UofL Coach's Response to Calipari Indicates the Honeymoon's Over

Alright, alright. Everybody settle down. Oh, wait, what am I talking about? This is the Kentucky/Louisville rivalry. We LIKE it when everybody isn't settled down.

And it's always fun when the coaches get involved.

When Rick Pitino was dismissed as Louisville's head coach and subsequently replaced by former Xavier head coach Chris Mack, I wondered if the heated rivalry between the Cards and the Cats would LOSE some of that heat.

The alleged contentious relationship between John Calipari and Pitino--complete with occasional subtle jabs loaded with innuendo--was a source of great fun for fans of both teams. But Chris Mack? With no real history to speak of between he and Calipari, where WAS that heat going to come from?

Well, it happened. And it's really NOT that big a deal.

It all started when Coach Mack, while being interviewed on a podcast, wondered aloud about the equity of Kentucky playing a road game in what will likely be a nearly empty KFC Yum! Center in Louisville this season and then having the Cardinals travel to Lexington for the return game in 2021 in a potentially packed Rupp Arena.

So he wasn't sure there'd be a game since he wanted it on a neutral court and Calipari didn't.

Well, as they say, "the show must go on." And so must this game. And I believe Chris Mack never intended to let it go as far as canceling this season's match-up in the first place.

In my humble opinion--for whatever that's worth--I believe he was, indeed, trying to create a little of that "heat" that the UK/UofL rivalry thrives on. Again, just my opinion.

But maybe the "subtle" notes of sarcasm in the following message kind of back me up:

I think it's hilarious.

And, without an iota of irony or acknowledgement of Mack's deliberate tone, Calipari responded:

Okay, good. Day after Christmas. Now let's move on.