CBS analyst Seth Davis talks with The Post’s Justin Terranova about Rick Pitino’s future, Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament chances and his new book, “Getting to Us: How Great Coaches Make Great Teams?”
Q: What’s one thing you learned while writing the book?
A: One thing that jumped out at me is that several of these guys — at least they think (they do) — have some form of attention deficit. That’s kind of a theme. Like Mike Krzyzewski doesn’t like to read … it’s this sort of inability to sit still. It builds in a competitive edge where you are never satisfied. Part of the result is that is you miss out on a lot of joy.
Q: What does this latest ruling — taking away the national title — mean for Rick Pitino?
A: Fair or not, it’s a huge stain on his legacy. Unfortunately for Rick, he has a history of this. It goes back to when he was an assistant with Hawaii starting off his career. It’s something that’s followed him. … It’s sad. I think he’s a good man and a great coach. I’ve known him a long time and I’ve enjoyed my conversations with him, but you can’t always throw the baby out with the bath water. … I’d be surprised (if he coaches again). He’s radioactive. No college will touch him. He could offer great insights to an NBA team if they wanted to put him in some sort of role. We’re going to need some time to pass before he becomes employable again.
Q: Do you like the Big Ten moving up its tournament a week?
A: It’s going to be rocking. Those alumni bases are huge and they travel, and it’s New York and there’s so much to do here. … It’s definitely awkward, though, with the week moved up. What’s interesting about it is, how are the Big Ten teams going to fare in the NCAA Tournament? Most coaches would tell you they’d rather not have that long of a layoff before. I don’t think that’s good preparation.
Q: Has any team or teams broken loose from the pack?
A: We have three teams that occupy a pretty firm first tier: Virginia, Villanova and Michigan State. Michigan State has really come on. Some of it is the weakness of the Big Ten, which is why they are closer to being a three seed than a one seed. If they win out, it’ll be hard to keep them off the one line.
Q: Has Kentucky turned a corner with back-to-back wins?
A: I am not a big believer in Kentucky. They are not young, they are historically young. What happens is freshman can make a lot of progress, but once they get into the NCAA Tournament they experience a game that if they lose their season is over, and that collar gets real tight. They just don’t have that perimeter shot they’ve had in the past.