As Arkansas basketball upset St John’s within the Spherical of 32, it sparked a rivalry with John Calipari and Rick Pitino. The 2 are usually not the largest followers of one another.
In any case, Calipari coached at Kentucky and Pitino at Louisville on the peak of each applications. It was a gnarly in-state rivalry. It additionally offered a lot animosity and hatred in direction of each faculties and fanbases.
Whereas Arkansas basketball prepares for the Candy 16, Calipari hopped on the Pat McAfee Present and cleared the air relating to his relationship with Pitino.
“This factor is so aggressive, it’s not like old-fashioned,” Calipari stated. “After I was with Ted Owens at Kansas and Larry Brown, they might have dinner the evening earlier than with the opposing coach. They’d have breakfast with the man. Ours are peace brother, see ya. It’s simply completely different.”
Arkansas basketball’s John Calipari rivalry with Rick Pitino stems deep
The rivalry was one of many main speaking factors of each males’s respective teaching careers. All over the place the 2 have gone, they’ve received.
Most notably, Calipari has one NCAA championship with Kentucky, in addition to Pitino. Additionally, the latter received with Louisville throughout the 2012-13 season.
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Though that season has their title stripped, it would not take away from their dominance. Quick ahead to the 2025 Second Spherical, and an outdated rivalry was hashed as soon as once more.
Each males spoke extremely of each other however saved it easy. Calipari elaborated extra on the state of their friendship.
“There’s a lot extra, I don’t need to say extra at stake, however then Rick was at Louisville, I used to be at Kentucky, we weren’t going to be mates,” Calipari stated.” That recreation was like life and loss of life in that state, and I attempted to play it down.
Nevertheless it was like loss of life in that state. So I’ve all the time revered him and watched what he does and the way he does it. All over the place he’s been, even the place he was in Greece and he was at Iona he will get it going. He’s at St. John’s he will get it going, so it’s important to respect it.”
Respect doesn’t suggest that he has to love it. Nice coaches respect greatness, regardless in the event that they like one another off of the courtroom. Regardless, Arkansas basketball is one in every of seven SEC groups advancing to the Candy 16.
On the flip aspect, Pitino might be watching the rest of the match from residence. It is positively gut-wrenching to lose to a rival. For Calipari although, even when he did not say it, it should’ve been a riveting feeling.