Rick Pitino is a Kentucky Football Booster

Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write. Rick Pitino was on Kentucky Sports Radio. Here’s an even more impossible true fact. Rick Pitino has donated money to the Kentucky football program.

What is happening?

Thursday morning Big Cat and PFT Commenter hosted Kentucky Sports Radio in the annual Pardon My Take-over. The hosts of America’s No. 1 sports podcast take time each year to fill in while Matt Jones is on vacation and this year they brought out the big guns.

Like many of us at Kentucky Sports Radio, the PMT guys made their fair share of Pitino jokes over the years. They bonded that bridge, so to speak, this spring when Pitino joined them in person for a lengthy interview at the Barstool office in Chicago. That conversation went so well, the St. John’s head coach agreed to join them this morning on KSR.

After spending a few years out of the Kentucky limelight, he quickly stepped back into it when his former team captain, Mark Pope, was hired to become the program’s next head coach this spring. On the day the hire was made official, Pitino told Alan Cutler, “I can assure you, if they need the NIL money, I’ll write the check.”

On Thursday morning, PFT Commenter followed up on that promise and asked Pitino if he has financially backed Pope’s Kentucky basketball program.

“Well, I actually cut a check to the football program, because I’m a casual friend of Mark Stoops and Eddie Gran and I cut a check to the football program,” Pitino said. “But I would definitely cut a check if Mark (Pope) needs me for anything, no matter what — except for my firstborn Michael — he could have it.”

He added, “I absolutely love Mark (Pope), and would do anything for his program. I always called the University of Kentucky Camelot for me. I never had a bad year, never had a bad day. They treated me like a king. They treated me with great respect. Obviously, I didn’t get treated great when I was at Louisville, but sitting back on it and examining it today, I totally understand why. So I am very, very fond of the University of Kentucky, rooting for football. I sent the baseball coach a text, wishing him good luck. So I’m very bullish on Mark and the football program hope they do great.”

Unbelievable event with Rick Avare n so many friends in Lexington. Mark Stoops being a 5 star coach is obvious but I found out more importantly that he is a 5 star person. Thx Rick – so proud of what u do for those in need! pic.twitter.com/euW8GESIfh

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) October 6, 2023

It may seem unusual, but horse racing has a way of bringing people together. Pitino is a business partner with thoroughbred owner Mike Repole and he regularly races horses (he has one at Aqueduct racing tomorrow). Gran, who now plays a big role in the Kentucky football NIL efforts, owns multiple harness racehorses. Stoops does not invest in horses, but he is a big fan of spending the day at the racetrack.

Rick Pitino was once the most reviled man in Big Blue Nation. Thanks to relationships in horse racing and Mark Pope’s return to Lexington, the former Louisville coach is cutting checks to support the Kentucky football program. What a wild time to be alive. Are we alive? Is this a simulation? WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!