LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino said Wednesday a sex scandal involving a woman accused of trying to extort millions from him has been “pure hell” for his family, fuming that newly released video of her police interview revived her “total fabrication.”
Pitino spoke hours after Louisville police released audio and video recordings of phone calls and an interview with Karen Cunagin Sypher, the woman at the heart of the scandal. Pitino has told police he had sex with her six years ago.
“Everything that’s been printed, everything that’s been reported, everything that’s been breaking in the news on the day Ted Kennedy died is 100 percent a lie, a lie,” Pitino said. “All of this has been a lie, a total fabrication of the truth.”
The 56-year-old married father of five, who is a Roman Catholic, said the scandal has taken a heavy toll on his wife and family.
“It has been pure hell for her and my family,” he said. “I admitted to you I made a mistake, and believe me I will suffer for that mistake.”
Pitino said he had planned to stay mum and let the case go to trial.
“Enough’s enough, everybody is tired of it,” he said. “We need to get on with the important things in life like the economy and really some crucial things in life like basketball.”
• Henry White, a guard who recently signed with Grambling State, died at a hospital in Shreveport, La., after he became ill at a preseason practice more than a week ago. He was 21.
Grambling said it is investigating what might have contributed to White’s death.
Sillinger retires after 17 seasons
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — New York Islanders center Mike Sillinger, who played for a record 12 teams during 17 seasons in the NHL, is retiring because of an injured left hip.
The 38-year-old forward played in only seven games last season and had season-ending hip resurfacing surgery in January. He ends his career with 240 goals and 308 assists in 1,049 games.
• The NHL announced its bid to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes is about $140 million. The other bidder that would keep the team in Arizona, Ice Edge Holdings, did not include a figure in its bid, but its CEO Anthony LeBlanc said the partnership will offer up to $150 million.
Neither offer would assume the $8 million per year coaching contract of Wayne Gretzky.
Footnotes.
Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was withdrawn from Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., after an examination showed a small area of inflammation in his surgically repaired throat. Quality Road was made the 8-5 morning-line choice in the field of seven 3-year-olds.
• Robbie Findley scored two goals and recently acquired Pablo Campos scored his first goal with his new team as Real Salt Lake improved to 7-1-4 at home with a 4-0 victory over Chivas USA.
• Women’s ski jumping will be included in the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics in 2012 and has a “very strong case” to be part of future Olympics, IOC president Jacques Rogge said.
• Team RadioShack, Lance Armstrong‘s new cycling team, will debut at the 2010 Tour Down Under in Australia.
