While a lot of people were really unhappy to see Michael Vick sign with the Eagles, one guy who was probably thrilled was Rick Pitino, because it took him off the front pages. He's still hanging around though, as Karen Sypher continues to make accusations, now suggesting that he threatened her children if she didn't get abort they child they conceived, and that he paid Tim Sypher to marry her.
In her custody hearing with Sypher, she is asking for $4,900, but Sypher claims Pitino and Louisville pay him less about $50,000 a year. When asked
how he paid for his 2008 truck, Sypher said he bought it from a dealership partly owned by - get ready - Pitino.
So whatever happened in this bizarro story of the grotesque, we're being asked, by various parties, to believe the following:
- Pitino's personal assistant and designated driver laid down in the restaurant and listened to Pitino and Sypher making whoopie after Sypher returned right around closing time, then that Sypher had "no idea" he had been there, despite the fact that Pitino had the keys and locked the door after he and Sypher got dressed.
- Pitino threatened to encase her children in cement if she didn't get an abortion.
- Pitino actually raped her, first at the restaurant, then at Sypher's condo where he met the future Mrs. Sypher while her soon-to-be-husband idled upstairs despite hearing her scream while being raped a second time.
- Pitino raped her in the condo despite apparently being in California at the time.
- Despite being in California at the time, Pitino agrees that he met her at the condo to discuss her pregnancy.
- Despite having been viciously raped by Pitino in the restaurant, Cunagin agreed to meet her supposed rapist in a "discreet" location.
- When he learned that she couldn't afford an abortion, Pitino gave her $3,000 dollars.
- He gave her $3,000 dollars not for an abortion but so that she could pay for health insurance which would then in turn cover her abortion.
- Despite his ignoring Pitino's condo rape, Karen Cunagin agreed to marry
Tim Sypher and attended team functions with no signs of strange behavior or unease. - Despite living in fear of Pitino, who threatened to kill her children, Mrs. Sypher attempted to extort millions of dollars from him.
- Pitino paid Sypher to marry his now-estranged wife.
- Sypher only makes $50,000 a year but got $16,000 in bonuses from the 'Ville.
- Despite only making $50,000 a year, and despite a looming divorce from a very strange woman, Sypher took on a $600 dollar a month truck payment.
What really happened may never be entirely clear, but it's very tempting to just assume they're both lying about parts of it, each to their own advantage, and that the truth will never be fully known.
Lester Goetzinger, the man who is accused of calling Pitino on Mrs. Sypher's behalf to begin the extortion attempt, may get the charges dropped if he attends a pretrial diversion program. Someone - maybe Jerry Springer would be an appropriate choice - should really ask him what the hell happened here, not that it would necessarily clear everything up. It might shed some light, though.
Also, the letters to the Louisville Courier-Journal are pretty interesting, including one (on page two) who blames the whole business on Kentucky grads who were out to get Pitino and Lousville.
- Would you let your son play for Pitino?
- TU: Donors hold key to Pitino's career at Louisville
- Lines keep shifting for media
- Bozich: Pitino saga is full of opinions, far from over
- Bozich: Pitino saga is full of opinions, far from over
- Sypher claims she has been unable to work
- Attorney: Sypher 'Clearly Disturbed'
- Woman in Pitino extortion talks at divorce case
- Rick Pitino: Can We Really Trust Him Despite His History?
- Stengel won't pursue allegations against Pitino
