Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 13, 1990 TAG: 9006130053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
A little more than a year ago, Pitino ended his short tenure with the NBA's New York Knicks.
"I don't know how Pat did it," said Pitino, guest lecturer Tuesday at the Five-Star Basketball Camp at Radford University. "How long was he there? Nine years? I never could have stayed that long."
Pitino not only couldn't stay that long; he didn't stay that long, leaving the Knicks after two seasons to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky.
"The travel beats the hell out of you," said Pitino, referring to the NBA experience. "And then there's the fatigue and the pressure.
"The normal run is more like what Mike Fratello had [at Atlanta]. He won something like 50 games for five years, and still that wasn't enough."
Pitino contends that the pressure isn't nearly as severe on the college level, even at Kentucky, where Pitino basketball is a way of life.
"I'm going to stay there for at least the remainder of my contract [which has six years remaining]," said Pitino, 38. "If I had my preference, the University of Kentucky is where I would want to retire.
"This is the happiest I've been in my coaching career. It's the sickest, happiest environment I've ever been in. It's basketball, basketball, basketball."
But isn't that obsession with basketball one of the reasons that Kentucky was placed on NCAA probation?
"The problem is not the interest in basketball," Pitino said. "The problem is that [boosters] were getting involved in things other than basketball."
Pitino took over a team that was 13-19 in its last season under coach Eddie Sutton and guided the 'Cats to a 14-14 season in which they broke the NCAA record for 3-pointers made, with 10 per game.
"It's been tremendous," Pitino said. "We're still in the pressure cooker, but I think we've won the fans over with our brand of basketball. We had the biggest crowds that a Kentucky team with a .500 record has ever attracted."
Of course, how many Kentucky teams have had a .500 record? Not many in the past. Not many are likely to in the future.
In his introduction, camp director Howard Garfinkel predicted that Pitino would have Kentucky in the Final Four in two years, the same time frame in which Pitino turned around Providence College and the Knicks.
"Kentucky's a little different," Pitino said. "When I took over the other situations, there were not the limitations I faced at Kentucky. Some teams in the Big East [Conference] play 15 to 17 home games. We have 13 home games and our intersectional opponents include Louisville, Indiana, North Carolina, Kansas and Notre Dame."
Also, Kentucky has been allowed to sign only three recruits in each of the past two years, "but the people we're recruiting now [for 1991-92] will have no limitations," he said.
"Kentucky has cleaned up its act. If you list what's right and what's wrong about college athletics, I'd say the right would quadruple the wrong. I can say that we will hold a press conference [today] to hire an assistant who will be responsible for career placement."
Pitino confirmed that his new assistant will be a woman who has been a full-time assistant in a prominent women's basketball program.
"I've had almost a 100 percent graduation rate," he said. "But, I don't think that graduation rates are that big a deal. It's important that they have a good job when they graduate."
Pitino, who was an assistant with the Knicks between stints as head coach at Boston University and Providence, touched on his NBA background during a 90-minute talk with the campers.
"We shot 49 percent from the field [in 1988-89] and led the league in 3-pointers," he said. "Do you know what the Pistons shot this year? How about 44 percent? And they had the best record in the NBA and are probably going to win the championship.
"It tells you they're a phenomenal defensive team. I don't think they're a great team offensively, but they've got three guys - in [Isiah] Thomas, [Joe] Dumars and [Dennis] Rodman - who can guard their own man. Throw in [Bill] Laimbeer, who's extremely smart and a great actor, and that makes four. We had one guy on the Knicks who could guard his own man without doubling down."
Pitino originally was to have spoken Sunday, but he had several schedule conflicts, including his own 380-player camp, the impending birth of a fourth son and a sprained ankle.
"I play basketball every day of my life," he said, "but I've had to stay away from it a couple of days."
Nonetheless, Pitino didn't take long to regain his shooting touch and demonstrated several shooting drills. His fascination with the 3-pointer was evident from his opening remarks.
"First thing I want you to do is move back," he told the group of more than 300. "Let's get away from the 3-point line. It's sacrilege to cover it up."
by CNB