Down in the Atlantic Coast Conference, we are supposed to believe the coaches are country gentlemen and everyone gets along. That sort of makes you long for the days of Lefty Driesell vs. Dean Smith, doesn’t it? Man, that was fun.

We all know about Duke vs. North Carolina. But in February 2008 when Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski took jabs at each other over the way they handle injuries, it added another element to the history between the two schools. Williams, who had some intense duels with Missouri coach Norm Stewart when he was at Kansas, went on his weekly radio show and told an unnamed person to “coach their own damn team. I’ll coach my team.” One day later, Williams said, “It’s not like I’m getting a dadgum plane and flying it around to say, ‘Roy fell against a wall and banged his nose’ or anything.”

Makes you wonder right now what Coach K thinks about Roy wearing that sling on his left arm, doesn’t it?

If you can’t look back on those moments and laugh, then you don’t love college basketball.

How about the time Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl was talking about the Vols’ rivalry with Memphis and said, “I don’t want to deny the fans in Knoxville the opportunity to see one of the greatest coaches who has ever coached the game in John Calipari.” The sarcasm is still dripping off that statement.

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Or how about 2003 when Rick Pitino thought Calipari was trying to influence officials through the media. (Seems to be a common theme with Calipari, huh?) “I don’t pay any attention to John when it comes to begging for officiating. I have heard him since the UMass days talking about the officials. When people start talking about officials, you know they have some psychological problems.”

Heck, Pitino helped Calipari get the UMass job back in 1988. Now he can’t stand him either. Circle Jan. 2, 2010 on your calendar. That’s the day Pitino’s Louisville team plays at Kentucky. How many storylines are there going into that game?

There seems to be a common thread running through the best coaching feuds in college basketball today. That thread is named Coach Cal.

So Jim Calhoun isn’t alone.

He just happens to be first in line to greet the new Kentucky coach on this tour down memory lane. Let the barbs begin.