LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The one thing Rick Pitino has learned from the other side of Louisville-Kentucky rivalry is that Cardinals fans don't take their annual meeting nearly as seriously as Wildcats fans.

	Rick Pitino says the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry is taken a little too seriously with the Wildcats as compared to the Cardinals.

Pitino doesn't either.

''Here, it's not life and death. There, it's life and death,'' said Pitino, the Louisville coach who used to have the same job at Kentucky. ''Here, it's a game people look forward to, they all want to win, they're all charged. But they're not going to go home and stand out in the cold for hours if they don't.''

Pitino was relaxed and smiling Thursday as he talked about the game Saturday between his Cardinals (6-1) and the 14th-ranked Wildcats (6-2) at Freedom Hall.

He was much more stressed before the game last year, which marked his first appearance at Rupp Arena since he left Kentucky for the Boston Celtics in 1997. Pitino coached the Wildcats for eight seasons and led them to the 1995-96 national title.

Last year, Kentucky coach Tubby Smith invited him to walk out through the home tunnel, and Pitino's surprise entrance threw off the students who were poised to unleash a barrage of boos and jeers when he appeared.

Pitino said Thursday he never thought twice about how to make his entrance. He said it happened because of Smith's invitation.

''Tubby said, 'Come on, walk with me.' I said, 'No, you don't need that. You go ahead,''' Pitino said. ''He insisted. I just followed him.''

Kentucky fans still mercilessly taunted Pitino from the second he appeared. And the overmatched Cardinals lost 82-62.

''I was very low-key about it last year,'' Pitino said. ''I was just trying to emotionally just get the game over with.''

	“	Here, it's not life and death. There, it's life and death. Here, it's a game people look forward to, they all want to win, they're all charged. But they're not going to go home and stand out in the cold for hours if they don't. ”
		— Louisville coach Rick Pitino

Pitino acknowledged he was saddened by how Kentucky fans received him, but he remains a fan of the program.

''I'm not one for bitter rivalries, I'm one for great rivalries,'' he said. ''Certainly, I want Kentucky to lose this Saturday, but outside of that, I root for them. I like to see them win and do well.''

Pitino expects the game this year to be totally different -- from the atmosphere to the level of competition.

''I've always enjoyed the Louisville-Kentucky game as much as any game on the schedule. I'm going to enjoy this one the same way,'' he said. ''I'm really looking forward to this game, because we're playing well right now, they're playing well. I'm very excited.''

None of the current Wildcats played for Pitino, but one of Pitino's current players used to play for Kentucky.

Marvin Stone, a 6-foot-10 center, was dismissed from the Wildcats last December -- just before the Dec. 29 game at Rupp Arena. Less than two weeks later, Stone transferred to Louisville.

Unhappy with his playing time at Kentucky, Stone has something to prove to his former team.

''Watch and see what happens,'' Stone said. ''There's going to be a lot of energy from me.''

Stone, whose transfer made him ineligible for the first semester, has lost 15 pounds since he was at Kentucky. He's had a double-double in each of his two games for Louisville since he made his debut Dec. 18.

Stone remains friends with many of his former teammates, but Pitino isn't worried that he'll be distracted Saturday.

''He's such a levelheaded kid, he doesn't get very emotional about too many things,'' Pitino said. ''I want him to be emotional, certainly, but I don't him to say, 'I've got to carry this team.' He doesn't have to do that in order for us to win.''