After yet another early exit for the Kentucky Wildcats, coach John Calipari is taking heat from just about everywhere. One former head coach-turned-analyst believes that he needs to start by returning to his old ways.
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take, ESPN analyst and former ACC Coach of the Year Seth Greenberg said that ‘Swaggy Cal’ isn’t living up to the standard of either his program or the Kentucky Wildcats basketball program. He said that ‘Old School Cal’ was tougher, more physical and rebounded better.
Greenberg concluded that until Calipari starts brining toughness back to the Wildcats, we’re going to see more of the same in the future.
“The last five years are unacceptable. It’s unacceptable for John Calipari’s program and it’s unaccepted for the Kentucky program… He’s been behind the curve… ‘Swaggy Cal’ needs to go. ‘Old School Cal’ needs to come back. And what I mean by that is, (with) old school Cal, you defended, you rebounded, you were physical. you were tough… That’s the John Calipari from UMass. That’s the John Calipari at Memphis. That’s John Calipari in his early Kentucky years. ‘Swaggy Cal,’ yeah we bring great talent. Talent without toughness does not win…” Greenberg said.
Calipari’s Wildcats finished the regular season as the No. 15 team in the nation but were one-and-done against Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament. That set them up as a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament, only for them to lose to Oakland University – a school that previously had only one NCAA Tournament win in their history.
Do you agree with Seth Greenberg? What can John Calipari do to get his program back to winning in March?