The Official UofL Thread (UPDATE: Pitino, Jurich Reportedly Out)

[Catsrock]

Michael Eaves‏
A person inside the #Louisville athletic department tells me there's an expectation that Pitino (and likely Jurich) will be fired today.

Don't know whether the time of reckoning has arrived or not but if Pitino is out I don't see how Jurich stays. If Rick is out of "I knew nuthins" then Jurich is too.

[surveyor]

I'm having a hard time seeing why Cal would be involved with an Adidas shoe rep.

Certainly, but with the evidence that those in that Las Vegas hotel room were discussing counter offers to kids by another shoe company and that we "needed to up our offer", indicates its been a bidding war for kids for years. The FBI says its investigation is ongoing. It's possible that Nike could eventually be implicated before the investigation is complete. As tight of a ship as Cal runs, I don't see him or us being implicated.

[Joneslab]

Michael Eaves‏
A person inside the #Louisville athletic department tells me there's an expectation that Pitino (and likely Jurich) will be fired today.

The craziest thing about this?

Who coaches the team? We're about two weeks from the start of the season. If they fire Pitino and the two assistants who were involved, they'll have one assistant left. That guy will obviously have to go too. So you basically are going to have to hire an entirely new staff. In two weeks.

[Lighthouse]

Someone mention this earlier in the thread, and I agree with it. The best thing that could come out of this mess, is that all the shoe companies get completely out of college sports. The millions Adidas gave UL and the additional money Pitino said he talked them into giving Simmons College, is way to much to expect that company is only looking to sell shoes because UL athletes wear their uniforms and shoes. The same goes with the deal UK has with Nike. There's just to much money being paid out to expect it all to be above board.

[surveyor]

Don't know whether the time of reckoning has arrived or not but if Pitino is out I don't see how Jurich stays. If Rick is out of "I knew nuthins" then Jurich is too.

My bet is the over/under on Pitino's departure is two days and likely he could be gone before the end of today. Jurich soon to follow - maybe a month or less?

Rumor is Postel wanted to Jurich to fire Pitino in July, but Jurich resisted, allegedly saying, "If he goes, I go."

Appears he's getting his ultimatum decided for him.

[Joneslab]

Certainly, but with the evidence that those in that Las Vegas hotel room were discussing counter offers to kids by another shoe company and that we "needed to up our offer", indicates its been a bidding war for kids for years. The FBI says its investigation is ongoing. It's possible that Nike could eventually be implicated before the investigation is complete. As tight of a ship as Cal runs, I don't see him or us being implicated.

The book Play Their Hearts Out is maybe the best basketball book I've ever read. It's got all kinds of stuff about the shoe companies in there. They pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to outfit AAU teams.

If they're doing that for high schoolers, then God knows what they've been doing on the college level for going on four decades now.

The only surprise there is that it was just one other shoe company who was trying to bid on the player.

[Dwight Schrute]

I disagree. Obviously, some schools aren't going to be able to play on that same field.

Louisville can afford to stuff 100 grand into an envelope because of their status and their connection with Adidas, but what about the smaller school down the road who has a deal with Russell?

If you start getting into a "salary cap" in recruiting, the whole thing blows up in your face. There's no reasonable way to make paying players work across the board in college basketball, unless you want to break it all up and make division 1 strictly power 5 schools. And even then teams will just start breaking those rules and paying MORE.

You're exactly right, but I'm not saying we should necessarily go to this model. Just that I don't believe it's some cardinal sin (no pun intended).

But I would say that disparity exists anyway.

[Lighthouse]

Has there been an announcement about when the press conference will be, and who is calling it?

[surveyor]

The craziest thing about this?

Who coaches the team? We're about two weeks from the start of the season. If they fire Pitino and the two assistants who were involved, they'll have one assistant left. That guy will obviously have to go too. So you basically are going to have to hire an entirely new staff. In two weeks.

Deener and company were discussing this this a.m. Perin Johnson agreed it had to be someone with Louisville ties from years-decades ago like Davenport or Kenny Payne - at least to get them through the next few years. If David Padgett is clean of all of this, he'd be a likely interim coach.

First practice starts in 2 days.

[George]

Someone mention this earlier in the thread, and I agree with it. The best thing that could come out of this mess, is that all the shoe companies get completely out of college sports. The millions Adidas gave UL and the additional money Pitino said he talked them into giving Simmons College, is way to much to expect that company is only looking to sell shoes because UL athletes wear their uniforms and shoes. The same goes with the deal UK has with Nike. There's just to much money being paid out to expect it all to be above board.

This isn't happening.

And in some ways, I don't think it should. I realize there's a (large) exploitative element to this system, but for every superstar on an AAU team, there are ten kids who have little-to-no shot of making it big. This is their ride - their chance to get some cool clothes and see other cities and generally feel all right about themselves. You take the sponsorships away, you take the fun from a lot of kids who aren't going to get it anywhere else.

[Joneslab]

Kenny Payne

Surely Payne wouldn't walk into that dumpster.

Ironically though Louisville will still have a solid team this year without Bowen.

But in the long-term there are going to be massive sanctions. You wouldn't even know if the NCAA is going to lower a catastrophic, death penalty-type boom.

[surveyor]

Surely Payne wouldn't walk into that dumpster.

Ironically though Louisville will still have a solid team this year without Bowen.

But in the long-term there are going to be massive sanctions. You wouldn't even know if the NCAA is going to lower a catastrophic, death penalty-type boom.

I wouldn't expect Payne to do it, either - at least on zero notice. I don't see Davenport doing that to Bellarmine, either. It would almost have to be someone recently retired, or someone from a smaller school with success but not much notoriety.

[Catsrock]

The book Play Their Hearts Out is maybe the best basketball book I've ever read. It's got all kinds of stuff about the shoe companies in there. They pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to outfit AAU teams.

If they're doing that for high schoolers, then God knows what they've been doing on the college level for going on four decades now.

The only surprise there is that it was just one other shoe company who was trying to bid on the player.

Maybe just 4 decades for the shoe companies but a lot longer in general. I'm not sure who Wooden's main boosters were in the 60's but $ was involved that was likely big $ for that era.

[Lighthouse]

This isn't happening.

And in some ways, I don't think it should. I realize there's a (large) exploitative element to this system, but for every superstar on an AAU team, there are ten kids who have little-to-no shot of making it big. This is their ride - their chance to get some cool clothes and see other cities and generally feel all right about themselves. You take the sponsorships away, you take the fun from a lot of kids who aren't going to get it anywhere else.

That a great point. But there has always been ways for kids to show what they have in HS tournaments like the King of the Bluegrass tournament here in Louisville. There are countless college coaches from all levels who attend, and the sponsorship doesn't come from shoe companies. Also, HS and Colleges hold training sessions for their Officials and use tournaments for that purpose. Of course if I remember correctly, that's where the shoe companies got their start. Who knows where this is headed.

[George]

That a great point. But there has always been ways for kids to show what they have in HS tournaments like the King of the Bluegrass tournament here in Louisville. There are countless college coaches from all levels who attend, and the sponsorship doesn't come from shoe companies. Also, HS and Colleges hold training sessions for their Officials and use tournaments for that purpose. Of course if I remember correctly, that's where the shoe companies got their start. Who knows where this is headed.

I agree. But I'm also talking about poverty, and popularity, and self-esteem. A lot of these kids get new Nike and Adidas shoes and apparel through these programs, then they get to wear that stuff to school and mask the fact that they come from poverty.

They don't have to wear hand-me-downs and dirty shoes and feel bad about themselves in the lunch line; they can put on their new (free) Jordans and escape some of the harsher realities of their lives. I know the system needs to be scrubbed clean, but I'd hate for kids to suffer as a result.