Louisville Cardinals Head Coach Rick Pitino Met Pitbull, His Favorite Artist

Pitino and Pitbull, together at last.

You’re seeing that image correctly. That is the Rick Pitino embracing hip-hop artist Pitbull with a look on his face like he has just won the lottery, which was spotted by Nick Coffey of TheCardinalConnect. Now you have questions.

How did this happen? Who brought these people together? Why is Pitino hanging out with the dude from the Bud Light commercials? 

Questions abound as to how the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals came to meet with Pitbull. It’s an unlikely mix, but there’s an explanation for all this. 

According to Coffey, Pitino was out in Los Angeles visiting with his son Tuesday when the two decided to drop in at a Pitbull concert at Hollywood Bowl. 

Why Pitbull? Because Pitino loves Pitbull, of course.

The coach announced at a 2012 Cardinals tipoff luncheon that he gets pumped up listening to Pitbull during his nine-minute commute to work every morning. 

“He used to be [Mr.] 305,” Pitino said. “Now he’s worldwide.” 

Real words, out of the real Rick Pitino’s mouth. Pitino salsas in his seat to songs like "Shake" before preparing his team for NCAA championship glory.

It seems unlikely, but the announcement goes a heck of a long way to explaining how he ended up backstage in the artist’s dressing room after the concert. (Ke$ha also headlined the event, but Pitino wasn’t spotted mingling with her. He’s probably glitter-averse.)

This kind of thing is becoming less of a surprise with each passing day as the Summer of Pitino rolls on. The man has been cutting a wide and unpredictable swath of awesomeness in 2013.

In the last three months alone, he won a national championship, was inked with a tattoo and was spotted on a five-day gambling bender in Las Vegas.

The fall will be difficult, but the summer is yours, Rick. Just keep shaking along to the Latin beat.

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