Coach Pitino bleeds blue again.
Back in April, Rick Pitino decided to help out with the Kentucky Wildcats football program by donating to the NIL, hoping to attract better recruits and keep players on the roster.
In an interview with Matt Jones on Saturday’s KSR Pregame Show, Pitino told everyone he donated $15,000 to the NIL program for Kentucky football. One reason he donated is his friendship with Mark Stoops and Eddie Gran.
“I gave — well, I don’t want to say what I gave, but I gave a lot of money,” Pitino said. “I gave $15,000. Mark Stoops came in and was nice enough to come in. Eddie Gran is a good friend of mine. They came in to play golf with me. We played Wingfoot; we had a great time. I love Mark Stoops. I love Eddie.”
At first, Pitino was only supposed to attend the football game on Saturday against Vanderbilt to support Stoops, Gran, and the football program, but that all changed when he was able to change the practice schedule and come to Big Blue Madness.
“I’m a big Mark Stoops fan. What he’s done with Kentucky football, they said couldn’t be done, and he’s done it,” Pitino says. “I watched the Ole Miss game. It was awesome. Even the Georgie game was awesome.”
Safe to say Stoops could really use that support right now after Saturday’s embarrassment to Vanderbilt.
Pitino also attended Big Blue Madness, and the big reason he showed up was to support his former player, Mark Pope, whom he coached. On Friday night, Pitino didn’t know he would speak, but when Pope handed him the microphone, he was in good spirits.
“I came within inches of crying my eyes out. It was really very emotional for me, because I was backstage with all my players, and it was great to see them, even Todd Svoboda, who’s gone through a very difficult time,” said Pitino.
“And then see all the guys. It was very, very emotional for me. And then walking out became more emotional.”
Go Cats!