In a surprise appearance during the “Pardon My Take” duo’s guest-hosting of “Kentucky Sports Radio” Thursday morning, former Louisville and Kentucky head men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino fired off a handful of quotes that pierced the collective heart of those in the Derby City who still support him.
For starters, Pitino backed up statements that he had made months ago by confirming that he has personally donated money to the Kentucky football program.
“Well, I actually cut a check to the football program because I’m a casual friend of Mark Stoops and Eddie Gran,” Pitino said. “But I would definitely cut a check if Mark (Pope) needs me for anything, no matter what — except for my firstborn Michael — he could have it.”
I’m not sure where this casual friendship was during Pitino’s time at Louisville — which overlapped with Stoops’ time at Kentucky from 2013-17 — but whatever.
Pitino also reached out directly to Big Blue Nation, saying that he always appreciated them and understands now why they were so ruthless towards him during his time at Louisville.
“I absolutely love Mark (Pope) and would do anything for his program,” Pitino said. “I always called the University of Kentucky Camelot for me. Never had a bad year, never had a bad day. They treated me like a king. They treated me with great respect. Obviously, I didn’t get treated great when I was at Louisville but, sitting back on it and examining it today, I totally understand why. So I am very, very fond of the University of Kentucky.”
I predicted all the way back in the fall of 2017 that Pitino would mend fences with those in Lexington before he came to peace with what happened to him at Louisville, but this feels excessive.
Let’s put aside the simple fact that a men’s basketball head coach at a power conference programs donating money to athletic teams at another power conference program is in and of itself a weird thing to do: Being so willing to forgive Kentucky for its overall attitude towards him from 2001-2017 is wild.
What transpired while Pitino was at Louisville wasn’t just standard rivalry stuff. This was a fan base that REVELED in every embarrassing detail of the Karen Sypher saga, and essentially through a virtual parade every time a shameful off-the-court story became national news. The proprietor of the radio program Pitino appeared on Thursday morning went to every single day of the Sypher trial and gleefully relayed every humiliating detail of Pitino’s sexual encounter to the general public.
But it’s all good, apparently.
I understand that Rick is still pissed at Louisville and that the red and black wounds are still more fresh than his blue and white ones, but come on, man. This feels like six or seven bridges too far.
It does, however, make it that much easier to turn the heaviest of pages and focus all the more squarely on Pat Kelsey and everything that is up next for Cardinal basketball.
