Rick Pitino Coaching Against Himself

[awhom111]

I am not referring to when Louisville plays Minnesota.

Today he announced that he would coach the Puerto Rican team this summer:
http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-bask...030915aac.html

As part of the deal, Louisville will be playing against Puerto Rican teams, including the senior team, on their overseas tour this summer (he already stated he would coach Puerto Rico and a Louisville assistant will coach the Cardinals).

This was going to happen a few summers ago, but his other commitments got in the way. I can't wait for the critical Yahoo column.

It is interesting that they chose him over going with a pro coach with either European or Latin American experience. I have heard that one of the things they would like him to be able to do is to convince some of the increasing number of players born in the continental United States, some of whom only have one parent or one grandparent born on Puerto Rico, who are eligible to suit up. Obviously he would have more credibility with a Shabazz Napier or Moe Harkless than the former coach, who has pro experience in Europe then Puerto Rico. Also interesting is that he will coach against the United States Pan-Am team (rumored to be coached by John Calipari last fall, with no news since then) although it is still unclear what the exact makeup of that team will be after D-League players were used last time.

On the subject of overseas tours, have any insiders heard anything about Duke planning one this summer?

[bob blue devil]

I am not referring to when Louisville plays Minnesota.

Today he announced that he would coach the Puerto Rican team this summer:
http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-bask...030915aac.html

As part of the deal, Louisville will be playing against Puerto Rican teams, including the senior team, on their overseas tour this summer (he already stated he would coach Puerto Rico and a Louisville assistant will coach the Cardinals).

This was going to happen a few summers ago, but his other commitments got in the way. I can't wait for the critical Yahoo column.

It is interesting that they chose him over going with a pro coach with either European or Latin American experience. I have heard that one of the things they would like him to be able to do is to convince some of the increasing number of players born in the continental United States, some of whom only have one parent or one grandparent born on Puerto Rico, who are eligible to suit up. Obviously he would have more credibility with a Shabazz Napier or Moe Harkless than the former coach, who has pro experience in Europe then Puerto Rico. Also interesting is that he will coach against the United States Pan-Am team (rumored to be coached by John Calipari last fall, with no news since then) although it is still unclear what the exact makeup of that team will be after D-League players were used last time.

On the subject of overseas tours, have any insiders heard anything about Duke planning one this summer?

i don't understand this from pitino's side - what are the biggest selling points to this gig? walking in calipari's footsteps has to kill him. i would think this is less prestigious than a US team at basically any level/age group. i guess he could create one heck of a cinderella story...

[BD80]

I am not referring to when Louisville plays Minnesota.

Today he announced that he would coach the Puerto Rican team this summer:
http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-bask...030915aac.html

As part of the deal, Louisville will be playing against Puerto Rican teams, including the senior team, on their overseas tour this summer (he already stated he would coach Puerto Rico and a Louisville assistant will coach the Cardinals). ...

ol' roy could do it without having an assistant step in. He's just slip into the ol' third person plural and coach both teams.

Hell, he could even sit in the stands and watch himselves doing it.

Might be the first time that every player on both teams gets thrown under the bus in the post game presser. (Query: would roy throw them all under the same bus, or would he use separate buses?)

[brevity]

ol' roy could do it without having an assistant step in. He's just slip into the ol' third person plural and coach both teams.

Hell, he could even sit in the stands and watch himselves doing it.

Huh. I guess Ol' Roy IS in the daggum astral projection spirit.

[Henderson]

Why is Pitino doing this?

I understood the rationale for Cal and the DR team (Karl Towns' recruitment), or at least I thought I did. But what's the motivation here? I can think of several possibilities without being the least bit cynical (a new challenge, a desire to spread the Louisville brand, a desire to do more international coaching (post-2016 Team USA?), etc.). But it's not like Pitino is lacking sufficient coaching cred the way some coaches might be.

Is there more? Kind of a head scratcher to me.

[captmojo]

(Query: would roy throw them all under the same bus, or would he use separate buses?)

Not sure...but I'd bet he'd be driving both of them.
At the same time? I'd pay to see that!

[devildeac]

I hope he doesn't pull an Ademola Okulaja on us/himself when he does this.

[wilson]

ol' roy could do it without having an assistant step in. He's just slip into the ol' third person plural and coach both teams.

Hell, he could even sit in the stands and watch himselves doing it.

Would he have himself thrown out if he heckled himselves?

[Monmouth77]

I hope he doesn't pull an Ademola Okulaja on us/himself when he does this.

Good times.

To the tune of "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands":

Ademola Okulaja beats himself (clap, clap)
Ademola Okulaja beats himself (clap, clap)
Ademola Okulaja, Ademola Okulaja, Ademola Okulaja beats himself (clap, clap)

[Henderson]

Would he have himself thrown out if he heckled himselves?

I dunno, but he'd give two post-game pressers, and they would be identical and familiar.

[MarkD83]

ol' roy could do it without having an assistant step in. He's just slip into the ol' third person plural and coach both teams.

Hell, he could even sit in the stands and watch himselves doing it.

Might be the first time that every player on both teams gets thrown under the bus in the post game presser. (Query: would roy throw them all under the same bus, or would he use separate buses?)

OK my next comment is too easy but I have to make it...

The game would be over quick because neither team would call time-outs.

[awhom111]

i don't understand this from pitino's side - what are the biggest selling points to this gig? walking in calipari's footsteps has to kill him. i would think this is less prestigious than a US team at basically any level/age group. i guess he could create one heck of a cinderella story...

Why is Pitino doing this?

I understood the rationale for Cal and the DR team (Karl Towns' recruitment), or at least I thought I did. But what's the motivation here? I can think of several possibilities without being the least bit cynical (a new challenge, a desire to spread the Louisville brand, a desire to do more international coaching (post-2016 Team USA?), etc.). But it's not like Pitino is lacking sufficient coaching cred the way some coaches might be.

Is there more? Kind of a head scratcher to me.

Puerto Rico originally pursued him a few years ago and the timing never worked out, so I think he wants to actually get the chance to do what he originally planned on doing. I think he would be too old in 2020 to have a legitimate shot at the senior gig for USA Basketball, so this seems like a reasonable shot at the Olympics (especially with the prospect of less competition from the rest of the Americas this summer). Plus the players all happen to be American citizens. He managed to arrange solid competition for Louisville for their overseas tour too so everybody wins.

I think it will be interesting if he can recruit the rest of the players who were not born on Puerto Rico and mold them into a cohesive unit with the veterans, most of whom played at the NCAA level but now ply their trade professionally in the local league and elsewhere around the Americas.

[Edouble]

So, basically, Pitino will be upstaging Ademola Okulaja when he actually does beat himself.