Richard Pitino wasn’t shy about addressing the negativity he experienced last season and into the summer after the Gophers' tumultuous 2015-2016 season.

The team finished 8-23 overall and won just two games in the Big Ten. Off the court, the results were just as grim with several scandals involving Pitino’s players. The messy combination was supposed to get Pitino fired or at least that’s what many of the fans wanted.

A year later, Pitino is the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

“It’s cool to kind of go from where we were to now,” Pitino said Wednesday. “It’s a little bit better than than the alternative that was last year when everyone wanted me fired, so we have to ride that momentum the best we can.”

Gophers sophomore and Third Team All-Big Ten forward Jordan Murphy said Pitino never showed signs that the negativity was getting to him. Murphy also didn’t realize the level of scrutiny Pitino was under.

“Definitely proud of him,” Murphy said. “What he’s been through the past year and having so much pressure put on him and doing such a good job and just coaching through it, and not worrying about the outside noise. As a team, we’re really proud of him.

“I think he did a good job of hiding [any pressure he felt]. He definitely doesn’t let stuff affect him like that.”

A year removed from this stream of criticism, here is a look back on some of the mean tweets and the new mean tweets directed back at those who scorned Pitino.

Old mean tweets (calling for Pitino to be fired):



New mean tweets (in support of Pitino):

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