Calipari won't change book title despite similarity to Pitino's

The basketball rivalry between Kentucky and Louisville has found a new arena - the publishing world.

Wildcats head coach John Calipari penned a new book, "Success Is the Only Option: The Art of Coaching Extreme Talent," which will be released to the public on Nov. 15.

However, his publisher, HarperCollins, warned Calipari that his title may create controversy over the resemblance to Louisville coach Rick Pitino's 1997 book, titled, "Success Is a Choice: Ten Steps to Overachieving in Business and Life."

Calipari had already changed the title of his book once - from "Coaching Extreme Talent: Failure Is Not An Option" - and did not want to make another revision.

"We're ready to release it and he calls me and says, 'You know they're gonna talk about Rick's book,'" Calipari told Myron Medcalf of ESPN. "I said, 'What book?' He wrote a book in (1997). I go, 'What was the name of the book?' 'Success Is A Choice.' I said, 'What? That has nothing to do with it. It doesn't even sound the same.' I said, 'Just go. We're not changing everything because he wrote a book in '97. I don't care.'"

The eight-year Kentucky bench boss said he isn't worried about potential backlash.

"If you react to every barking dog, if you stop for every barking dog," Calipari said, "you're never getting home."

ACC media days were held Wednesday, and Pitino was asked about the title controversy.

"A - I didn't know he wrote a book, and B - I didn't know the title, so you're catching me a little off guard here,'' Pitino said. "If subliminally John did something, that's OK. I don't own the patent on book titles.''

Pitino was then asked if he would buy Calipari's book, and responded, "No. But if he wants to send me a free copy, I'll read it.''