Bobby's Take on Calipari

[Little Jerry Lawler]

A few days ago Bobby Knight was talking about how he thinks that the NCAA is lacking integrity and cited Kentucky's John Calipari as a example. He stated that it wasn't right that UMass and Memphis were punished for something Calipari did.

I had no problem with what Knight said. For all his anger problems and whatnot, the one thing you can say about him is that he ran a clean program. Calipari has not done so and it is a shame that two schools get punished for something he did and he can just go to anothe school and it can be okay. You can still see the effects of what happened to UMass after they had to vacate their Final Four apperance. Umass hasn't been relevant since then and probably will never be. I just hope Kentucky fans will be aware of his past and hope the same thing doesn't happen to them.

So did you have a problem with Knight's statements on Calipari or do you feel he was justified? How much does the NCAA come into play with these kinds of situation and do you feel that they should be more responsible?

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Bobby Knight has NO grounds to judge anyone's integrity. Period. Between Knight's incidents of throwing a chair in the middle of the court during a technical free throw, choking one of his players, and cussing in every other press conference, and telling an entire crowd he hopes when he's buried, it's upside down so the world can kiss his ass. Yea, he's got some grounds to talk about integrity. And all of the things I've mentioned have been... wait for it... PROVEN!

Coach Cal has been LINKED to some of the improprieties at UMass and Memphis, but he's never been involved. He's never been disciplined for any of these actions and Memphis is still appealing the decision due to the SAT scandal. Calipari has done nothing but coach talent. How they got there is a different story. I don't believe that Coach Cal has done anything wrong. Maybe some of the people around him have, but he's coached. It's easy for Knight to hate on UK, too because of how much we kicked his ass during his tenure at Indiana. It's fine though, Knight. I always thought you were overrated and 40 years behind the times as far as coaching is concerned.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Bobby Knight has NO grounds to judge anyone's integrity. Period. Between Knight's incidents of throwing a chair in the middle of the court during a technical free throw, choking one of his players, and cussing in every other press conference, and telling an entire crowd he hopes when he's buried, it's upside down so the world can kiss his ass. Yea, he's got some grounds to talk about integrity. And all of the things I've mentioned have been... wait for it... PROVEN!

Coach Cal has been LINKED to some of the improprieties at UMass and Memphis, but he's never been involved. He's never been disciplined for any of these actions and Memphis is still appealing the decision due to the SAT scandal. Calipari has done nothing but coach talent. How they got there is a different story. I don't believe that Coach Cal has done anything wrong. Maybe some of the people around him have, but he's coached. It's easy for Knight to hate on UK, too because of how much we kicked his ass during his tenure at Indiana. It's fine though, Knight. I always thought you were overrated and 40 years behind the times as far as coaching is concerned.

We're not talking about him cussing and throwing chairs and all that. Knight has never had any NCAA violations in his program and for that he is certainly credible to speak on that subject. You mean to tell me that Calipari didn't have anything to do with it? I would think that a basketball coach would know about his players since he recruited them and checked up on them every now and then. Knight might have anger issues but he ran his program the right way and didn't get into the trouble that Calipari has gotten into.

 

[Big Sexy]

Like LJL said, Bob Knight might have been an asshole but he always ran a clean program. John Calipari might have never been caught red handed, but his programs have been involved in many different scandals.

At Umass I wouldn't really blame Calipari for anything. The only bad thing that happened was when Marcus Camby was caught accepting money from an agent. However, at Memphis there were a few things that were very suspicious. I won't get into the Derek Rose thing because again that is more on the player then it is the coach, but there were a couple other controversy's at Memphis.

1. In 2001 Calipari recruited Dajuan Wagner. Then a couple weeks after committing, Memphis hired his father as the Coordinator of Basketball Operations. That seems like quite a big coincidence.

2. In 2008 after Tyreke Evans committed to Memphis, Calipari hired Tyreke's personal strength coach as an administrative assistant.

Calipari might have never been officially accused of anything, but he has hardly run a clean program. Bob Knight has every right to criticize Calipari and the NCAA.

 

[Tenta]

Bobby Knight has NO grounds to judge anyone's integrity. Period. Between Knight's incidents of throwing a chair in the middle of the court during a technical free throw, choking one of his players, and cussing in every other press conference, and telling an entire crowd he hopes when he's buried, it's upside down so the world can kiss his ass. Yea, he's got some grounds to talk about integrity. And all of the things I've mentioned have been... wait for it... PROVEN!

You're going to categorize that as "integrity"? My God, Lariat, the comparison just isn't there. At all. All of the actions you speak of are reflected upon him, Lariat. Now, if Jim Harrick were speaking on the subject, you'd be right. But the fact is, Bobby actually does have credibility in the matter of integrity. The guy hasn't brought violations upon his school, and all of his players graduate.

Coach Cal has been LINKED to some of the improprieties at UMass and Memphis, but he's never been involved. He's never been disciplined for any of these actions and Memphis is still appealing the decision due to the SAT scandal.

You know, if we're going to get technical on the matter, neither has Jim Harrick. Though trouble has always trailed him, he himself actually has a clean record from the NCAA. Now his son's a different story, and he's been effectively black balled. But if you really want to believe Harrick, he actually has been exonerated by the NCAA over his issues. You going to think of him as a man of integrity? How about Lou Holtz? Scandal has followed the schools he's been too, as well. Each and every one. You going to think he's a man of integrity, too?

Calipari has done nothing but coach talent. How they got there is a different story. I don't believe that Coach Cal has done anything wrong. Maybe some of the people around him have, but he's coached.

That's such a fucking cop out, Lariat.

Let me get this straight, you mean to tell me the Head Coach has no idea of what his assistants are doing? You're going to pile this on his assistants? The fact is, a competent head coach knows of his assistant's actions, no matter what. So how does it not fall upon Calipari?

It's easy for Knight to hate on UK, too because of how much we kicked his ass during his tenure at Indiana. It's fine though, Knight. I always thought you were overrated and 40 years behind the times as far as coaching is concerned.

The only coach to win an NIT, NCAA, Gold Medal, and Pan American Title.

The most victories for a head coach of men's basketball. The coach who has led his teams to more NCAA tournaments than anyone else. Shit, he made fucking Texas Tech relevant in basketball. Consider that. The guy is a legend, and probably one of the top four coaches of all time, behind Rupp, Wooden and Smith. Maybe Coach K will take that thrown, but the records are what they are. Wins don't lie. So I don't see how he's overrated

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

You're going to categorize that as "integrity"? My God, Lariat, the comparison just isn't there. At all. All of the actions you speak of are reflected upon him, Lariat. Now, if Jim Harrick were speaking on the subject, you'd be right. But the fact is, Bobby actually does have credibility in the matter of integrity. The guy hasn't brought violations upon his school, and all of his players graduate.

The thing is... Bobby Knight is a guy who isn't someone who's been the cleanest in the world. He may have not been linked to any violations or things of that nature, but he's been the ire of the NCAA on more than a few occasions for his antics during press conferences and his coaching methods. He might have integrity as far as his program, but he's not abstained from anything. He choked a player and may have done other things of that nature that's not been brought to light.

You know, if we're going to get technical on the matter, neither has Jim Harrick. Though trouble has always trailed him, he himself actually has a clean record from the NCAA. Now his son's a different story, and he's been effectively black balled. But if you really want to believe Harrick, he actually has been exonerated by the NCAA over his issues. You going to think of him as a man of integrity? How about Lou Holtz? Scandal has followed the schools he's been too, as well. Each and every one. You going to think he's a man of integrity, too?

It's all in wins and losses. Holtz was never punished for anything. Neither has Coach Cal. If there was any reason to not hire Calipari, UK would have found it. We were hit with the "Death Penalty" when Eddie Sutton was coaching, yet he's respected for what he's done. Calipari hasn't been found guilty of anything. He coaches. If something's going down around him, he distances himself. That's what he does.

That's such a fucking cop out, Lariat.

Let me get this straight, you mean to tell me the Head Coach has no idea of what his assistants are doing? You're going to pile this on his assistants? The fact is, a competent head coach knows of his assistant's actions, no matter what. So how does it not fall upon Calipari?

LOL. Cop out. Whether he does or not, he's not been formially accused of anything. He's never been punished. The program may have, but Calipari's done nothing wrong. And for a man who's had run ins with the NCAA himself to cast a stone at him is absurd. Bob Knight went from being a revered head coach to a joke once his closet was opened. He has NO grounds to say anything about anyone.

The only coach to win an NIT, NCAA, Gold Medal, and Pan American Title.

Nice. But he also never coached in the NBA either and had a winning record. Coach Cal did. And with the New Jersey Nets. I mean really.

The most victories for a head coach of men's basketball. The coach who has led his teams to more NCAA tournaments than anyone else. Shit, he made fucking Texas Tech relevant in basketball. Consider that. The guy is a legend, and probably one of the top four coaches of all time, behind Rupp, Wooden and Smith. Maybe Coach K will take that thrown, but the records are what they are. Wins don't lie. So I don't see how he's overrated

Can you name a Final Four he's been in during the 90's? Can you name a National Title he won in the 90's? Any solid NBA players he produced in the 90's or today? Exactly. FOR HIS TIME... he was a good coach. But advanced skills combined with more innovative play calling led him to be expendible at Indiana. He's overrated in that he couldn't adapt. Rupp, Wooden... they all adapted to coaching styles. Knight didn't. Texas Tech was relevent because of his name alone. That's it. My take is that Coach Cal has had issues with the NCAA in the past and has been exhonorated himself, but Knight is always remembered for his antics more than his coaching. He's a mark for himself and doesn't care about the game. That's why it frustrates me that he's decided to call out someone over integrity. At least Cal hasn't choked a player or cussed out anyone at a press conference.

 

[Slyfox696]

You can say what you want about Bobby Knight the person, but all of the things people criticize Knight for on a personal level, you can NEVER say about his players. The fact of the matter is, the NCAA NEEDS more coaches like Knight and less coaches like Calipari. Knight teams were disciplined, well-mannered, and worked hard. Calipari teams just win, which just shows the degradation of our society when we're more concerned about wins that the quality of persons leaving our highest academic institutions.

Bobby Knight is right on. I've heard Calipari talk and I've actually talked to him, and I can tell you that Calipari is one of those guys who will always tell you what you want to hear, and he struck me, even at a young age, as a guy who seems to care about getting things done, not about how they get done. There's not a doubt in my mind that Calipari is dirty, and has broken the rules on numerous occasions. You can say he's never been officially disciplined, but there are just too many coincidences that always seem to be surround him.

Can you name a Final Four he's been in during the 90's? Can you name a National Title he won in the 90's? Any solid NBA players he produced in the 90's or today? Exactly. FOR HIS TIME... he was a good coach. But advanced skills combined with more innovative play calling led him to be expendible at Indiana. He's overrated in that he couldn't adapt. Rupp, Wooden... they all adapted to coaching styles. Knight didn't. Texas Tech was relevent because of his name alone. That's it. My take is that Coach Cal has had issues with the NCAA in the past and has been exhonorated himself, but Knight is always remembered for his antics more than his coaching. He's a mark for himself and doesn't care about the game. That's why it frustrates me that he's decided to call out someone over integrity. At least Cal hasn't choked a player or cussed out anyone at a press conference.

I'm sorry Lariat, but this is just full of crap. Knight took over a Texas Tech team that was something like 10-18 the year before, and in his first year went 23-9.

It wasn't that Knight COULDN'T adapt to the changing game, it's that he refused to partake in the bullshit the game of basketball has become, where everything is one on one, referees don't call fouls, and where school becomes secondary behind basketball. He insisted on discipline, on and off the court, he made the focus on a TEAM game and not a bunch of individuals, and he made sure that the players he coached were good kids who were interested in getting an education. Because of that, he didn't get the caliber of player that he had previously gotten, because kids are obviously going to want to play for coaches who won't discipline them, and will care more about getting individuals to the NBA, and not about making the TEAM better.

Bob Knight can coach the game of BASKETBALL better than just about anyone else in the country. He just wasn't going to allow himself become as awful as the rest of the coaching circuit has become.

It wasn't that Bob Knight couldn't evolve, it's that the game of basketball DEVOLVED, and he wasn't going to bow to it.