Head-to-head: Pitino, 15-7. Pitino was 6-3 against Calhoun while Pitino was at BU and Calhoun at Northeastern; 1-0 while Pitino was at PC and Calhoun at Northeastern; 2-0 when Pitino was at PC and Calhoun at UConn; and 6-4 while at Louisville.
National titles: Calhoun, 2-1.
Final Fours appearances: Pitino, 5-3.
Career victories: Calhoun, 848-597.
Number of teams brought to Final Four: Pitino, 3-1.
Scandals: Nate Miles' recruitment vs. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant. Advantage: Pitino.
Best coaching performance: 1990 Impossible Dream team vs. 1987 PC Final Four squad. Advantage: Pitino.
Sideline attire: Standard suit and tie vs. wildly expensive, Frank Nitti-from-Untouchables white suits. Advantage: Pitino.
Celtics ties: Supposedly the final cut in training camp one year vs. extremely disappointing head coach. Advantage: Calhoun.
Background: Boston Irish vs. New York Italian. I'm not touching this one.
Hall of Fame status: 2005 inductee vs. 2011 nominee. Advantage: Calhoun.
The best part of tonight's game may be watching these two coaches go at it. They've been rivals for some 30 years now, and you know that, deep down, they really don't like each other. Respect each other, no doubt, but like each other? No. And you've got to believe it burns Calhoun that he's now lost three in a row to Ricky P.
I also love listening to both of these guys after a game. Hearing Rick Pitino talk about basketball, the strategy of basketball, the key points of a game, is as educational as it is entertaining. And, of course, Calhoun's postgame pressers aren't to be missed -- especially if the Huskies have lost.
You'd think Calhoun would be satisfied -- or as satisfied as he can be -- if UConn loses tonight after winning four games in four nights. But no, because he would have lost to Pitino.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment