Pitino's HOF speech

[kgfor3]

Starts talking about the Celtics at 16:35...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0fhu8ICkw

[Eja117]

I needed a good puking right about then

[Boris Badenov]

I think I finally put my finger on what has always bugged me about Pitino.

I think it's that in his time here Pitino seemed to view himself as bigger than the Celtics franchise, or at least apart from it.

Almost every other player, coach and GM - the ones I like anyway - have always approached things the other way. The Celtics are bigger than any one individual, and you hope you can add something to that great history.

KG is probably the best example of this I can think of in recent history. He GETS it.

I know Pitino tries in this video to say the opposite, but it never seemed to be true when he was here, as least as I can recall.

Not sure whether anyone else feels like this, but somehow watching that video kind of crystallized some things for me.

[Eja117]

I can definitely see what you mean about him being the outside consultant who came in swearing he could get everything to work, took a ton of money, then said "You're all messed up" and left, like he had no responsibility for it whatsoever.

He definitely comes across to me as though the only thing he wanted from the Celts was another great line on his resume, a ton of money, and a notch in his belt. 

He talks about humility but never have I heard him say "I did just about the worst job of GMing and coaching ever seen in Boston, if not that era. I did a horrid horrid job and everything that happened was my fault. I totally cost that franchise about 5 years minimum."  He just doesn't point the finger where it needs to go that much. 

He's a junior varsity coach, but will never be able to admit it.

[Celtics18]

I don't really begrudge Rick Pitino his time here in Boston, but there is definitely something about him that rubs me the wrong way.

Watching him up there talking about humility, it just sounded so hollow.  There's a guy that you can simply tell doesn't have a single drop of humility in him.

[kgfor3]

I'm not here to change anyone's opinion on Pitino, but I do offer the following perspective. I have lived in KY my entire life, followed him at UK and have been a UL fan my entire life much like the C's. I watch nearly every press conference Pitino gives and have met him on a couple of occasions. I will tell you this that he is a very different person than he was while at UK and Boston. While I by no means am suggesting he is the most humble person he is certainly much more humble and gracious than he was since leaving boston and after his best friend died in 9/11.

I honestly think he could have success in the NBA if he wanted to give it a shot with lessons learned from Boston and his change of attitude. However he is very content and comfortable at UL and expect him to retire there.

[Q_FBE]

I'm not here to change anyone's opinion on Pitino, but I do offer the following perspective. I have lived in KY my entire life, followed him at UK and have been a UL fan my entire life much like the C's. I watch nearly every press conference Pitino gives and have met him on a couple of occasions. I will tell you this that he is a very different person than he was while at UK and Boston. While I by no means am suggesting he is the most humble person he is certainly much more humble and gracious than he was since leaving boston and after his best friend died in 9/11.

I honestly think he could have success in the NBA if he wanted to give it a shot with lessons learned from Boston and his change of attitude. However he is very content and comfortable at UL and expect him to retire there.

Wichita St had Pitino beat