Richard Pitino on 1500




Here is a recap, it's not verbatim, but its close:

Pitino on what he got out of Spain trip…The practice is great, you get to work with guys, 10 days of practice. We have a very young team, four freshmen who will have to play a lot, three sophomores who are young with only Nate Mason playing a lot of minutes. So now you have over half the team that need to learn how to play, how to practice, so those 2-3 weeks we got with them was extremely valuable.

Pitino on the team bonding and chemistry…When you get to practice in October, you are under the gun with a game coming up and the pressure is on. In August, there is no game to prepare for, no school so we all let our guard down a little bit, so it forces us to be together with no family and it forced us to bond a little bit.

Pitino on what may have surprised him coming out of this trip…Well the freshmen class will certainly contribute right away. And you talk about Dorsey, Dupree and Murphy will play significant minutes right away. Ahmad is not in as good of condition as those guys but he’ll come around. Now its finding out what positions they will play. Dupree and Jordan Murphy can play multiple positions, Kevin Dorsey not so much as he’s smaller and will play primarily at PG. They have the talent and that’s exciting but now its growing as a team.

Pitino on the older guys…Now its getting all the guys on the same page. If our team gets to where they want to get us to, its going to be the six returning guys that will get us there. Bakary has gotten a lot better, Nate Mason continues to improve, I think Carlos Morris will have a very good second year which a lot of JUCO guys have, Charles Buggs is improving slowly but surely and Gaston is still a little bit raw, but this time is valaube for all of those guys.

Pitino on if Konate will start at center…Yea, that is probably the way it will play out. I would assume so, he’s gotta be on the court, the biggest thing with him is he has to play without fouling. He was in foul trouble a lot in Spain.

Pitino on the non-basketball aspect of Spain…Barcelona is ridiculous with how good of a city it is. That is probably the best city I’ve ever been to in the world. The guys enjoyed the most was touring the Real Madrid soccer stadium. To show our guys that really excited them. We were able to go to a game which was the equivalent of an exhibition game and there were 80,000 people there.

Pitino on Teague situation…Good timing for us to get out of there. It’s very difficult because Norwood hired me and I can’t ignore the fact that he gave me a once in a life time opportunity. He believed in me when I hadn’t done a whole lot in my career. I will always be grateful for that. With that being said, its such a difficult situation. Hopefully he’s getting help. He did a lot of really good things when he was here, but I know President Kaler is going to a great job. There is so much to sell here regardless of who the AD is, regardless of who the basketball coach is. It’s difficult, to hear all the things is disappointing but we have to move and we are because we’re a great University with great people.

Pitino on how the Teague situation impacts basketball…I don’t think a whole lot as school gets started we don’t get involved in the athletic director stuff on a sport by sport basis. People giving money believe in the University and what we all stand for and I think we’ll pick up where we left off. We’re excited about the football season, I’m excited about our basketball program. We have a great school, a great University.

Go Gophers!!
 

To elaborate on the BK comments.

Pitino's humor came through in saying that he doesn't like to talk about who is starting, but unless BK starts missing a lot of practices and swearing at the coach he has a good shot at being the starter. (not verbatim)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Here is a recap, it's not verbatim, but its close: Pitino on what he got out of Spain trip…The practice is great, you get to work with guys, 10 days of practice. We have a very young team, four freshmen who will have to play a lot, three sophomores who are young with only Nate Mason playing a lot of minutes. So now you have over half the team that need to learn how to play, how to practice, so those 2-3 weeks we got with them was extremely valuable. Pitino on the team bonding and chemistry…When you get to practice in October, you are under the gun with a game coming up and the pressure is on. In August, there is no game to prepare for, no school so we all let our guard down a little bit, so it forces us to be together with no family and it forced us to bond a little bit. Pitino on what may have surprised him coming out of this trip…Well the freshmen class will certainly contribute right away. And you talk about Dorsey, Dupree and Murphy will play significant minutes right away. Ahmad is not in as good of condition as those guys but he’ll come around. Now its finding out what positions they will play. Dupree and Jordan Murphy can play multiple positions, Kevin Dorsey not so much as he’s smaller and will play primarily at PG. They have the talent and that’s exciting but now its growing as a team. Pitino on the older guys…Now its getting all the guys on the same page. If our team gets to where they want to get us to, its going to be the six returning guys that will get us there. Bakary has gotten a lot better, Nate Mason continues to improve, I think Carlos Morris will have a very good second year which a lot of JUCO guys have, Charles Buggs is improving slowly but surely and Gaston is still a little bit raw, but this time is valaube for all of those guys. Pitino on if Konate will start at center…Yea, that is probably the way it will play out. I would assume so, he’s gotta be on the court, the biggest thing with him is he has to play without fouling. He was in foul trouble a lot in Spain. Pitino on the non-basketball aspect of Spain…Barcelona is ridiculous with how good of a city it is. That is probably the best city I’ve ever been to in the world. The guys enjoyed the most was touring the Real Madrid soccer stadium. To show our guys that really excited them. We were able to go to a game which was the equivalent of an exhibition game and there were 80,000 people there. Pitino on Teague situation…Good timing for us to get out of there. It’s very difficult because Norwood hired me and I can’t ignore the fact that he gave me a once in a life time opportunity. He believed in me when I hadn’t done a whole lot in my career. I will always be grateful for that. With that being said, its such a difficult situation. Hopefully he’s getting help. He did a lot of really good things when he was here, but I know President Kaler is going to a great job. There is so much to sell here regardless of who the AD is, regardless of who the basketball coach is. It’s difficult, to hear all the things is disappointing but we have to move and we are because we’re a great University with great people. Pitino on how the Teague situation impacts basketball…I don’t think a whole lot as school gets started we don’t get involved in the athletic director stuff on a sport by sport basis. People giving money believe in the University and what we all stand for and I think we’ll pick up where we left off. We’re excited about the football season, I’m excited about our basketball program. We have a great school, a great University. Go Gophers!!

Pitino continues to be an exceptionally good interview.
 


That comment about Barcelona was kind of a backhanded insult to his hometown Edina, don't you think?
 




Agreed. The rich history and Architecture of Edina is unparalleled.

If one has not previously seen Sagrada Familia and other buildings and things designed by Antoni Guadí, it can be overwhelming. But yes, Edina is very beautiful.
 

You were expecting a 3rd year slump just because he's a Gopher? Good response to the Norwoody question.

His interviewing skills have always been exemplary. I don't anticipate any Q&A slumps.
 

Sagrada Familia is incredible and I only last saw it in 2009, I'm sure it's even more jaw dropping now.
 







Top Bottom