The Kentucky Wildcats athletic program has won 14 NCAA National Championships across 19 different sports. The men's basketball team is responsible for eight of those championships. With the basketball team's success in mind, it makes sense that men's basketball head coach John Calipari would consider Kentucky a “basketball school“, but Kentucky's head football coach Mark Stoops scoffs at this notion.
Mark Stoops isn't over John Calipari's Kentucky football shade: 'Wasn't born on third base' https://t.co/dT50KZmOsz pic.twitter.com/D8RfXb9NFS
— New York Post (@nypost) August 13, 2022
Originally, Calipari's comments were made as a pitch to secure a new practice facility for his team. It appears his comments have rubbed some people the wrong way.
“I don’t care about anyone’s program, I stay in my lane. But when you start talking about mine, and the people I compete against, I’m going to defend my players… Don’t demean and distract from what we’ve done to get to this point, Stoops said.
He later added that Kentucky’s football program “wasn’t born on third base.”
Stoops has been the head coach of Kentucky football since 2013. During his tenure, the team has gone 59-53. He has also led the team to six straight bowl games, the longest streak in school history.
Calipari later apologized:
“I reached out to Mark [on] Thursday and will try again. Comparing our athletic dept. to others was my bad. I have supported Mark & the football team through good and bad. I will continue to support them and cheer them on,” Calipari said.
Under Calipari's guidance, Kentucky's men's basketball team has a 365-101 record. In 2012, they won the NCAA National Championship. They also returned to the championship game in 2014. Unfortunately, the team has struggled as of late, losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season.
The ascension of Kentucky's football program and the inconsistency of its men's basketball program have caused some to doubt the validity of Calipari's comments.
Follow Us
Subscribe