LOUISVILLE -- It wasn't yet 8 a.m., so more than a few folks were still blinking back sleep. That couldn't be Rick Pitino, could it?
Yep. There he was, holding court for reporters, joking about drafting Nazr Mohammed. Making sales pitches for his Boston Celtics. Shaking hands, kissing babies.
Handing out free Celtics jackets and sweatshirts from the trunk of his car. Huh?
It all seemed a bit surreal for a chilly Tuesday morning at a race track. Trainer Nick Zito's take on it: "You just never know what's going to happen in Louisville."
Pitino's celebrated homecoming week in Kentucky began with a whistle-stop tour of the Churchill Downs backside. A week shy of the one-year anniversary of his departure as Kentucky basketball coach, Pitino made like a politician stumping for votes.
He talked up the Celtics and their season-ticket sales. He touted UK's fan base in Louisville. He praised racing.
"I hope the young people of today get to see the pageantry of racing," he said. "You meet the most interesting people at a race track."
Churchill spokesman Tony Terry said, "If he had only added (new racing slogan) "Go baby go' to what he said, we could have used that in a commercial."
Pitino owns Halory Hunter, one of the favorites in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. He said he had planned to return to the Derby regardless -- friend Seth Hancock, a member of Churchill's board of directors, gets him 20 tickets each year.
He hasn't interfered with Zito's preparation of Halory Hunter, nor will he worry about winning.
"I'm not nervous," he said. "Nick should be nervous. He's the coach. I'm gonna have about 1,100 mint juleps (Saturday) and not be nervous at all."
Talking about the Celtics, he said he had developed a promising nucleus around three players: Antoine Walker, Kenny Anderson and Ron Mercer.
"And Nazr Mohammed will be the fourth one," he said.
"Don't repeat that. Tubby (Smith) will kill me on that one." Pitino said he would advise UK's junior center to stay in school. He relayed a story about watching this year's NCAA Tournament with Walker and Mercer, both of whom said they wished they had another year at UK.
"I understand Nazr's point of view, saying he's won two NCAA championships already," Pitino said. "I think he should win another one. I promise if he stays another year, I will draft him."
