Louisville now investigating allegations . . .

[Kung Wu]

I think there may be some gross misunderstanding about the cost of the parties (quite possibly by me). The way I read it is that all 22 of the parties summed up to $10,000 over a 5 years-ish time frame. That means each party, about one every 3 months, came to about $450 each. Or about $150 per month.

Here's what I know from personal experience with D1 sports:

Bad **** can happen at night when a head coach is sound asleep.
Young assistant coaches too often get involved partying with players.
Young assistant coaches, staffers and players that are bachelors, will spend a hell of a lot more than 150 per month to get laid, drunk, and/or high.
Older managers rely on young new hires to bring in new talent.
Players do not talk about breaking curfew or other team violations in the locker room or during practices. Period.

So I take that personal experience and start thinking along these lines:

Did Pitino probably put McGee under lots of pressure to produce talent? Yes.
Does that mean he wanted him to go out and cheat? No.
Did a young 24 year old bachelor that played D1 and some euro ball probably enjoy partying with "the boys"? Extremely likely.
Could a young 24 year old on a small salary afford 150 worth of sex and booze per month? Oh heck yes. No booster needed.
Does a young 20-something year old bachelor feel like "the big man" when he's flashing a little cash and getting "his boys" laid? Umm, yeah, pretty plausible.
Was Pitino a good mentor to a young McGee in terms of making sure he was recruiting "the right way"? Most likely not, no.
Does Pitino know his players probably party after the lights go out? Yup.

So for me, it's completely plausible that Pitino had no idea about any of this. I think its completely possible and probable that there are zero boosters involved and no hush money involved. I think Pitino's problem is that he did not properly vet his former player before hiring him and then did not properly mentor him after doing so.

I highly doubt he would be this aggressive toward McGee, if he had knowledge. I think he's very pissed at McGee for effing up his program and wants McGee to come forward.

[moshock]

Side note: No surprise here - one of their fan forums has already named HC3G as a potential replacement if Pitino resigns or is canned.

[Kung Wu]

Side note: No surprise here - one of their fan forums has already named HC3G as a potential replacement if Pitino resigns or is canned.

Uuuuugh.

[Aargh]

I can't quite go along with that. This is the first I've seen of any reported total payments. 22 parties for $10K is around $500 per party. That's tip of the iceberg stuff. That's likely what was reported as income for the business of providing strippers for private parties, which is a legal activity. People are less inclined to report income from prostitution.

I'm skeptical there was any money reported for the prostitution activites. $500 per party sounds about right for 3 strippers. After that I believe I've seen reports that McGee negotiated the amounts for the players and their chosen partner.

You're not going to get 3 strippers and get anbody laid for $500. I'd wager the $10K was just the money to set up the rest of the transactions.

[Kung Wu]

I can't quite go along with that. This is the first I've seen of any reported total payments. 22 parties for $10K is around $500 per party. That's tip of the iceberg stuff. That's likely what was reported as income for the business of providing strippers for private parties, which is a legal activity. People are less inclined to report income from prostitution.

I'm skeptical there was any money reported for the prostitution activites. $500 per party sounds about right for 3 strippers. After that I believe I've seen reports that McGee negotiated the amounts for the players and their chosen partner.

You're not going to get 3 strippers and get anbody laid for $500. I'd wager the $10K was just the money to set up the rest of the transactions.

The 10k figure came from the madame herself. These were cheap hookers and she reported "side" gigs were in the $100 each range. $500 per party is completely within reason based on her own words.

[Kung Wu]

Example:

Lindsay Powell, 24, Katina's daughter, told Outside the Lines she danced at multiple parties and was paid $100 to have sex with former Louisville point guard*Russ Smith, part of the Cardinals' 2013 NCAA championship team and now a player with the*Memphis Grizzlies.

[Aargh]

The 10k figure came from the madame herself. These were cheap hookers and she reported "side" gigs were in the $100 each range. $500 per party is completely within reason based on her own words.

You think she's going to go public with actual earnings or the amounts she reported to the IRS?

Have you ever seen a $100 hooker? Unless Pitino was recruiting for a blind basketball team, providing a $100 hooker to a recruit would be a disincentive to ever set foot on that campus again.

[Kung Wu]

You think she's going to go public with actual earnings or the amounts she reported to the IRS?

Have you ever seen a $100 hooker? Unless Pitino was recruiting for a blind basketball team, providing a $100 hooker to a recruit would be a disincentive to ever set foot on that campus again.

LMAO

I think the 10k figure is accurate. I can't say that I know what a $100 hooker in Kentucky looks like, no. I can say for certain that Russ Smith got laid by one, according to one.

[ArtVandalay]

I'm with the pirate. Ms. Madame likely consulted with a lawyer in the process of writing this book. They discussed the best information to release. Keeping her admitted activities in the legal realm is best for her. The odds someone from Louisville who was in the know about these parties comes out and says "No, Ms. Madame is lying. We paid more then $10,000 for strippers. We also paid $x.xx amount for other dirty and illegal deeds" are probably not very high.

[Kung Wu]

LMAO

I think the 10k figure is accurate. I can't say that I know what a $100 hooker in Kentucky looks like, no. I can say for certain that Russ Smith got laid by one, according to one.

Let's say it's not accurate. Double it. I don't think it changes that much.

Edit: I think Pitino/Lew-evil gets a "lack of institutional control" violation though.

[ArtVandalay]

I'm certainly not a recruiting expert. And I don't know enough about recruiting trips, but is there a lot of unaccompanied time for sex parties?

[wu_shizzle]

Side note: No surprise here - one of their fan forums has already named HC3G as a potential replacement if Pitino resigns or is canned.

Ricky needs to keep coaching UofL long into the foreseeable future.

[SHOXAAC]

I'm certainly not a recruiting expert. And I don't know enough about recruiting trips, but is there a lot of unaccompanied time for sex parties?

They don't call us minute men for nuthin!!!

[wushock27]

As a side note..McGee was living with the players in the dorm when this started, and according to all reports here, he was never involved in recruiting, which leads me to believe some others were involved.

[atlwsu]

Side note: No surprise here - one of their fan forums has already named HC3G as a potential replacement if Pitino resigns or is canned.

Not a new thought to me either