Rick Pitino on Perspective and Overcoming Tragedy

With all the craziness going on with the economy, people losing their jobs, their homes, I think sometimes we need to put everything into perspective. In this interview with Jim Rome on ESPN, Louisville head coach Rick Pitino talks about the death of his infant son, watch:



I can't even imagine, learning about such a tragedy while on the road with your team. It reminds us about what it means to be a coaches, about the sacrifices coaches and their families must make, to be away from loved ones. Coach Pitino talks about the "spirit" of that season with Providence going to the Final Four, he says the team was the most mediocre team he's ever coached, yet they had heart, they had purpose.

As a coach, one of the things I've learned is to empathize with your players. Basketball is the greatest game in the world, but it is still a game. Parents get divorced, friends and family get sick, lose jobs, etc... There's a great quote from the interview, Rick says, "Basketball is a meaningful distraction from life." Ain't that the truth...