Calipari addresses Knight comments
December 18, 2009 by Metz Camfield · 6 Comments
The holidays aren’t for everyone.
With Christmas and New Years right around the corner, it’s safe to say former Indiana head coach and current ESPN college basketball analyst Bob Knight, and UK head coach John Calipari will not be exchanging cards.
UK head coach John Calipari said he doesn't agree with Bob Knight's comments made on Thursday, but he still respects the Hall of Fame coach and it doesn't change how he feels about him. Photo by Ed Matthews | Staff
On Friday afternoon, Calipari responded to the Hall of Fame coach’s comments.
“I’m a big fan, I respect (Bob Knight) as a basketball coach, always have … don’t agree with what he said but it doesn’t change how I feel about him,†Calipari said.
Calipari’s comments were in response to what Knight said at a basketball fundraiser Thursday night for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Knight said college basketball lacks integrity and cited Calipari as an example.
“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,†Knight said. “You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.â€
Calipari is the only coach to have Final Four appearances vacated at two schools.
Calipari took Massachusetts to the Final Four in 1996 before having to vacate it from the record books when it was found that Marcus Camby, his star player, took money from an agent. UMass was never put on probation
More recently, the NCAA cleared Calipari’s 38-2 season at Memphis from 2007-08 that saw his Tigers lose in overtime of the National Championship game to Kansas. That run was vacated after it was found that star guard Derrick Rose had an invalid SAT score. The Memphis case is currently still under appeal.
Though the Cats (10-0) have enjoyed great success so far this season and are currently ranked No. 3 in the country, Calipari still hasn’t escaped the heckles and the scrutiny.
When the Cats played Indiana in Bloomington, Ind., in front of 17,316 fans, chants of “S-A-T, S-A-T†could be heard from the stands in reference to Rose’s invalid standardized test scores, and “Cal’s a cheater.â€
Still, Calipari, personally, has never gotten in trouble with the NCAA. While his team’s have, and the Final Fours have been vacated, Calipari hasn’t been named directly in the reports.
Calipari said he took his staff down to Texas Tech one time when Knight was still coaching there and watched the Red Raiders practice. Calipari said Knight helped him improve the Dribble Drive offense.
Asked how he felt having his integrity publicly questioned, Calipari’s response was succinct.
“Like I said, I don’t agree with it.â€
it’s obvious who’s the classier of the two. i’ll have to say, my response probably would not have been so nice. just anohter reason Cal is the right man for UK.
Bob Knight is just a bitter old coot. Someone is going to bring an old rival program back to life and BK just cannot let it go.
It was OK while we had an alcoholic coach preceded by a well-meaning but gradually ineffective coach and our tradition suffered.
Bob you are making noise, but no one is really listening. You are just providing the scribblers and talking heads with words.
Go fishing.
You really think there is any honor in winning championships with one and done players? UK is just the means to get the millions.
Hang some banners John, and it will all go away.