Word is swirling : wojo is gone

[Uncle Rico]

He's an interesting name and one I personally really like. This season was underwhelming at UNLV, but otherwise he's been rock solid with a bunch of different HC and AC stops. He also has strong ties to the area which may create some more loyalty.

Or TJO goes to Iowa State and Wojo to UNLV. His name was briefly floated to UNLV a couple years ago?

Having run in the same circles as TJO in another lifetime, I can say he's good at organizing softball teams

[Galway Eagle]

Pitino is everything I want in a coach on the floor.   It is my opinion that his baggage is too much for Marquette to carry.

I'd normally agree but given the situation the bball program is in they need wins. Pitino would rebound the program to the top real quick and as long as we don't have major issues we'd be in a good spot to go choir boy (ideally successfully this time) for the next hire

[Goose]

One very good thing about Pitino is that he is a big fan of our history and understands that MU is a basketball school. If they let Wojo go, Rick should be the the #1 focus. He has another run in him and can flat out coach. He would provide an awfully exciting 4-5 years and this guy would not miss a game.

[panda]

Having run in the same circles as TJO in another lifetime, I can say he's good at organizing softball teams

Leaders are leaders in all walks of life!

[Galway Eagle]

One very good thing about Pitino is that he is a big fan of our history and understands that MU is a basketball school. If they let Wojo go, Rick should be the the #1 focus. He has another run in him and can flat out coach. He would provide an awfully exciting 4-5 years and this guy would not miss a game.

+1

[Dr. Blackheart]

One very good thing about Pitino is that he is a big fan of our history and understands that MU is a basketball school. If they let Wojo go, Rick should be the the #1 focus. He has another run in him and can flat out coach. He would provide an awfully exciting 4-5 years and this guy would not miss a game.

Broke all the 10 Commandments. Check

Perfect fit for MU!

[hairy worthen]

One very good thing about Pitino is that he is a big fan of our history and understands that MU is a basketball school. If they let Wojo go, Rick should be the the #1 focus. He has another run in him and can flat out coach. He would provide an awfully exciting 4-5 years and this guy would not miss a game.

I agree with you. I am not a fan of Pitino's past transgressions, but have always been a fan of him as a coach when he wasn't coaching against Marquette. He would be successful at MU. The question is can Marquette stomach the negative image that comes along with Pitino

[MDMU04]

Broke all the 10 Commandments. Check

Perfect fit for MU!

Would you sell your soul to win a NC?  Because that would be the only reason to make that hire.  It's an interesting question.

[swoopem]

Absolutely LOVE hearing these rumors and hope that they're true

A little worried if they're finally acting just cuz they're nervous they might lose TJO to Iowa St.

There's a lot of calls you make before you get to TJO

[Galway Eagle]

Would you sell your soul to win a NC?  Because that would be the only reason to make that hire.  It's an interesting question.

Or different perspective, do you forgive someone who's sinned before to win a national championship?

[MUCam]

Or different perspective, do you forgive someone who's sinned before to win a national championship?

Funny, I was going to say, I thought forgiveness was one of the fundamental pillars, if not the cornerstone of Christian faith.

Which is why I will ask for forgiveness for adulterating that beautiful pillar of Christian faith as a selfish means to a National Championship.

Give me a repentant Pitino and a Final Four! Or, Beilein. Much less forgiving necessary. Many fewer stones to throw.

[panda]

Absolutely LOVE hearing these rumors and hope that they're true

A little worried if they're finally acting just cuz they're nervous they might lose TJO to Iowa St.

There's a lot of calls you make before you get to TJO

I agree. But he is a better fit than most.

[Warrior_2002]

Or different perspective, do you forgive someone who's sinned before to win a national championship?

That's an interesting question.  I'd assume there was some remorse but maybe only because he got caught.  Never looked into his beg for mercy if there was one.  Not that he's make that public.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Does anybody really think Louisville regrets hiring Pitino, despite forfeiting a national championship, despite the affair/extortion, despite the Adidas controversy, etc.?

Absolutely not.  In strong part due to Pitino, and the rehiring of another questionable character in Bobby Petrino, Louisville and Tom Jurich capitalized on athletics success and turned that into an invitation from the ACC.

Louisville didn't get invited for its academics.  Without the athletic success, Louisville could still be left behind playing in the AAC.  There is zero regret and, if given the chance, would do it over again without hesitation.

Now, we aren't Louisville.  I could see Marquette making a run at Pitino in 2001, if Crean failed miserably or if he had immediate success into another job.  But definitely not now in 2021.

[Uncle Rico]

This thread is something.

[Silent Verbal]

Or different perspective, do you forgive someone who's sinned before to win a national championship?

I'm pretty much in 100% agreement with everything you and Goose have said on this subject.  We need someone who can turn things around quickly and, like you said, we can hire a new guy in 5 years when Pitino retires.  If there's one person who would pretty much be guaranteed to make MU relevant again, it's Pitino.

And like Goose said, Pitino understands MU's place in college bball history, and had many good battles with us at Louisville where he saw firsthand how passionate our fan base is.  I don't think Wojo, with his Duke ties, ever really got it.

[The Sultan]

My guess is that Louisville regrets firing Pitino more than they regret hiring him.  Will Wade, Bruce Pearl, Sean Miller....all continue to coach basketball.

That being said, I would be squemish about a Pitino hiring and I doubt there is any interest from the MU administration.

[naginiF]

I'd normally agree but given the situation the bball program is in they need wins. Pitino would rebound the program to the top real quick and as long as we don't have major issues we'd be in a good spot to go choir boy (ideally successfully this time) for the next hire

No question on his managing a program that would win on the court. Where do you draw the line on "major issues" off the court?
- Recruiting violations? cash/gifts/sex
- Player issues with drugs?
- Player issues with campus police? MKE police?

Creating an environment where staff and players know they will be held accountable and are expected to do the right thing is a skill. One that I don't think he's shown that he has.

Basically what you are hoping for is 4-5 years of "make it a winner" and get out before the feds come. That is a pretty fine line to walk and one the institution has shown it doesn't have the stomach for.

[MuggsyB]

I would be in complete shock if we go after Pitino.  Obviously he's an all-time great coach but the administration won't forgive his sins/baggage.

[withoutbias]

Let's worry about firing Wojo before we worry about hiring Pitino.  I mean, yesterday we were at "the administration LOVES Wojo and does not care about wins and losses."  We're going from that to "The administration is firing Wojo to bring in Pitino?"

Call me skeptical.

[MU82]

We've had a choir boy for seven years.  It's time for MU to take a dump on his forehead and send him packing, and get a real coach in here who knows what he's doing.

Would simply firing Wojo be OK for you, or will it be considered an epic failure on their part if they don't also take a dump on his head?

One very good thing about Pitino is that he is a big fan of our history and understands that MU is a basketball school. If they let Wojo go, Rick should be the the #1 focus. He has another run in him and can flat out coach. He would provide an awfully exciting 4-5 years and this guy would not miss a game.

Goose, I would hire Pitino in a second. He's the closest thing college basketball has had to Al in the last 30+ years. Turn the program over to him with direct orders that there will be no strippers or hookers, that he can't schtup anybody involved with Marquette (including nuns and priests), that he can't cheat at recruiting (much), and that he can't hire his son as an assistant. Otherwise, the program is his.

He can get us back to the Final Four and then he can help pick his replacement when he's ready to retire (as long as it isn't L'il Rickie).

I am serious about hiring Pitino. The other stuff is just a few flourishes!

This thread is something.

Indeed. Something else.

[nyg]

This thread is something.

Yup. Let me know when the "insider" information and the dismissal/leaving actually happens. Speculation talk of new coach at this time is fun to read though.  Some pure insanity. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Having run in the same circles as TJO in another lifetime, I can say he's good at organizing softball teams

Noon ball or Th night beer league softball.  I know which I prefer.

[Pakuni]

Or different perspective, do you forgive someone who's sinned before to win a national championship?

It has nothing to do with forgiveness. It's about the kind of program the university wants. And I venture to guess the university doesn't want the kind of program that pays players' parents or hooks up recruits with strippers. And that's who Pitino is. It's who he's always been and he's not going to magically change the way he's operated for 40+ years.
As for winning a national championship, Rick has more NCAA major violations in the past 25 years than titles.

[Goose]

MU82

Spot on about Rick. It would put MU on the map in two seconds and it would be an exciting era of MU ball.