UK Fans Learning To Live With The Calipari Catch-22

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Basketball fans in Kentucky continue to learn about The Calipari Catch-22. 

After last week’s NBA draft took on a serious Big Blue tint, John Calipari caused a stir by declaring that draft day had been “the biggest day in the history of Kentucky’s program.”

It took about a nanosecond for national pundits to jump Coach Cal’s case.  Several ex-UK players were also shocked by the statement.  Former Wildcat great Dan Issel even said the remark was “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Yesterday, during the SEC’s summer teleconference, Calipari attempted to spin his earlier statement.  “I wasn’t talking to the past.  I was talking to the future.” 

Yes, because when I see the word “history,” I don’t think “past,” I think “future.”

“We’re a players-first program,” Calipari said.  “Players will win us national titles.  Now, we have to figure out as a staff, with the rules the way they are… how are we going to deal with those last three games?  Because it looks like we are always going to have a young team.”

So what’s the final word?  Is Calipari more interested in winning titles or placing players in the pros?  To say “both” doesn’t really work because one does not necessarily lead to the other.

History — and by history, I mean “the past” kind — hasn’t given us many examples of ultra-young teams hanging championship banners. 

With that in mind, you might think that a fanbase as used to championships as Kentucky’s would be just as confounded by Calipari’s comments as the national media have been.  Not so.

According to the website KentuckySportsRadio.com, Issel, Kevin Grevey and Jack Givens have all been taken to task by UK fans who don’t like anyone questioning their coach.  That, of course, puts UK supporters right in line with every other fanbase.  They all scream and holler when some outsider — or in this case, a legendary insider — dares to criticize their coach or his statements.

Still, there is a give and take that comes with hiring Calipari.  Call it The Calipari Catch-22.  Let’s look at the “gives” first.  I counted five of them pretty quickly:


1.  Recruiting a series of one-and-done classes will be bad for Kentucky’s academic image.  There’s just no way around that.  It’s hard for folks to believe that rent-a-players are actually student-athletes.

2.  Going after pro-wannabes could result in some bad characters landing in Lexington.  Personally, I believe Calipari deserves a great deal of credit for his ability to keep all of his players happy and their egos in check last season.  But can he do that on a regular basis?  The more one-and-doners he brings in, the more likely it becomes that he’ll land some me-first cads eventually.

3.  As mentioned above, there are few examples of young teams thriving in the NCAA Tournament.  So while it might seem that landing the best players in the nation would naturally bring UK closer to a title, the fact that those players will never grow and mature together might actually prevent UK fans from celebrating another crown.

4.  Fed by his recent comments, there are those who believe more than ever that Calipari is all about Calipari… rather than the school that employs him.  I don’t buy into this theory, but I can see why some might say that Cal’s more interested in headlines bearing his name than headlines that say “Kentucky.”  Every time a top recruiting class signs or some of his young players turn pro early, the praise will come back to the coach.

5.  There’s one other obvious “give” that comes with Calipari: The NCAA keeps a close watch on him and his program.  If you think Eric Bledsoe will be the last UK recruit to receive extra NCAA scrutiny you’ve probably been taking a nip from your Coach Cal commemorative Maker’s Mark bottle.


So now let’s look at what UK fans can hope to take away from their marriage to Calipari:

1.  Kentucky dominated the national spotlight en route to a dominating 35-3 season last year.


That one positive is a pretty doggone big positive, isn’t it? 

There aren’t many SEC fans who wouldn’t put up with the five former issues in exchange for the latter.

Wins trump all.  Wins trump crazy statements.  Wins trump former legendary players.  Wins trump national reputation.

And Calipari wins.

That’s why some UK-backers (like those at KentuckySportsRadio.com) write things such as this:

“Look we all know Calipari is a very good coach, an amazing recruiter and a program builder like none other.  We also know he is (like many great coaches) a bit of a BS artist.  It comes with the territory with a guy like Calipari.  What he has done at UK has been unprecedented and his recruiting going forward will likely never be matched.  But along with that comes some statements that just make you shake your head.  This is one… laugh it off… realize its (sic) silly… make jokes, but dont (sic) get upset.  We all know Calipari “gets it” and even when he veers off course a little, give the guy a break.”

Five to one, baby, one in five.

The one positive — lots of 30+ win regular seasons — outweighs the five aforementioned negative issues that surround Calipari.

But The Doors had another line in their famous song:

“Five to one, baby, one in five.  No one here gets out alive.”

SEC fanbases who sell their souls in the short-term usually pay for it in the long-term. 

Florida fans might remember Charley Pell’s fast turnaround.  Kentucky fans probably remember Fran Curci’s 10-win season.  And Tennessee fans can’t forget Lane Kiffin and all his promises.

Obviously history — there’s that word again — provides a lesson for UK supporters:

If you find yourself as a fan constantly having to defend your coach, constantly having to make excuses for your coach, constantly having to convince yourself that your coach is right while everyone else is wrong, then you’re probably going to eventually learn that something really was rotten in the state of Denmark all along.

Every month, there’s another new Calipari “issue.”  UK fans continue to back their coach and defend him no matter what he says or does.  Even when legendary UK figures call him out for his recent bizarre statement and his unclear goals.

Those fans who choose to ignore The Calipari Catch-22… do so at their own risk.