Over the years, renowned men’s college basketball coach Rick Pitino, currently at the helm of the St. John’s Red Storm, has frequently been compared to the iconic actor Al Pacino. This resemblance was humorously highlighted during Fox’s broadcast of the St. John’s-UConn game, featuring a side-by-side image of a younger Pitino and the The Godfather-era Pacino:
“I’ve always thought these guys looked alike. Al Pacino on the left, Rick Pitino on the right. Two guys that can not! be! shaken! down!” – Gus Johnson pic.twitter.com/fExUzGWaff
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 23, 2025
This comparison has a rich history spanning decades. In fact, Pitino recalled in 2014 how often people confused him for Pacino, including a time he gave money to a homeless individual in New York, who exclaimed, “Holy [expletive], there’s Al Pacino.” It’s rather striking for Fox to embrace this comparison during a live broadcast.
Interestingly, it’s not only the stylish suits typical of Pacino’s Godfather trilogy that come to mind, but also a more recent analogy. Current broadcasts of Pitino’s locker room speeches, partly fueled by the VICE TV docuseries Pitino: Red Storm Rising, have drawn parallels to Pacino’s coaching character in Any Given Sunday:
Rick Pitino is Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday pic.twitter.com/0Wnz3ahsPh
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) February 18, 2025
Much like Pacino’s unforgettable roles, Pitino is also recognized for his creative profanity usage, memorable quotes, and various incidents that have sparked Godfather discussions, marked by a series of controversies. Thus, Gus Johnson isn’t the first to highlight this intriguing connection.
It was indeed amusing to see this on a national telecast, complete with a visual comparison. This moment also contributes to what has been an engaging broadcasting weekend for Johnson, featuring discussions ranging from pizza to mono.
