Calipari shows players how to embrace UK fans
September 8th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
The more John Calipari embraces Kentucky fans and all the attention that goes with the UK basketball program, the easier it should make it for Kentucky’s players to do the same thing.
“They need to understand how important that is,” said UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart. “I visit with every team as they start the school year. I visited with basketball and said, ‘You and are our football program are 140 of our most visible athletes on this campus. The way you represent us and the way you conduct yourselves and talk with fans is very, very important.’
“John gives them a very good example of what that looks like and how to manage that. He has a great smile. He is very engaging to our fans. I think that is what people in this state were hoping to have, and we got it. We have a guy who likes that.”
That’s exactly what UK fans wanted after two years where Billy Gillispie did little to embrace Kentucky fans and plenty to alienate those same fans.
Calipari? If it is blue, he loves it.
“He has been that way,” Barnhart smiled and said. “He showed up at the spring football game. He showed up at softball. He has been supportive of (women’s basketball coach) Matthew (Mitchell). He’s helped others with recruiting. He’s been great for all our programs.”
Barnhart joked he would have to “talk to my promotional staff” when asked if Calipari and his players would make an appearance on the Commonwealth Stadium field when UK hosts Louisville Sept. 19.
“He’s really good about making sure other teams and other coaches keep their stage. He never wants to upstage them,” Barnhart said. “John wants to make sure they have their moment and he doesn’t take away from that. I really respect that. He doesn’t ever want to do anything to put himself in the spotlight and take away from them. But there’s no question he’s a great ambassador for Kentucky, and that’s what we wanted.”
Posted in UK Basketball
[...] Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that John Calipari has shown how to embrace UK fans. [...]
[...] Posted in Kentucky Basketball | September 8th, 2009 The more John Calipari embraces Kentucky fans and all the attention that goes with the UK basketball program, the easier it should make it for Kentucky’s players to do the same thing. Read article. [...]
Nice read as always Larry. It’s Caliparti Time in the Bluegrass!
That’s a nice line. Hope you don’t mind if I steal Caliparti Time for a headline sometime soon
Mitch Barnhart should have said “You are the 13 most visible athletes on this campus period.”
You are right about that Patrick, especially this year
Larry,
Speaking of the 13 most visible athletes…Where is Mark Krebs. He was given the 13th scholarship, but is never listed on Cal’s daily blog in his 4 man line-ups during his 12 man workouts. What’s the story?
He is what Cal calls a troubleshooter. He fills in on any of the three rotations if someone is hurt, sick, at class, etc. If not, Krebs works out on his own. Good question?
Thanks for the info. Doesn’t sound like Cal plans on letting him see a lot of action this year. But it was still a class move to give him the scholarship.
Yes it was. He’s really a nice young man