Much has been made over the past two or three seasons about a game allowing for a return by Rick Pitino to Louisville. That includes just the past few days with both sides having discussed it publicly with CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
After Pat Kelsey, the current head coach of the Cardinals, spoke highly of him in his interview last week, Pitino then appeared on ‘Inside College Basketball Now’ on Monday and, during that, spoke a bit on where he stands now with his former program in Louisville. He began by explaining that a lot has changed between he and the Cards, with new names in charge and different decisions made, since his departure in 2017.
“Well, I think, I had a lot of problems with the University of Louisville, and there’s certain things I’ll never forgive that they did,” Pitino said. “But that has nothing to do with the president and administration at the University of Louisville because the people that I was upset about are no longer on the Board of Trustees.”
“I wasn’t really upset that they fired me. Anybody can be fired. I’m okay with that. It was the treatment they gave Tom Jurich. But, just recently, they named the street outside of the practice facility to Tom Jurich Way” Pitino continued. “I really don’t care too much about myself. My staff did some things that I did not appreciate and I have no problem with them terminating me at all.”
With that being the case, Pitino has no ill will towards Louisville as their separation reaches nearly a decade long. That’s why, at this point, he too would welcome a return by him back to the KFC Yum! Center.
“All is forgiven, all is forgotten,” said Pitino. “I no longer even think the slightest bit negatively about the University of Louisville and I would go back in a New York Minute. So, everything is forgiven.
Again, this has been a topic since Pitino returned to college basketball back in 2020 at Iona. That’s only picked up the past three years since Pitino became head coach at St. John’s and with Kelsey having taken over at Louisville last year. Both the Red Storm and Cardinals have previously discussed games against one another but, to this point, it just hasn’t worked on their schedules as it remains an option on the table in the future.
Pitino is one of the two best coaches in the history of the program at Louisville, posting a record of 416-143 (.744) while winning ten total conference titles, across three different leagues, with 13 berths into the NCAA Tournament leading to three appearances in the Final Four and a since-vacated national title in 2013. As part of that, the Cardinals also had several wins over four years of his tenure vacated from 2011 to 2015 due to one of a few scandals that took place over his 16 years there, with the last one leading to his firing prior to the start of the season in ’17-’18.
Pitino has already made right with the other notable fanbase in the state, with a game also coming this season against Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic in December. That leaves just one thing left for him to do as far as the bluegrass goes as a matchup with the Cardinals, specifically one back in Louisville, Kentucky, remains to be determined.
“I’ve got to take responsibility for what happened. But, I also take responsibility for 17 unbelievable years,” said Pitino. “So, great memories, great place.
“And Pat Kelsey is doing, like Mark Pope, an awesome job, an awesome job. I love his enthusiasm. I love what he’s all about as a teacher,” Pitino said. “They’ve got two great coaches in the state of Kentucky – as good as there is in our game.
