By LARRY VAUGHT
When Nerlens Noel got fouled in the first half of Saturday’s game at Louisville, he went to the foul line. However, a few seconds later he left the line and teammate Alex Poythress shot two free throws — and made one.
Louisville fans immediately picked up the mistake, but apparently the officials didn’t and UK coach John Calipari admitted today that he thought it was Poythress who had been fouled.
“My daughter called me and said something. First of all, if I thought the wrong guy was at the line, I would get him off the line. I’ve said to officials, and I can’t remember who the official (was), if I saw it off of our man and they gave us the ball, I would say, ‘You missed that. That went the other way.’ And the official will stop and say ‘Thank you, that’s this way.’ I’ve done that before. I’m not trying to gain an advantage,” Calipari said.
“Here’s the other thing for all those beautiful people: I wasn’t on the grassy knoll in ’63. The conspiracy people. I wasn’t in Dallas and I wasn’t on the grassy knoll and I was 4 years old. I thought Alex got fouled. I thought – we won’t go into that stuff either – but I thought he got fouled, and that’s why I said, ‘Why are you at the line?’ I thought the wrong guy was at the line, which I’m not going to let them do.
“Now why would I put Alex at the line, when he couldn’t even – he couldn’t make any shots? I would put him at the line? I would’ve had more confidence in Nerlens at that point. Look, that’s all fine. If you want to say I was in Dallas, I was there. Whatever you think I am, I agree.”
6 Responses to Calipari insists he did not know that Noel and not Poythress was supposed to be shooting free throws
Leave a Reply
Blue Zoom Radio Show
Polls
Loading ...Choose Your Favorite!
I don’t understand why opposing fans are saying Calipari orchestrated this (see Youtube video titled Cal cheats). It’s my understanding that the officials are the ones who say who fouled and who shoots the free throws. At no time have I ever seen an official go ask a coach who should be shooting a free throw, and I’ve been watching games for a long, long time. People just drive me crazy!
YOu are a wise woman Karen
Thanks, Larry. I try.
He is beating everybody, so they envy Cal. They will say anything to damage his reputation. It’s just that simple in my view.
Alex was fouled also…..and how many times ” should ” we have been at the foul line on obvious missed calls… I Love these Kentucky Wildcats and if there is one word that describes Coach Cal, it’s ” Honorable “…I never felt so OK about a game we didn’t Win…
I think it just another example of the blown calls by the refs. If they had made the right calls toward the end Uk wins. I hated seeing UK loose,but was proud of the way they played.