The UK vs UofL rivalry needs a new villain
By Drew Koch
Rick Pitino was fired from the University of Louisville after an FBI investigation discovered a ‘pay-for-play’ scandal involving the Cardinals coaching staff. With Pitino gone the UK vs UofL rivalry needs a new villain.
The annual UK vs UofL basketball game is the greatest rivalry in college sports. Sorry Duke and North Carolina, it’s the truth. No offense Michigan and Ohio State, but even your matchup on the gridiron falls behind UK vs UofL on the hardwood. There are family members that won’t speak to one another for weeks after the game for fear of ridicule. Folks are scared to return to work after the New Year becasue the first thing they’ll hear is, “How bout that game?” However, this year’s rivalry game is missing something extremely important, Rick Pitino.
Louisville fired Pitino after a ‘pay-to-play’ scandal implicated members of the UofL coaching staff. Having already struggled to save face after Louisville was busted for having inappropriate dealings with recruits several years ago, the university could no longer ignore the Hall of Fame coach’s lack of oversight. Pitino was fired an replaced on an interim basis by former Cardinal David Padgett. While the Louisville basketball team may miss Pitino’s experience, game planning and coaching acumen, the UK vs UofL rivalry misses his moxie.
Rick Pitino
Joe B. Hall and Denny Crumm had some iconic moments throughout the years, but it didn’t rival Pitino and John Calipari. Pitino’s return to college basketball in 2001 wasn’t a shock. Returning to the state of Kentucky to be the head coach of his former team’s biggest foe, that was a shock. Pitino was immediately vilified by UK fans. How could their beloved coach, who led them to a National Championship, turn his back on the Kentucky faithful?
John Calipari
John Calipari coming to Lexington intensified the already bitter rivalry, as the two had somewhat of a checkered past. UofL fans hated Cal from his time at rival Memphis. Cal’s ability to land top tier talent while UofL waded in mediocrity only fueled their hatred. They called him a cheater and a crook. Pitino versus Calipari brought some of the most intense emotions of the fan base to the surface. Pitino didn’t fair well against the Wildcats. He was only 6-for-19 against his former team during his time with Cardinals.
John Calipari is the perfect coach for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball program. Cal has a bravado and arrogance that Big Blue Nation loves. Calipari’s larger-than-life personality, his ability to recruit top level talent and ultimately the results he’s able to produce make Cal the best fit as the UK head coach.
Pitino shared a lot of those same qualities, and while a lot of Cats’ fans want to forget Rick Pitino, his name still hangs in the rafters of Rupp Arena for a reason. That same brash, arrogant personality that Pitino had while in Lexington followed him right up I-64 to Louisville when he coached UofL.
David Padgett is in a tough situation. He’s a first-year head coach, with a hodgepodge of assistant coaches. Oh yeah, it’s also the University of Louisville, a top 10 basketball program in the country. Padgett is a nice guy and he may become a solid coach, but the UK vs UofL rivalry needs another villain. Fans can only hope that at season’s end, UofL finds a new coach that can breathe some life back into this rivalry. Pitino did it. Calipari did it. Who will be the next to do it?