Richard Pitino, Gophers provide successful turnaround model for Tim Miles, Huskers

per the Omaha World Herald:

Minnesota coach Richard Pitino has a “been there, endured that” empathy for what Nebraska counterpart Tim Miles is going through this season.

That’s why in Pitino’s press conference Wednesday, he stuck up for Miles in the wake of criticism about the inconsistent season of the Huskers, who face the Gophers on Thursday night in Minneapolis.

“It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me that somebody would want him fired,” Pitino said. “They’re extremely young, they’ve had injuries, they play extremely hard.

“They fight for him. They are recruiting well and he’s selling the place out.”

Last season, Pitino tried to compete in the Big Ten with a regular playing rotation consisting of one senior, one junior and a combined seven freshmen and sophomores.

It didn’t go well.

The Gophers finished 8-23 overall and 2-16 in the league, with one of the few comforts being that 13 of the losses were by single digits.

This season, Nebraska’s nine-man rotation consists of one senior, one junior and seven combined freshmen and sophomores. And the Huskers have struggled, going 12-16 and 6-10 with seven single-digit losses.

Now, with a year of polish and a couple of key recruits, Minnesota is making history by posting the nation’s biggest turnaround.

The Gophers are 22-7 overall, 10-6 in the league and among the nation’s hottest teams with a seven-game winning streak. They just missed being ranked in the two major polls this week, but have the Big Ten’s best NCAA RPI at No. 17. Nebraska is No. 87.

Pitino, at this time a year ago, dealt with much of what Miles is facing now — cranky calls to radio shows, questions about his strategy and speculation about his job status. He said he was unfamiliar with Nebraska’s basketball history, but he knew that Miles taking the Huskers to the NCAA tournament in 2014 was a rarity.

“So he’s got my respect, not that my opinion matters a whole lot in this,” Pitino said. “It doesn’t make much sense that people are talking like that, but we all go through it.

“I think he’ll be just fine. I hope.”

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/mens-b...cle_f22396d2-fedf-11e6-b777-a76d8aef2063.html

Go Gophers!!

Nice article. You know, Izzo used to be the kindly coach of the BT, but this year's losses have made him cranky and whiny.

This has opened the door for Pitino to step in and be the gracious guy who praises other programs and coaches.

Moonlight said:

Nice article. You know, Izzo used to be the kindly coach of the BT, but this year's losses have made him cranky and whiny.

This has opened the door for Pitino to step in and be the gracious guy who praises other programs and coaches.

Click to expand...

Moreover - I just think Pitino is a pretty fair minded guy generally, at least that's the way he's come across. Just saying it's not opportunistic (not that that was your point).

Moonlight said:

Nice article. You know, Izzo used to be the kindly coach of the BT, but this year's losses have made him cranky and whiny.

This has opened the door for Pitino to step in and be the gracious guy who praises other programs and coaches.

Click to expand...

Interesting how some serious adversity molds people into pretty decent humans w/ a little compassion. Without it, all you have is an axxhole. I'm not at all saying Pitino was/is an ahole. Just saying, he seems to speak with the wisdom of a guy that has seen some tough times. He has spoken a number of times about how the challenges have made this team close and unselfish. A great story unfolding, one that most people can associate with. Very cool!

I like Richard, always have. Grew up privileged and probably understands a lot of the reason he is the coach of a Big Ten program is his dad. He doesn't seem entitled. He doesn't seem to think he deserves more. He works hard, coaches hard and cares. Success hasn't changed him. He is quotable and fun. Great for the University and players seem to like him (although we haven't seen Coffey try to hug him while being screamed at like Bridges did with Izzo)