:20 for that game.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/282604661.html

Go Gophers!!
 

Pitino won't put up with this crap. He's trying to win and win now and the University is affecting that. He'll leave if this continues and I won't blame him at all.
 

SDSUAlum08 said:
Pitino won't put up with this crap. He's trying to win and win now and the University is affecting that. He'll leave if this continues and I won't blame him at all.
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Hi there sunshine, how's your day going? :rolleyes:
 

SDSUAlum08 said:
Pitino won't put up with this crap. He's trying to win and win now and the University is affecting that. He'll leave if this continues and I won't blame him at all.
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Not sure if he's upset about it or just pointing it out. But it is a tad ridiculous. Even at the DII level students are given wide lattitude to make up class time.
 

This kind of BS needs to stop. Let him make it up when he gets home.
 


Sometimes things get lost in translation in a news story. Not entirely sure Pitino is complaining here, though my guess is this is a pointed zinger. But IF it is a dig, just a thought:

In light of North Carolina's apparently not so recent problems, now might not be the best time for a major-college coach to complain about a player actually having to attend class (and yes, I was surprised Konate had to miss a team flight). There's a time and a place to express these concerns, a public forum is not one of 'em.

Glad Bakary was able to make it to Puerto Rico. We'll need all hands on deck.
 

Another angle is that Pitino may be irritated because Konate didn't take initiative with his school obligations and scheduling so that he wouldn't miss the team flight.

Either way I always thought Pitino was pretty serious about his kids performance in school. I hardly think this is an issue at all. It is what it is.
 

woozee said:
Another angle is that Pitino may be irritated because Konate didn't take initiative with his school obligations and scheduling so that he wouldn't miss the team flight.

Either way I always thought Pitino was pretty serious about his kids performance in school. I hardly think this is an issue at all. It is what it is.
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?

This has nothing to do with Konate and his "initiative." The admissions office are requiring that he not miss this particular class.
 

But it is more fun to over analyze things.
 



"Pitino said he's never experienced a situation like this one since he's been a coach."
 


afurry91 said:
This kind of BS needs to stop. Let him make it up when he gets home.
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Really is incredible. The guy just won the "Student of the Month" blah blah blah. Not exactly an academic risk, it would seem.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Sometimes things get lost in translation in a news story. Not entirely sure Pitino is complaining here, though my guess is this is a pointed zinger. But IF it is a dig, just a thought:

In light of North Carolina's apparently not so recent problems, now might not be the best time for a major-college coach to complain about a player actually having to attend class (and yes, I was surprised Konate had to miss a team flight). There's a time and a place to express these concerns, a public forum is not one of 'em.

Glad Bakary was able to make it to Puerto Rico. We'll need all hands on deck.
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Nothing to see in Chapel Hill, right SS?

Different set of standards and expectations for winning programs. See Kentucky. How many plane rides do you think UK players miss due to classes?
 






my opinion is this admissions office is going to be the teeter that totters our AD and Pitino to greener and warmer climates....there is some sort of political power struggle between admissions and the Athletic department.....pure speculation of course.....
we are allowed to speculate on these boards correct?
 

jimmyvalvanoguy said:
my opinion is this admissions office is going to be the teeter that totters our AD and Pitino to greener and warmer climates....there is some sort of political power struggle between admissions and the Athletic department.....pure speculation of course.....
we are allowed to speculate on these boards correct?
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Only when Dr. Don is drunk or sleeping, so yes.
 

Richard is a maestro working the media. One of his many strengths. He has the local writers eating out of his hand. Most importantly, he appears to be a h*ll of a basketball coach.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Doc, please tell us what we're allowed to discuss, analyze, other than beer drinking!
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SS, low blow. We have NO idea what is going on, so why analyze things we don't know a damned thing about.

Other than gossip?
 

I'll start getting excited about this when kids who are native speakers aren't allowed to miss class. If he's as sharp as we think he should have considered all the possibilities. If/when Richard leaves, it won't be because of these things; it'll be because he's been so successful that someone blew the Gophers out of the water with an offer we couldn't match.
 

Dr.Don said:
SS, low blow. We have NO idea what is going on, so why analyze things we don't know a damned thing about.

Other than gossip?
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Well Doc, if we can only discuss things we absolutely know about, there wouldn't be much to talk about here, would there?
 

Mulligan said:
I'll start getting excited about this when kids who are native speakers aren't allowed to miss class. If he's as sharp as we think he should have considered all the possibilities. If/when Richard leaves, it won't be because of these things; it'll be because he's been so successful that someone blew the Gophers out of the water with an offer we couldn't match.
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As usual Mulligan, you hit the nail on the head. People are so paranoid about Richard leaving they'll look for any excuse as to why he might leave us. If he leaves it'll be because he's been a big success here, and that's a good problem to have.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Well Doc, if we can only discuss things we absolutely know about, there wouldn't be much to talk about here, would there?
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That is a good point for sure, but what raises my ire is those who make comments alluding to the negative.
 

Dr.Don said:
That is a good point for sure, but what raises my ire is those who make comments alluding to the negative.
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I love homers like Dr Don....keep it up...maybe you are really Sid? See no evil hear no evil, speak no evil....yet the truth sometimes smacks you square in the butt...I am glad we can share our opinions, only if they are positive!!....Creating his own legacy and building student athletes for a future both on and off the court is a paramount motivation to young Richard. IF IF IF he cannot do this at the U because of poor facilities, or because of internal politics between the AD office and Admissions, I guarantee you he will evaluate other options when the time comes. Obviously if a top program like Duke, NC, comes calling, he will leave and it is because of his success here. If a perceived equal program, for example, Tennessee, Alabama, and the like come calling, we should give him no reason to even consider them. We are very naive to think that external factors (non-basketball) would not be factored into his decision making process. All that said, he still has a LOT to prove at the U and we all support him 100 percent.
 

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