Pitino admits

[Kevin <kevin.lok@lycosmail.com>]

Great column via sportsguy's links. check out end
of story for very very interesting Pitino quotes.

http://tampatrib.com/Columnist/MGIFD3VEN4C.html
Pitino gives Donovan credit for his own successful
career
By TOM MCEWEN
Billy Donovan says Rick Pitino made him what he
is.
That's wrong, Pitino says. Donovan, the prized
pupil, made Pitino what he is.
And he was eager to tell a rapt audience about
that wonderful coach-student partnership this
weekend at a Q-and-A session for members and
guests between shot-making in a charity tournament
at Tampa's nationally admired Old Memorial Golf
Club, hidden away in the woods of northwest
Hillsborough County. Pitino is among 15 founding
members of the club, which has an international
membership. Outback Steakhouse executives Chris
Sullivan, Bob Basham and Bob Merritt had the idea
and got the world-class course, clubhouse, other
amenities (yes, caddies), and membership in place,
then scheduled this tournament as a prelude to the
GTE Seniors this week at the nearby TPC of Tampa
Bay. Basham and Sullivan co-chair this year the
widely successful GTE Seniors, to which all big
shot over-50s are committed.
But, the Old Memorial tourney also is committed to
raising big bucks for the ChairScholars program
retired orthopedic surgeon and Tampa resident Hugo
Keim and wife Alicia founded, Rick Pitino's
fund-seeking knowledge to prevent crib deaths (a
son of his died that way), and to honor Tampa
miracle Art Pepin and his family for their good
deeds, including the formation of the Pepin Heart
Institute.
Heavy-duty purposes, just as it is heavy duty
playing Augusta National-tough Old Memorial, where
some think sand particles far outnumber grass
blades.
The Q-and-A with Pitino, a marvel at the
microphone, was a captivating event. He is a
successful basketball coach (and businessman) at
every level, though he is struggling now with the
Boston Celtics. Remember, Pitino took little
Providence to the Final Four in 1987 and took
Kentucky three times, winning it all in 1996. And
yes, he was the coach of the New York Knicks
before the great Kentucky experience, which he
gave up for money, he acknowledges, and the
present shot at bringing the tradition-laden
Celtics back where they ought to be, back on top,
he says. It's not coming easy.
JUST LIKE on ESPN, there sat Rick Pitino on a
riser, in a fancy tent beside the Old Memorial
club house, flanked by stools bearing Outback CEO
and low handicap golfer Sullivan, and former Gator
quarterback, Tommy Shannon, Outback's ambassador
to 40 restaurants in California. Shannon asked a
big question: ``Rick, what, in your great career,
comes to mind first, means so much to you?''
Quickly, he responded by saying the 1986-87 season
``at Providence, when we went to the Final Four,
with little Billy Donovan taking us there on his
shoulders.'' Donovan is now the head coach of the
Florida Gators who are looming so large this year
and for perhaps many more ahead. ``Billy says I am
responsible for what he has accomplished. He has a
book of mine in his office. He refers to my
teaching all the time as his coach as a player,
then as an assistant. That's all wrong,'' Pitino
said. ``Billy Donovan owes me nothing. I owe him
everything.''
The Providence team was rotten for 1986-87,
``lousy. Just lousy,'' and he named the members,
saying, ``I loved Billy but he was 20 pounds
overweight at 190, a fourth guard. He wanted to
transfer to Northeastern or Fairfield. I told him
I'd try to help.''
He did. Neither school wanted Donovan, under any
circumstance. Pitino did not want to hurt good guy
Donovan. He told him he'd like for him to stay,
just ``lose 30 pounds and do these drills daily
he'd have a chance to be my regular fourth guard
and play a lot. I had no idea he'd be able to come
through. He returned 31 pounds lighter and a
different player.''
``I am telling you Billy Donovan took us to the
Final Four. He's probably the most inspiring
athlete I have ever coached. He did it. He made
us. He made me. If it weren't for Billy Donovan, I
would not have had the great Kentucky experience,
not the Knicks experience, not this Celtics
experience. And now look at what he is doing as a
coach at Florida. I am sure pulling for him. They
have a good shot at the Final Four. I believe Duke
is the best team in the country, though.''
Hugh Connerty, in the audience, asked Pitino which
is the best team in the NBA causing Pitino to say
quickly, ``the Lakers, yes, the Los Angeles
Lakers.''
Burley Moss asked him what percentage is coaching
and how much is players, in college.
``Seventy-thirty talent to coaching in college.
College is teaching. In the pros, it is 90-10,
talent. In the pros, it is management. I love the
college experience. In Kentucky, maybe 99 percent
of the people are poor. What they have is Kentucky
basketball. It is their life and their love. It's
a wonderful place to work.
``In college, to lose is devastating to the
players. It ought to be. They are so emotional. In
the pros, after a loss, they get on the plane,
they are very quickly laughing and joking and
waiting for the next game. But I love the pros,
too.''
SULLIVAN ASKED about leaving Kentucky for the
money at the Celtics.
``True, absolutely true,'' Pitino said. ``And I
said I would not take the money over the substance
of coaching at Kentucky, but it was exactly what I
did - more money than I ever thought I'd make,''
something like $70 million for 10 years, allowing
him to invest in Outback, buy racehorses, homes, a
$250,000 founding membership in Old Memorial,
start his charity in his son's name, become a
celebrity who can get up to $30,000 for speech,
maybe $50,000 for such a Q-and-A session as he was
leading here, had he charged a fee.
Basham asked how long it would take to turn the
Celtics completely around. He was not quick to
answer nor was he definitive, but said it would
take breaks and at least three years, and a
big-time player, such as the Patrick Ewing he had
with the Knicks.
Then he confessed something else.
``I failed so far with the Celtics. I am a
hypocrite about the money, as so many of us can
be. I am failing so far. I work 18 hours a day. I
lie awake at night trying to figure out what's
wrong. I hate losing. I love trying to figure it
out. I will. I must.
``The morning after our last game [before the
All-Star break] we worked out, worked hard. Really
hard. We may have been the only team to work out.
I told the players, we are doing this because we
are a bad team. No one complained because we were
21-28. I put a pad up for anyone who wanted to be
traded to put their name and preference there.
After they'd left for the break, I checked. There
were no names there.''