Tonight pictures made their way onto twitter showing coach Pitino all decked out in his Minnesota gear at “The Barn” cheering on his son who is in his first season as the Gophers head coach. After all he has been through he is still a father that just wants the best for his son. Rick Pitino fan or not that is something that every father can cheer for.

Last season we watched Rick Pitino and his son Richard Pitino compete against each other for the very first time ever on the hard wood. That day coach Pitino would get the decisive victory over his son but it was very apparent that the younger Pitino had many of his fathers coaching traits and had the FIU team heading in the right direction. That was a very special day for the Pitino family and a real treat for the fans to share in that moment. After an impressive showing at FIU Richard got the call from Minnesota in the off season after Tubby Smith was let go. Even though Rick Pitino has a busy schedule of his own recruiting, and preparing the Cards for the tough December slate he still makes sure that he has the time to go and support his son.

Tonight in those pictures acknowledging Rick Pitino’s presence at the game you could see the pride in his eyes as he watches his son carry on his coaching legacy. Here is his son who grew up watching game tapes on his father’s knee, standing on the sidelines while his father ran practices, listening to the late-night strategy sessions and coaching beside his father for years as an assistant now starring in his own moment. Rick Pitino has become a larger than life persona in his coaching career and is a hall of fame coach. However, tonight he was not coach Rick Pitino. Tonight he was just a proud father watching and wanting the best for his son.

After watching the improvements he made to the FIU program in just a year and how quickly he has gained momentum in Minnesota there is no question that the future is bright for the young Pitino. And there is no question that here is a son following directly in his father’s footsteps. In March Richard Pitino was named one of 10 finalists for the Joe B. Hall Award by CollegeInsider.com, presented to its top first-year Division I men’s basketball head coach. In April, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named Rick Pitino a member. This is very symbolic of the circle of life as one Pitino’s coaching career heads into the twilight and the other one is just beginning. The Pitino name has been a part of college basketball most of my life and it looks like that will continue as my son grows up watching the game.

Hear what Coach P has to say about his son in an interview during the game: