Rick Pitino walked back his blistering Seton Hall rant days after saying he stood by his words

On Wednesday, Rick Pitino told the media that he apologized to the St. John’s men’s basketball team days after endorsing his wild postgame rant following a game against Seton Hall.

Somehow, Rick Pitino thinks we have forgotten what he’s done in the last four days, but we have not. The internet has the receipts. On Sunday, he ripped his team after a less-than-stellar performance against Seton Hall. Pitino described coaching St. Johns as the “most unenjoyable experience” of his lifetime. On Monday, Per ESPN, Pitino told Newsday that he stood by his words, saying, “I was pointing out exactly — in a monotone voice — why we lost… I was not ripping anybody.”

By Wednesday, Pitino was walking back his words by sharing that he apologized to his team after learning that his rant hurt several players.

"My family and my players, outside of breathing air, they're the most important thing in my life. That's why I'm still coaching today. They are the air that I breathe. I love them dearly. I would never want to embarrass them or hurt them."

—@StJohnsBBall head coach Rick Pitino pic.twitter.com/Ez4p0HluML

— CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 22, 2024

Here’s the thing: This apology is flimsy.

If Pitino thought he was making his team tougher by ripping them, fine. At least stand by that. Be about the words you chose. But to endorse the words and then walk them back implies it was always about escaping accountability and saving an image.

What Pitino fails to realize is that — right or wrong — how a team performs is a reflection of its leader. So, if a team isn’t up to standard, you address it with them and ask yourself what you can do better as a leader, not deflect responsibility and embarrass them in public.