John Calipari says Mark Stoops is a "terrific coach." (Vicky Graff Photo)
Remember a few weeks ago when John Calipari said Kentucky was a “basketball school” — a remark that Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops made clear that he did not like or agree with.
Calipari later acknowledged he meant no disrespect but it still became a national story.
Calipari and Louisville basketball coach Kenny Payne, Calipari’s former assistant, were the keynote speakers for the Kentucky Chamber’s annual dinner in Louisville Wednesday night. That’s when Calipari was asked how things are between him and Stoops now.
“He’s a good man,” Calipari said Wednesday. “Look, these jobs are really hard. Unless you’re in them, you don’t realize all of the stuff. Part of it is, we have peoples’ children that we have to look after. That’s a big part of it.”
“Then you have to win. Then you’re doing it where everything’s flying, there are high expectations. How about being in the ACC or SEC? You’re not the only one trying to win. They’re trying to win too.”
Calipari went on to call Stoops a “terrific coach and good man.” He said the two of them “are fine” just as he predicted they would be.
“I said the wrong thing. Mark and I will be fine,” Calipari told BBN Tonight’s Keith Farmer the day after his “basketball school” comment in August. “We’ll get back and talk about it. I’m not real smart, and sometimes it doesn’t come out the right way. That’s my Italian in me. But we’ll be fine.”
That’s why Calipari quickly pointed out Wednesday night that it was Payne, not him, who said Kentucky was a “basketball state.” The UK coach even told Payne to “be careful” when he said that.
3 Responses
They are fine! Cal in his frustration over lack of AD support to improve facilities got on a roll, and a small amont of what he said caused a big media blow up. Cal publicly said he was wrong, it was his bad. The two individuals are fine with each as long as this is the end of it and I seriously doubt Cal ever goes there and doubt Stoops who is a go do it type guy ever goes there. They both have their hands full dealing with the others schools wanting to defeat them for this foolishness. However, Cal in far from done on his efforts to improve facilities!!
Tend to agree BlueBlueBoy
I think Cal and his pampered pups should pay for any of this and call it the "NBA PIPELINE MEMORIAL PRACTICE FACILITY"