Anybody catch Pitino's radio show today?

[Otis]

Dramatic recreation of Coyle - Pitino meeting from last Friday with Carrie Fisher as Coyle:

 

[cjbfbp]

Every other team has been smart enough not to beat Michigan. I think this merits further investigation...

You spoke too soon! #2 finally happened.

 

[cjbfbp]

So, maybe just back off the attacks for awhile and let him finish the last two weeks out. It's over. He is out. You win.

You know, I might be a little more sanguine about Pitino if his tenure really was over - like if he would have opted to step down (while keeping the buyout of course) and let the assistants take over the team for the remaining games. But, he had to be in control until the bitter end.

 

[tjgopher]

You know, I might be a little more sanguine about Pitino if his tenure really was over - like if he would have opted to step down (while keeping the buyout of course) and let the assistants take over the team for the remaining games. But, he had to be in control until the bitter end.

And, if he stepped aside, a different batch of people would have called him a quitter. He still thinks a run will save him, so he's gonna fight until the bitter end. I certainly cannot blame him for that and am definitely not bothered by a guy who wants to finish something. Plus, these players are his guys, he recruited them, I'm sure he wants to stay with them and see what happens.

And, really, who cares? Why would it make you feel better if he left now as opposed to in 8 days?

 

[Cayman]

You know, I might be a little more sanguine about Pitino if his tenure really was over - like if he would have opted to step down (while keeping the buyout of course) and let the assistants take over the team for the remaining games. But, he had to be in control until the bitter end.

I think this is the second time I've seen you express displeasure with Pitino for not voluntarily stepping down before the end of the season. Do you have any prior examples of this happening? Like did Tim Miles or Tom Crean or John Groce or Eddie Jordan or Bill Carmody or Todd Lickliter just resign in shame 3 or 4 games before the end of the season? Should Archie Miller or Chris Collins have quit by now, assuming they gets fired after the season? (Miller seems like less of a sure thing to be fired, but Collins might be)

Just looking up a few of them, Crean lost 8 of his last 11 regular season games, Lickliter lost 9 of his last 11, and Eddie Jordan was 0-17 in conference before winning his final regular season game at home against the terrible 2015-16 Minnesota team. All three of them coached until they lost in the Big Ten tournament, and then were fired afterward, with the exception of Crean, who coached a first round NIT loss and then was fired.

I guess I'm not sure where the expectation is coming from that Pitino should have quit already, and that he's like an excessively prideful jerk or a control freak for not doing so.

 

[cjbfbp]

I think this is the second time I've seen you express displeasure with Pitino for not voluntarily stepping down before the end of the season. Do you have any prior examples of this happening? Like did Tim Miles or Tom Crean or John Groce or Eddie Jordan or Bill Carmody or Todd Lickliter just resign in shame 3 or 4 games before the end of the season? Should Archie Miller or Chris Collins have quit by now, assuming they gets fired after the season? (Miller seems like less of a sure thing to be fired, but Collins might be)

Just looking up a few of them, Crean lost 8 of his last 11 regular season games, Lickliter lost 9 of his last 11, and Eddie Jordan was 0-17 in conference before winning his final regular season game at home against the terrible 2015-16 Minnesota team. All three of them coached until they lost in the Big Ten tournament, and then were fired afterward, with the exception of Crean, who coached a first round NIT loss and then was fired.

I guess I'm not sure where the expectation is coming from that Pitino should have quit already, and that he's like an excessively prideful jerk or a control freak for not doing so.

Were any of those coaches told they were being let go? I'm an Iowa alum and I lived through the Lickliter debacle. I don't believe there was any indication that he had firm information on his fate prior to the firing. Although his record was terrible, he only was there for 3 years and there was a lot of doubt at the time that Iowa actually would fire a coach after only 3 years.

You can tell me all you want about how I'm being unfair to Pitino. In my view, the team would have been better off without him over these last four games. That's my opinion and that's all it is. It doesn't have to be fair.

 

[tjgopher]

Were any of those coaches told they were being let go?

Pitino has not been told he is being let go. Just that it is a possibility.

I just don't see why it would make you (an Iowa alum) feel so much better if Pitino quit on his team when the going is really rough.

 

[tmvander]

Were any of those coaches told they were being let go? I'm an Iowa alum and I lived through the Lickliter debacle. I don't believe there was any indication that he had firm information on his fate prior to the firing. Although his record was terrible, he only was there for 3 years and there was a lot of doubt at the time that Iowa actually would fire a coach after only 3 years.

You can tell me all you want about how I'm being unfair to Pitino. In my view, the team would have been better off without him over these last four games. That's my opinion and that's all it is. It doesn't have to be fair.

It's kind of a who cares type of thing regardless. He plays out the season big deal. Team isn't in any better or worse situation. He gets let go before the end...big deal team isn't in any better or worse situation.

Personally I think the only time you fire a coach before the end of the season is if there is some kind of scandal involved. Scandal and you should be gone right away.

 

[matt]

You spoke too soon! #2 finally happened.

Now let’s see if Illinois also falls off a cliff.

 

[Cayman]

Were any of those coaches told they were being let go? I'm an Iowa alum and I lived through the Lickliter debacle. I don't believe there was any indication that he had firm information on his fate prior to the firing. Although his record was terrible, he only was there for 3 years and there was a lot of doubt at the time that Iowa actually would fire a coach after only 3 years.

You can tell me all you want about how I'm being unfair to Pitino. In my view, the team would have been better off without him over these last four games. That's my opinion and that's all it is. It doesn't have to be fair.

I'd think there have been plenty of coaches who were likely fairly aware that they were going to be fired soon who didn't step down before the season ended, but I haven't looked into any of these situations in any depth.

If you believe that the team would be better off and maybe feel less pressured and even get an unexpected win or two if Pitino just ripped the Band-Aid off and resigned, then I think that's a fairly reasonable opinion, though I wouldn't feel strongly one way or the other on it.

If you believe Pitino is being unreasonable by not having already resigned, then I disagree with that, as I don't think it's common for coaches whose teams are on a downward spiral to resign before the end of the season, amid no other scandal beyond not winning enough games.

 

[tjgopher]

If you believe that the team would be better off and maybe feel less pressured and even get an unexpected win or two if Pitino just ripped the Band-Aid off and resigned, then I think that's a fairly reasonable opinion.

And, if that's what he believes, then the fault lies with Coyle for not pulling the trigger, not Pitino for toughing it out.

 

[tmvander]

And, if that's what he believes, then the fault lies with Coyle for not pulling the trigger, not Pitino for toughing it out.

Coyle should have some questions to answer if the expectation becomes the team can perform better without a head coach...if that's the case Coyle should have fired Pitino a long time ago.