John Calipari has meticulously improved his reputation as a player coach.
A recruiting titan, he rebuilt the blue-blooded Kentucky basketball program in his own image, a haven for five-star talent to compete for championships and – most importantly – to develop as a man and potential NBA players.
That’s the message that Calipari sends whenever he gets a chance – and every time there’s a camera nearby, which is normal.
He was dramatically disconnected from the message on Wednesday, while talking about a player’s recent protest against last week’s violence on Capitol Hill.
Kentucky player protest
Following last week’s deadly attack on the United States Capitol by a crowd of supporters of President Donald Trump, Calipari players made a statement. They knelt during the national anthem before Saturday’s game against SEC rival Florida.
“It’s a lot of things that happen every day that we kneel for,” said striker Keion Brooks. “Capitol – these things – had a role to play, but there are some other things that we don’t see that happen every day that are unacceptable, that we want to take a stand against.”
Calipari reluctantly joined them.
“I held my heart, but I knelt with them because I support the guys,” explained Calipari.
Calipari in protest: ‘It’s probably not a good time to do this’
On Wednesday, amid growing political pressure, the Kentucky coach distanced himself from the players’ decision to kneel.
“I didn’t know that until 90 minutes before the game,” Calipari told reporters at a news conference. “We’ve talked since then about – you don’t have to talk, you need to act,” said Calipari. “How do you bring people together? How do you make a difference? Not just how do you make a statement? …
“They are 18 years old. They are learning. These kids are good kids. They have good hearts. This political moment is probably not a good time to do so. “
He continued to reiterate that his players thought it was the right time to protest and repeatedly stated that the protest was not about the military. Which, of course, it wasn’t. Even the NFL has long since abandoned this facade designed to distract from the real problems in question.
So, when is ‘good time to do this?’
Calipari’s stance raises numerous questions. None as obvious as: if not now, when exactly is the right time?
The change in this country is often brought about by people who express their right to freedom of expression under the first amendment. Athletes from all sports changed the conversation about social justice and voting rights in 2020, a year that saw a national reckoning and the most important election of our lives.
It takes courage to face – or kneel – in the face of white supremacy and right-wing extremism on display in Washington last Wednesday. Especially in a politically red state like Kentucky.
Kentucky’s group of black teenage players showed their courage on Saturday. Calipari – a 61-year-old white man – has since shrunk in the face of political backlash.
The protest found a virulent reaction
The Kentucky basketball protest was met with resentment in parts of the state.
A small town sheriff named John Root, who described Kentucky as “the redneck state”, turned to social media to set Kentucky’s equipment on fire and demand that the university “get a real man to lead the cats and a real team “.
Members of the Knox County Tax Court in southern Kentucky unanimously signed a resolution asking Kentucky to repay the United Kingdom.
“The University of Kentucky receives millions and millions of dollars each year from Kentucky taxpayer cash,” Executive Judge Mike Mitchell told the Times-Tribune. “I think they need to be held accountable for their actions if they can’t manage it better than that.”
UK brass players
The UK administration, including school president Eli Capilouto and sports director Mitch Barnhart, saw this reaction and wrote a formal statement supporting their players and their right to protest.
Instead, Calipari capitulated.
He responded by questioning the timing of his athletes’ actions. He asked why young people who generate their annual salary of nearly $ 9 million do not “act” or “bring people together”. As if uniting people in the face of racism and violence was the competence of adolescents, and not of people with real power.
Like no other great college basketball coach, Calipari calls himself a player coach who will give young people the best opportunities for success in basketball and more. He did this to the great benefit of almost all parties involved, producing 31 first round draft choices, a national title and a $ 86 million contract with the UK.
On Wednesday he failed his players. He also failed himself.
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