[Fwd: WHAT?!!!]

[Steve Huffman <stevhuff@eastky.net>]

Warwick Janetzki wrote:

> Uncle Odie wrote:
> >
> > <<I think Rick is becoming very trade happy and very, very impatient. He
> > has the youngest team in the NBA playing a style that barley worked with
> > Kentucky.>>
> >
> > What in the world are you talking about??? "Barely worked at Kentucky"
> > (I won't point out the spelling because I make mistakes as well) That
> > style WAS successful at Kentucky.  In addition, if it "barely" worked,
> > why are there so many of Rick's former assistant coaches employed as
> > coaches?  Guess what, they use this style as well.  Sendek at NC State,
> > Donovan at Florida, Tubby Smith at UK, Willard at Pitt.  Fortunately,
> > you know that this style "barely works" or else you may have had the
> > misfortune of being hired as a head coach as well.
> >
> > I realize that I am new to this list & I am probably Pitino's chief
> > apologist here.  However, please give the man some time.  The Celtics
> > didn't "give away the farm" to obtain the services of a coach that
> > employs a style that "barely works".
> >
> I agree. So much success for something that barely works.
>
> How many times did Kentucky go to the Final 4 for something that 'barely
> worked'???
>
> I'd love to have that success rate for something that 'barely worked'.
> If I had it, then I'd be in the NBA just like Rick and I would be in the
> position to trade or draft for a lot of my ex-stars, which there are
> plenty of players from.
>
> Mashburn, Walker, Chapman, Mercer, Anderson, etc, etc.
>
> Barely worked?
>
> FOOEY to you too!
>
> Warwick
> --
> MZ

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X  X X X X X X X  X X X X X X X X  X X X X X

  I  maybe wrong, but I don't think Rex Chapman played for Pitino at Kentucky.

Rex Chapman was selected by the Charlotte Hornets as a #8 pick in the first
round of the 1988 NBA Draft.

 Rick Pitino's first UK squad went 14-14 in 1989-90.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Pitino has recorded a mark of 184-45 (80.3%) at Kentucky, His 14 year college
record is 317-119 (72.7%), while his record
with the Knicks was 90-74 (54.9%), making his 16-year career coaching total
407-193 (67.8%). That winning
percentage is even more impressive when one considers the condition of the
programs when Pitino inherited them. At age
25, Pitino's first head coaching job was at Boston University. BU had won only
17 games over the previous two years,
but went 17-9 during Pitino's first season. He stayed five years, recording a
91-51 record and becoming the most
successful coach in the school's history. He was twice named New England Coach
of the Year, and in his final season at
BU, led the Terriers to their first NCAA appearance in 24 years.

Providence College was 11-20 the year before Pitino took over in 1985. Using
the press and newly-implemented
three-point shot, the Friars went 17-14 his first year and played in the
National Invitation Tournament. The following
season, 1986-87, Providence finished 25-9 and advanced to the Final Four.
Pitino's post season coaching honors
included the John Wooden National Coach of The Year, the NABC Coach of the
Year and the Sporting News Coach of
the Year awards. While Pitino was turning heads as coach of the Friars, the
New York Knicks were stumbling to a
71-175 two-year mark, which was the worst in the NBA, When the offer came to
return to his hometown, coaching his
favorite NBA squad, Pitino agreed to become the youngest coach in the league.
The first Pitino-coached Knicks team
finished 38-44, earning a berth in the playoffs, and the 1988-89 squad went
52-30, winning the Atlantic Division.

Then the Cats came calling, Kentucky was in dire need of a make-over in the
style of Rick Pitino. When he arrived at
Kentucky, Pitino inherited a program that was as challenging as any in his
career. The school had just been placed on a
two-year probation and Pitino's first team featured only eight scholarship
players, none taller than 6-7. Then Pitino worked
his magic in Lexington. Promising to "win right away," the youngest coach in
the Southeastern Conference brought his
brand of never-ending optimism and enthusiasm to the Bluegrass. The Wildcats
averaged almost 90 points per game and
led the nation in three-point shooting. The team stayed in the SEC race for
most of the season, finishing a respectable
fourth when the dust had settled. Rupp Arena had never been better as record
crowds attested. Pitino was named SEC
Coach of the Year by UPI and National Coach of the Year by Basketball Times.
In just one year, Pitino brought
Kentucky basketball back to respectability, with a promise of greatness ahead.

Little did the UK fans know that greatness was just around the corner, , as
the 1990-91 squad proved. Again facing a
monstrous schedule (North Carolina, Indiana, Notre Dame and Louisville on the
road), the Wildcats roared through their
28-game season with only six losses and finished the season ranked ninth in
the country. Even though it was ineligible for
the SEC Championship, Kentucky's 14-4 mark was the best in the league. For his
efforts, Pitino was named The
Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year and received his second National Coach
of the Year award from the
Sporting News.