Pitino's Blog: Fans "Deserve Better" Than Louisville Effort

Subtext: Practices are about to get a lot more brutal and intense.

By CHAS RICH and FANHOUSE.COM

Updated 12:39 PM EST, Tue, Dec 2, 2008

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After the Cardinals got beaten soundly by the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky, Louisville Coach Rick Pitino gives an apology of sorts to the fans. On his own site, he has a post titled, "Sorry Fans you Deserve Better."

Now it is very simple. Practice habits create a winning formula. We did not earn the victory. WKU earned that one. They should be congratulated. Very few players can practice without purpose or intensity and suddenly bring it game night. Although Iverson maybe the exception from what is rumored. But then again his record since joining the Pistons is 6-6 and there are no Allen Iversons walking through the YUM! Center.

We will improve our practice habits immediately. We have not sustained our intensity on a consistent basis. That all changes today. We apologize to the fans who paid hard earned money and had to witness such poor execution.

My first impulse when I read the story, was that Pitino was trying to take some of the heat off his players. Trying to put it on himself and the coaches for not getting the players ready. Not having the intensity in practices to prepare the players.

After reading the full post, and the blame on the execution, that's a public shot across the bow of the players. Practices are about to get a lot more brutal and intense.