John Calipari Got a Bit Testy With Dan Patrick

John Calipari was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show this morning. This happens sometimes with Calipari interviews; as we’ve seen before, the coach is a master at deflecting criticism by turning it back around on the host if he’s not being properly worshipped. Whether or not Cal makes logical points in these circumstances, he deserves credit for not resorting to yelling, and being entertaining.

The particular sticking point today was when Patrick asked if the team might’ve been better served by playing with a less deep rotation — say, going with seven guys instead of 10. Calipari staunchly defended his record at Kentucky over the past six years, said that the team won 38 straight games this year, talked about how great all his players are doing in the pros, and made the point that it wouldn’t be fair to the NBA-caliber players at the end of his rotation to recruit them and then sit them because more of his players returned to school than he’d planned.

Calipari, in a way that felt half-joking and half-not, said that Patrick stunk as a player, and noted that his role players — the producers — booked the guests, which Patrick, as the star, would not be able to do “because I don’t know very many people that can stand you.”

Net in net, Patrick seemed happy with the interview. It’s better to have somebody get defensive and go on the offensive like that than to have him speak in platitudes and be boring.