John Calipari wants a new basketball practice facility as soon as possible because he says Kentucky has always been a “basketball school” and always will be.
Just when things were going so well, Kentucky head coach John Calipari either intentionally or unintentionally created quite an unneeded controversy between UK basketball and football.
Calipari spent almost 30 minutes with a small group of media members in the Bahamas Thursday morning (thanks to Kentucky Sports Radio’s Tyler Thompson you can watch the whole media session online here) and spent a big portion of the time talking about the need for a new basketball practice facility.
He praised other UK facilities and did say the UK basketball locker room in Rupp Arena as the best in the nation. But he wants the practice facility upgraded and would like to maybe find a way to incorporate a UK basketball museum with it to showcase the program’s history.
Nothing wrong with any of that. But then Calipari dropped this bomb:
“You’ve got to be intentional (building a practice facility). You’ve got to say, ‘We’re doing this.’ And the reason is this is a basketball school; it’s always been that. Alabama is a football school. So is Georgia. They are. This is a basketball school. No disrespect to our football team, I hope they win games, 10 games, and go to bowls. At the end of the day, that makes my job easier and it makes the job of all of us easier. But this is a basketball school. And so, we need to keep moving in that direction and doing what we’re doing,” Calipari said.
Boom!
No matter how Calipari meant it, that did not come out well for UK football coaches or fans.
“I think we pretty good at football to. Love what @UKCoachStoops has done here @universityofky. Go Big Blue,” UK associate head coach Vince Marrow tweeted.
“Basketball school? I thought we competed in the SEC. #4straaightpostseasonwins,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops tweeted and then added this message, “Don’t disrespect our great fans like that.”
Want more?
Max Duffy, who won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter, tweeted: “Completely out of the blue question but has the Kentucky football team ever lost to St. Peters? 
”
Former UK quarterback Freddie Maggard was livid and didn’t hold back on Twitter. He said the comments were “predictable” and Calipari might as well have “started his tantrum by saying, ‘Dear SEC football recruits’ because that’s how this will play with competing programs.”
Maggard added “this crap goes back decades” and he applauded Stoops and Marrow for quickly taking a stand on social media after Calipari’s remarks.
I’ve never understood why some UK basketball fans dislike UK football or some UK football fans dislike UK basketball. It’s more fun for both to do well.
And as football player Kenneth Horsey, among others, recently said, Kentucky is a volleyball, women’s track, rifle and all-everything school.
Don’t look for Calipari to walk back what he said. That’s not his style. Never has been, never will be. Don’t look for Stoops to back down either. He’s going to fight for his program.
Maybe some good will come out of this. I have worried for several months that UK football was getting too much praise and there was no bulletin board material for Stoops and Marrow. Well, that problem is taken care of now thanks to Calipari.
16 Responses
Cal just can’t stand someone else getting more attention than him. Stoops and Morrow have taken UK football to new heights while Cal has stagnated the bball program. UK’s AD needs to address this Cal statement now sooner than later.
Guessing Mitch will walk away from this
Just when things calm down after Cal’s antics 2 years ago he has to do this.
Not very smart and just alienates more UK fans against this coach.
Just COACH basketball and keep your mouth shut is the best way forward after apologizing to Stoops and UK fans.
WHY would you even say that Cal?
Dumb comment.
Calipari is so full of it. Why on earth would any Kentucky coach for any sport even say something so self serving and stupid as he did about his basketball program versus UK football. He could probably get facility upgrades, in time, without disrespecting a very much improved, and rising UK football program. A football team that plays and competes in a football driven conference called the SEC.
He just ticked off a whole lot of UK football fans, and our head football coach with that untimely statement. His remarks were self serving and quite frankly very offensive to football fans. Coach Stoops was well within his right to set the record straight. I am a longtime UK football fan first, and trust me, there are a lot of us around. Just do the math on the size of a football roster year end and year out, count the family members, friends, past coaches, etc. of all those players that number represents, and then the faithful fans that have packed CWS (Kroger Field) in down years and good years. Faithful fans that have watched the Blue and White play football year in and year out since before Bear Bryant. Stoops will pass the Bryant in 2022. Basketball school, yes indeed, but a big time football school also.
I have come to the conclusion based on this fiasco that John Calipari is really a man that needs to be the center of attention all the time. Quite frankly I feel Calipari may deep down resent Coach Stoops and the UK football program. Why would he even say something like this. Stoops raised this football program from the ashes to winning football in less than 10 years. His popularity is strong and only getting stronger. Calipari should stay in his lane and earn his salary by coaching basketball and not dividing.
I love the quote that we are the University "FOR" Kentucky. We should trademark it like OSU did "the". That could be a lasting legacy for Cal.
I still feel like the boosters (and Mitch) squashed the new facilities last spring because they are waiting to see if they have to buy out a big contract if Cal face plants in the tourney again.
If there were to be another 1st or 2nd rd exit, the fan base will not be satisfied until Cal is gone. If it is a S16 or E8, his job will survive, but maybe no new toys?
If he makes a FF or better, he might get his new facilities, no?
I think Cal also knows why the boosters and Mitch said "NO" and would like to get the boosters committed financially to this facilities project so that he doesn’t have the pressure of winning or else. This suddenly became a big issue just after a bad historic loss.
But if he wants to fund raise on his own, I am sure that would be fine with everyone. It would be a good way for the OaD’s to give back too….
The program is in decline. He is the head man, and it is on his watch. He must go or get the program back on top. He needs excuses for the decline because he can no longer spew his regular BS to argue the decline is not occurring.
INADEQUATE FACILITIES has become his new BS stream.
It will only get worse from here until Barnhart or those above Barnhart bring this Calipari Calamity to an end.
Mark Stoops is building a football program the old fashioned way, one brick at a time on top of a strong foundation, built for the long term. Calipari is still hoping to catch lightning in a bottle again, but those darn lightning bugs are elusive and can be fickle once placed in the bottle and not glow!
" I may not like what you say but will defend to the death his right to say it" I think that quote is out there somewhere.
Simple truth. We are a Basketball School. All of UK’s worldwide recognition is due to BB. From Rupp to Calipari. I was a UK FB fan before I was a BB fan but what Cal said is true. 8 National Championships makes it so. The anger seen in responses here is proof of that. Those who don’t like Cal will jump on this like flies to a carcass but it doesn’t change the facts. We are a Basketball School! ! !
That said. Cal was wrong for saying it and giving teams that recruit against us something to say about the FB program. But I bet if ole Nick came out and said Alabama is a football school the fan base would not be up in arms.
Truth is truth ! ! !
I love UK FB. Stoops is the best coach to ever coach the Big Blue. But we are a Basketball school!
Cal has a right to say what he wants, but the cordial and best answer for a coach of Calipari’s status is to give credit where credit is due, and say UK is both. Every UK fan understands the basketball legacy UK has, but football pays the bills, and UK is and always has been a football school for many a fan. If not, then what is UK doing in a football crazy conference? If we are not a football school then tell that to Joe Federspiel, Frank LeMaster, Jeff Van Note, Art Still, Warren Bryant, Sonny Collins, Tim Couch, Wesley Woodyard, Benny Snell, Josh Allen, The list goes on and on. Freddie got it right! The UK football program is rising, and what Cal said was insulting and below his status as a professional. Calipari stepped in it big time.
Correct we are in this conference for one reason because of football. And them 50,000 seats at Kroger field and all those booth boxes pays for basketball to have nice locker room. Cal has been around long enough to know what impact words like this can have.sure he will play it off as not meaning it in no way or to harm football team but a man has to wonder his true intentions for saying it. I think a lot of it is just frustration from several bad seasons and the pressure like no other on him this season to deliver. But nothing makes his words right!
Good takes guys on FB paying the bills. How much so? Check this out from UK athletics after BB won their last championship and Joker running the FB team into the ground:
The 2012-13 athletic budget approved in the summer by the UK Board of Trustees shows that football is slated to produce $27.6 million in revenue while spending $9.5 million — for a profit of $18.1 million.
By comparison, men’s basketball, even coming off a national championship, is projected to produce $20.8 million in revenue, while spending $12.6 million — for an $8.2 million profit.
Those are the only two profitable programs for the university. The other 20 sports lose a combined $11.6 million, according to the 2012-13 budget.
I have defended Cal – BUT NOT ON THIS ONE !
Anything that hurts the FB teams momentum is BS ! What the **** – is he trying to help rival school football recruiters ?
EVERY SCHOOL IS A FOOTBALL SCHOOL – – THEY PAY THE BILLS !!!!!!
And a goodly part of of astronomical salary Cal !!!!!!!!
Meant “ of your salary Cal “ above – my blood pressure clouded my vision
The alumni and friends of the University in the Bahamas should “no show “
tonight’s beat down of Nassau Jr. high !!
If he’s so worry about getting a new facility why don’t he take his massive salary and build one himself. The more cal stew the pot the more hole he’s digging himself into.
It’s time for Cal to go.Yes he can recruit. But what does he do with them.Puts a few in the NBA..Cal needs to learn how to coach his players in close games. NOT THE SAME O SAME O.
GO CATS .GO FOOTBALL ,AND BASKETBALL..UK FAN FOR 60 YEARS!!!!
If I read correctly in another article he said that he could get the 50 NBA picks to donate for the cause with one phone call. Well problem solved why not just do that I mean that’s been his biggest goal over last 10+ years anyway is to make as many millionaires as possible off of the Kentucky brand then they should have no problem donating and what ever short he could pony up out of his lifetime contract and there no reason to throw shade at football program.