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Topic: Will UL rivalry cool down without Pitino and Jurich
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catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 10-24-2017 06:03 PM
Rick Pitino and Tom Jurich were both fired from the University of Louisville only days apart. It’s fitting since the two were seemingly joined at the hip. Jurich had saved Pitino’s bacon in two high profile scandals, but in the end, the third strike cost both of them their jobs.
Growing up in Jefferson County, I remember the Kentucky/Louisville rivalry from the nineties. The two played every year, and while the fans cared, not much was made of it nationally.
Part of that was because Pitino and Tubby Smith were coaching circles around Denny Crum and the Louisville basketball program that was fading into the shadows of what it once was in the 70s and 80s.
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186362 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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boomdaddy
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Member # 2644
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posted 10-25-2017 06:17 AM
Some UK fans might hate Pitino. Not me. He left UK for Boston and huge money at the time for his shot in the pros and failed professionally but his wallet got fat.
I root against UL, no matter what the sport. Could care less who the coach or the AD is
Posts: 8791 | From: paris, ky | Registered: Mar 2006
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SCWC
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Member # 2464
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posted 10-25-2017 07:45 AM
I was never a fan of Pitino, even when he was at UK. I also never considered the UK/U of L series as one of the major rivalries in college basketball. The state of Ky forced them to play the games yearly or they would never have even started the series. I was a huge fan of Tubby Smith, a great bench coach but not a great recruiter and that is where consistent winning basketball begins. I will not miss Ricky P from the college game, good ridance finally.
Posts: 17777 | From: Myrtle Beach, SC | Registered: Jun 2005
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boomdaddy
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Member # 2644
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posted 10-25-2017 04:04 PM
I was not a fan of Tubby ball. His teams were painful and boring to watch for me. In the end, he over stayed and Kentucky was no longer relevant. I am thankful that he left like a thief in the night with a back door deal, because if he had been fired, all we would be hearing would be how racist Kentucky was for letting him go.
I heard negative things about Tubby, behind the scenes. To his credit, nothing ever came out in public.
The last 5 years of Tubby Ball was like going to the dentist for a root canal.
As average as he turned into, in his later UK years, he was far from being the disaster that Billy Clyde was. Had the AD not hired Calipari, UK might well have a different head of athletics right now.
[ 10-25-2017, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: boomdaddy ]
Posts: 8791 | From: paris, ky | Registered: Mar 2006
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SCWC
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Member # 2464
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posted 10-25-2017 04:25 PM
quote:
“I actually had this conversation with Coach Pitino,” Ramsey told his listeners, when asked if Pitino will ever be back in the Bluegrass. “He says he will never step foot back in the state of Kentucky. He’s feeling pretty bitter right now and that might change, and I want to not believe that, but he sounded pretty determined and staunch on his stance.” quote:
Posts: 17777 | From: Myrtle Beach, SC | Registered: Jun 2005
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boomdaddy
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Member # 2644
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posted 10-25-2017 05:11 PM
Pitino has business interest in a Lexus dealership in Lexington. He had or still has business interests in race horses.
I will be very surprised if he stays out. His ego probably can't take the stares that he would get if he is seen in public in the state, right now.
Posts: 8791 | From: paris, ky | Registered: Mar 2006
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ukman
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Member # 3032
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posted 10-25-2017 05:55 PM
I liked Pitino when he was at Kentucky, just from what I saw on TV and interviews. I thought he was a great coach and brought UK basketball back from the ashes. I loved his style of play and thought he got the most out of his players. As a UK fan I am very thankful for what he did for the program while he was at UK. Those were some great years, and alot of fun to be a UK fan. I was disappointed when all of his dirty laundry started to come out. It is sad to see since I looked up to him as a coach when I was in high school. But I guess he took the win at all cost approach, and that was his downfall. Sad to see people compromise.
Posts: 5446 | From: georgia | Registered: Jan 2009
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catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 10-26-2017 12:21 PM
Our 3 top winning percentage coaches since Rupp are Cal-Pitino and Tubby. Hall, Sutton and Gillispie all had winning percentages under 75%.
We have had 5 coachs win UK National Championships-Rupp-Hall-Tubby-Pitino and Cal.
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186362 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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PaulCat
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Member # 513
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posted 10-26-2017 12:42 PM
I'm with you, UKMAN. Loved Pitino at UK. It's just the last five years or so he seems to have changed into a very unlikable person. Today, he seems like a total scumbag.
I enjoyed every single season of ball under Tubby. Here's a broken record - he was a very good coach who just couldn't pull in the top recruits.
In a way, I'm kind of ready for Cal to move on. I'm sick of having to buy a press guide to know who's who every year. I'd rather have a team of juniors and seniors than all top-tier freshman.
Posts: 10350 | From: Erlanger, Ky. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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rlt4uk
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Member # 3194
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posted 10-26-2017 02:10 PM
I agree with UKMAN I will always be grateful to coach pitino who brought UK up from the ashes. To me the decade of the 90's especially the first part was one of the most exciting times in UK basketball. UK should have won 3 straight national championships and that's because of coach pitino. I know some on here will say tubby won that national championship, but truth be told I could have rolled the ball out and won with all of the talent coach pitino left UK with.
[ 10-26-2017, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: rlt4uk ]
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Bleeding Blue in south Alabama. Kentucky born, Kentucky bred,I'll be kentucky until i'm dead!
Posts: 9827 | From: enterprise, al 36330 | Registered: Sep 2010
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PaulCat
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Member # 513
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posted 10-26-2017 02:46 PM
I don't know about that. I don't think many people thought UK would win the National Championship at the start of the season during Tubby's first year. Kentucky was pre-season #8, and wasn't even the highest ranked SEC team in the preseason (S. Carolina was #7). UK finished the regular season ranked #5. I think it was all because of Tubby that we did win the title that year.
I think Pitino's final team had more talent than Tubby's first team, and Rick couldn't seal the deal that final year.
Posts: 10350 | From: Erlanger, Ky. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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rlt4uk
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Member # 3194
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posted 10-26-2017 03:44 PM
The only and sole reason UK didn't win in1997 was because Nazi Mohammed could not hit one out of four free throws in the final minute of the game. I love tubby don't get me wrong, but the truth of the matter is he won with Ricks players. When he had his own players and the number one overall seed he got beat and out coached, I.e. the UAB, and Marquette games.
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Bleeding Blue in south Alabama. Kentucky born, Kentucky bred,I'll be kentucky until i'm dead!
Posts: 9827 | From: enterprise, al 36330 | Registered: Sep 2010
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 10-26-2017 05:51 PM
....and don't forget derick andefso, didn't play because he was recovering from injury.
Posts: 14205 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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Bama Cat
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Member # 153
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posted 10-26-2017 05:53 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Bama Cat:
....and don't forget derick anderson didn't play because he was recovering from injury.
Posts: 14205 | From: berea, ky, usa | Registered: Sep 1999
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PaulCat
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Member # 513
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posted 10-27-2017 08:01 AM
Tubby won with Rick's players the year after Rick didn't win with Rick's better players. To say Rick left Tubby a stacked team isn't true, in my opinion. Tubby's coaching was a big reason why we won. Rick won in 1996 with 7 future NBA'ers. Tubby had two. The team that Rick left for Tubby was nowhere near a typical Pitino team. I think Rick would've folded up with that team, whereas Tubby knew how to make it work.
Just my opinion, though. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Posts: 10350 | From: Erlanger, Ky. USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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catmandoo
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Member # 1284
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posted 10-27-2017 11:21 AM
Tubby was the better bench coach! I'd take him in a close game over any of our former coach's except for maybe Rupp.
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186362 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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