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John Calipari’s geography lesson clearly a jab at Louisville

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Mike Miller

Jim Calhoun isn’t the only one tossing barbs Rick Pitino’s way. But Louisville’s coach probably expected this one, even if was a little more subtle than Calhoun’s dig.

Kentucky coach John Calipari visited the hundreds of Wildcats camping out for Big Blue Madness tickets last week, doling out his usual complements for their fandom and devotion to Kentucky hoops. Normal stuff, right?

Well, he during an interview with Kentucky Sports Radio, he didn’t miss a chance to offer a jab Louisville’s way. Have a listen.

In case your geography is rusty, Louisville is indeed in the state of Kentucky. (Not to mention proud hoops programs like Morehead State, Murray State and Western Kentucky.) Here’s the quote, transcribed by Mike Rutherford of Card Chronicle:

“It’s a unique thing,” Calipari said. “There’s no other state, none, that’s as connected to their basketball program as this one. Because those other states have other programs. Michigan has Michigan State, California has UCLA, North Carolina has Duke. It’s Kentucky throughout this whole state, and that’s what makes us unique.”

Calipari rarely misses a chance at something like this. This veiled shot at Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was the same thing, though it relied on fans with a knowledge of recent news, not basic geography.

Was it a cheap shot? Sure. But even Louisville fans can appreciate the moxie and the humor. If we’re lucky, it won’t be the last one either. That Dec. 31 showdown is still a long ways off.

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