LOUISVILLE, KY - DECEMBER 19: Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals and Richard Pitino the head coach of the Florida International Panthers meet before the game in the Billy Minardi Classic at KFC YUM! Center on December 19, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Rick Pitino and his son, Richard, are talking trash about WrestleMania 36. There’s even a wager involving Iona basketball on the line.

Who knew the Pitinos were such big professional wrestling fans? Iona basketball head coach Rick Pitino has been firing off WrestleMania related tweets all weekend.

Although most of Rick Pitino’s wrestling-themed tweets were about who his grandkids were rooting for, he and his son put a friendly little wager on the Brock Lesnar-Drew McIntyre match.

Richard Pitino is the head coach of the University of Minnesota. Therefore, he had to reverse his father’s original proposal to make sure he wasn’t rooting against Lesnar, a Minnesota alum.

With the Lesnar-McIntyre match set to take place on Sunday night, college hoops fans will have to wait and see where the Gophers and Gaels are set to meet next season. The elder Pitino is already planning on having his son in New York for Thanksgiving. It’s safe to say he’s feeling pretty good about McIntyre’s chances on Sunday night.

Although the bet between father and son is going to add an interesting twist to the night, should we tell the Pitino’s that this stuff is scripted? On second thought, let’s just let things play out.

While the sports world is on an indefinite shutdown, the WWE is pushing forward with WrestleMania 36. Wrestling matches were meant to take place in front of thousands of screaming fans, but they’re making the best of the circumstances.

The Pitino clan is certainly enjoying the event despite the absence of fans. Rick Pitino’s grandchildren are avid wrestling fans, but like Rick and his son Rich, no one in the Pitino clan can agree on what wrestler to cheer for.

NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.