Calipari's Radio Roundup

So Calipari was on the Dan Patrick show today, and on Jim Rome yesterday, and had some interesting quotes.  He had two quotes of interest that we will look into because, well, that’s what we UK fans do.

First: When asked if he can survive at UK for 10 years, Cal said “no, I don’t think so.”  He went on to talk about how this job is 12 months a year and that it is so intense that he would end up a bitter old man when he is finished.  Yesterday, he said the big coaching jobs in the NCAA are this way and he thinks the days of coaches staying 30 years at schools are dwindling with the social media the way it is now.  I am sure some fans’ were upset over hearing this but let’s face it, he has said it before.  I have heard him say many times in the past he doesn’t see himself at UK past 10 years and that Tubby’s tenure is about as long as coaches can handle staying at UK.

Why?  You and I both know why.  Interest in UK’s program is more intense than any other program in the country.  Seriously, how many other coaches would face such scathing criticism over a poll on his website about which team we would drop if faced with a choice of one of three?  Other fans may ask why, but they wouldn’t be as upset as we were.  Another thing to think about, how many fan bases would be so hard on a freshman point guard because he had a few bad games while the team was still 4-0 that the coach had to go to Twitter to defend him?

Teague struggled out of the gate with turnovers, but it wasn’t anything worse than Wall or Knight before him did, and the team was still winning with one against a top 15 team (Kansas).  By the way, Teague hasn’t had more than 2 turnovers in the past 4 games, including only 1 in the game against UNC.  Yet, people are still talking like Teague is a turnover machine.

Second: “I’ll be done when i’m finished at UK.”  This I have heard him say maybe once in passing but I still don’t believe it.  Don’t get me wrong, nothing Cal has done since he has been at UK would make me think he is going to leave UK for another job.  He has turned down NBA interest in him already (Cleveland), and he has always said he doesn’t want to be coaching when he is 60.

However, let’s be honest: How many times have we heard coaches talk about never leaving a program or retiring, then only to come back to coach at another school or in the pro’s?  Sometimes I really think the coaches do believe they are finished when they retire, but after a couple of years they realize how much they miss it (See: Meyer, Urban).  I am just always skeptical of a coach saying he will never coach anywhere else because the truth is, no one really knows what may come up in 5 years, or even tomorrow.

So is what Calipari has said the past two days true, I think as of today, yes.  I think he means what he says, but I also know that it is very possible for him to change his mind, and we as fans shouldn’t go crazy if he does.  Let’s just enjoy the great run we are having under him and not worry about what may happen in 10 years.  #beatiu

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