Rick Pitino let loose on Friday with an unexpected and shocking monologue in defense of himself and his program regarding allegations that prostitutes were brought in for recruiting purposes.
The NCAA and the university of Louisville have launched investigations following a shocking book published by IBJ Book Publishing LLC in October titled “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.” The book tells the story of Louisville stripper and escort Katina Powell, who claims she was hired multiple times by former University of Louisville basketball staffer Andre McGee for the purpose of hiring strippers for recruiting purposes.
After staying mostly silent on the matter for months, Pitino launched into a lengthy, passionate and completely out-of-the-blue tirade against ESPN and WBRB columnist Bozich.
Pitino had been asked about whether or not he flipped off University of Kentucky fans. He answered that question, saying he did not flip them off and then veered away into the prostitution allegations.
Here are a few of the key quotes from Pitino’s angry tirade (watch the entire video here, courtesy of wdrb.com):
“What bothers me about you (turning to Rick Bozich) is you say, I know everybody’s body fat, you must know about this (events in the dorm). That pisses me off, beyond your wildest dreams. Because that took place in Billy Minardi Hall, and we didn’t get one recruit. Somebody criminally came onto our campus. I’m pissed off at ESPN for even giving a forum to that person. … If there are crimes, now I don’t know if there are crimes being committed.
“So I’m not going to say no comment. I’m not going to say it. I’m too old. I don’t care, OK? So I’m not going to say it. There’s only one good thing about being 63, is you don’t care what people think anymore.
“So you mean to tell me a book was written, a four-year record was kept? There was no four-year record. You’ve got to be kidding me. So nobody goes after, ESPN doesn’t go after, are you telling the truth? Did you keep a four year journal? Did you write it? Or was it written just to get this book out because the excerpts were going to be given to The Courier-Journal or The Courier-Journal was going to get hold of it? There’s a lot of things I’m bothered by, every, single night that I go to bed.
“Here they’re saying they kept a journal for four years, but can’t complete two sentences. Something’s not right here. I think you’ve got to follow the money trail. And then 11 people are suing her saying it’s not the truth. Is it 11? Whatever the number is out there. So I don’t know what’s going on with all this, but I know that everybody gave a forum to this person who may have committed criminal acts. But nobody went after her. Was this true?
“One guy I had more complaints about, that he was too hard on our players, too hard, all the time, and the more I heard that he was too hard, the more I liked him. That’s good. That’s the type of guy I want running the dormitory. So did he sneak them through the back door? Did they hide in the room? I have no idea. But I guarantee you if anybody knew about it, and it got back to me, all hell. And I really feel the same way about my assistant coaches, the same way about them. I think they’re an extension of me. I think if they would have known anything, all held would have broken loose. So in 2016, this will be the last time I ever mention it.”
This is just a portion of what Pitino said Friday. Needless to say, he’s pissed and isn’t afraid to let everyone know about it.
He’s adamantly denying any of the things that were alleged in Powell’s book and clearly believes there were ulterior motives behind the book’s publication.
Pitino says this is the last he’s going to say about it, but it will be interesting to see if he can hold true to that promise.