Dick Vitale gave an impassionate defense of John Calipari on Saturday.
Vitale was calling the Kentucky-Tennessee game on ESPN. About seven minutes into the game, Vitale decided to defend Calipari despite the Wildcats being a putrid 5-11 this season.
“I want to give a message out there to those people on social media talking about Calipari should be fired,” Vitale began. “C’mon, get real. Get absolutely real! The guy is one of the best coaches in America. I don’t care what this year shows! Bottom line, look at his track record at Mass and at Kentucky. It’s off the charts!
“So get off that crazy feeling, because he is not getting fired. That will not happen. I’ve got a better chance of growing hair than of him getting fired by Kentucky.”
You have to love the humor from Dickie V. He’s right too. Kentucky firing Calipari would be crazy. The 61-year-old has never won fewer than 21 games in a season at Kentucky. He’s reached the Elite Eight-or-better seven times since taking over the Wildcats in 2009. He’s won a championship. There aren’t many other coaches you’d rather have than him.
Even if Kentucky is having an embarrassingly bad year, firing Calipari would be nuts.
