Mark Harris
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John Calipari and Mark Stoops – two grown men that make millions of dollars to coach at Kentucky – have been fighting about the very subjective statement of whether UK is a basketball school or a football school.
Calipari, who started the entire spat by saying the basketball team needs a new practice facility, believes Kentucky is a basketball school. Stoops, the head football coach, thinks otherwise, of course.
JOHN CALIPARI: KENTUCKY IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL; FOOTBALL COACH MARK STOOPS RESPONDS
The feud made its way onto Twitter with Stoops calling out Calipari before reaching a point where athletic director Mitch Barnhart had to address the situation.
“I’m not real thrilled at where we are. Grown-ups are going to have to figure this out and be a little better. Sometimes when you get a little bit of success, you get a little entitled. We will be a grateful (athletic) department,” Barnhart said.
MARK STOOPS DIDN’T ASK TO BE PUT IN THIS SPOT BY JOHN CALIPARI: ‘I STAY IN MY LANE’
It’s ridiculous, and also hilarious, that Stoops and Calipari have dragged this whole thing out and created a national story, but we should all be thankful for the riveting content they’ve created as we continue to wait for football season.
Paul Finebaum Reacts To The John Calipari – Mark Stoops Feud
Speaking of a national story and riveting content, Paul Finebaum is trying to step into that space with his reaction to the Calipari – Stoops feud.
To no surprise, Finebaum is joining sides with Stoops and the football program.
“I think you can be delusional in the moment,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “And listen, I don’t need to explain Kentucky basketball. But you and I understand in 2022 when billion-dollar deals are being made across the board, it’s about football. It’s not about basketball.”
Finebaum then took things a gain step further. He thinks Kentucky needs to get rid of Calipari saying he’s “no longer the best option” for the university.
“Just listening to our audience, and we have a lot of Kentucky fans that call in, they’re very mixed on him right now,” Finebaum said.
“I mean are you guys telling me you can’t find a coach better than John Calipari right now? Billy Donovan? I’m just throwing a name out there. A young coach who is up-and-coming? Take your pick. John Calipari is really no longer the best option for the University of Kentucky.”
If Finebaum was looking to rile up Kentucky fans with these comments, mission accomplished. He earned himself a week full of calls from folks in Big Blue Nation yelling that he doesn’t know anything about Kentucky athletics because taking a shot at Calipari is a bold, bold move.
“a week of calls” from outraged knee-jerk fans is EXACTLY what Finebaum wants and craves. Just like Jalen Rose dissing Mount Rushmore. Provocative OMG, DID YOU HEAR WHAT ________ SAID?” is the lifeblood of sports talk shows be they radio or TV or on-line.
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Just like Elizabeth Hurley creates clicks for Joe ….
Hell, I’d want him gone too if I was a Vol homer that kept gettin my ass handed to me year after year after year. And before any you ridgerunnin’ Vol fans comment, Kentucky leads that series 158-77. And weren’t Finebaum and Methuselah in the same graduating class???