Here’s Rick Pitino’s first interview after being fired this week as head coach of the University of Louisville men’s basketball team.

Pitino lawyer Steve Pence promised a bare knuckle fight if his client were to be fired. So far they’ve sued apparel company adidas for alleged damage to Pitino’s reputation. No legal action has yet been filed against the University of Louisville.

With David Padgett now in charge of the Louisville basketball team, all university employees associated with the program have been ordered by the school to have no contact with Pitino.

Rick has many detractors who are not necessarily Kentucky fans. Yahoo sports columnist Dan Wetzel isn’t buying a thing he watched in Pitino’s interview.

Thanks for that, Danny Downer.

True buddies are still there for Rick. Count me in that camp. Friends are friends. That’s how we roll.