Calipari won’t upstage football
September 14th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
Recently Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said that John Calipari didn’t want to do anything to “take the spotlight” off other UK teams.
“He’s really good about making sure other teams and other coaches keep their stage. He never wants to upstage them,” Barnhart said. “He doesn’t ever want to do anything to put himself in the spotlight and take away from them.”
Apparently the UK athletics director was exactly right because Calipari reportedly is ready to end his national radio show appearances, national media interviews and maybe even some local appearances because he fears basketball is getting too much attention at the expense of basketball.
Of course, some of that attention has not been his fault due to the massive speculation about a “breaking national story” on UK that has never appeared the secondary NCAA violation involving former staff member Bilal Batley. There should be no long-term impact from the Batley incident and count me among those now convinced there is no breaking story coming.
Still, it’s hard to find fault for what Calipari has done to promote UK basketball after the way former coach Billy Gillispie alienated so many people last year. I still admire the players for not saying more about the brutal game day practices, frequent practice confrontations between player and coach, and the tension around the program on a daily basis.
Barnhart didn’t ask Calipari to do all the things he did to embrace the Big Blue fans. But he certainly didn’t mind that he did.
“You want to find balance in how much you have him out. Kentucky basketball doesn’t need a lot of great promotion because of the interest in it, but people need to know the coach cares. Finding that balance between being in your office, doing recruiting and coaching your team and then going out and being part of the Big Blue Nation is a fine balance,” Barnhart said.
“John knows that and how to strike that right chord. He embraces it. He is not afraid of the spotlight. I think when you have been in New Jersey and been in Philly and been in some of these places — he was at Kansas — that you understand what all this looks like and what it feels like. It is not unusual for him. He is very comfortable with it and enjoys it.”
And he did let fans know that Kentucky once again had a coach who “cares” for the players, the fans and the program. Don’t underestimate how that unified the Big Blue Nation again and what impact that might have on the team this year.
Posted in UK Basketball
4 Responses to “Calipari won’t upstage football”
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Larry,
Hope you didn’t strain any muscles lifting that tremendous weight that has been crushing me all weekend. I was so relieved to read that you don’t believe any other story is coming. If you feel that way then I know we are safe. After 20 years around them, you would think I should have learned not to trust attorneys (If you know what I mean).
The incident with Batley and self-reporting these minor violations should finally show how serious UK and Cal are about not wanting ANY hint of impropriety to taint the amazing things that are about to happen here.
I do think that Mitch Barnhart’s comment about Kentucky Basketball not needing much promotion is very misguided. While it is true that UK’s name and reputation will get some kids to come here, Cal is the reason the elite recruits will arrive. They want to play for him, no matter where he is. Most of these teenagers don’t have any clue about the history of Kentucky Basketball. They are way too young to remember 96-98. On a national basis these kids only remember the recent champions and UK hasn’t been one of them. While Tubby had some outstanding years in the mid part of this decade, they did not go to the Final Four, so these kids don’t even remember how good they were. I’m not trying to down UK at all, it is just a simple fact of life in this day and age. Kids don’t know traditions like they did when I was younger. But Cal WILL return that UK name and brand back to the top of all these kids minds, just like he promises.
I hope they don’t reign Cal in at all when it comes to promoting UK. He certainly does it better than anyone I can remember, even Pitino. GO BIG BLUE!!!!
[...] Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes that Calipari won’t upstage football. [...]
Jim, good point about promoting the program. IN this day and age, I think every program need some promotion. I understand what Mitch meant, but having Cal out there waving the UK banner has to help the overall image of the program with everyone from recruits to fans to media.
that ‘breaking national story’ on UK was probably concocted from chapel hill.