Rick Pitino on Louisville's vacated championship: 'You can't change history'

When you look at the record books, Rick Pitino’s tenure at Louisville isn’t what it once was due to the vacated wins and punishments from the NCAA. However, in his heart, the Cardinals are still as much of champions today as they were back in 2013.

Pitino spoke about the NCAA penalties against that four-year stretch at Louisville during an appearance on ‘Pardon My Take’ on Monday. To him, it’s a historic outrage for them to have handled their case in such a way.

“That’s the greatest hypocrisy of all time,” Pitino said.

Scandals marred the final years of Pitino’s decade and a half leading the program. This one was in connection to the actions of Andre McGee around 2012 to 2015 while there was another where they were one of several schools mentioned in connection to misconduct regarding Adidas.

Regardless of what took place, Pitino’s distinction is that none of it affected what they did on the floor. That’s why, as wrongful as the deeds were, he still sees any effects against their on-court success as impropter.

“First of all, what went on? It was – I’ve said it many, many times. It was reprehensible behavior by a few people. So the NCAA came and said there was $5,600 in three years period for four times a year that they did the wrong thing,” Pitino explained. “It had nothing to do with steroid use. It has nothing to do with breaking rules – an advantage on the basketball court.”

On the court over that four-year span, Louisville went 123-30. They won five conference titles, two regular-season crowns and two league tournaments in the Big East and ACC, and made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in all four. One ended in the Sweet 16, one in the Elite Eight, one in the Final Four, and, obviously, one ended in the school’s third national title.

Now, based on the NCAA’s ruling, all of those achievement are off their record, even though, to Pitino and all involved, the Cardinals deserved their spot in history.

“We earned that championship. You can’t take down a championship. You can’t change history. Whether it’s a wartime, peacetime? You can’t change history,” said Pitino. “We won the national championship playing a great game against Michigan. Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, Luke Hancock, Gorgui Dieng, Montrezl Harrell, Chane Behanan – they won it. Kevin Ware broke his leg.”

“They won the championship fair and square,” said Pitino. “Nothing else could get in the way.”

For now, Louisville officially didn’t attain anything over that timeframe. As we go into the future, though, Pitino expects the association to do what’s right, both for them specifically and for others that he feels that they’ve disgraced with their judgements

“Sooner or later, the NCAA is going to get smart and do two things,” said Pitino. “Put that championship banner back. And the second thing the Heisman people will do? Give that Heisman Trophy back to Reggie Bush.”