Feb. 23—There have been a lot of basketball-related boxes checked through the years for the Pitino family.
But last week on ESPN’s SportsCenter was a first.
For about four minutes on the network’s flagship show in a well-watched Sunday evening time slot, father (Rick) and son (Richard) were side by side being interviewed about the great success both were having simultaneously this season — Rick Pitino’s St. John’s sitting atop the Big East standings and Richard Pitino’s UNM Lobos atop the Mountain West.
And while the two exchanged niceties to one another on air, the real good stuff was bouncing around New York, Florida and Louisville on one of a few family text threads with the other Pitino kids — Rick’s children and Richard’s siblings plus one cousin and one close friend from Louisville.
“I just liked that they asked about officials because Richard just got a technical (the) game before (on Feb. 12 vs. Wyoming),” said Chris Pitino, Richard’s brother when asked about the SportsCenter interview.
Ahh, yes. The always dependable support of a sibling.
Truth is, there aren’t many more supportive groups than the Pitino siblings, who have lived a life only they would really understand. It’s a love they all enjoy being part of.
“Nobody knows any of the other siblings’ jobs,” Chris Pitino said. “We only talk basketball.”
This season while two Pitinos are enjoying success coaching, the siblings — sister Jacqueline and brothers Chris, Mike and Ryan along with one cousin, Matt Minardi and family friend Vinny Tatum — have been having a blast in their very exclusive group text/watch party world, connecting them from New York to Louisville to Florida.
“There are multiple family chats,” Richard Pitino said. “They have one for when we play that I’m not on. We have one when they (St. John’s) play that he’s (Rick Pitino’s) not on. So it’s very confusing and frightening at times — ‘Oh god, did I send that to the wrong chat?’
“It’s fun. I mean, their games are on a little bit earlier than ours. I always know when they’re not watching, because I’ll check the chat and then I’ll get a 3 a.m. our time one, ‘Great win!’ I’m like, ‘I know you didn’t watch.'”
The importance of utilizing multiple chats, rather than one all-encompassing group text for everyone to share their running commentary on the Lobo and Red Storm games, is vital.
Aside from mom, Joanne Pitino, probably not wanting the primary family chat to get bogged down with basketball talk over updates on grandkids and holidays, there is also a reality that a family of self-professed ball- busting jokesters may have some in-game chatter amongst each other that might not be as welcome by an intense coach after the game.
“Mistakes were made,” Chris Pitino joked, though not sure which specific game brought the realization.
“We learned the hard way — there were texts going on during a game and then, all of a sudden, the team ended up getting upset. We all assumed they were going to win the game, starting to crack jokes and things like that. Then we lost and one of the coaches (Richard or Rick) comes in and checks their phone and that was the first thing they see. So, we learned our lesson.”
In 10 years of both Richard and Rick being Division I head coaches at the same time, there’s never been a season of joint success quite like this.
There was 2014, when Louisville went to the Sweet 16 under dad and Minnesota, in Richard’s first year as head coach, won the NIT. And both made the NCAA Tournament in 2017, Louisville after a 25-win season, Minnesota after a 24-win season. Two years ago, Iona, in Rick’s final season there, made the NCAA Tournament while Richard’s Lobos had a 22-win season that ended up in the NIT.
But never anything quite like right now, where both programs are currently leading their leagues and projected to be in the Big Dance.
So, when St. John’s plays, Richard and the crew have one text chain going, overflowing with sarcasm and the type of banter you can expect from brothers and sisters.
When the Lobos play, Rick’s in on the fun while Richard is left out.
There are two unique aspects of the Lobo-specific chats that Rick Pitino is involved in. First, there is a ton of praise for UNM center Nelly Junior Joseph, who started his career playing at Iona for Rick.
“My dad always dotes on him after every big game,” Chris Pitino said. “My dad tries to give Nelly all the credit for the win, because in some way, you know, he’s giving himself credit.”
And then there’s that high-level insight that can only come from one of the most respected basketball minds of all time, right?
“He is just a complete and total fan and he’s saying the same exact stuff that he would be saying if he was just a fan at the game,” Chris Pitino said.
“You’d expect him to be like, ‘They need to switch the zone here.’ But instead, it’s like, ‘Pass the (bleeping) ball!’ or ‘Awful call!’ It’s stuff like that. He’s never wearing his coach hat. He’s wearing his father and fan hat on the chat.”
With just one month left in the season, the Lobo/Red Storm cheering will continue to be going strong in the Pitino family, near and far, in arenas and in group texts.
“This has been the most fun year basketball for the family that I can think of in ages,” Chris Pitino said. “Now, let’s see how far they go. That’s what really makes it fun.”
