The Kentucky men’s basketball team opted for a long bus ride to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech earlier this month, feeling that it would be a safer alternative to flying amid the coronavirus pandemic. Despite Cleveland being roughly the same distance from Lexington as Atlanta, they are flying to Ohio for Saturday’s game against North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic. Why? John Calipari was kind enough to explain.
Calipari told reporters on Thursday that he was caught off-guard by how long it took the team to get to Atlanta via bus. He said he thought the trip would take four hours and couldn’t believe when it was six. That’s why the Wildcats are taking a plane to Cleveland.
Calipari says UK took a bus to Atlanta for the GT game because he thought it was safer for COVID, but also, "I thought it was four hours!" It was six. So 12-hour round trip.
For Cleveland this weekend? "Nah, we're flying."
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) December 17, 2020
How did a Division 1 college basketball coach not know how long it took to get from one major city to another? Calipari described himself as the guy who has bought milk countless times but has no idea how much it costs.
“I’m like the guy who doesn’t know how much milk costs… even though I do,” the coach said, via Maggie Davis of BBN Tonight. “I’m at Kroger (super market) more than you would believe.”
Kentucky was originally supposed to face Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic, but UNC is their new opponent as a result of COVID-related schedule changes.
The Wildcats have gotten off to a horrible start this year, so they’re in desperate need of a win. Perhaps Calipari feels traveling via plane gives his team a better shot to turn things around.
