Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino was fired as Louisville basketball coach five years ago as a result of a bribery scandal involving Adidas, assistant coaches Jordan Fair and Kenny Johnson and former player Brian Bowen 11. But days later, he said he would eventually be vindicated when the federal investigation was over.
That day has finally arrived.
Thursday, the Independent Accountability Resolution Process concluded by dealing minor punishments, most which involved recruiting. The Cards will pay a $5,000 fine and take a minor recduction of available recruiting days. It issued a two year no show cause penalties against Johnson, now at Rhode Island, and Fair. Pitino however received no penalty and there will be no post season ban.
“The IARP apparently is going away and I’m very disappointed in that for other coaches other programs and other univesities because these are legal experts who are strict with due process,” Pitino said. “They don’t believe in hearsay.’
It was a long time coming and Pitino’s reputiaton as a brilliant bench coach took some hits. But it’s finally over. As we got to know Coach and review the voluminous record before the panel, it was clear to us that coach Pitino did not committ a violation,” said Steve Stapleton, one of Pitino’s attorney from the Clark Hill law firm. “He did nothing wrong. It was our job to make sure the Independent panel had all the information before them so they could make an informed decision. And that, they did.”
Pitino led the Cardinals to a national championship in 2013 that was later vacate following a separate scandal involving paid strippers and prosititutes. Pitino didnt get another domestic head coaching job uitil Iona Univesity, located in New Rochelle, N.Y, hired him in March 0f 2020. In between, he went overseas to coach Panathinaikos, a EuropeLeague team in Athens, Greece. . .
