KENTUCKY 1989-90
Pitino Q and A (continued)
national championship game, and a pro coach for me the past two years, He has invaluable experience in the Northeast. He's going to be our chief scout, and be with me every day in practice. Our other two coaches are going to be on the road quite a bit the first few years. Tubby Smith, from South Carolina, is noted as one of the premier recruiters and teachers in the country. Herb Sendek was with me at Providence, and he is about as organized a young man as I've come across. Billy Donovan played for me at Providence, and with the New York Knickerbockers, and is going to be a big help to me in not only in the little things that go into being a graduate assistant, but also in playing and competing against our people in practice. He's in outstanding shape, and I think our players will gain a great deal of confidence playing against him. So, it's an outstanding staff, and we have, from top to bottom, from CM. down to our managers, people that I'm very comfortable with, people who are willing to pay the price to be successful.
Qt What are your impressions of the  tradition of Kentucky basketball? How are you going to enhance and continue that?
A, When I was a young player, Kentucky  basketball was just like UCLA and North Carolina. UCLA had the Wooden era, Kentucky had the Rupp era, and North Carolina, when Dean Smith was just breaking in, they were the programs with the most excitement and the most tradition. Kentucky is a unique, special school. I've never seen such passion in a state for college basketball. It's just a great atmosphere to be associated with. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and making those people proud once again of what Kentucky basketball stands for, and that's excellence.
Q. This year's schedule is challeng- Ing. What are your thoughts?
A, It's more than just a challenge. It's  probably, if not the premier schedule in the country, one of the most competitive ones I've seen in a long time. Our non-league schedule is as good as our SEC one. We are not looking for easy wins out of conference. Any time you do that, and you're not in a tournament, I think it's exciting, because right now, the regular season is our tournament. We've got to play every game as if it's our last one. So I look forward to playing this type of schedule not only this year, but for many years to come. We want to be in the top five each year in the degree of difficulty of our schedule, and I look forward to that. After coming from 100 games in the NBA, and getting used to playing the Celtics and the Lakers and the Cavaliers and people of that quality, I
The foundation has got to be built on the old-fashioned work ethic. It's the players that turn it around, not the coaches.
don't want to play those so-called "easy" games. I would rather play the competitive people, because there are only 27 contests.
Q, You have said that the program t will win right away. What did you mean by that?
A, I think the players will win in the eyes  of the people. Not necessarily wins and losses, because certainly there are no magic wands to building a basketball program. You have to have a certain amount of talent and size to win at any level. But I think these players will win by capturing the hearts of their people, their fans. While they're doing that, I think the wins and losses will improve each year, and then we will get back to having the best of both worlds,
not only having the enthusiasm, but the wins and losses as well.
Q. What are your short-term and long- range goals?
A, The foundation has got to be built on t the old-fashioned work ethic. In order for our players to over-achieve and win games they're not supposed to, they're going to have to outwork their opponents, and that's not an easy thing to do. Any time you do that, sacrifices come to mind. You have to sacrifice your social time in order to get to that level. The players, I think, are willing to make that commitment, and in order for us to turn around this program in a short period of time, that's what's necessary. It's the players that turn it around, not the coaches.
CampPeakS f YOUn9 Students of the game at his Rick mino Offensive Improvement
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