CardinalSports.com - Pitino responds to strange situation

April 19, 2009

Howie Lindsey
CardinalSports.com Managing Editor

Details have yet to be released in an FBI investigation of charges filed by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, but the Cardinals coach has already released a statement addressing what he terms a recent attempt at extortion. Pitino claims he and his family "were recently threatened."

According to the Associated Press Sunday afternoon, an attorney for the estranged wife of Louisville's equipment manager has been contacted by the FBI regarding extortion allegations leveled by Pitino. Attorney Thomas Clay says he spoke with the FBI about the matter last week but had no further comment. He represents Karen Sypher, the wife of longtime equipment manager Tim Sypher. Clay said the Syphers are in the process of getting a divorce.

Saturday night, Pitino released a statement through the University about the matter:

"My family and I were recently threatened as part of a criminal scheme to extort money. Upon receiving these threats, we reported this extortion attempt to the FBI. While I did not want to make this matter public, I recently learned that the individual behind this extortion attempt has already gone to the media with false, defamatory and outrageous allegations in an attempt to pressure me to cave in to this scheme.

"I want to make it clear that I intend to vigorously defend my reputation and the character of my family against any criminal scheme to extort money. I am hopeful that the media and public will recognize the slanderous nature of this direct and malicious attack. My family and I appreciate the support we have received from Tom Jurich, Dr. James Ramsey, and the entire Louisville family. Because this is a federal criminal investigation, I cannot comment further at this time. Any inquiries should be directed to my attorney, Steve Pence."

Details of Karen Sypher's claims aren't currently known. A local TV station, Fox-41 says Karen Sypher made allegations against Pitino, but the station chose not to air them. She has not yet released a statement.

All of the statements released thus far have been in support of Pitino. University of Louisville President James Ramsey, athletic director Tom Jurich and even Sypher's estranged husband, Tim, have come out with statements in support of the Cardinals coach.

"The University of Louisville supports Coach Pitino and his family," Ramsey wrote in a statement Saturday night. "We stand by his decision to report this matter to the authorities and will now leave this criminal investigation in the hands of the FBI."

Jurich's statement reads, "Coach Pitino has informed us that he and his attorneys have reported a potential extortion attempt to the FBI. We cannot comment further about this ongoing criminal investigation. We stand by Coach Pitino and support his decision to alert the authorities."

And as for Tim Sypher, his statement is perhaps the most interesting. Released about 11 hours after the others, Tim Sypher's statement reads, "I am devastated by the bizarre allegations that my estranged wife is making against both Coach Pitino and myself. At this point, my primary concern is for my young daughter and four stepsons, both to the impact of their mother's actions on them, as well as the impact on Coach's family and the University. I love my children, and want to protect them. At the same time, I intend to defend the allegations vigorously and will have no additional comment at this time. "

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