Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich will meet with Rick Pitino
Saturday and Sunday at Pitino's South Florida home in an attempt to land Pitino as the Cardinals' head men's basketball coach.
Jurich said Wednesday that he's the only one negotiating on
behalf of Louisville and no financial terms have been discussed officially.
He said he has discussed parameters of what it would take with a few of
Pitino's "people," but there has been nothing concrete decided.
"There's nothing substantial yet," Jurich said. "I'm going to find
out where we're at. I've got a lot of work to do and want to make sure we're
all on the same page."
Jurich said he would like to wrap up the deal before the Final Four
but doesn't feel pressured by the time element. Pitino is working for CBS
during the NCAA Tournament.
"He's a great fit here," Jurich said. "The response in Louisville
has been overwhelming. Our ticket office is going crazy."
Jurich said he doesn't have a Plan B to replace Denny
Crum, who announced last week that he's stepping down after the season is over. Jurich said he would only look at someone else if Pitino turns
down a potential offer.
"I'm very calculated," Jurich said. "He's a great fit and I'm a big
believer in trying to get this done. I want Plan A to work."
On Tuesday, Pitino said on the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio that he is interested in talking to Louisville.
Pitino said he spoke to Kentucky coach Tubby Smith about the possibility that Pitino might be contacted by Kentucky's rival. Smith encouraged the former Kentucky coach to consider the job, saying it would be good for the rivalry and for the state, Pitino said.
"It's something I would be interested in," Pitino told Patrick. "How interested? I'm not sure."
Pitino said the only other schools to contact him since he left the Boston Celtics have been Rhode Island and UNLV, and that he told both he is not interested.
Pitino withdrew his name from consideration last weekend for the UNLV post.
Pitino would have another rebuilding project in Louisville. The
Cardinals were one of the top teams in the 1980s but have steadily
declined in the past four seasons, going 62-61 with an 0-2 record
in the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to Pitino, Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy, Chicago Bulls head coach Tim Floyd and Alabama coach Mark Gottfried were expected to be on Louisville's list. On Monday, a source close to Jurich confirmed those names. But later in the day Eustachy agreed to a new 10-year contract worth $1.1 million annually at Iowa State.
Pitino told ESPN.com last week that he had reservations about going to Louisville after coaching at nearby rival Kentucky. But those concerns have been relieved, although that doesn't mean he's ready to start negotiating.
"The Louisville thing is so silly," Pitino said Monday of reports that he had already worked out a deal with the school. "Who knows? I could coach at Louisville, but right now I haven't had any conversations with the AD. I'm not thinking about this right now."
Pitino said the timing wasn't right for him to go to UNLV. He said he personally liked the school, but the sanctions and scholarship limitations turned him off. He said his wife, Joanne, also was concerned about being so far away from her three grown children at two East Coast schools and one who lives in New York.
Pitino said he enjoyed his time with UNLV president Carol Harter and athletics director Charles Cavagnaro and wanted to take the job at one point.
"I just felt that this could be my last job and a lot of things have to fit," Pitino said. "They've done a lot of junior college recruiting over the last 10 years and I'm not strong in that area. I'm just going to move forward."
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ALSO SEE
Rebel loss: Pitino yanks name from UNLV search
Vitale: Bye-bye UNLV, hello Louisville for Pitino?
Crum done as Louisville coach after this season
Eustachy to remain at Iowa State with new 10-year deal
AUDIO VIDEO
 Athletic Director Tom Jurich thinks Rick Pitino might be just what Louisville needs.
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Rick Pitino attempts to clear up the Louisville situation.
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Rick Pitino tells what went wrong with the UNLV job.
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When is the earliest Rick Pitino will make a decision? Pitino answers.
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Rick Pitino and ESPN's Dan Patrick discuss the freedom of the college game.
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