Redemption for Rick: Controversial Coach joins Iona

By Allen Austin

Richard Andrew Pitino has done it all in the world of basketball. He’s coached in the NBA, overseas, and even won the grandaddy of all, a National Championship in the NCAA. He actually won two national championships, but we’ll get to that.

There’s quite a bit to get to. Where to begin?

Well, Rick Pitino is in the news again because he has just taken over as the head men’s basketball coach for the Iona Gaels. Iona is a Division 1 school in the MAAC conference. They’re very successful, as a matter of fact. Iona has won their conference four years straight, prior to the Covid-19 shortened 2020, where they were eliminated. However, even with all its success, Iona is a far cry from the pageantry and reputation of some of the other basketball Meccas that Pitino has watched over.

So why is Rick Pitino taking control of the reigns at a school like Iona? Is this a good move for both parties?

Rick Pitino has a complicated history.

Why don’t we start with the good.

Coach Pitino’s accomplishments speak for themselves. To list a few, he has twice won a national championship, as mentioned before. One of those wins still holds up. He’s led teams to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament seven times. Coach “P” has won the AAC, the Big East twice, and is a five time SEC tournament champ.

The guy is a known winner.

The two schools he won national titles with are college basketball powerhouses. Kentucky in 1996, and Louisville in 2013. Kentucky is the one that stands to this day.

Another trophy in his case would be the John Wooden National Coach of the Year in 1987.

Wow, this CV is off the charts.

It doesn’t end there.

Pitino is one of the forefathers of taking advantage of the three-point shot. A staple in the way today’s game is played.

In the pros, Pitino took over a Knicks team in 1987 that had won only 24 games the year prior, and eventually helped the Knicks to their first division title in almost twenty.

This guy coming to a program like Iona seems to good to be true. Even at his current age of 67.

Rick Pitino’s off the court reputation, however, is…let’s just say “out of bounds.”

On June 15, 2017, Pitino was charged by the NCAA for failure to monitor Louisville’s basketball program, which was involved in a sex-for-pay scandal. There was a scandal involving Adidas where a recruit’s family was paid $100,000. Big no-no. There was yet another incident, this time involving Pitino and a woman by the name of Karen Sypher, wherein Sypher attempted to extort Pitino for money after a sexual encounter at a restaurant in 2003.

Hard left.

The National Champion he won with the Cardinals was wiped clean. Gone. The first National Championship stripped from it’s winner.

I won’t go into the scandals too in depth, as the ins and outs aren’t really the point anymore. The real question here is if Pitino coming to Iona now is a good fit, or not.

It is in this writer’s humble opinion that…yes, it’s a good fit.

I’m a big believer in multiple chances, and redemption for those who have been led astray. Also, who am I to judge? Glass house sort of thing? I don’t know, maybe. I can’t say I’ve been involved in incidents he has, but generally speaking.

I have always tuned out those who criticize and hold someone’s past against them well after the events transpired. There are exceptions to that however. Pitino himself, as far as I know, has a chance for redemption here.

The guy certainly earned both his positive and negative reputations. He certainly should’ve lost his job at Louisville at the time, and the punishments were severe and warranted. The punishments have been served, and here’s a man ready to do what he’s best at once again.

As a colleague of mine, Tommy Reynolds pointed out, Iona is a Catholic school. How could they bring on board a guy like Pitino when they have a self imposed moral standing. I say that is fair, but money talks. We have seen religious hypocrisies forever, and always will.

The chance to bring in RICK PITINO is too good to pass up. Especially after the Coronavirus passes (hopefully). It will be a story to watch. How does Pitino come back? How long will he stay? Which recruits was he able to bring in? Assuming the NCAA watchdogs will be on his behind from jump, there should be no foul play.

All that being said, I’m in. Pitino has four fouls to his name in his NCAA career. Let’s hope he never fouls out.