The March to Madness

Pitino's Self-Inflicted Wound

Rick Pitino emerged from hiding Wednesday, apologizing for an "indiscretion" he had six years ago when he had sex with Karen Sypher at a Louisville restaurant.

Although a "moral depravity" clause in Pitino's contract could cost the 56-year-old Louisville coach his job, it appears unlikely university officials will take that course. But the married father of five may not recover from the damage to his reputation.

Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News writes: "If the university is willing to put its reputation on the line and keep him on, fine. Pitino has the strong backing of [athletic director Tom] Jurich. But be warned, this is going to get ugly. Pitino will not be able to spin this story, which will be headline news until the end of a trial that has not even been scheduled yet."

Pitino Told Police He Had Consensual Sex With Sypher

Louisville coach Rick Pitino told Metro Police that he not only had consensual sex with Karen Sypher, but gave her $3,000 to have an abortion, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The newspaper obtained the police report under the Kentucky Open Records Act.

Sypher alleges that she was raped twice by Pitino, but prosecutors who have reviewed the claims say Pitino won't be charged. Sypher has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to extort money from Pitino in exchange for her silence about the alleged crimes, and with lying to the FBI. She has pleaded not guilty.