When Kentucky coach John Calipari dished out a subtle jab at Louisville, it was only a matter of time before Cardinals coach Rick Pitino retorted.
It only took a day or so. And he’s plenty angry. Well, angry in a passive-aggressive sense.
Here’s the quote that prompted this:
“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.”
And here’s Pitino’s response:
“Four things I’ve learned in my 59 years about people,” Pitino told CBSSports.com on Wednesday. “I ignore the jealous, I ignore the malicious, I ignore the ignorant and I ignore the paranoid.”
“If the shoe fits anyone,” he added. “Wear it.”
The teams play on Dec. 31, which means we have almost 100 days of potential snipes, cracks and digs.
Well, at least as often as us media types want to stir things up and ask questions that give the coaches and players a chance to rip on their rivals. Take this offering from the Louisville Courier-Journal’s Rick Bozich: He thinks Calipari has a “kind-sized case of Rick Pitino Envy,” which is good for two things – pumping up Louisville fans and irritating Kentucky fans.
Make that three things: It also prolongs this sniping.
Related stories:
- John Calipari’s geography lesson a jab at Louisville
- Pitino could give a rip about Kentucky’s exhibition in The Bucket
- Midnight Madness at Kentucky apparently the place to be
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