Pitino was fantastic tonight and likely forgiven...

[oldrambler]

Is it just me or was the job open last year?

 

Wow.....Who knew??? :laugh:

[Log Mountain Boy]

Why not most are.

 

If you want to start a thread saying UK fans are irrational then we should take that argument there and do that. This is a thread about how gracious Rick Pitino was and how great of a man Bill Keightly was. I believe we should stay on topic with this thread.

[Log Mountain Boy]

Great speech. I hope this finally puts to rest any animosity towards Pitino. I never understood the need to boo him or the hard feelings anyway. He didn't leave UK for UL, he left for his dream job with Boston and came back because he liked Kentucky. I've never held any hard feelings towards him and actaully like UL much more than I did before he was there.

 

A large portion of UK fans are this way. I have always liked Pitino no matter what. And am thankful he came to UK when he did.

[atticus7]

I will be the first to admit that I loathed Pitino for going to UL; not for leaving UK. I loved his coaching years at UK. Whom, as a UK fan, could complain? So leaving for Boston made me sad, going to UL made me mad. Like Mr. Wildcat said, "Have you lost your mind?". It would be like Dean Smith or Coach K going to Duke or NC IMO.

 

Nevertheless, for him to walk into Rupp to salute his old friend and to speak like he did took a lot of courage and showed a lot of class. I wish him and UL much success in the coming years and I hope his show of class is matched by a round of applause the next time he is in Rupp Arena. I was really touched by his speech and courage. I remember being terrified going into a small courtroom as a defense attorney when the only person for my client was me. I cannot imagine going to Rupp, speaking first, not knowing what to expect with a couple of thousand people present...and then being able to deliver like he did. My anger towards Rick seems silly now.

[warrior_69]

I don't know weather or not that anyone caught what Rick said, he said now that Mr. Bill is gone he has lost his link to UK. So that tells me that Rick never wanted to dispise UK in anyway. I truely think that if given the chance Rick would come back to Kentucky. But most fans probably wouldn't approve.

[oldrambler]

If you want to start a thread saying UK fans are irrational then we should take that argument there and do that. This is a thread about how gracious Rick Pitino was and how great of a man Bill Keightly was. I believe we should stay on topic with this thread.

 

:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb: Absolutely!

[oldrambler]

I will be the first to admit that I loathed Pitino for going to UL; not for leaving UK. I loved his coaching years at UK. Whom, as a UK fan, could complain? So leaving for Boston made me sad, going to UL made me mad. Like Mr. Wildcat said, "Have you lost your mind?". It would be like Dean Smith or Coach K going to Duke or NC IMO.

Nevertheless, for him to walk into Rupp to salute his old friend and to speak like he did took a lot of courage and showed a lot of class. I wish him and UL much success in the coming years and I hope his show of class is matched by a round of applause the next time he is in Rupp Arena. I was really touched by his speech and courage. I remember being terrified going into a small courtroom as a defense attorney when the only person for my client was me. I cannot imagine going to Rupp, speaking first, not knowing what to expect with a couple of thousand people present...and then being able to deliver like he did. My anger towards Rick seems silly now.

 

Another great post here Atticus, although I respect and always will respect Rick Pitino and what he did for the U.K. basketball program and I deeply respect him for his comments at the Keightly memorial service. I cannot bring myself to pull for U.L. in anything.

So, I honestly and deeply respect Coach Rick Pitino the man and the coach. I now will no longer harbor cold feelings towards Pitino or take shots at him personally, I just cannot go completely over the edge and pull for U.L.....

[atticus7]

Another great post here Atticus, although I respect and always will respect Rick Pitino and what he did for the U.K. basketball program and I deeply respect him for his comments at the Keightly memorial service. I cannot bring myself to pull for U.L. in anything.

So, I honestly and deeply respect Coach Rick Pitino the man and the coach. I now will no longer harbor cold feelings towards Pitino or take shots at him personally, I just cannot go completely over the edge and pull for U.L.....

 

Thanks oldrambler. From what Rick said the other night, you and Mr. Wildcat share the same opinion on what is in bold. Nothing wrong with that because I just converted last week against Carolina. Last night solidified it.

[The Cerebral Assassin]

I have to agree, I went through my hate Pitino period( which was over way before this ceremony) but he is all class and I have rooted for him to be successful ever since. Wish he would have never left.

I think we forget sometimes that there is life after sports. I bleed blue as much as anybody, & didn't want Pitino to leave, but he felt (at the time) that it was the right thing to do. he realized later (hindsight is always 20/20) that he was in the right place all along. I root for Louisville when they're not playing UK because they're a state school, but I do understand why people cannot root for a UK rival. BUT, having said that, I never understood why people took Pitino's return to Kentucky (via Louisville) as a stab in the back. I mean, he couldn't come back to UK because there was no job to come to. Louisville was the closest thing he could get to UK & be back in Kentucky so he took it. I mean, I wasn't thrilled with it, but I understood it, & people also forget the mental anguish he felt having to come back & play against the school that made him famous, let alone so many good memories. It wasn't like he was doing it to hurt UK or its fans; IT WAS A JOB. He had to coach somewhere, & this gave him the opportunity to be back in the state at a school with tradition & a place where he could win. I don't think he saw it any other way; especially as an attack on UK. I think if he could have come back to UK he would have.

 

I guess being a coach i can see the scenerio alot of different ways, but i hope like Oldrambler & so many others stated in earlier posts, the people of Kentucky can forgive & forget, & cherish the good things Pitino did bring to UK.

[super]

I've always were a fan of Rick Pitino,and that speech he made last night was outstanding, Pitino not only a great Coach but also a great person.He show it last night as he gave his tribute to a great friend.

[oldveteranII]

No matter what type of comments have been made, bottom line is this: when God calls your name, even the best doctors in the world can't save you! It just shows you that we are ALL the same in God's eyes and no one is different. The famous, the rich, and the popular, even they all cry just as the poor. God just needed another angel in heaven and he got a great one in Mr. Wildcat. I like the scripture from the new testament. "Behold, know that whatever may be crooked, be still, knoweth that I can also straighten." That is power! :thumb:

[Augger]

Glad to see Pitino in a blue tie agian. He saved UK basketball, that is why I could never understand why all of the anger toward him. IMO he should be a saint.