Rick Pitino to coach American national team in 2012 Olympic qualifying

[Duvall]

No, not that U.S. team, the other one.

Rick Pitino will reportedly coach the Puerto Rico national team.

Who saw that coming? Anyone? Anyone?

Louisville’s coach has agreed to coach the country in its effort to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics, according to FIBA America. (If your prefer your tweeted news in Spanish, they’ve got you covered.)

The deal will reportedly be announced sometime this week.

[Bluedog]

"We have all seen what coaching an Olympic Team has done for Duke and Coach K. There is no [sic] much talent outside of the USA and with 10 current players from the Caribbean in the NBA this part of the world is rich in talent and could be a recruiting gold mine for us." -Unidentified source within Louisville's athletic department

Can you imagine what would happen if somebody at Duke's athletic department said something like that?!? Saying that Pitino is basically taking the job in order to help with recruiting. Wow...

[roywhite]

"We have all seen what coaching an Olympic Team has done for Duke and Coach K. There is no [sic] much talent outside of the USA and with 10 current players from the Caribbean in the NBA this part of the world is rich in talent and could be a recruiting gold mine for us." -Unidentified source within Louisville's athletic department

Can you imagine what would happen if somebody at Duke's athletic department said something like that?!? Saying that Pitino is basically taking the job in order to help with recruiting. Wow...

Amazing how much conventional wisdom has changed on the wisdom of Coach K even taking on such a task, let alone the concept that it would actually benefit Duke.

[airowe]

Amazing how much conventional wisdom has changed on the wisdom of Coach K even taking on such a task, let alone the concept that it would actually benefit Duke.

Yep, I'm anxiously awaiting Feinstein's next column telling of the impending retirement of Pitino and the demise of Louisville Basketball. I'm sure its coming, right?

But seriously, whether Pitino is successful or not depends on whether or not he can get his guys to adjust to the 15 second clock. Its quite a complicated sypher to crack.

[SmartDevil]

No, not that U.S. team, the other one.

The national team of Puerto Rico? Silly me....and here I thought that as a territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its citizens--citizens of the United States--would not have a separate national team.

[Duvall]

The national team of Puerto Rico? Silly me....and here I thought that as a territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its citizens--citizens of the United States--would not have a separate national team.

Not sure how it's so different from the UK having four national soccer teams.

[JohnGalt]

Not sure how it's so different from the UK having four national soccer teams.

Especially since those four actually share a historical (albeit not always friendly) relationship. The US has as much to do with Puerto Rico as we do with...well...Guam.

[hurleyfor3]

Not sure how it's so different from the UK having four national soccer teams.

Not to mention China, Hong Kong and Taiwan participating separately in the Olympics.

I think the US lost to Puerto Rico a few Games ago in basketball, in fact.

[dchen09]

Not to mention China, Hong Kong and Taiwan participating separately in the Olympics.

I think the US lost to Puerro Rica a few Games ago in basketball, in fact.

Not to get into politics but China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan is a whole different situation than US and Puerto Rico.

[SuperTurkey]

Not to mention China, Hong Kong and Taiwan participating separately in the Olympics.

I think the US lost to Puerto Rico a few Games ago in basketball, in fact.

2004 Olympics, the worst loss by the USA national team since fielding NBA players.

[Dev11]

2004 Olympics, the worst loss by the USA national team since fielding NBA players.

...And that team was coached by a man who went to college at...

[Lord Ash]

Put me in the "confused by Puerto Rico having a national team" crowd. Is Puerto Rico considered a nation? They do not regulate their own international trade, do not maintain a military, does not have a seat at the UN or is recognized by any nation in the world as BEING a nation, and is under the general control of a nation... namely, the United States. It is funny that they have a national team at all, I think.

Congrats to Rick, I suppose, for the job.

[SuperTurkey]

Put me in the "confused by Puerto Rico having a national team" crowd. Is Puerto Rico considered a nation? They do not regulate their own international trade, do not maintain a military, does not have a seat at the UN or is recognized by any nation in the world as BEING a nation, and is under the general control of a nation... namely, the United States. It is funny that they have a national team at all, I think.

Congrats to Rick, I suppose, for the job.

It's a gray area but not without precedent. If they don't have electoral votes or congressional representation, I say let them have pseudonational sports teams. 'Tis only fair.

[Bluedog]

It's a gray area but not without precedent. If they don't have electoral votes or congressional representation, I say let them have pseudonational sports teams. 'Tis only fair.

Hey, they can vote in the Presidential Democratic primaries! They're part of the US! And DC doesn't have congressional representation either. They should get their own Olympic squad! haha. (Note: This post wasn't meant to be serious and go into PPB-land; just a joke)

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Hey, they can vote in the Presidential Democratic primaries! They're part of the US! And DC doesn't have congressional representation either. They should get their own Olympic squad! haha. (Note: This post wasn't meant to be serious and go into PPB-land; just a joke)

Actually, a DC group tried to qualify for curling a few years back as a way to draw attention to the lack of representation in the District. I don't believe they have been recognized by the IOC or anyone legitimate.

Their point was that if Guam, PR, American Samoa, etc can have teams, why not DC?

[Billy Dat]

I think this is a very smart move for Pitino. If he's smart, he'll try to mimic the US' recent efforts to build a foundation for future success. I'd be surprised if he didn't reach out to K and Colangelo for advice, and I get they will help him. If they can build something that stretches down to the 15/16 year old level, then it will be a potential recruiting channel for him. He probably just needs a reclamation project, with potential for good PR, to continue to put the Karen Sypher mess into the past. Maybe he thinks the assignment has the same potential to reinvigorate him that Team USA had for K. Of course, the USA National Team budget is pretty unlimited...it's got to be easier to get reinvigorated when you are staying at 5 star hotels and have an army of a staff.

[BD80]

I think this is a very smart move for Pitino. ... to continue to put the Karen Sypher mess into the past. ...

Are you saying his 15 seconds of fame have come and gone?

[Billy Dat]

Are you saying his 15 seconds of fame have come and gone?

(There is an insane amout of punning plaguing the DBR right now, but I'll oblige)

I don't know about the whole 15 seconds, maybe just the first leg.

[wilko]

Are you saying his 15 seconds of fame have come and gone?

Third time is the charm...

I bet he will always cover the inbound pass from here on out...

I interrupt your punning with some innuendo.

[Deslok]

Not sure how it's so different from the UK having four national soccer teams.

Depending on how technical you want to get, the UK essentially has 10 different squads that compete in FIFA tournaments:
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Anguilla
Bermuda
Caymen Islands
Montserrat
Turks and Caicos
British Virgin Islands