Fanta: St. John's Hiring Rick Pitino

[Waquoit]

“As a proud and passionate St. John’s alum, I’ve waited over 15 years for St. John’s to hire a Hall of Fame coach like Rick Pitino,” Repole, the Vitamin Water co-founder, business mogul and Queens native, said Saturday afternoon, as St. John’s continued its pursuit of Pitino, the Iona coach. “He’s the type of coach that the University has deserved since the day Louie Carnesecca retired.” <-

Repole is big into the horses (owns the Derby favorite) and Pitino used to be. I'm sure they have crossed paths over the years.

 

[businesslawyer]

Q: How can you tell Pitino is lying?

A: His lips are moving.

Would they take him back?

Pitino isn’t turning down St. John’s for Providence. As down as it has been for so long, St. John’s has a higher upside than Providence and Pitino isn’t moving from his house near Winged Foot to go somewhere else If he can avoid it.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Interesting move. A few years ago he didn't want to get back into big-time basketball. Iona was just right. Now that he's getting back in St John's is an interesting move. It seems difficult to consistently win there. I suspect their budget is pennies. That worked in the Carneseca days. Back when 1/2 the best guards came from NYC. Back when you could take a cab to visit recruits.

Wonder if he considered Cuse... or even Providence.

 

[Waquoit]

Interesting move. A few years ago he didn't want to get back into big-time basketball. Iona was just right. Now that he's getting back in St John's is an interesting move. It seems difficult to consistently win there. I suspect their budget is pennies. That worked in the Carneseca days. Back when 1/2 the best guards came from NYC. Back when you could take a cab to visit recruits.

And SJU could legally pay recruits back then because they didn't have housing.

 

[REB1094]

 

[WrenchFan69]

Assuming Pitino does leave, Iona could do much worse than Tobin Anderson as a replacement. He's taken these FDU guys to another level. Should have won the NEC tournament as well, they got hosed down the stretch in that final game.

 

[huskymedic]

Rick Pitino offered St. John's coaching job: Hall of Fame coach mulling proposal to leave Iona for Red Storm

St. John's officials extended an offer to Pitino after meeting with him Sunday

www.cbssports.com

-> Iona coach Rick Pitino met with St. John's administrators, who extended an offer Sunday for Pitino to be the next coach of the Red Storm, sources told CBS Sports. Pitino is currently mulling the significant contract proposal. <-

 

[Palatine]

3 hours ago NY Post

Rick Pitino offered job to be next St. John’s coach as waiting game begins

The university’s courtship of Rick Pitino took the next step early Sunday night when school higher-ups offered the Hall of Fame coach their head-coaching job when they met in person on campus.

nypost.com

 

[Luna]

This is great for the big east

 

[tcf15]

 

[August_West]

If ST. Johns was smart they would settle this right now. Watch them go the UConn route and totally botch it though.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

If ST. Johns was smart they would settle this right now. Watch them go the UConn route and totally botch it though.

I think they will handle it better than UConn did Ollie. That said, isn't it impossible for them to "go the UConn route" since they are a private school and don't have to jump through the same union-related hoops that our state school did (or should have done)?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[jibsey]

They trying not to pay him? That’s impossible to prove.

 

[August_West]

I think they will handle it better than UConn did Ollie. That said, isn't it impossible for them to "go the UConn route" since they are a private school and don't have to jump through the same union-related hoops that our state school did (or should have done)?

Thats true, but they certainly dont want a 5 year court case dragging around. Just give the guy some money and get on with it with Pitino.

 

[CL82]

I think they will handle it better than UConn did Ollie. That said, isn't it impossible for them to "go the UConn route" since they are a private school and don't have to jump through the same union-related hoops that our state school did (or should have done)?

I don’t know how realistic the comparison to Connecticut really is. UConn includes its coaches in its teachers union collective-bargaining agreement, and that produced a quirky result where the NCAA compliance provisions were completely written out of the agreement.

That said, it’s always better if the parties can come to an it’s always better if the parties can come to a mutual agreement, rather than litigate.

 

[bendm]

assuming pitino to Samson Johnson and pending PC's next hire, it's a tossup between Nova and Depaul for worst coach in the conference. kinda shocking.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think they will handle it better than UConn did Ollie. That said, isn't it impossible for them to "go the UConn route" since they are a private school and don't have to jump through the same union-related hoops that our state school did (or should have done)?

This is a very bad look for SJU, and a case that they are virtually guaranteed to lose. "Cause" is an incredibly high bar, as UConn learned. I have no idea if Anderson is a member of a union or not. Just because SJU is private does not mean there is not a union.

If I was Pitino, I would tell them to pay Anderson or fudge off. I wouldn't work at a place that wipes their butt with contracts they signed.

 

[Kolumbo]

There was also this from 2021 which could be bad for both litigants.

Ex-St. John's Assistant Files Federal Lawsuit Against University, Mike Anderson​

Ex-Assistant Files Lawsuit Against St. John's, Mike Anderson

Steve DeMeo alleges wrongful termination, as well as additional strife inside the Red Storm men's basketball program.

www.si.com

 

[Umami Zen]

Have a hard time trusting a guy who is always wearing a white Adidas track suit.. Think Rick is just playing PC vs SJU to bump up his asking price..

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Woj bomb!

 

[AllHusky]

Cripes Rick,
Get a pub photo that makes you look like you are still alive!!

 

[aburks41]

This. Conference.

We need an HBO Hard Knocks next season for this league

 

[Tenspro2002]

A 6 year deal at age 70?

I get that, for recruiting purposes, he has to make it look like he'll be around a while, but come on.

 

[REB1094]

Friendly reminder Rick Pitino is a horrible person and any program willing to hire him after all of his personal and professional scandals in exchange for a few NCAAT appearance is also most likely run by horrible people