Richard Pitino Jr is the next head coach.

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Originally Posted by MHettel

It’s the constant resetting that is the problem. We have a mini set back each time one of these guys leave. Let’s just imagine a world where miller never left the first time. Would we have a Final 4 banner? Gotta think maybe/probably yes. We were rolling. He leaves and we get a hiccup. Mack left some players for Steele but no recruits. Steele fumbled it away. Steele left Miller a veteral team that just won the NIT and Claude as a recruit. Miller is leaving nothing. Those little setbacks just add up.

You mentioned Few and Wright. What did those guys have in common?

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They are unicorns, as I said. Those guys are few (no pun intended) and far between. Chances of finding them are less than 1%. If it ever happened, great but at a place like Xavier it’s almost impossible. Who knows maybe pitino ends up being one of those guys, but I’m not going to count on it, or trust a coach’s word that he will.

Also, yeah sometimes there’s a setback in the near term but before Steele and miller 2.0, long term we were having more and more success with each new coach. Hopefully we can get back on that track.

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Originally Posted by GoMuskies

Imagine how much more cut like a diamond Smydra would have gotten if he was being paid.

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His aquatic skills would be top-notch.

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Originally Posted by Section 200

I agree but assuming Pitino was in the running for Villanova, that says a lot to me. Villanova is the one school like Xavier that has actually won it all & they did it twice.

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Three times

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Originally Posted by bleedXblue

He said that 8 years ago and promptly dumped us at the height of the program

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He left after being the head coach for 9 years getting us a Big East regular season championship and a 1 seed. Went to tournament 8 of 9 years and had X at the highest level it had ever been. Everyone knew at some point he would probably go to Louisville if it opened since his wife was from there. That is no longer an option and Mack is older. Far more likely someone from Cleveland who grew up in Cincy, went to St. X and then XU would coach his last years at his Alma mater and take us to new heights. He's a proven commodity and in my opinion has far greater upside with less risk than Pitino. I'll be glad to be wrong but this hire is a mistake and Christopher should be fired if it doesn't work out.

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Originally Posted by MuskiePimp23

and Christopher should be fired if it doesn't work out.

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Well, sure. But at least give it a chance first. It could be amazing.

According to Geoff Grammer who cover UNM "Richard Pitino plans to take (and they've accepted) the entire coaching staff with him − assistant coaches Isaac Chew, Tarvish Felton, Aaron Katsuma, Davie Pilipovich − with him at Xavier," Grammer said in a social media post Wednesday, adding that Chew would be a candidate to replace Pitino as New Mexico's head coach.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/rep...212247614.html

Not only do we have our HC sounds like we got our assistants as well. In looking over the bios some of his coaches have HC experience. It is definitely a veteran experienced staff.

I love this whole Pitino setup—it’s like a recruiting ecosystem where Rick Pitino is the apex predator, relentlessly hunting top-tier talent, while Richard is strategically positioned to scoop up players who fall just short of his father’s system.

Rick isn’t about to send his best recruits to Xavier, but he’s always on the hunt for elite prospects. Some guys will impress but won’t quite fit—maybe they’re tweeners, lack defensive intensity, or just aren’t the right personality match. Instead of letting them drift back into the wild, he can steer them toward Richard. Xavier could become a prime landing spot for high-level spillover talent.

It’s a bit like hanging out with a Brad Pitt lookalike—you’re not getting the A-list attention, but suddenly, you’re in the mix with people who never would’ve noticed you otherwise. Richard benefits from the glow of his father’s reputation, and Xavier might quietly build a roster of players who were almost St. John’s-level but end up thriving in a system better suited to them.

And who knows? The old man might just end up splitting the wins with Junior.

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Originally Posted by A Fan

I love this whole Pitino setup—it’s like a recruiting ecosystem where Rick Pitino is the apex predator, relentlessly hunting top-tier talent, while Richard is strategically positioned to scoop up players who fall just short of his father’s system.

Rick isn’t about to send his best recruits to Xavier, but he’s always on the hunt for elite prospects. Some guys will impress but won’t quite fit—maybe they’re tweeners, lack defensive intensity, or just aren’t the right personality match. Instead of letting them drift back into the wild, he can steer them toward Richard. Xavier could become a prime landing spot for high-level spillover talent.

It’s a bit like hanging out with a Brad Pitt lookalike—you’re not getting the A-list attention, but suddenly, you’re in the mix with people who never would’ve noticed you otherwise. Richard benefits from the glow of his father’s reputation, and Xavier might quietly build a roster of players who were almost St. John’s-level but end up thriving in a system better suited to them.

And who knows? The old man might just end up splitting the wins with Junior.

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You just summed up what I hope is possible - then add in getting rid of the packline defense & I'm very encouraged!

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Originally Posted by A Fan

I love this whole Pitino setup—it’s like a recruiting ecosystem where Rick Pitino is the apex predator, relentlessly hunting top-tier talent, while Richard is strategically positioned to scoop up players who fall just short of his father’s system.

Rick isn’t about to send his best recruits to Xavier, but he’s always on the hunt for elite prospects. Some guys will impress but won’t quite fit—maybe they’re tweeners, lack defensive intensity, or just aren’t the right personality match. Instead of letting them drift back into the wild, he can steer them toward Richard. Xavier could become a prime landing spot for high-level spillover talent.

It’s a bit like hanging out with a Brad Pitt lookalike—you’re not getting the A-list attention, but suddenly, you’re in the mix with people who never would’ve noticed you otherwise. Richard benefits from the glow of his father’s reputation, and Xavier might quietly build a roster of players who were almost St. John’s-level but end up thriving in a system better suited to them.

And who knows? The old man might just end up splitting the wins with Junior.

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Gotta be honest. This is an awful take. “How great could it be that all the guys Rick doesn’t want he can send to Xavier!” Is there anything more mid major than that? GTFO. I don’t want Xavier to be pumped about being a second fiddle school to a team in their own conference. Come on. And to end the sentiment with “and who knows, maybe Richard might just be able to win some against him, too!”


I’m a few drinks deep, so hopefully I’m missing the sarcasm. Now, the idea that there is some money behind the name that could be extra towards X NIL- I like.

*after re-reading. I’ve come to the conclusion it was all sarcasm and I guess you aren’t excited about the hire. My mistake

Full circle for X.. Pitino fired from Lville in 2018, Mack leaves X at our height for Lville. Steele era, back to Miller, Pitino to SJU playing X twice a year. Miller bolts, X hires a Pitino. Like it or not X has been intertwined with Pitinos for years! The webs we weave!