John Calipari: Unlucky, or Something Else?
College Basketball, NBA, Race April 8th. 2008, 10:36am
Memphis coach John Calipari was gracious in defeat last night, and he’s taking the requisite pounding from pundits for a) not calling timeout to organize his troops after Rose made his second free throw with 10 seconds left and b) not fouling Kansas up three with time winding down. Yet if Chalmers misses, we’re all celebrating Coach Cal today. Life.
Will this man ever win a title? The three landmarks in his coaching career are all negative:
1994 - Nearly gets into a fistfight with Temple’s John Chaney at a press conference. (Thanks, Irish)
1996 - Takes Massachusetts to the Final 4 – lost to eventual champ Kentucky – on the back of Marcus Camby, who was draped in so much jewelry (and hookers) that the NCAA investigated, and that spectacular season no longer exists.
1997 - While coaching the New Jersey Nets, he calls a reporter a “Mexican idiot” in a heated parking lot confrontation.
2008 - Tough way to lose a title game.
60 Responses to “John Calipari: Unlucky, or Something Else?”
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April 8th, 2008 at 10:38 am
what about the classic piece of him and Don Chaney bitching back and forth
April 8th, 2008 at 10:39 am
oh damn, good memory – going to add now …
April 8th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I agree with Irish, I need the “I’ll Kill You Calipari” in the discussion.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:41 am
hey, yo, that’s a spicy-a meat-a-ball.
my sicilian grandfather would beat my ass if he read that.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:45 am
one positive note: Most wins in a season of any coach in the NCAA
April 8th, 2008 at 10:48 am
When someone is an idiot I don’t see the color of the skin. I just hate them.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I think irish meant “John Chaney”.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Butler could still beat Memphis
April 8th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I think he meant George Bush
April 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Is it college football season yet?
April 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am
To me, Calipari is very similar to Pitino (and it’s not just the I-talian names). A slick recruiter/promoter who comes off as slimy and insincere.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Just bad luck. Calipari is a hell of a coach. His players choked that one away
April 8th, 2008 at 10:50 am
most wins in a season of any coach*
*played in Conference USA
April 8th, 2008 at 10:51 am
At least their free throw shooting didn’t hurt them.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:51 am
“Down in West Virginia…”— i wish this happened now so we could get that press conference in HD from about 80 different cameras.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:51 am
im wondering the same thing.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Don Chaney lol. yes GYD thank you for that correction.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Speaking of thread jacks, TBL – you gonna cover The Masters pretty heavy?
April 8th, 2008 at 10:59 am
bruiser flint is a big fan of calipari
April 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am
rittyrich – I’ll have your complete Masters* coverage this weekend.
*A minimum of 1 post each day-not to exceed 3 for the weekend-mostly consisting of golf WAGs
April 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Give him credit, he shouldered all the blame last night and credited Kansas. He never said “we lost” or “we blew it.” It was “It’s my fault” and “Kansas capitalized when they needed to.” And his players also credited Kansas with winning and not just themselves for losing.
Did Memphis choke? I think so. But Kansas turned it on when they needed to and made every Memphis mistake into a Kansas gain. Coach Cal’s players handled themselves with class in the press conference and that’s a credit to him.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am
MASTERS MASTERS MASTERS MASTERS!!!!!
gimme the masters and US open over March Madness anyday.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:02 am
CRM…thank god.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I think Calipari did a good job handling that situation when Darius Washington missed those foul shots that would have put Memphis into the Tournament. He definitely had that slick, slimy, insincere thing going before that, but he handled that well and think he comes off as sincere when he talks about his players now. But, definitely there was a time when that was hard for Calipari to pull off.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Considering live-blogging the ESPN coverage prior to the wknd, but who knows … you big on golf?
April 8th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Looking forward to commenting CRM.
Also, there is this:
http://www.eatgolf.com/masters-theme-song.php
April 8th, 2008 at 11:09 am
And yes, I’m big on golf.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
@ Joboo – I agree. He seems to have matured. I think the Nets gug humbled him a lot much like the Celtics job humbled Petino. Both guys seem so much more likeable now.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
@TBl- was the comments from last nights game the most ever on one post? had to be, there was over 570
April 8th, 2008 at 11:10 am
rittyrich…you gonna watch the Par 3 thing on wednesday?
April 8th, 2008 at 11:11 am
In the middle of a Masters fantasy draft right now…Spencer I’m going to need help on late round picks if you’ve got any knowledge to drop. Also, I’m “working.”
April 8th, 2008 at 11:11 am
i agree with ST BEAR. I find Pitino and Coach Cal very similiar as well
April 8th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I heard MDS is going to do a post for every hole played by every golfer the entire tournament. Or as MDS likes to call it – a slow weekend.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I’m going to try to watch the Par-3. My Dad is flying into Atlanta right now, then to AUgusta this afternoon. He’ll be at the par-3 tomorrow…the bastard.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:14 am
yea, im jealous. id kill to go to the masters…maybe next year i’ll blow a grand on tix.
did you get tiger in your draft?
April 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am
The Masters! I’ve said it on here before, I would have no problem killing any one of you for a chance to play Augusta National. God Bless the video streams of the Par 3 tournament and most of Thursday and Friday while ‘work’ stands in the way.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Can’t blame Calipari for kids missing free throws at the end. That being said, Calipari is an asshat.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:16 am
I had four tix for the Par 3, but sold them for $1400.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:18 am
atl…nicely done, tho it’d be kinda cool to go. you ever been to a masters?
April 8th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Yeah, tons–that’s why I sold them. I’m spoiled. Grew up in Augusta, 10 minutes from the course. But don’t think I don’t appreciate the hell out of it. It’s just that the wife and I just bought a new house, so we needed $1400 a lot more than the tix. But I’m sure tomorrow I’ll be regretting that decision all day.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Tiger is not in the draft. I had the 12th and 13th picks. I took Stricker and fan favorite Fred Couples who played well in Houston.
I’ve heard if you can get to Augusta you can get in for cheap if you get lucky and catch patrons leaving early who will sell/give you their day passes.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Oh, and technically, I sold the guy a Nick Green autographed baseball for $1400, and then gave him the Masters tickets (you know, since scalping them is illegal and all).
April 8th, 2008 at 11:22 am
good reason.
ive decided, im blowin the bank and using my vacation days for it next year. enough of this TV bullshit.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:22 am
@Rittyrich–that’s true, at least for the practice rounds. Not for the real tourney, though, since they use the same badge all week.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:23 am
@ritty: Knowing next to nothing about a golf draft, that sounds pretty solid for the 12/13.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:24 am
@Spencer–you should. Considering the plethora of stories I’ve heard about people who always wanted to go to the Masters but never did…you should go if you have the chance.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:26 am
ritty…if you can, jump on aaron baddely (great putter, good distance). smart couples pick, it’s the one tourney he’ll bother to practice for (i hear the guy, behind the scenes is about as big of an asshole as they get in the PGA).
April 8th, 2008 at 11:27 am
atl…absolutely, it’s done.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks for the info ATL, I didn’t realize that. Glad I didn’t show up on Thursday afternoon.
By the way one of my roommates while I was at Auburn got to play Augusta National. He said he had to back away from the ball four times on the first tee to gather his nerves…especially with a skeptical caddy giving him the evil eye.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Spence, in 2009, grab a case of Black-Out Stout, some spicy capicola from Alesci’s, swing through Dayton, and I’ll ride shotgun. I’ll even apply for a 2nd mortgage to pay for the gas money.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Spencer – I’ve heard the same about Couples from people who go to the Colonial in Ft. Worth every year. My next pick isn’t until No. 32 or something. Baddely might still be around…maybe. I think Brandt Snedeker or however you spell it is going to be a steal later on. We get points for making the cut, final placement, etc.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Just saw a buddy’s Facebook page–he went to the National yesterday, and got his picture taken with Ki-Jana Carter…the amount of random “celebrities” you see there never ceases to amaze me. Oh, and for any PSU fans, he was wearing a Nittany Lion hat
April 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am
FUCK YES. done and done. ill be there, bro.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:37 am
How long til we hear about potential violations from this bunch? How many of them actually went to class?
April 8th, 2008 at 11:39 am
http://www.mastershousing.com/
Just in case you guys were serious about blowing your life savings and whatnot.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:40 am
rittyrich…i played colonial when i lived in texas…love that course because you don’t need a driver on every non-par 3. yea, snedeker is a great pick too, that guy just gets shit done.
atl…ki-jana carter at augusta? funny stuff.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I had an Internship in Ft. Worth one summer and played everything but Colonial…and what’s the other Hogan course there? Even though I knew members who swore they’d get me on.
April 8th, 2008 at 11:46 am
most wins in a season of any coach*
Played 14 more games than the last unbeaten team in the NCAA
April 8th, 2008 at 11:48 am
i cant remember, it’s on the tip of my tongue.
April 8th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Calipari is a great recuiter but not a very good in game coach. I said it to a friend on Saturday night and he complained and I said, “Watch, he’ll make mistakes in the championship game.” Thats his MO. He’s too smug to admit his FT shooting is bad. He didn’t take timeouts. Didn’t instrcut the kids to foul, no matter what he said because watching the replay Rose was backing off. I’m sorry but thats bad coaching. He ran no semblance of an offense in the second half. It was just clear out for Rose or CDR and let them do something.
No adjustments and he almost got away with it because his 5 kids on the floor are probably more talented than anyone else’s 5 kids.