The Louisville media czar meets the press

In what seemed to be a bit strange and unnecessary, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich called an odd press conference this afternoon following the Karen Sypher verdict and got a little testy with the press, even with the questions were pretty bland. The media, who deserves some props for not tossing the AD softballs (though they still missed some important ones), questioned if punishment could be handed out given Rick Pitino’s behavior. Jurich replied that it was a private issue and did not happen at the University and Rick Pitino will face no disciplinary actions, including any change to his contract and recent extension.  When he was confronted with Pitino saying he could get Tim Sypher a raise and the secret meetings happening at the Yum! Center, he said that he “didn’t hear that” because he didn’t follow the trial (good thing he called a press conference then) and that Sypher and Pitino were there all the time, so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.  He also said he expects no fan backlash since the story is “a year old” and that the only places they’ve ever had issues is at West Virginia and Kentucky.  He also said that Pitino was a "mediocre cocksman" "great ambassador" for the school. It was a very strange interaction and one that appeared to be unnecessary.  Jurich did nothing to clear Rick Pitino's name and really offered nothing more than Sypher's guilty verdict presented earlier in the afternoon.  In fact, it was so bizarre that it really only added another odd chapter to the craziest 8 days in Louisville athletics history.