Four days have passed since Louisville's Rick Pitino released a statement claiming to be the victim of extortion while insisting a person -- since identified as Karen Sypher -- has made "false, defamatory and outrageous allegations in an attempt to pressure" him to "cave in to this scheme."
Beyond that, little is known.
(But trust me, the rumors are wild!)
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| No matter what happens in the current investigation, Rick Pitino's reputation will take a hit. (Getty Images) |
I'm not saying that's fair.
I'm just saying it's so.
Because the reality of the situation is that Sypher -- the estranged wife of Louisville equipment manager Tim Sypher -- has promised to tell the truth, or at least her version of the truth, and once that happens the accusations against Pitino will stick in the public's consciousness regardless of whether they stick legally or make any sense. This, quite simply, is how America works. We remember what we hear and care little about whether it's provable or true. We just like a good story, and this woman's story is almost certainly going to be a good one ... even if it's a false one that lands her in jail.
In other words, an apologetic Karen Sypher is not walking through that door.
She might turn back, but I doubt it.
And if this thing ever gets into a court of law with people testifying under oath, there's no way that's going to be good for anybody, because there's no telling what sort of stuff might surface. Better yet, let me put it like this: I am not (nor have I ever been) the victim of extortion or the center of a criminal case, and I don't really feel like I've got that much to hide. Still, there are some things I'd rather the general public not know about me, and it's precisely the type of stuff the general public would probably learn if I were ever forced to answer direct questions under oath.
I imagine most people are like me.
Rick Pitino, included.
So it doesn't matter if Pitino is actually innocent of whatever "defamatory" allegations this woman has made. If he's ever forced to defend himself against specific allegations and then questioned about his character under oath, well, that will more than likely be a bad day for Pitino, if only because it would be for everybody, except the flawless soul with no secrets -- assuming, of course, that such a person really exists.
Bottom line, this can't possibly end well.
Which is not to suggest Pitino isn't off to a good start, because his pre-emptive strike (via a released statement) late Saturday was a stroke of public relations genius. It's like my father always told me (or was that Jerry Lawler?): Once you know you can't avoid a fight, it's best to go ahead and throw the first punch just to set the tone. That's essentially what Pitino did with his carefully worded statement. He landed a first punch that -- when combined with the second punch that Sypher's estranged husband landed 24 hours later -- successfully painted the alleged extortionist as (how to put this properly?) a complete and total wacko.
"It is worse than a nightmare," Karen Sypher told a Louisville TV station. "I'm scared to close my eyes to sleep, and I'm scared to wake up."
Scared to wake up?
Is that even possible?
Anyway, Sypher actually told the Louisville TV station all sorts of stuff in an extended interview, but the station has declined to air her allegations, which leads to an obvious question: How crazy do you have to seem for the local news to think you're crazy?
Answer: As crazy as Karen Sypher.
And just so we're clear, I'm not saying this woman is crazy; I've never met her. All I'm saying is that the hushed tones with which she speaks and her wild eyes (she does have crazy eyes, doesn't she?) and the statements from Pitino and her estranged husband have all combined to make her seem unbalanced four days in, and that's where we're at with this thing right now.
It's the crazy woman against the Hall of Fame coach in a saga that promises not to go away anytime soon.
What will ultimately come of it is anybody's guess.
But one thing you can guarantee is that nobody will exit looking better than they did when they entered.
