Rick Pitino as Iona Zell’s head coach is so content and so loyal to his leadership that he would not quit another college coaching job – even if he were Kentucky, which he describes as the best job in all of college basketball.
68-year-old Pitino said on Sunday “Cameron Mills Radio” He is committed to Iona because of the university’s commitment. He was hired last spring after coaching the top Greece club Panthinikos for the past two years and in his first season coaching the Gels in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title and NCAA Tournament bid, despite many of its COVIDs Poz kept the team off the court for 55 days. 2020-21.
The Kentucky job is not open. Since arriving in 2009, John Calipari has led the Wildcats to four Final Fours and one NCAA title. Pitino hypothetically underlined his desire to remain on Iona.
“If Coach Cal had gone to the prosecution today and they would have called me respectfully, I would have said, ‘This is the greatest honor in the world, but I am very happy. I am living in Iona,” Pitino told Mills.
“And there are so many reasons for that, and it’s not my age, because I’m still as emotional as any day today.”
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Although Kentucky is not open, works are available at events such as Indiana, DePaul and Marquette.
Pitino said that when the president and athletic director flew to Spain to talk with him about his coaching status, Iona left a powerful impression on him, due to health issues of previous coach Tim Clus Open was nine seasons that took Iona to six CCA tournaments.
“When the chips were down for me … When the stuff went the other way for me in Louisville, and they fired me, I went to Greece because I loved the game,” Pitino said. “And outside the two mid-majors, no one came after me.”
Pitino said that when he met with Iona representatives and attempted to tell them what had gone wrong in Louisville, he interrupted him and said that his research indicated that he had done nothing wrong with the situation that led to the Cardinals basketball. The program being cited – albeit not by name – was cited by a former U of U father of charging Brian Bowen in a Justice Department and citing testimony in court.
“I said, ‘Look, you can speak for any of my players who played for me in Kentucky, Louisville, Providence – I never cheated. I never gave anything to anyone. I’m a guy who can give it Believes in doing it the right way, “Pitino told Mills.” And suddenly he interrupted me, and said, ‘Coach, I don’t want to hear a word about Louisville. We wouldn’t jump on a plane … if we think you did anything wrong.
“I said, ‘No, I did a lot of wrong. I had faith in certain people. And I obviously did not take the right path.’ And he said, ‘Don’t say another word.”
Pitino said he does not plan to accept Iona’s position, but President Seamus Carrie’s approach reassured him.
“That man now has my loyalty to life,” Pitino said. “As long as God will bless me with the ability to coach, I am here.”
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