Pelphrey Back To Gators -Pitino Jr. To UL

John Pelphrey Lands On His Feet, Richard Pitino Returns To Papa

by Glenn Logan, Sea Of Blue

Apr 13, 2011 7:27 AM EDT



I think it's great that John Pelphrey has been hired back by Billy Donovan as an assistant at Florida. It's a shame that the Arkansas thing didn't work out, but sometimes we fail, and how we learn from that failure usually informs our future success.

But Billy Donovan didn't stop there. He hired Norm Roberts, former St. Johns head coach as an assistant as well, as three of Donovan's assistants have left for other positions -- Larry Shyatt to Wyoming as their new head man, Bob Lanier to Texas and Richard Pitino to Louisville. In my opinion, Donovan has done a great job of reloading the coaching roster.

Then there is this rather bizarre rumor of Richard Pitino to become the "Head coach in waiting" at Louisville. I did not believe this from the second I heard it, and the Mike at Card Chronicle seems to confirm that this is not the case. It is simply not logical for a program as proud and successful as Louisville to name a coach with zero experience as head man as the heir to his father. We saw how that worked when Sean Sutton succeeded his father Eddie at Oklahoma State, and when Pat Knight succeeded Bob Knight at Texas Tech -- i.e., none to well for the sons.

It would be irresponsible of Louisville to do that, and most likely disastrous for Richard if it were so. I'm happy to see that it's apparently not the case. The history of that "the son follows the father" has already failed much more often than it has succeeded.

Saw this a day or so ago. I bet BigRed is happy. Pitino Jr. as coach for UL.

John Thompson might not agree.