Vaught’s note: Statewide columnist Ira Combs, a long-time UK follower, has a slightly different take on what John Calipari’s marketing might be doing to the Kentucky football program. Here’sÂÂ
By IRA COMBS
Make no mistake John Calipari possibly has been the best thing to happen to UK basketball since maybe Adolph Rupp . However , his latest publicity stunt with coaching the Dominican Republic national team and more importantly creating an enormous basketball atmosphere right at the beginning of football season across the Commonwealth by creating two exhibition basketball games in Lexington and Louisville  may come home to haunt Joker Phillips and his staff in the recruiting process .
Especially with out of state recruits like in Georgia , South Carolina , Florida , and Alabama where UK has just recently broken some ground after years of work .
Here is my angle and of more importance how the extremely competitive recruiting game works . UK football media day annually kicks off the official start of SEC football in this state while across the south it started when the spring practices ended .
What happens in Lexington and Louisville the day after UK’s 2011 football media day? The states two most revered newspapers and all TV stations start a three week jaunt on Coach Cal’s Dominican National team as well as a few ex UK basketball players returning for a glory reunion in a two game exhibition game run .
If you think those competing recruiters across the SEC didn’t recognize this turn of events you are the most naïve and innocent college football fan in America . They have assigned an assistant to cut out every newspaper article , dubbed every tape and / or TV segment of this basketball starved scenario attainable to them and placed it in their portfolio for when they make those home visits not to mention the on campus visits .
This fall and winter whenever Johnny sits down on the sofa with Mom and Dad to talk to the lead recruiter and / or Head Coach and they get to the point of the conversation that says now who are you comparing us to for your services . Oh , it’s Kentucky , well here let me show you what they think of football in Kentucky just days away from their opening football game .
It’s my understanding that there is some talk of possible UK and UL basketball games being kicked about for summer charity venues between ex players . If so , I suggest you do them in June or early July and not when the football team is busting their butt in 90 degree weather at Nutter Center trying to create some buzz for their program .
You can go online at www.combsbrothersonkysports.com for more coverage of UK football and basketball as well as KHSAA football and basketball .
29 Responses to Guest post: Will Calipari’s Dominican experiences end up hurting UK football program?
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thank you Ira for having the guts to tell the truth
I thought UK had a real good shot at getting Trevor Lacy from Alabama, Lacy talked about all the news media and how it was always football, football, football in the newspapers in Alabama, he hinted that he wanted to go somewhere that basketball was important, of course, he was an Alabama kid and decided to stay home. The point is well taken. Today, with the internet and websites, basketball and football news is blogged and discussed every day. Schools are smart to use every advantage for recruiting. UK basketball news is big in Kentucky. It is encouraging to hear Joker say that the incoming recruiting class is everything they hoped it would be “to date”.
Any publicity is good publicity. He is making the entire University visible, in my opinion.
Joker has the same opportunity as Cal! The Football Fan day was fun and we had a good time, but it was very poorly produced! Just like the spring game, football is not taken big time like it should be. Joker and Company should demand performance’s equal to basketball instead of settling for high school events.
Do not act like the government and try to bring down the basketball program, instead lift up the football program. Wake-up Joker and company! Do whatever is necessary to step your program up to an acceptable level. Basketball will always be King, Football will have to fight for equal ground.
Florida won a basketball championship or two…didnt seem to hurt their football program.
Good points Ben, Jackie and Jim. Hoping to hear more views on this point because as Todd noted, I have heard some folks that feel the same as Ira
I don’t know who came up with the idea of playing W Ky in Tenn for our opener but other than getting us on TV on Thursday its a production flop. Now if we were playing UCLA it might be a success. If football wants to be on the same level with basketball we are going to have to take risks and win.
Don’t think UK and Western ever envisioned playing on Thursday. Tennessee State forced them into that by not moving its game
Kentucky football has had some of their best recruiting classes in recent memory and this during a time when Coach Cal was the head of UK basketball. Athletes will often chose a school based on campus life, which includes being able to watch an entertaining basketball team with a lot of hype. Plus UK has consistently ranked in the 25 annually for football attendance. Our fans support both basketball and football. As long as Joker and the boys can produce wins on the field, I don’t see how the basketball team will hurt recruiting.
Very good point Joshua
I agree with Ben. We have supported a very medicore football program. You want more support just win.
Heck yes it hurts Kentucky’s football recruiting. I can appreciate what Cal was doing but it definitely was to the detriment of the football program and for what, to help the Dominican Republic make the Olympics? Really, is that our objective now? I love Coach Cal but it’s UK first around here.
So did Tubby help the football program when he had some mediocre teams? I suppose Cal affects football a little.
I’ve been a Kentucky basketball fan for many many years and it is because of basketball that I became a Kentucky football fan. No I don’t attend the games not that I would not like to because I would however many things keep me from doing that, but heck I’ve only been to two basketball games one at Rupp and one in Louisville. I just don’t understand why the two sports have to pitted against each other, which in my opinion is the way this all sounds. Coach Cal supports UK Football is always saying to get out and back the football team, he goes to the games when possible, Joker supports UK Basketball and I’ve seen him in the crowd at games. Don’t see why we cannot be for UK and support all sports.!!!! In my opinion ( and yes I know what they say about opinions) this kind of story would turn off a recruit more than a alumni basketball game in August, really don’t think you are giving the recruits and their parents enough credit to be able to figure things out.
Jan, I think Joker and his staff might want to hug you
Cal has helped football recruiting. People remember the name Kentucky when they hear it over and over. They don’t remember if it is football or basketball.
I do remember Matthew Mitchell telling me that any basketball success helps his program in a big way too. HOpe it is the same for JOker as well
I AM NOT SCREAMING,. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THIS POINT BLATANTLY CLEAR.
UK BASKETBALL WILL NEVER AFFECT THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM NEGATIVELY.
ANY ATTENTION ON A NATIONAL SCALE FROM BASKETBALL DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO POSITIVE RESULTS FOR OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDING FOOTBALL. NOTORIETY NATIONALLY IS HUGE AND CAL IS BRANDING UK AS A SCHOOL, NOT JUST IN BASKETBALL, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD.
If we have other SEC schools doing this “look at basketball” at UK thing then we have turned the corner and need to leave Cal alone. By competing against the SEC elite and for them to have to dig this deep to find something supposedly negative to say against us then I’m inclined to believe we are in on a better tier of recruits than ever before.
I have never understood the argument that successful basketball at UK is a negative factor that affects the success of the football program, or the other way around. I have heard this argument in a variety of forms at UK. Sometimes the argument is offered as an excuse for UK Football failures, and other times the argument mutates into a excuse why some UK Basketball only fans revel in the struggles of the UK Football program.
Coach Calipari’s job is to first advance the interests of the UK Basketball program and place that program front and center on the national stage of competitiveness. Joker Phillips job is to do likewise for the football program at UK. By the logic in this article, that says Coach Calipari should withdraw from the scene during August because that is an important part of the football season, and basketball activities detract attention from football at the very time the football program needs to generate interest the most.
I see several problems with this argument. First, there are many UK fans that are basketball only, and even if Calipari was completely out of the way during August and September, those fans are not ever going to give this football program their support or attention. Second, there are many UK fans that are football only, and it does not matter to them whether Calipari takes a hike or is completely visible, their loyalty to and focus upon the football team and program is all they want or need. The great majority of UK fans follow both of these programs and this article suggests an inability to walk and chew gum at the same time at best, or suggests in a devious manner, that these fans are really “basketball only” folks who give their football program lip service only at worst.
In addition, if UK basketball playing a series of “international” games in August once every 4 years is a distraction that the football team can’t overcome, then why isn’t UK Football’s participation in late December and Early January bowl games the last 5 seasons a similar distraction for the basketball crowd?
The problems that the basketball program has had over the last 15 years more or less have been due to inadequate coaching to sustain this proud program at the highest levels. UK finally addressed that issue and after a false start got it right, and did so during the same time period that the football program has been enjoying its 5 year bowl string. The problems that remain with the football program have little to nothing to do with the basketball program, just like the problems with the basketball program had little to nothing to do with the football program. UK can fix its football program independently of the basketball program when the UKAA and UK decide that having a football program that is successful on a national stage is the standard, rather than continuing mediocrity.
The lack of institutional commitment to the football program has nothing to do with Coach Calipari, or Coaches Gillispie, Smith, Pitino, Sutton, Hall, or Rupp. I sadly concluded for myself that the UKAA is NOT committed to doing the things necessary for a truly competitive SEC football program following the Hal Mumme debacle. I have not seen anything in the decade + since that time to change my mind, despite the fact that I would love to see that as much as I am enjoying Coach Calipari’s work to return the basketball program to that stage of prominence.
To return to the Florida argument, the day after Florida won the national championship in men’s basketball, what was the headline on the front page of the Gainesville Sun? Yep, the start of spring football practice. That hasn’t apparently hurt Donovan’s recruiting efforts. I’m of the opinion that a successful basketball program helps the football program in terms of being able to talk about fan support. And Cal does everything he can to “talk up” all of the sports programs at UK, any chance he gets.
I think they both can go together very well too — or at least hope they can
Fans can multi-task. While enjoying the August basketball games I was still following the football team. I think recruits can do the same. I like the Florida argument a great deal. Basketball success did not diminish their football success and vice versa. If anything it added to Florida’s success with recruits. When both sports were at the top, it probably added to the mystique of Florida athletics in the mind of the recruits.
If the team is wearing Kentucky Blue and White and the uniform has UK on it then I’m Cheering for them whether I know about the sport or not, meaning the rules and etc. I’m a UK fan I did not attend UK I was raised in Indiana but I bleed Blue!!!! Guess what it all started with me being a UK Basketball fan.
think that is the attitude most UK fans have Jan, or should have
Coach Cal,
Since you are a distraction for other things that we are trying to do,
You can not promote the University during the months of: (Because)
April – (Spring Football Practice)
May – (Ky. Derby) (You can attend but don’t mention basketball)
June – (Belmont) (We might have a triple crown horse & Joker is trying to recruit))
July – You can visit the Coal Miners but don’t tell the media)
Aug. -Thanks for your financial contribution to the youth of Ky.
(We want your money)
Sept. – It’s Football Season Cal.!
Oct. – You can still do Big Blue Madness but tone it down.
Can you attend the World Equestrian Games for us, we are busy with Football?
(If you go, do not tell the media because this will promote U.K.)
Nov. – I guess You can work now because Basketball season will start soon.
(Thanks for starting practice without us)
(Let us know which home games we should bring our football recruits)
Dec. – Mar. – We expect another NCAA Banner!
Apr. – Does the NCAA allow us to invite Football recruits to the Final Four?
(Remember that Spring Football practice will start soon.)
You really do not need to recruit because with your reputation, recruits are going to seek you out. (I mean seek U.K. out). Well I guess that you may be one of the reasons that they are coming to U.K.
Come on Ira – give us credit. Your argument is only an excuse for past Football failures. We don’t want excuses anymore, we want results. As others said, fans & recruits can multi-task. Recruits like to attend B-Ball games. Other schools (Including Florida) have good programs in both sports. Both Sports can work together & promote each other.
I do not expect Joker to be like Coach Cal because Cal is unique. However all of us (including Joker) can take lessons from Coach Cal.
LoveSECfootball, one of your most creative posts yet
Joker is currently signing his best class yet, so I don’t see any evidence of this being true. Ira check out the recruits Joker has for next year, its going to be a really good class I think. No reason to worry.