The selection committee delivered a potential heavyweight fight in the west, as Rick Pitino, Bill Self and John Calipari are all in the same subregion. While Self is an elite coach in his own right, a looming second round matchup between Calipari and Pitino is enticing. These two have beef, as Pitino left Kentucky and eventually became the head coach at Louisville. Calipari, who took the same position at Kentucky years after Pitino left, never quite escaped the shadow of his predecessor.
Pitino is almost a mythical figure in the sport. Much like a mob boss in a cop drama, he cannot be killed. Despite heinous allegations against him from his days at Louisville and sanctions levied against him, Pitino worked his way back the long way. Now at St. John's, Pitino has a chance to retake his spot on college basketball's mountaintop at 72 years old.
Mark Pope wants to see John Calipari face Rick Pitino
Pitino and Calipari have never really gotten along. When Calipari was at Kentucky, he and Pitino frequently feuded in one of college basketball's great rivalries. Following the bracket reveal this past weekend, Pitino was confident in his chances, not just against Calipari but any team in the field.
Current Kentucky head coach Mark Pope was disappointed his Wildcats weren't invited to the party. While Kentucky did make the NCAA Tournament – the Wildcats will face No. 14 seed Troy later this week – they were not included in the west side of the bracket. The chance to place UK in the same quadrant as two of their legendary head coaches feels like a missed opportunity by the committee. Pope would agree.
“Listen, if I know anything about coach P, he wants all the smoke, man,” Pope said. “He wants all the smoke, bring it.”
That sounds like a warning. Pitino did coach Pope back in his playing days, so the pair have a warm relationship – certainly better than Pitino's competitive association with Calipari. While Pitino and Pope are excited about what's to come, Calipari was worried about whether Arkansas would even make the tournament.
“I was worried. I was worried all day. And I kept saying, why worry? If we’re out, we’re out. But, you know, my staff (said) we’re fine. If those teams? We beat them all, we beat them twice and, if they’re in, we’re in. Then, all of a sudden, they’re all, you know – and you’re like, wait a minute, what is happening here?" Calipari said.
Regardless of the result, if Calipari and Pitino go head to head once again, Cal could find out the hard way that his predecessor at Kentucky is hungrier than ever before. However, Calipari also has an 11-9 edge over Pitino in head-to-head matchups. That advantage should not be slept on.