semi-OT: Louisville

[Pudge]

I have to imagine he is. Or, at least, that he's done coaching high-major basketball. I could see a dump like Binghamton not caring about this, but that's about it.

The Louisville fans on Reddit have basically resigned themselves to everything, and are just praying the 2013 title doesn't get vacated.

A dump like Binghamton?

What the heck do you know about that SUNY? Not that I have a dog in this; however, you picked on a highly desirable - if you ask NY parents - research University. And, maybe you were choosing to go after the City. It is like lots of other mid-sized NE/NY former manufacturing places.

 

[Matrim55]

Oh man, this looks really bad at Louisville. NCAA's gonna be so pissed they add another 2 years to SMU's sanctions.

 

[billythekid]

What surprised me, and maybe it shouldn't have, is that it's not just the players that received this special attention. The girls were also provided to parents/guardians that were accompanying the kids. I can see an 18 year-old kid not caring if something was improper, but where were the adults in this?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

A dump like Binghamton?

What the heck do you know about that SUNY? Not that I have a dog in this; however, you picked on a highly desirable - if you ask NY parents - research University. And, maybe you were choosing to go after the City. It is like lots of other mid-sized NE/NY former manufacturing places.

Because a similar level of scandal happened at Binghamton.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binghamton_University_basketball_scandal

 

[Chuck]

Here's how it's going to go down.

NCAA before the NCAA infractions committee

In the Matter of University of Louisville, Rick Pitino and Bobby Petrino (just because he probably did something wrong), Respondents.

File No. 123456
September 17, 2022

Pitno: "Point of parliamentary procedure!"

Jurich: "Don't screw around Rick, they're serious this time!"

Pitino: "Take it easy, I was pre-law."

Jurich: "I thought you were pre-med."

Pitino: "What's the difference?"

[Addressing the NCAA Tribunal]

Pitino: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did.

"But you can't hold a whole basketball program responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole NCAA basketball system? And if the whole NCAA basketball system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Emmert - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!

[Leads the basketball coaches, players, and Bobby Petrino (just for the hell of it) out of the hearing, all humming the Star-Spangled Banner]

 

[The Viking]

Hey coach Willard I'll bet any friend of Pitino also believes there is no way he would cheat on his wife by banging some crazy in a restaurant and then paying for her to get an abortion.
There is just no way Pitino would do that. Anyone who knows him can be sure..

 

[The Viking]

Cuse, UNC, Louisville, FSU...
All karma for not taking UConn

 

[SubbaBub]

Pitino probably didn't plan these events. Probably gave the GA a slush fund of booster cash, perhaps his own, to entertain recruits. I doubt he ever went to the dorms.

But it's hard to believe that word of what went down didn't eventually find it's way back to Rick or one of his top assistants. It wasn't a one time thing and these are 17-20 dudes. There was probably a keep dad in the dark vibe to the whole thing unofficially if not directly stated. But parents know when their kids are misbehaving.

But you're nuts if you don't think other schools use girls in recruiting. The ville might just be a place where pros are necessary.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

As a former graduate assistant myself, I want to know where you think GA's are making on average, between $40-$60k.... Try less than $30: And that's pushing it.

But point taken nonetheless.

Ironically, I looked it up and found an article on SB Nation that included Louisville.

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/20...life-of-an-assistant-college-basketball-coach

"Most assistants make the equivalent or just above that of an assistant professor at the schools where they coach, anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000."
​

Its the internet, so it must be true That said, as we all know that US culture supports sports above academics, no surprise at all that a graduate assistance coach makes at or above the higher end of the salary range for an academic graduate assistant.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

As a head coach of an NCAA division 1 basketball team, is that a solid defense? Claiming i had no knowledge? Isnt that negligence? Shouldnt you know what is going on with your recruits when they come to visit, every last detail of what is going to happen with them? Not i turned them over to this person and I dont know what happened after that... thats just too convenient if you ask me. I mean i know there are alot of moving parts and its hart to follow all of them and know what everyone is doing, but the recruits coming in? I just dont buy it, and if you dont know its because you chose to look the other way and say, I dont know nothing, dont want to hear nothing, i'm not involved. He knew SOMETHING was up and that should be enough to be held liable if you ask me.

 

[upstater]

You can't tell me some people aren't regretting taking Louisville over UConn. This is foul.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

The posts on the UL boards are hilarious. One guy claiming ESPN has no right to look into this and they should be bound by NCAA rules like UL is. Apparently them practicing investigative journalism is interfering with the NCAA. Who knew?

Sounds like a page right out of Rutgers' book. When at fault, blame the press.

Then again, even Rutgers is not insane enough to provide adult entertainment on campus, in a dorm and not paying in cash. The Carroo 'incident' is concerning; but, how he met the alleged victim did get my attention.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/stor...nte-carroo-charges-expected-dropped/73452894/

"A woman with whom Carroo previously was romantically involved and who at the time worked as a recruiting ambassador for Rutgers athletics..."​

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Espn running HARD with this story. Taking up 3/4 of sports center

With the 14/ hour of ESPN focused on what Kentucky's basketball players had for breakfast with behind the cameras, ESPN is helping Coach Cal develop new recruiting tools since his old standby from his UMass days just got outed by Pitino. Of course, this is all coincidental as what benefit would ESPN gain by chopping down the chief rival of their prized Wildcat brand?

 

[Chin Diesel]

One thing every organization has 100% control over is who they hire.

For a D-1 program like Louisville, no one gets on the staff without Pitino's consent. All Bball employees should have been briefed that any and all of their transgressions will be reflecred on Pitino.

Difficult to believe a grad asst director of Bball operations has the power to hatch the plan, think through the plan and execute the plan AND make sure no one from within the programs squeals. I doubt Pitino knew what was going on directly, but has hand-picked loyal assistant(s) did.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Still, a woman who pimps her own daughters.damn. Reminds me of the lovely woman at the center of the Mayor Giordano Case in Waterbury. Though, she was worse.

I was thinking the same thing. Waterbury has had a collection of brad politicians, Giordano, Rowland, etc.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I've been wondering what the NCAA would punish Louisville for. Improper Benefits? Maybe it's that easy.

It just seems like the NCAA has struggled with any illegal activity that's sorta outside the box (there's a joke there). The UNC thing is almost too big for the NCAA and they've struggled to determine punishment. This stripper/hooker thing may also be something the NCAA will struggle with. It seems more like a legal matter. I would not be surprised if the NCAA doesn't do much to Ville. They may let the law and the University deal with it, but do little themselves.

I agree that the legal issue will be the killer for Louisville, especially if the money used can be linked in anyway to the university; but, schools are punished all of the time for impermissible benefits, that are legal, just not allowed under NCAA rules such as use of a coach's cell phone, using a university property to wash a car, selling memorabilia for tattoos and cash, etc. I would (hopefully) assume that providing illegal never mind impermissible benefits carry a larger penalty, especially over the course of 4 years.

PS - Louisville is taken by the ACC over UConn in part due to Louisville's on the court success in basketball, which was apparently a mouthful, and that UConn was in probation for poor grades under a new rule that made such academic compliance retroactive to a period that UConn could do noting about. I wonder is such a decision is a tad hard to swallow now oh righteous ones from upstate NY, who themselves are now on probation, or the holier than thou folks from Chestnut Hill? I'm pretty sure that poor grades are not mentioned in the Bible as a sin, while prostitution is.

 

[upstater]

I agree that the legal issue will be the killer for Louisville, especially if the money used can be linked in anyway to the university; but, schools are punished all of the time for impermissible benefits, that are legal, just not allowed under NCAA rules such as use of a coach's cell phone, using a university property to wash a car, selling memorabilia for tattoos and cash, etc. I would (hopefully) assume that providing illegal never mind impermissible benefits carry a larger penalty, especially over the course of 4 years.

PS - Louisville is taken by the ACC over UConn in part due to Louisville's on the court success in basketball, which was apparently a mouthful, and that UConn was in probation for poor grades under a new rule that made such academic compliance retroactive to a period that UConn could do noting about. I wonder is such a decision is a tad hard to swallow now oh righteous ones from upstate NY, who themselves are now on probation, or the holier than thou folks from Chestnut Hill? I'm pretty sure that poor grades are not mentioned in the Bible as a sin, while prostitution is.

Louisville's football team was under APR probation for multiple years being under during the same time period as UConn BBall. The sequence was just off by a year.

 

[UCHuskies08]

This story is so amazing. She has a freaking journal LOL.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I'm with those that can't help but see the bigger violation is the mother who prostituted her own daughters.

Telling someone who isn't interested in sports or college basketball this story might be a way to better appreciate this perspective. The part about an assistant getting money from someone else is a trivial detail.

Ultimately the UofL basketball angle makes it a national story because of the power and money mixed with the salacious details. So Pitino and his staff did this for their own gain and glory and cover it up to protect that. A mother did this to her children for her own gain and continues to put that gain ahead of her children's interests. She can't help but grin during her interviews.

Even after prostituting her daughters she chooses to publish a book and put them on television talking about the times they were prostitutes?! Yuck. There ought to be a way to remove her "mother" title and get her fired.

 

[TXHuskyFan]

But you're nuts if you don't think other schools use girls in recruiting. The ville might just be a place where pros are necessary.

Filling in the missing line from this quote could pretty much confirm this.

"I knew they weren't college girls [like the girls that were provided to us recruits at every other school that was recruiting me]. It was crazy. It was like I was in a strip club."

 

[CallMeBruce]

A dump like Binghamton?

What the heck do you know about that SUNY? Not that I have a dog in this; however, you picked on a highly desirable - if you ask NY parents - research University. And, maybe you were choosing to go after the City. It is like lots of other mid-sized NE/NY former manufacturing places.

I'm not talking about the quality of the school, just that they have, in the past, looked the other way on questionable character players for the purpose of basketball relevance.

 

[UCHuskies08]

I'm with those that can't help but see the bigger violation is the mother who prostituted her own daughters.

Telling someone who isn't interested in sports or college basketball this story might be a way to better appreciate this perspective. The part about an assistant getting money from someone else is a trivial detail.

Ultimately the UofL basketball angle makes it a national story because of the power and money mixed with the salacious details. So Pitino and his staff did this for their own gain and glory and cover it up to protect that. A mother did this to her children for her own gain and continues to put that gain ahead of her children's interests. She can't help but grin during her interviews.

Even after prostituting her daughters she chooses to publish a book and put them on television talking about the times they were prostitutes?! Yuck. There ought to be a way to remove her "mother" title and get her fired.

The daughters clearly don't seem to be overly bothered by the situation. Everyone in life gets to make their choices.

 

[intlzncster]

And it all happens in the time period of the new ncaa rules where coaches are held liable for anything their assistants do.

Pitino's toast with the NCAA. That 2013 banner won't live long. Of course, UL won't fire him because they have lower standards than the escort involved.

That's what I thought about Gary Williams and UNC. Sweeeeep. Right under the rug.

That said, sex is more important than academics, and Louisville ain't sainted UNC, so you are probably right.

 

[intlzncster]

I have often wondered why Joanne has stayed with Pitino. I get the feeling that their relationship is probably dead and is now more of an agreed upon arrangement. He gets to do what he wants and she gets a boatload of money. They might not want to divorce given their Catholic upbringing. She may however want to reconsider things as I would think one rule of the arrangement was that Rick would not publicly embarrass her. He has now done that to her as well as her brother's memory.

Or maybe she loves him and was willing to forgive, no matter how hurtful. Who knows?

 

[CallMeBruce]

The interesting thing to see here will be, if this costs Pitino and Jurich their jobs and hinders fundraising to the point that it legitimately impacts the overall quality of athletics, what is the ACC going to do? This isn't like Rutgers, where their circus of an athletic department is the cost of doing business for the prestigious research institution and NYC market access. Louisville provides 0 off-the-field value. It's a longshot, but I could definitely see a move to expel them from the league on some sort of morality grounds or something.