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  • Calipari on NBA talk


    Here's what he had to say after Sunday's game when asked about NBA speculation:

    ON WHETHER NBA SPECULATION BOTHERS HIM: “I don’t listen to any of it, and I don’t think my team does. Every year I’ve ever coached, if there was a college job open, I was going there, a pro job, a high school job – I was taking every job going, and I just don’t buy into it. The greatest thing for me: It took me 20 years to get a job like Kentucky. It took me 20 years to get a job like Kentucky. Where guys had jobs for 20 years, it took me 20 years to get a job like this. And then we get the job and all the sudden – you know, we’re doing great academically; we had a 3.4 grade-point average last term; for three years we’ve been a B-average as a team; we’ve graduated 10 players – 10 in four years. So it’s not at the expense of academics, but we’ve had 17 players drafted, nine (actually 13) in the first round, two (No. 1) picks.

    “And I’m able to do that, help families, win games and do what the university wants me to do, and all want to do is be about players first. And I want to challenge them and not be afraid to challenge them and put them on a stage. This is like you’re putting them in – I’d say Carnegie Hall – but it’s the stage you want to be on. And I’m able to sit there and say, ‘OK, here we go.’ I’m proud of Willie Cauley. ‘Well, he only gets one-and-done guys!’ No one knew Willie Cauley. Look at Willie. Look at Eric Bledsoe. All the sudden, what’s happened is they come here and they’re able to reach their dreams and change – you’re talking about, I say this all the time: We have kids that are first college graduates in their families, and we have a chance to rectify that; now all the sudden – you have generational poverty; they’re family’s been in poverty their entire existence, and now all the sudden that changes. And I have an opportunity to do that, more than any place I’ve ever been.

    “And I loved working at UMass. And I loved working at Memphis. This is a different deal on a lot of fronts. So all the stuff about – you just think: It took me 20 years to get this job. Twenty. Now, I’ll say this: I don’t know how long I can stay in this seat and live. I’ll be honest with that one. But right now, I’m having fun doing it. I don’t feel our fans – everyone says our fans are crazy; our fans are crazy, but they don’t expect us to win every game and they don’t expect us to win the championship. They want us to be in the hunt. We’ve won eight in 110 years. We haven’t won 100 in 110 years; we’ve won eight. And so, yeah, they want you in the hunt. They want you in the hunt for recruits and all that. We are. So I think we’ve got the greatest fans.

    “How about this one? Cleveland State has us (beat), and plays a great game. Do you know our fans gave them a standing ovation when they left the court? Gave them a standing ovation. Didn’t boo them. Gave them a standing ovation, our fans. And that’s why I say this is a unique place. So I’m going to run it out and have some fun with it and hopefully do some great things for kids and the university is happy with what’s happening with them and then we’ll see.”
    Comments 8 Comments
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      He's not in any hurry to get out. He's working hard at it but he's still enjoying it, and as long as he does he'll stay.

      He also won't leave for the NBA. He doesn't know what he'll do next, but he has no great interest in even more grind at that point. He doesn't need the money, sure doesn't need the aggravation.

      I think he may even add a few years to his time here if this recruiting works out. If he can have some guys back so he doesn't have to pull his hair out every fall it may keep him here a bit longer. Hopefully next year Hawkins and Willis and a few of the others will be able to set the tone and Cal won't start from step 1 again.
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      IIRC there were a couple of promos during the broadcast last might about an interview with Bill Rafferty that is going to air on Fox Sports 1. I thin it is tonight or tomorrow night around 7 pm.

      Raff asked him about the job talk and he said he has the job he wants and is not seeking other employment. He said he does think about what he will do when his time at UK is over, and went on to say that when he is no longer in a coaching position to help young players he is thinking ad planning for what he will do then.

      Thanks very much for the Quotes Larry V.
    1. Edward100's Avatar
      Edward100 -
      There is much to be said about job satisfaction. My last three years working was the best three years of my career. If I were to choose a job to work at, this would be the one. I was allowed freedom to “Do my thing.” I did everything from talking to the person who needed the project, drawing the prints, ordering the parts, fabrication, installation and working the bugs out of it. It was a very demanding job but I loved going to work every day. I think Calipari would say something similar.
    1. ETWNAPPEL's Avatar
      ETWNAPPEL -
      You can only keep up the pace of what he is doing for so long. Seems the Saban's feel the same way. This won't last forever, but while it does I'm gonna enjoy the ride.
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      Had the days mixed up

      Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari sits down with Bill Raftery to talk NBA coaching rumors and more. Watch FOX Sports 1 on December 9th at 7:30P ET on FOX Sports 1.

    1. cattails's Avatar
      cattails -
      Doesn't sound like he is going anywhere.
    1. Padukacat's Avatar
      Padukacat -
      Cal has to know if he stays another 5-7 years and wins 2 more titles that he is just a flat out legend and can leave the game on top. He has a rare opportunity to be loved by so many. If he jumps too soon for another opportunity he will miss out on alot of that lore.
    1. Edward100's Avatar
      Edward100 -
      Quote Originally Posted by Padukacat View Post
      Cal has to know if he stays another 5-7 years and wins 2 more titles that he is just a flat out legend and can leave the game on top. He has a rare opportunity to be loved by so many. If he jumps too soon for another opportunity he will miss out on alot of that lore.
      Pitino found this to be true.
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    Harlow

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