Three years ago, when John Calipari was announced as the newest head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky, he rode onto campus as a conquering hero. It had been 12 years since the last UK national championship, and the rabid fan base was ready for its return to the top of the mountain. Calipari had been tabbed to lead them there.
Given that he himself had never won a title, and his two finest coaching performances would both be wiped off the record books due to NCAA sanctions, some viewed the fawning reception as unjustified. Those surrounding the program openly questioned whether the flash matched the substance with the former Memphis coach.
“Sure, he can coach . . . but can he coach here?” they asked.
Once he stepped to the podium at his introductory press conference, however, the perfection of the marriage was obvious.
Dressed smartly in a Kentucky blue tie, and without a hint of nervousness, he began, “This was a dream I had since . . . I believe it was 1992. . . . We came down here, and I could not believe the environment. And at that point I said, ‘I’d love to coach there someday.’”
For most elite programs, that ego-stroking statement alone would have been enough from its new coach, but he continued.
“The challenge of being here is not competing for national championships, but winning them. . . . They don’t hang banners up here for anything else except national champions,” he said. “That’s why you want to coach here.”
With those two statements combined, he not only acknowledged the tradition and legacy of the Kentucky basketball program, but also expressed his willingness to shoulder the burden of immense expectations that comes with being its coach. In his three years on the job since then, Calipari has regularly and continuously announced that he feels he has the greatest job in the coaching profession, and I believe him. Surely, his record in those three years both on the court and the recruiting trail serve as sound evidence to the statement’s validity. It is important to note, however, that it might be the most demanding in the profession as well.
The Kentucky basketball program is a perfect storm of tradition, expectations and unwavering fan support. On the surface, those defining characteristics are all exceedingly positive and are not uncommon on many campuses across the country.
At Kentucky though, everything is magnified. Simply put, Kentuckians care more about their basketball program, and given the legacy of their flagship program, they have every right to be accustomed to excellence.
For many coaches, the daunting task of weathering the Big Blue storm would not be worth the headache. Surely, some have turned down job offers because of it. Others, like Calipari’s predecessor Billy Gillispie, have buckled under the pressure and have shown themselves woefully unqualified for the job. Calipari, on the other hand, is the perfect fit to helm the program.
What separates Calipari from Gillispie and others is not solely his God-given ability to coach. It’s not his unmatched recruiting record either. Calipari is the perfect coach for Kentucky because he needs the Big Blue Nation every bit as much as they need him.
To say that UK’s beloved coach Cal is the most misunderstood coach in sports today would be no great stretch of the imagination. He is far too often tagged with names such as “used car salesman,” with his critics quick to connect his blue chip-laden recruiting classes to unfounded rumors of impropriety. He will be forever linked to his two vacated seasons, at Memphis and the University of Massachusetts, despite that in both cases, he himself was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Even those who do not find Calipari to be as morally repulsive as his rivals find ways to criticize his record and recruiting philosophy. His history of recruiting the controversial “one-and-done” players is oft critiqued. College basketball championships cannot be won solely with NBA talent, they said. For years, he has received an onslaught of criticism and vitriol from all sides. He is public enemy number one among basketball purists.
But at Kentucky, none of that mattered. He was taken in by the fan base, and given full support to coach and recruit as he pleased. The only stipulation being that he won. And recognizing that the passionate Big Blue Nation was just as misunderstood as he was, Calipari agreed to those terms.
In October 2009, Calipari addressed a sold-out Rupp Arena during the annual installment of extravagance that is Big Blue Madness. In it, he announced “my vision is one of celebrations and banquets, diplomas and banners, rings and parades. A return of this legendary program back to its rightful place atop the mountain of college basketball.”
Monday night, he finally delivered on this promise, leading UK to its eight national championship. In doing so, he has not only vindicated himself, but has given Big Blue Nation the ideal wedding gift to celebrate a perfect marriage.
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