The animosity is not hidden between these two.

Not between John Calipari and Rick Pitino, who collectively brought the state of Kentucky some excitement before basketball season even begins by trading barbs.

Last week, at the Big Blue Madness campout, Calipari purposely omitted the Louisville basketball existed in an interview with KSTV.

“It’s a unique thing,” Calipari said. “There’s no other state, none, that’s as connected to their basketball program as this one. Because those other states have other programs. Michigan has Michigan State, California has UCLA, North Carolina has Duke. It’s Kentucky throughout this whole state, and that’s what makes us unique.”

Thursday morning, Pitino had comments of his own, to CBS’ Jeff Goodman:

“Four things I’ve learned in my 59 years about people,” Pitino told CBSSports.com on Wednesday. “I ignore the jealous, I ignore the malicious, I ignore the ignorant and I ignore the paranoid.”

“If the shoe fits anyone,” he added. “Wear it.”

Some related reading: Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal writes Calipari has Pitino envy.

In news to get excited about now, UK hosts Louisville Dec. 31.

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