Following a standard public relations template for putting undesirable news in the rear-view mirror, Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino apologized on Wednesday afternoon at a press conference to his family and to his players for what he referred to as an “indiscretion” six years ago. He insisted that he would continue to coach at the University for “as long as they will have me.”
As reported in the Louisville Courier-Journal, he did not specifically address the police report made public yesterday in his statement, but said he'd already apologized to his family months ago and now wants to apologize to his extended family at the university.
Prepared statements from UofL President James Ramsey and Athletic Director Tom Jurich were also distributed.
Ramsey said that “regardless of the truth or falsehood of specific actions that have been attributed to the coach, he's clearly made errors in judgment that have come under intense public scrutiny. We can't ignore these errors in judgment, and they have saddened and disappointed me.
"As we try to teach our students, when you make a mistake, you admit it and right it as best you can. Coach has done that today. We hope this closes this chapter; we're all ready to move on.”
That may be easier said than done.
Many think that even if the University and the community rallies behind Pitino - who has a morals clause in his current contract with UofL - opposing coaches will use the sordid details of the story as leverage against him during the annual battle to convince blue-chip basketball recruits to come to Louisville.
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