Theoretical Prediction: If Pitino stayed at Kentucky how many titles do they have?

[Hellbird]

More than Cal.

I'd like to think he would have, but I find it hard to believe that because of the one and done era. I actually think it's hard to perdict what any coach in this era would win. Pitino was my Fav coach at UK during my lifetime since Joe B Hall. I didn't like what he's done when he left, I don't respect him as a person for what he's done at UL but as far as a coach I liked him as a coach more than Cal although Cal is a better recruiter.

 

I just wish Pitino wouldn't have left in the first place because who knows what would have happened.

[Jumper_Dad]

Rick may not have won anymore. His first 11 years back in college basketball he lost 9 or more games 8 times, he won Conf Titles in just 2 seasons and Conf Tourneys 3 times...making one Final Four. Rick seemed to be comfortable with 10 losses per year and cashing UofL's checks. It wasn't until Cal arrived at UK and then the Cards moved to the ACC that he seemed to get it going again and get fired up. One of the great tactical coaches of all time, but for the first 11 seasons he seems to have been content to go 20-10 win a NCAA game and go to Miami.

 

I fully think that he would as I don't think he would have gotten so comfortable at UK. IMO I don't think he fully respected the job that he had at Louisville and half-ended it, thankfully he got a boost of energy a few years ago and has the Cards capable of a title run year in and year out.

[Hellbird]

Rick may not have won anymore. His first 11 years back in college basketball he lost 9 or more games 8 times, he won Conf Titles in just 2 seasons and Conf Tourneys 3 times...making one Final Four. Rick seemed to be comfortable with 10 losses per year and cashing UofL's checks. It wasn't until Cal arrived at UK and then the Cards moved to the ACC that he seemed to get it going again and get fired up. One of the great tactical coaches of all time, but for the first 11 seasons he seems to have been content to go 20-10 win a NCAA game and go to Miami.

 

I fully think that he would as I don't think he would have gotten so comfortable at UK. IMO I don't think he fully respected the job that he had at Louisville and half-ended it, thankfully he got a boost of energy a few years ago and has the Cards capable of a title run year in and year out.

Never broke it down like that. That makes a lot of sense and has a ton of truth to it. Now that I think about it I don't think he was really that concentrated on winning to tell you the truth ever since he lost his best friend/brother in law, in 9/11. He did kind of just go through the motions for a good decade and once Cal got to Kentucky he realized that his past couldn't carry him through anymore. He was no longer the Big Cheese in the state that at one time idolized everything he did.

[Hellbird]

I want to see how many dislikes I can get from one member. Earth's Saviorhere is another lol

[Getslow]

Rick may not have won anymore. His first 11 years back in college basketball he lost 9 or more games 8 times, he won Conf Titles in just 2 seasons and Conf Tourneys 3 times...making one Final Four. Rick seemed to be comfortable with 10 losses per year and cashing UofL's checks. It wasn't until Cal arrived at UK and then the Cards moved to the ACC that he seemed to get it going again and get fired up. One of the great tactical coaches of all time, but for the first 11 seasons he seems to have been content to go 20-10 win a NCAA game and go to Miami.

 

I fully think that he would as I don't think he would have gotten so comfortable at UK. IMO I don't think he fully respected the job that he had at Louisville and half-ended it, thankfully he got a boost of energy a few years ago and has the Cards capable of a title run year in and year out.

 

To my mind, the move to the Big East in 2005 was far more instrumental to kick starting things at UofL than anything else.

[GrantNKY]

To my mind, the move to the Big East in 2005 was far more instrumental to kick starting things at UofL than anything else.

Yep. Being in the C-USA did UofL no favors.

[Jumper_Dad]

To my mind, the move to the Big East in 2005 was far more instrumental to kick starting things at UofL than anything else.

 

I don't agree at least looking at performance...still lost an average of almost 10 games per year in the Big East. I know the last two years they made back to back final fours and won a title, but until those last two year going to the Big East really didn't change their yearly results. Card fans may not want to admit it, but coaches are all egotistical and Rick is the King. When Cal came to UK it lit a fire under him and going to the ACC turned it up to 10.

[Getslow]

I don't agree at least looking at performance...still lost an average of almost 10 games per year in the Big East. I know the last two years they made back to back final fours and won a title, but until those last two year going to the Big East really didn't change their yearly results. Card fans may not want to admit it, but coaches are all egotistical and Rick is the King. When Cal came to UK it lit a fire under him and going to the ACC turned it up to 10.

 

And since moving to the ACC, Louisville has lost 8, 8, and 9 games in those seasons. Seriously, what's the difference between now and 2008?

[Jumper_Dad]

And since moving to the ACC, Louisville has lost 8, 8, and 9 games in those seasons. Seriously, what's the difference between now and 2008?

 

I guess not much, 13, 10 and 9 losses in the three previous years isn't much worse than now, but he was beating up on Billy back then so I'm sure that helps him look better :lol2:

 

Seriously 10 losses seems to be the threshold for most teams to determine how good of a year they had, staying under 10 especially in the ACC is or should be a big deal.

[Hatz]

I don't agree at least looking at performance...still lost an average of almost 10 games per year in the Big East. I know the last two years they made back to back final fours and won a title, but until those last two year going to the Big East really didn't change their yearly results. Card fans may not want to admit it, but coaches are all egotistical and Rick is the King. When Cal came to UK it lit a fire under him and going to the ACC turned it up to 10.

 

I think they lost a lot of games because of the difficulty of the conference in the Big East. It pulled them up into the National Spotlight again. It's too early to see the effects of the ACC move.

[bugatti]

Rick was at UK and brought them to prominence just after Duke won their two titles. Duke then hit a lull - by their standards - and UK took another step as being the premier program. Rick left and Duke secured a great class led by Elton Brand, William Avery, and Shane Battier. Point being, Duke rose back to prominence and fully secured their place as the top college basketball program. I think had Rick stayed, UK could have carried that torch into the next century and to today. Had Rick stayed at UK, he would have had more advantages in recruiting. Couple that with his supreme coaching ability, another couple of titles to UK's name is realistic to expect.

[Hatz]

Rick was at UK and brought them to prominence just after Duke won their two titles. Duke then hit a lull - by their standards - and UK took another step as being the premier program. Rick left and Duke secured a great class led by Elton Brand, William Avery, and Shane Battier. Point being, Duke rose back to prominence and fully secured their place as the top college basketball program. I think had Rick stayed, UK could have carried that torch into the next century and to today. Had Rick stayed at UK, he would have had more advantages in recruiting. Couple that with his supreme coaching ability, another couple of titles to UK's name is realistic to expect.

 

Rick's recruiting was interesting at UK.

 

His 1993 Class was his best class by far. 1996 was good but small. But the other classes had one star or big player maybe but were never deep like the 1993 one.

 

Has his recruiting at UL been ranked very high?

 

To me, his best attribute was finding players to fit his system and then getting them to really run that system well.

[mexitucky]

People hold Pitino out as this great in-game wizard. Let's not forget how terrible he was in the 1995 Elite 8. If your team is shooting about 10% from 3, evolve. Try to get to the post or something. His press was all or nothing, Arkansas routinely crushed that thing going over the top. He didn't adapt quickly enough, for my liking. Calipari is an average in game coach with superior talent. Pitino was, in many ways, the exact same in his heyday at Big Blue.

[FRONT OF THE RIM]

Anything Pitino has done at Louisville is completely irrelevant to this conversation.

 

No it's not. Are you saying if he had been at UK he wouldn't have done the things he did at UL? If he wouldn't have, you are right, BUT, he is what he is and I don't think where he was would have changed his actions, therefore it's relevant.

[futurecoach]

It's simple imo. If Pitino never left then we subtract the title Tubby and Cal won. Imo they don't win in 98 with Pitino. Tubbys inside out style was perfect for that team.

 

So I think at best Pitino would have won 2 more titles at UK to put him at 3 total. Which would put us at the exact amount we already are at.