CardinalSports.com - Pitino staying as Louisville's coach

August 12, 2009

Howie Lindsey
CardinalSports.com Managing Editor

Dressed in a blue dress shirt with no tie, a stressed Rick Pitino walked into the press room at the basketball practice facility at the University of Louisville. He gripped the podium, took a breath and then began an improvised statement addressing his affair with Karen Sypher in 2003.

After apologizing to his family, friends, fans and the program, Pitino made one thing abundantly clear - he will be the coach at the University of Louisville.

"I plan on accomplishing one thing - and it is very, very important to me - I plan on, regardless of situation this is, to coach here at the University of Louisville for as long as I physically maintain the passion that I have for basketball, which is still stronger than when I was a head coach at 24 years of age," Pitino said. "I love this game, I love my players, I love this University as well as this community."

Pitino made it clear this situation has not diminished his love of coaching or pushed him toward retirement as some had speculated in recent days.

"I don't want to coach anywhere else," Pitino continued. "I don't believe in anywhere else as much as I believe in this university and this state. For as long as they'll me, I'd like to coach here."

And then, despite the obvious stress, a weary Pitino returned to a bit of the New York humor he's known for. "I'm no spring chicken, but I'm certainly not over the hill," Pitino said. "I intend on recruiting the best athletes, and the best people for this program and try to go a little bit further than these past two Elite Eights in the many years to come."

And Pitino has the full support of Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich. Jurich released a statement Wednesday night, saying "As I said yesterday, Coach Pitino has been truthful with us about this matter all along and we stand by him and his family during this process. He's been diligent in his work as our men's basketball coach, despite a number of false rumors, reported inaccuracies and the difficulties this personal matter that happened six years ago has placed on him and his family. I'm a million percent behind him. I have great confidence in the federal court system that this matter will be addressed appropriately. I expect Coach Pitino to be the head coach at the University of Louisville for a long time."

A lot was made of the University of Louisville's president, James Ramsey saying he was surprised by the revelations in the police report. But Wednesday, Ramsey issued a statement of support for Pitino as his University's coach.

The statement read, in part, "Rick Pitino is the University of Louisville's basketball coach. He has been a role model for countless young people and a positive influence in the community."

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