USA-Today: What Should Pitino Do?

Eye-opener: What should Pitino and Louisville do now?


Louisville coach Rick Pitino has been testifying in a trial against a woman who is accused of trying to extort money and gifts from him.

By Timothy D. Easley, AP


There are a few facts about Rick Pitino that are rock solid. He is one of the nation's best basketball coaches and he is testifying in U.S. District court, he is not a defendant. Everything else is up for grabs.

Because, while Karen Cunagin Sypher is the accused, Pitino is also on trial in the court of public opinion. The Louisville coach will be testifying for a third day about allegations that Sypher tried to extort money from him to keep their sexual affair secret.

The testimony about the encounter would be embarrassing to anyone but especially to someone like Pitino who has lived in the public eye for more than three decades.
Especially when the father of five is asked about whether he raped Sypher and about paying for an abortion.

"There was one motive from the day this all started and that was to blackmail me," Pitino said in court.

With the trial expected to last at least another week, Pitino's reputation, and by proxy that of Louisville, are going to take a pounding in the public eye.
At the very least the coach has become a punch line and Fan House columnist Jay Mariotti calls on Pitino to step down.

Does Pitino need to think about resigning or take a leave of absence or should he and the school just wait for this to pass?