Catholics in Kentucky say Pitino should stay on as Louisville coach despite sex, abortion

Catholics: Pitino deserves forgiveness in scandal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchgoers in Kentucky say Rick Pitino’s personal failings should be forgiven and he should remain as head basketball coach at the University of Louisville.

Some anti-abortion groups are calling for the university to fire Pitino because a woman he admitted to having extramarital sex with says she had an abortion.

But Catholics attending Mass Sunday morning said the coach, a self-professed Catholic, should get another chance.

Arnold Brown says Pitino is a great man who put himself in a bad position. Brown, attending St. Frances of Rome in Louisville, says he opposes abortion. But he says Pitino’s moral failings are between him and God.

Pitino has admitted to police that he had sex in 2003 with Karen Cunagin Sypher, who was later charged with trying to extort the coach.