Bob Knight is not a fan of John Calipari
Speaking at a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday night on the southside of Indianapolis, former IU coach Bob Knight voiced his displeasure with the lack of integrity that exists in college sports today. That included this gem of a quote about first-year Kentucky head coach, John Calipari:
“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching. You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky (John Calipari), who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”
“And very few people know this, but a kid can play the first semester as a freshman, pass six hours of anything and play in the NCAA tournament without ever attending a class in the second semester. I don’t think that’s right.”
The second part of Knight’s quote is precisely what was running through my mind as I sat in Calipari’s postgame press conference last Saturday and listened to him talk about John Wall as if he was a Rhodes Scholar.
This is not so much a problem specifically with Wall, Calipari or Kentucky, but it speaks more to what the one-and-done rule is doing to college basketball. The NBA is using the NCAA as a de facto minor league system.
Take Wall for example: He’s much more valuable to the league from a publicity standpoint after a year at a storied program like Kentucky than he would have been coming straight to the NBA from Raleigh. He’s the story of college basketball and will now come into the NBA as a marketable, known commodity.
If what Knight hypothesizes about a kid only taking six hours first semester and never going to class second semester is true, and I’m sure it is, perhaps the NCAA is due for some soul searching to define the true meaning of ‘student-athlete.’
December 18th, 2009 at 8:14 am
That is AWESOME!!
December 18th, 2009 at 8:14 am
I love Tom Crean but there is one thing I wish was different. Tom Crean is not “feared” on the sidelines like Knight was. What I mean by that is Knight, love him or hate him, DID have a positive impact on how the game was officiated. Sure, refs made bad calls against IU from time to time…but it wasn't very often when Knight coached. Crean does not command that type of fear/respect from the refs. I don't know if he has to “earn” it at IU or if he's just too nice of a guy. Regardless, I'd like to see Crean show more fire on the sidelines. Don't throw a chair or headbutt Maurice Creek….but instill some fear out there Crean!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 8:14 am
I love Tom Crean but there is one thing I wish was different. Tom Crean is not “feared” on the sidelines like Knight was. What I mean by that is Knight, love him or hate him, DID have a positive impact on how the game was officiated. Sure, refs made bad calls against IU from time to time…but it wasn't very often when Knight coached. Crean does not command that type of fear/respect from the refs. I don't know if he has to “earn” it at IU or if he's just too nice of a guy. Regardless, I'd like to see Crean show more fire on the sidelines. Don't throw a chair or headbutt Maurice Creek….but instill some fear out there Crean!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Jason – I understand where you are coming from but I think everyone has to play to their own personality and Crean's is not Knight's. Plenty of coaches get “respect” on the sidelines from refs without being Bob Knight (i.e. Roy Williams, Coach K). I cannot agree with the blanket statement that Knight “DID have a positive impact on how the game was officiated.” I think sometimes it was just the opposite since he was a lightning rod for folks, including refs (hello Ted Valentine… Final Four 1992)… Not everyone coaches through fear/intimidation and I see Crean on the sidelines and he looks plenty fired up.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Never has “the media” written a more accurate headline. Anybody know if GameDay is visiting Lexington? Really, though, I couldn't help but think, watching Calipari coach last weekend, if this team is headed the way of UMass and Memphis … a great run, followed in two years by a page-four headline stating it's time to lower the banner. John Wall will fill out Cal's foursome with Marcus Camby and Derrick Rose.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Let me first say that I have a great deal of respect for Coach Knight and what he did for Indiana University. In this instance though I feel it is a little hypocritical for Coach Knight to have said what he said. Integrity does not just relate to recruiting. Coach Knight showed a lack of moral character on many an occasion. There are too many incidents to cite in which he showed poor judgment. I am the first one to admit that I don't like what Calipari has been doing, I just don't think Bob Knight should be the person we turn to when judging someone's integrity.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Obviously this is a problem but maybe there's a better chance of it getting fixed when you have someone of Knight's stature talking about it.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Well I fully enjoy hearing this because…”its Kentucky” and it's true. Knight very well may be the biggest voice to expose this stupid one and done rule for the fraud it is. I think Kentucky just as IU knew exactly what they were getting when they hired known cheaters. So KY fans will drool and love all the excitement around their program, minus the banners, and then be so hurt when it all comes crashing down…..kinda like IU did with denim shirt!
December 18th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I agree RMK needs to use the term integrity loosely, but when used in this context he has the right. RMK ran a clean program and in this regard he maintained the highest level of integrity.
Calipari for some reason has been given this untouchable status even though the guy represents a lot of what college basketball should not be about. More unfortunately what it is becoming.
You think Wall, Cousins and company are truly student athletes? It's become a joke. This is a playground for kids with immense talent to showcase there game for NBA scouts.
The beauty of the situation? They won't when a championship. Karma is a b____. See Fab Five for details…….
December 18th, 2009 at 10:05 am
What Knight said about class is absolutely true. A player like John Wall who is destined for the NBA only has to do the following:
- Enroll in 12 hours the first semester
- Pass six of those hours
- Enroll in 12 hours the second semester
Now, if he never attends a class in the second semester, he runs the risk of getting dropped from classes. But selecting pro-athletics professors and large classes could minimize that risk.
The big issue is APR. With Kentucky's defections to the NBA this year, they can't afford for Wall and Cousins to be ineligible when they leave. So I'm willing to be that Calipari will make sure they pass their 24 units and get a 2.0 this year, not because he's big on academics but because it could hurt his basketball team if they don't.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:22 am
TacoJohn, don't forget, Wall has a 3.8 this semester. I'm guessing he's taking a strong mix of chemistry, economics and physics courses.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I hate UK as much as everyone but I highly doubt any of you would be complaining if Wall was in an IU uniform instead of UK.
Lets not think IU is completely clean either. When I was in school there, many of the players worked at Ford dealerships during the summer and they all drove around nice Ford Explorers. Very similar to the Oklahoma football situation where they kicked their QB off the team. Lets not be naive and think no IU players have gotten perks or incentives to go to IU. Doesn't mean the coaches knew about it but it happens.
Its a part of college basketball that just goes with it today. The reality is most of the players at top schools receive some sort of perks the coaches may or may not know about. To get the top guys you have to play in the mud a little bit. Maybe not as much as Calipari but it happens everywhere.
December 18th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I don't know that Kentucky cares (the fans, at least,) so long as they get a championship out of it. Don't forget, this is a university that has seen either its basketball or football team (if not both,) placed on probation EVERY decade since the 1940s.
December 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Seriously?
December 18th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Bobby Knight questioning your integrity is inevitable.
It’s probably best to just lay back and enjoy it.
December 18th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
That is AWESOME!!
December 18th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I love Tom Crean but there is one thing I wish was different. Tom Crean is not “feared” on the sidelines like Knight was. What I mean by that is Knight, love him or hate him, DID have a positive impact on how the game was officiated. Sure, refs made bad calls against IU from time to time…but it wasn't very often when Knight coached. Crean does not command that type of fear/respect from the refs. I don't know if he has to “earn” it at IU or if he's just too nice of a guy. Regardless, I'd like to see Crean show more fire on the sidelines. Don't throw a chair or headbutt Maurice Creek….but instill some fear out there Crean!!!
December 18th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Jason – I understand where you are coming from but I think everyone has to play to their own personality and Crean's is not Knight's. Plenty of coaches get “respect” on the sidelines from refs without being Bob Knight (i.e. Roy Williams, Coach K). I cannot agree with the blanket statement that Knight “DID have a positive impact on how the game was officiated.” I think sometimes it was just the opposite since he was a lightning rod for folks, including refs (hello Ted Valentine… Final Four 1992)… Not everyone coaches through fear/intimidation and I see Crean on the sidelines and he looks plenty fired up.
December 18th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Never has “the media” written a more accurate headline. Anybody know if GameDay is visiting Lexington? Really, though, I couldn't help but think, watching Calipari coach last weekend, if this team is headed the way of UMass and Memphis … a great run, followed in two years by a page-four headline stating it's time to lower the banner. John Wall will fill out Cal's foursome with Marcus Camby and Derrick Rose.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I laughed.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Let me first say that I have a great deal of respect for Coach Knight and what he did for Indiana University. In this instance though I feel it is a little hypocritical for Coach Knight to have said what he said. Integrity does not just relate to recruiting. Coach Knight showed a lack of moral character on many an occasion. There are too many incidents to cite in which he showed poor judgment. I am the first one to admit that I don't like what Calipari has been doing, I just don't think Bob Knight should be the person we turn to when judging someone's integrity.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Obviously this is a problem but maybe there's a better chance of it getting fixed when you have someone of Knight's stature talking about it.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
What coach Knight is commenting on are two areas he never had any issues in: recruiting and kids graduating. He is more than qualified to speak in these areas. If it was how coaches treat players etc then there could be some disagreement but there is no argument to how he was in those areas. His guys got educations and the program was never in danger of violations.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Well I fully enjoy hearing this because…”its Kentucky” and it's true. Knight very well may be the biggest voice to expose this stupid one and done rule for the fraud it is. I think Kentucky just as IU knew exactly what they were getting when they hired known cheaters. So KY fans will drool and love all the excitement around their program, minus the banners, and then be so hurt when it all comes crashing down…..kinda like IU did with denim shirt!
December 18th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I once had a communications class with Jarrod Jeffries. He attended for the most part and treated the prof respectfully. I don't think he was setting any curves, but you could see that he was making an effort.
Jeffries also asked me once if he could park on my lawn during Little 5. I remembering thinking, “You're Jarrod Jeffries, it would probably be cool if you parked in my living room.” Anyway, he was driving a beater…a really old hatchback.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I agree RMK needs to use the term integrity loosely, but when used in this context he has the right. RMK ran a clean program and in this regard he maintained the highest level of integrity.
Calipari for some reason has been given this untouchable status even though the guy represents a lot of what college basketball should not be about. More unfortunately what it is becoming.
You think Wall, Cousins and company are truly student athletes? It's become a joke. This is a playground for kids with immense talent to showcase there game for NBA scouts.
The beauty of the situation? They won't when a championship. Karma is a b____. See Fab Five for details…….
December 18th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
What Knight said about class is absolutely true. A player like John Wall who is destined for the NBA only has to do the following:
- Enroll in 12 hours the first semester
- Pass six of those hours
- Enroll in 12 hours the second semester
Now, if he never attends a class in the second semester, he runs the risk of getting dropped from classes. But selecting pro-athletics professors and large classes could minimize that risk.
The big issue is APR. With Kentucky's defections to the NBA this year, they can't afford for Wall and Cousins to be ineligible when they leave. So I'm willing to be that Calipari will make sure they pass their 24 units and get a 2.0 this year, not because he's big on academics but because it could hurt his basketball team if they don't.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I've never approved of what Knight did at times. I'm in the belief that IU stands for something more than basketball, and the way he treated his kids ( tirades with the pressand choking them out) was unacceptable.
That being said, he is right on these two matters. He did graduate kids, and ran a clean program, and has the right to talk about these issues. Congrats for him to speak out on this issue when stations like ESPN and CBS don't question Calipari's role in STUDENT athletics.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
TacoJohn, don't forget, Wall has a 3.8 first semester. I'm guessing he's taking a strong mix of chemistry, economics and physics courses.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Cooper, I think the NCAA is Draconian! Hoops and football palyers which drive the most revenue for any university SHOULD get$1000/monthly or some sort of stipend as we live in a capitalist nation. think about it.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Except for Valentine who gave Cheney 3 fouls in the first half against Duke in the '92!
IU would have another banner cept for that douchebag.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I hate UK as much as everyone but I highly doubt any of you would be complaining if Wall was in an IU uniform instead of UK.
Lets not think IU is completely clean either. When I was in school there, many of the players worked at Ford dealerships during the summer and they all drove around nice Ford Explorers. Very similar to the Oklahoma football situation where they kicked their QB off the team. I know for a fact they got certain deals and perks because one player in particular I knew told me.
Its a part of college basketball that just goes with it today. The reality is most of the players at top schools receive some sort of perks the coaches may or may not know about. To get the top guys you have to play in the mud a little bit. Maybe not as much as Calipari but it happens everywhere.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I agree, I could care less if they take stuff, if I was them I would.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I don't know that Kentucky cares (the fans, at least,) so long as they get a championship out of it. Don't forget, this is a university that has seen either its basketball or football team (if not both,) placed on probation EVERY decade since the 1940s.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Would anyone here be opposed to this situation if Derek Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall had instead gone to Indiana and played for one year under Tom Crean? Many of you would be saying that since the NCAA allows it there is no reason for outrage.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Seriously?
December 18th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Not if we are going to suffer the shame of a vacated final four. It happened to Umass and Memphis and thats a track record that can not be ignored.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Bobby Knight questioning your integrity is inevitable.
It’s probably best to just lay back and enjoy it.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I laughed.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
What coach Knight is commenting on are two areas he never had any issues in: recruiting and kids graduating. He is more than qualified to speak in these areas. If it was how coaches treat players etc then there could be some disagreement but there is no argument to how he was in those areas. His guys got educations and the program was never in danger of violations.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I once had a communications class with Jarrod Jeffries. He attended for the most part and treated the prof respectfully. I don't think he was setting any curves, but you could see that he was making an effort.
Jeffries also asked me once if he could park on my lawn during Little 5. I remembering thinking, “You're Jarrod Jeffries, it would probably be cool if you parked in my living room.” Anyway, he was driving a beater…a really old hatchback.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I've never approved of what Knight did at times. I'm in the belief that IU stands for something more than basketball, and the way he treated his kids ( tirades with the pressand choking them out) was unacceptable.
That being said, he is right on these two matters. He did graduate kids, and ran a clean program, and has the right to talk about these issues. Congrats for him to speak out on this issue when stations like ESPN and CBS don't question Calipari's role in STUDENT athletics.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Cooper, I think the NCAA is Draconian! Hoops and football palyers which drive the most revenue for any university SHOULD get$1000/monthly or some sort of stipend as we live in a capitalist nation. think about it.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Except for Valentine who gave Cheney 3 fouls in the first half against Duke in the '92!
IU would have another banner cept for that douchebag.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I agree, I could care less if they take stuff, if I was them I would.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Would anyone here be opposed to this situation if Derek Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall had instead gone to Indiana and played for one year under Tom Crean? Many of you would be saying that since the NCAA allows it there is no reason for outrage.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Not if we are going to suffer the shame of a vacated final four. It happened to Umass and Memphis and thats a track record that can not be ignored.
December 19th, 2009 at 2:40 am
So true. I remember as a basketball columnist for the IDS my junior year I was in a small class second semester with Jared Jeffries the Final Four year. He showed up for the first two classes. People would ask me, “Is he leaving early to go pro? What do you think?” I told people I believed he would. He was, after all, inviting people to his draft party at class. He never attended class again. And promptly declared for the NBA after the national title game.
December 19th, 2009 at 2:40 am
So true. I remember as a basketball columnist for the IDS my junior year I was in a small class second semester with Jared Jeffries the Final Four year. He showed up for the first two classes. People would ask me, “Is he leaving early to go pro? What do you think?” I told people I believed he would. He was, after all, inviting people to his draft party at class. He never attended class again. And promptly declared for the NBA after the national title game.
December 19th, 2009 at 3:13 am
ugh.
December 19th, 2009 at 8:13 am
ugh.
December 19th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Recruiting one and dones like those guys is just one way to get to a Final Four (doesn't seem to work too awful well for winning championships, though). If the price of getting guys like this is vacating all they accomplish for you, what's the point? Like jgon said, its not worth the shame.
December 19th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Recruiting one and dones like those guys is just one way to get to a Final Four (doesn't seem to work too awful well for winning championships, though). If the price of getting guys like this is vacating all they accomplish for you, what's the point? Like jgon said, its not worth the shame.
December 20th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Really Bedo and Cooper? They do get “stuff”… an education that everyone else has to pay about 100,000 dollars for.
December 20th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Really Bedo and Cooper? They do get “stuff”… an education that everyone else has to pay about 100,000 dollars for.