Jason Hart already knows what he's ordering at Jeff Ruby's after Kentucky beats Louisville

ZGeogheganKSR

Earlier this month, new Kentucky men’s basketball assistant coach Jason Hart hopped on the Sources Say podcast to discuss a variety of topics. The former G League Ignite head coach touched on the offseason play of Lamont Butler and Travis Perry, recruiting “Stevie Wonders”, overcoming a childhood tragedy, and much more.

But it was near the end of our roughly 35-minute interview with Hart that he got in his first shot at Kentucky’s in-state rival, the Louisville Cardinals. Despite being born and raised in California, playing college at Syracuse, and then returning to the West Coast as a coach, he still knows how important the Battle of the Bluegrass is to this fan base.

Hart offered to come back on the podcast for another interview, adding that the perfect time to do so would be after Kentucky beats Louisville on the hardwood this season. The Wildcats and Cardinals go head-to-head on Saturday, Dec. 14 in Lexington in the first matchup between the program’s two new head coaches, Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey.

“Maybe I’ll come back after a game when we beat Louisville,” Hart said with a smile. “When we beat Louisville, I’ll come back.”

The answer prompted a very important question: what will his post-victory meal at Jeffy Ruby’s look like after Kentucky takes down Louisville and its brand-new coaching staff? Hart had his order ready to roll.

“When I go to Jeff Ruby’s, I like to get that nice filet — medium well — with those mashed potatoes and I take it down with a little sweet tea and I get a nice Caesar salad,” he said. “That’s my victory meal. Dessert, I gotta kinda stay away from that because I’m 46. I know they always bring some dessert out, so I’ll probably just do a little cheesecake.”

Hart was half-joking, but it’s always nice to see a coach understand and embrace what this rivalry means to the people of Kentucky. A rivalry isn’t as fun if the two schools aren’t trading some light-hearted public blows. December can’t come soon enough…