Rick Pitino can continue to be defiant. Rick Pitino can claim both ignorance and innocence. But what the effectively fired Louisville Cardinals coach can't do is prevent the flood of news coming out that continues to paint him in the most awful of lights.
According to a report, the (again) effectively fired Louisville Cardinals coach was receiving 98 percent of cash coming from the school's deal with Adidas. It is worth noting that only a few years ago, at a presser, Pitino screamed about wanting to get shoe companies out of college basketball. Guess he meant just out of the way in the sense that more money went directly into his pockets or something.
In the report from the Louisville Courier-Journal, a bunch of crazy details emerged.
In 2015-16, Pitino received $1.5 million from Adidas from his personal services agreement while only $25,000 went to the athletic department, according to the Courier-Journal, which obtained the contract under a public records request. In 2014-15, Pitino again received $1.5 million, but the school pocketed just $10,000.
Let all of that sink in. Allow it to wash over you as the guy who has spent decades profiting unpaid laborers is about to go to court with Louisville after claiming his was canned without a good reason.
That deal, which was reportedly worth $39 million over five years, between Adidas and Louisville expires this July. After that, a10-year, $160 million contract kicks in.
How much of the money, reportedly $79 million in cash over 10 years with the rest of the balance coming in gear, provided by the new agreement would go to coaches is uncertain, according to the Courier-Journal.
With Pitino out, maybe David Padgett is about to get his?
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