Knight calls out Calipari; Calipari responds

[BasX]

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky coach John Calipari doesn't agree with Bobby Knight that college basketball lacks integrity or that he is proof there is a problem.

 

Calipari refused to get into a war of words Friday when asked about the pointed criticism from Knight that Calipari's continued employment proves the game has a problem. Instead, Calipari said he remains a "big fan" of the former Texas Tech and Indiana head coach.

 

"I don't agree with what he says but it doesn't change how I feel about him," Calipari said.

 

Calipari said Knight's comments surprised him.

 

"I get up to go to mass this morning and there's like 100 text messages and I'm like what in the world happened?" Calipari said. "And I get word and what I can tell you is I'm a big fan, respect him as a basketball coach, always have."

 

Knight called out Calipari during a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.

 

"We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching," Knight said. "You see we've got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that."

 

Both Memphis and Massachusetts were forced to vacate Final Four appearances by the NCAA for infractions made during Calipari's tenure, though Memphis is appealing the penalty. Calipari was not implicated in either case by the NCAA.

 

Calipari declined to take questions on the matter on Friday, but created some of the success he has had with his offensive strategy to Knight, who retired with 902 career victories. Calipari said he took his staff at Memphis down to Texas Tech while Knight was coaching to watch the Red Raiders practice.

 

Calipari said Knight gave him some help on perfecting the "Dribble Drive" offense.

 

"Made it even better," Calipari said.

 

Kentucky forward Josh Harrellson said he was surprised by Knight's comments but that Knight's words seem to be part of the national perception of his coach.

 

"People hear stuff about him and they kind of guess what he's like, but playing for him and actually being around him, he's a great guy," Harrellson said. "He's fair to everybody."

 

The third-ranked Wildcats (10-0) host Austin Peay on Saturday. Calipari can break Adolph Rupp's record for best start by a first-year coach in program history with a victory.

 

Knight is currently a college basketball analyst for ESPN.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4755172

[bravenewworld]

For me what makes this story funnier is a day before this story was released a buddy of mine and i were talking about dirty programs and all the cheating that actually goes on in college ball (the discussion was mostly about fsu and Bobby Bowden) and our conversation came to Calipari and it eventually led to us both being very confused on how this person is not only still a head coach for the NCAA but (now) the head coach of a well respected legendary program.

It really is amazing at how dirty a lot of programs are and how obvious it is to those in the NCAA. And its actually pretty easy to tell some of these programs for the layman. Rose... really? Memphis? Top recruit in the nation with a chance to go to almost ANY college of his choice and he chooses to go to a school in a piss poor conference with garbage players on it and has absolutely no ties to this school or state at all... Really? Am i to believe that money was not involved in this "transaction"?

Mayo..... USC......ect.

[La Bomba]

For me what makes this story funnier is a day before this story was released a buddy of mine and i were talking about dirty programs and all the cheating that actually goes on in college ball (the discussion was mostly about fsu and Bobby Bowden) and our conversation came to Calipari and it eventually led to us both being very confused on how this person is not only still a head coach for the NCAA but (now) the head coach of a well respected legendary program.

It really is amazing at how dirty a lot of programs are and how obvious it is to those in the NCAA. And its actually pretty easy to tell some of these programs for the layman. Rose... really? Memphis? Top recruit in the nation with a chance to go to almost ANY college of his choice and he chooses to go to a school in a piss poor conference with garbage players on it and has absolutely no ties to this school or state at all... Really? Am i to believe that money was not involved in this "transaction"?

Mayo..... USC......ect.

I guess Josh Pastner must be cheating too because he's doing things Calipari never even dreamed of in his first year of coaching.

 

Memphis didn't have garbage players on it. They went to Elite 8 before Rose and were a timeout away from a National Championship when they had Rose.

 

I don't think any money was part of this, but I do think Calipari was fully aware of Rose's scores considering Rose took the ACT in Detroit, home of Calipari's buddy, World Wide Wes.

 

Calipari has proven he can get players in the NBA and has an easy system any dumb [expletive] can understand. He's a horrible X's and O's coach, but he can get guys into the league and that's all these one and dones really care about.

[bravenewworld]

I guess Josh Pastner must be cheating too because he's doing things Calipari never even dreamed of in his first year of coaching.

 

Memphis didn't have garbage players on it. They went to Elite 8 before Rose and were a timeout away from a National Championship when they had Rose.

 

I don't think any money was part of this, but I do think Calipari was fully aware of Rose's scores considering Rose took the ACT in Detroit, home of Calipari's buddy, World Wide Wes.

 

Calipari has proven he can get players in the NBA and has an easy system any dumb [expletive] can understand. He's a horrible X's and O's coach, but he can get guys into the league and that's all these one and dones really care about.

 

How Calipari lands "one and done" players.

 

 

Im not 100% sure on what Josh Pastner has done in his career that Calipari should be dreaming of in his first year of coaching... but whatever... Pastner would not be in that situation had Calipari not been such an NCAA scumbag.

Edited December 25, 2009 by bravenewworld

[La Bomba]

How Calipari lands "one and done" players.

 

 

Im not 100% sure on what Josh Pastner has done in his career that Calipari should be dreaming of in his first year of coaching... but whatever... Pastner would not be in that situation had Calipari not been such an NCAA scumbag.

Josh Pastner already has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in his first year of head coaching. Calipari didn't do that intill he got the job at the "Norte Dame of college basketball."

[Flash]

There's a rumor going around that Wall committed to Miami but lost him due to Cal's great ethics.