Rick Pitino just wants to "coach and teach young people" at Iona. (Iona Athletics Photo)
It could have been a heartwarming or heartbreaking win for University of Kentucky fans if former UK coach Rick Pitino had led Iona to a victory over Alabama in the NCAA Tournament Saturday. Some UK fans still appreciate what Pitino did at UK winning a national title in 1996 and getting to two other Final Fours. Other UK fans will never forgive him for coming back to coach at Louisville before he was forced to resign.
However, Iona was the fifth team he’s taken to the NCAA Tournament, and with UK not in the field this year, many more UK fans than normal likely watched the Iona-Alabama game
“The thing is never really about me. I came back to Iona, I wanted no part of the so-called big-time anymore. I had enough of that. I wanted to take a smaller school, like a Providence, like an Iona, small school, and try to make it big,” Pitino said after Saturday’s loss.
“But I wanted no part of any of that other. I had enough of that. It turned me off, to be quite honest with you, in a lot of different areas. I now don’t have to look over my shoulder to see who I’m going to trust, who I’m not going to trust.
“I’m in heaven right now and where I need to be. It’s what I call a ball, a boy and a dream like I was when I was 12 years old. It’s terrific to be here.”
Some have poked fun at Pitino for saying he was in “heaven” right now. Not me. I can believe him.
We are the same age — 68 — and I understand priorities can change. He’s had a lot of turmoil in his life in recent years. Now he’s back “home” with a lot of family and friends. He’s a New Yorker and can coach at Iona out of the daily spotlight and with little or no pressure other than what he puts on himself.
“We’re going to be much better next year. Our schedule is going to pick up so if we don’t win the MAC, we may be good enough with our schedule to get an at-large bid if we’re winning. Got a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m real excited to be at Iona. It’s a terrific place with great values,” Pitino said.
He said he was not “turned off by the big programs” but turned off by what happened to him when the NCAA investigated Louisville and he was fired.
“I want no part of that anymore. I just want to just coach, teach young people how to become better basketball players. It’s no longer about me trying to move up any ladders, make more money. I’m at a great place in my life. I can coach six, seven more years, God willing, just try to make young men better, try to make the program reach heights it’s never reached. That’s all I have planned,” the former UK coach said.
“It’s a great place to be. There are some things that suck about being 68. The great thing about it is being at Iona, being able to teach with nobody bothering you, just make the players better. It’s a great place to be. So I’m a very lucky man that our president, our athletic director flew over to Madrid, Spain, and offered me the job.
