Heart of The feud between John Calipari and Mark Stoops The Wildcats’ basketball practice facility has just been upgraded. Coach his Cal’s pleas fall on deaf ears.
“Where we are now, That’s not the project we put on our strategic plan‘ is a short summary of a long answer from Mitch Barnhart.
Calipari insists a need must be met, but Kentucky’s athletic director believes the Craft Center is still a state-of-the-art facility.
“The Craft Center is celebrating its 15th anniversary. During that time, we have continued to enhance it. We have enhanced the facility many times. really takes care of that,” said Mitch Bernhardt.
“We are working on it, so we will continue to improve as long as we see fit. But we always do. We’re always looking at it, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
Kentucky basketball is late in the pecking order
Why should John Calipari wait for a practice facility upgrade? Cal’s Cats must be behind what is needed at the Memorial Coliseum and other spots around the UK campus..
“Like I said, there is a process for this and we are working on that process. We have to bring it into management we work through our board of trustees we have a campus strategic plan all of these are part of the process we’ve been thinking about doing it that way for 20 years I We will continue to do so,” said Barnhart.
“We will continue to look at needs, but what is on the queue at the moment is very important. Renewal of Memorial Coliseum, which will probably start sometime next year. Planning for that has already been completed.We are working on other ideas that may be useful for all programs. indoor track, is under construction.we got a new plan Tennis facility…and the renovation Indoor (soccer) facilities.
“Where we are right now (Craft Center) is not a project that we put on our strategic plan, but we will continue to see how we handle things that will benefit our basketball program. .”
Mitch Bernhardt Issues Ultimatum
I can’t transcribe all the lengthy Athletic Director comments. We can say that he said: we have no rights. ” With a word counter, there will be at least half a dozen ticks in the word “entitled”. It felt like a less veiled shot at his basketball coach.
Instead of reading between the lines, let me share the full quote from his press conference. Mark Story asked if the comparison to today’s Bear Bryant and Adolph Rupp’s rocky relationship was fair.
“I have two coaches, one for 13 years and one for 10 years. I walk with them, I walk with them all the way here, I hired both of them, I gave them the opportunity to coach them here, their families here. I’ve given them the chance to come to, the chance to win here, the chance to go to bowl games here, through good and bad, I’ve walked with them, they both know it. They don’t have to fear the administration, the administration has always been here, the president has always been here, it hasn’t changed.
“They have been given every opportunity to do what they want to be successful. If that’s not enough, coaches change a lot in today’s world. they do.
“Having 23 years of expertise in those two chairs, I don’t think any other school in the league has that. It’s pretty close. I don’t know if anyone will.” 44 years of experience as an athletic director, men’s basketball coach, and football coach in Kentucky.Walk around the league and tell anyone else who has it.Some of them I went through a few coaches in no time, so yeah, I’m a little excited about that.
Barnhart believes he acted with integrity to support his coaches. But all good things must come to an end. 44 years of experience is a good thing, but it may be too long for all three to work together and achieve success.
