What a difference a year makes. While searching for something else I ran across some interesting comments from folks in early March of last season regarding Rick Pitino's ability to coach. Since these comments were made the Cards have went to back-to-back Final Four and are the prohibitive favorite to cut down the nets this season. They also won two straight Big East Tournament championships and received the overall #1 seed in the NCAA tourney.

"I think Rick has lost his ability to coach. He sat Behannen who was having a perfect game and got beat at cincy. He played everyone tonight and had 2 starters in with the game on the line. He let nonutz shoot a stupid three with a minute to go. I am done with lousville until Rick is gone! Sorry for the vent but thats how I feel right now"

" It may take another 3 first round exits from the NCAA tourney and a couple of NIT appearances before the Louisville Brass grows a set and sends him packing. But, Ricky P lost it a couple of years ago when his team did not come to play against California in the first round of the NCAA and he has yet to get it back. By the way, his nomination to the Basketball Hall of Fame is a joke. If he wins in 1997 then stays at UK and wins in 1998 there is no telling how many titles and victories he has by now. The Hall of Fame would have came calling a few years ago by now. But his tenure at Louisville is not Hall of Fame material, his tenure with the Knicks and Celtics is not Hall of Fame material, His tenure at UK is Hall of Fame material if it had more longevity. But to put him in the same institution as Rupp, Smith, Coach K and the likes is laughable"

" I'm done with Cardinal basketball, it's time for Rick to step down. When you are the fourth or fifth highest paid coach in the country and you are not getting it done it's time for Jurich to man up. It's Pitino's JOB TO RECRUIT AND WIN.....PERIOD. He is doing neither and he is at a premier program and venue, which is why he's being paid so much.

Time for Rick to go and new blood, Pitino is ready for the pasture..."

"I don't think at this point in his career Pitino is recruiting the players to have a top notch program, and think it's about time for him to step down....With that being said, I don't know who would be a good fit at U of L...They don't wanna go out and get whoever's hot at the moment like UK did Billy Clyde, but I don't see a tried and proven coach that would fill their vacancy at this point."