A few weeks after his interview with John Calipari, Seth Davis interviewed the coach down the road, Rick Pitino. Seth asked Rick about his relationship with Cal, which Rick insists isn't a personal rivalry at all. "Personal rivalries are not good, school rivalries are great," Rick said." Oh, come on. Can we get a little bit realer now?
"I don't think we've ever been enemies and I don't think we've ever been true friends. We've been friendly. I have never in any way disliked him, in any way form or fashion. I don't dislike anybody. I have a lot of flaws in my life, that's not one of them. I'm not a hater at all. I don't believe in hate in anything, anybody. I reserve those judgments for other people."
Riiiight. Seth tried another tactic, asking Rick if he feels Calipari needs a foil to play against. Rick didn't bite:
"You know, I can't speak for him, I really can't. I respect him a great deal as a basketball coach, I really do. I like what he does offensively and defensively. He certainly has the team from a recruiting standpoint, he's getting it done. I respect the way he coaches. Throughout the years--I've known him since he was 15-year-old as a camper at Five-Star at Clarion State and he's always been a student of the game. I've always had respect for him as a young person teaching shooting at Five-Star to today coaching. I don't let it be a personal rivalry. Kentucky is a different story. That's a real rivalry."
Okay, if you have such warm fuzzies towards Cal, when's the last time you shared a meal with him? "I think it was Cleveland, Indianapolis," Rick said. "No more or less than any basketball coach." Seth even hinted at Rick and Cal having a radio show together ala Joe B. and Denny. Rick's response? "I think that was just canceled."
So that's a no, then?
A few weeks after his interview with John Calipari, Seth Davis interviewed the coach down the road, Rick Pitino. Seth asked Rick about his relationship with Cal, which Rick insists isn't a personal rivalry at all. "Personal rivalries are not good, school rivalries are great," Rick said." Oh, come on. Can we get a little bit realer now?
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