Is Swaggy Cal back? It sure seems that way

Get ready because it sure looks like Kentucky coach John Calipari has his swag back. (Jeff Houchin Photo)

Does John Calipari embrace being called “Swaggy Cal” by fans and others? That’s what the Kentucky coach was asked during Wednesday’s Media Day. Calipari had to ask someone exactly what the question was but once he understood the Kentucky coach did look like he embraced being known as Swaggy Cal.

“They call me Swaggy Cow? Why don’t you tell my wife that’s what you guys call me. She would enjoy that,” Calipari said.

Zan Payne, the son of former UK assistant coach Kenny Payne, says even the players have been saying Swaggy Cal is back.

“He has all the nice shoes. He gets all the exclusive ones nobody else can get with his name and the UK sign on them. He gets all the good stuff,” Payne said.

Sophomore Lance Ware believes Calipari has a different energy this season.

“Obviously, everyone knows about last year. So just being able to see when something doesn’t go as planned, you have to adapt and fix. Seeing him come in with different energy, different drills and stuff like that is great to see that he has a swag about him, and he’s energetic, and even with the new coaches, everybody is high-energy, so it’s good,” Ware said.

Calipari wants his players to believe in his swag.

“I would hope every year that I walk in the gym that the players know that, ‘Wow, he expects us to be good and not only expects, he’s demanding that we improve every day so that we are good when we finish. He doesn’t put it on the score, wins, and losses. It’s about are we getting better, and man, he’s confident,'” Calipari said.

“Part of it is I’ve done this for 30-some years, and the process and the culture we’ve built at different places is similar. It’s about being about the kids first.

“I’ve said this many times. I went from the business of basketball to the business of kids and families, and it shifts. Like I’m telling these players now, a lot of stuff we’re doing is for you individually so you will improve so you can help us be our best.”

Calipari admitted he didn’t know if that was “Swaggy Cal” or not but emphasized he was confident in what the UK staff teaches and does whether it was the dribble drive, positionless basketball or playing with three guards.

“What we’re doing now, the spacing and what we’re trying to — is different. As a matter of fact, I kind of like changing what I do, to be honest, I don’t — you’ve got people that say, he’s listening to me, and we laugh because he says, ‘I don’t listen to anybody.’ I don’t listen to my wife. You guys see her — what’s she on? Instagram? Following me putting the garbage — what? I don’t care what she does. Take my picture, go do what you want. Have fun, good,” Calipari said.

“But the best part of this is trying new things. Now, I am making calls to friends of mine saying that I’m trying this, do you think this will work, because I don’t want to waste time with this group, so there’s some things that I’ve scrapped already that I didn’t like that didn’t fit this group. And every year I have is different. But I don’t know, I’m comfortable and confident, but I’ve been comfortable when we’ve gone into games and you get smacked and we weren’t ready.”

Swaggy Cal wants players to know if they sacrifice, UK will win its share of games and have a chance to play for a national title.

“I’ve never seen a selfish person who’s happy, and I’ve never seen an unselfish player not be happy, or be unhappy. I’m just trying to get these — it’s hard now when you’ve got 10, 11 guys all trying to — how do you get them to be about each other. It’s the hardest challenge we have as coaches,” Calipari said.