GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Rick Pitino’s son, Richard, has accepted an assistant coaching position at Florida.
Richard Pitino spent the last two years working in a similar position under his father at Louisville after stints at Duquesne (2006-07), Northeastern (2005-06) and College of Charleston (2004-05). He replaces Shaka Smart, who left Florida to take the coaching job at Virginia Commonwealth.
Moving out of his father’s shadow, the 26-year-old Pitino will try to help coach Billy Donovan and the Gators return to the NCAA tournament after two years in the NIT.
The Gators have lost seven players in the last year. Four players transferred, two jumped to the NBA and one recruit asked for his release.
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Comments » 21
utvolz#637682 writes:
Welcome to getting your butt kicked by CBP!
1stPoliceJustSayNoToPosting1st writes:
utvolz, I commend the for NOT posting "1st" or "first."
thanks!
1st Police
UrbanStopCallingMe writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
UKblue02 writes:
Can't help but wonder if his going to Fla. was a by-product of his dad's problem with the equipment guys wife. Timing is kinda curious.
kman29 writes:
Some of the things you all come up with are pretty funny. This is nothing more than Donovan having an open position, him having connections with Pitino and Richard wanting to get out on his own from under his dad and make his own name with a major school.
As for the rest of your bull...one Donovan CAN NOT go to the NBA for at least 4 more years. As part of his contract initially with the Orlando Magic. Part of the agreement between him and the Magic when he decided to go back to UF was that he couldn't join an NBA team through the length of the contract he agreed to with Orlando. So forget the NBA.
As for UF seeing him slip? Listen, Donovan can write his own checks at UF. Donovan will not leave Florida until he decides he wants to leave. And certainly if the remote possibility was there that some how UF wanted to replace Donovan, it wouldn't be with an unproven head coach. Anthony Grant is Foley's top guy on his list of replacments if that ever happened.
Eventualy exit of Donovan. LOL! Let me know how that conspiracy theory of yours works out.
Mr_Brownstone writes:
uf b-ball = nit
givehim6 writes:
And how many times UT kicked UF's butt in bball? oh, not in the past what 4 years? okay
givehim6 writes:
You might want to make a note to yourself, never go into a combat situation out manned and out gunned, take that bit of advice from a vet.
chrisw2967 writes:
lil eddie is going to need more than a pinto -pinito or ever how you spell his name to get back into the NIT.now was this suppose to be a "wow" hire for the gayfers?
Pearl 9 after this season
lil eddie 1
write it down.
chrisw2967 writes:
Not only is he slipping they are slipping fast.players transfering,trying to go the nba anything but hanging around the university.he will never get that program back to where he took it.I believe, when you were the artist formerly known as gayazz you posted eddie munster would have fla back in the final 4 before Pearl will get back to the sweet 16.well before that can ever happen they have to make the ncaa tourney instead of the nit.
kman29 writes:
He lost thos privileges when he took the Magic job? lol! Wow! Im glad your so in touch with how the Florida fan base and administration feels about Donovan. Sorry but Donovan has built what Florida basketball is:
9 straight NCAA tournament appearances 99-07
12 stright 20 win seasons
3 Final 4's '00, '06, '07
3 National Title game appearances '00, '06, '07
2 National Titles '06, '07
That resume gets him the opportunity to call his shots. It allows him additionally the opportunity to say "hey, I've recruited poorly and I'm re-duing what I started 2 seasons ago."
Now your throwing out scenarios of NITs and missing NITs in the future and what would happen to Donovan if that occured, well given Donovan's track record he will get things back in order He has taken 2 different groups to the National title game, he is still in his 40s. He didnt forget how to coach. He simply ran into a bump in the road, a bump that had players carrying the largest burden any players in the history of UF bball had ever had to carry....taking the court as the 2 time defending champ and not having any part of those titles. Even some of the best coaches have bumps along their career. Ask Duke and coach K who didn't even make the NIT in 1996.
It probably won't happen next year, but I give Donovan 2 years and its back to Florida and Kentucky dominating the SEC which will be some great battles again with Calapari there.
kman29 writes:
He will never take the program back to where he took it huh? Glad we have so many Nostrodomus's here.
1997- losing record
1998- made NIT
1999- Sweet 16
2000- NC game
He had a team 2 years after going to the NIT in the national championship game. To say he can never do it again is pretty ignorant.
Then again, this is from the same fan base who believes a coach who has never coached an SEC game, never been a college head coach, after one spring will be taking his team to those heights in 2 seasons. (Kiffin) But Donovan who has already done it 3 times will never do it again. Hilarious!
spencer1989#206886 writes:
"Donovan will not leave Florida until he decides he wants to leave" Really now?!? And some folks thought an ex-UT football coach had that same security. Well....The business world (and college sports is that) is more about what have you done for me lately. And many coporations are like that too. If you don't produce they find people that do. Not saying he will be gone....Just saying there are no guarantees in this world...Even when they are in writing. All the written doucmentation does is give you your buy-out clause.
DekanGator writes:
Billy Donovan Is in pretty good Company.
He has 2 NCAA National Championships with
Roy Williams
Dean Smith
Denny Crum
Jim Calhoun
Has more National Championships then,
Rick Pitino
Lute Olson
Jim Boeheim
Tom Izzo
Jerry Tarkanian
Bill Self
Only These have more than Billy and He's only 42
Coach K (3)
Bobby Knight (3)
Adolph Rupp (4)
John Wooden (10)
Any Questions?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_coache...
kman29 writes:
So now Jeremy Foley is choosing assistant coaches? LOL! yeah sure buddy! What ever you think.
belayvol writes:
Yeah, is it true that Billy will have to start the janitors this year to field a full team? Maybe he can pull some lady gators over to fill it up. No wait,they suck too.
GreerVol22 writes:
at least Rich was original...just another copy kat I guess.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
"Pitino's son hired at Florida"
What, another one?
TommyJack writes:
Chris will soon reach his teens. Then you two can bond. Only a kid or a fool would spend as much time on an enemy board. You're a disgrace to real gator fans.
chad_t31 writes:
Billy won't ever leave urban.
Madkels writes:
OK, so Billy D won two NC, we all know that and congratulations. What I want to no is what's up in Gainesville with the program after you read the last paragraph? I understand two left for the NBA, but about the other 5?
Last paragraph - "The Gators have lost seven players in the last year. Four players transferred, two jumped to the NBA and one recruit asked for his release."
Is there issues or did they leave because better players are ahead of them?
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