Pitino is a Pats fan

CHESTNUT HILL – Rick Pitino enjoyed his long-awaited return to Boston, as his No. 10-ranked Louisville Cardinals defeated Boston College, 81-72, at Conte Forum on Wednesday night.
?This is where I lived,” said the 62-year-old Pitino, who was first hired as a head coach at Boston University in 1978.
?I used to run the Charles River every morning and do a five-mile loop,” he said. “[Longtime University of Connecticut coach] Jim Calhoun, who was with Northeastern at the time, would be running the other way. Five out of seven days, we would cross ? now remember this was BU-Northeastern, though it doesn?t get the exposure of Louisville-Kentucky ? and we never said hello because of the rivalry.”
Pitino sharpened his teeth coaching at BU before reaching the Final Four at Providence, and reached the pinnacle of success with a national championship at Kentucky in 1996. He then accepted the Celtics? offer to become head coach in 1997 and replace Red Auerbach as team president.
?My children were raised here,” said Pitino, whose Cardinals improved to 17-3 with the victory over a gritty BC squad. “I have great memories here. But I wish things would have turned out better for me in the end.”
Despite moving away from New England, Pitino has remained a fan of the New England Patriots and looks forwarding to watching this Sunday?s Super Bowl.
?It?s going to be a great game,” said Pitino. “I?m a Patriots fan. I always text back and forth with Bill [Belichick], and I love Tom Brady. [Robert Kraft] is one of the best owners in all of sports. I had the pleasure of meeting him two years ago and spent about 20 minutes with him. He talked always about being a great American.”
Wednesday?s game at BC marked Pitino?s first time coaching in Boston in over 14 years. Prior to that, the last time Pitino ? who is enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame and has amassed 711 wins in the NCAA ? roamed the sidelines in Boston was on Jan. 5, 2001, when he was still with the Celtics. His last victory in Boston hadn?t occurred since December 2000 at what was then the FleetCenter.
?When I took over [the Celtics], the team had just won 15 games,” said Pitino. “[Brad Stevens] has taken over the same type of situation, except he has a lot of patience and I had very little.”
Pitino admitted he always admired Stevens? coaching ability, and once even envisioned Stevens as the future coach at Louisville after his retirement. “I thought they got themselves one of the top three coaches in any level of basketball,” said Pitino. “He?s going to do a fabulous job because the losing isn?t going to get to him. He understands the journey.”