A Shame, A Real Shame: John Calipari Lost. John Calipari Was Out Coached For 40 Minutes.
Ah, well, this is devastating. I mean I didn't want to write that John Calipari lost and was out coached for 40 minutes. But I can only do what my eyes tell me. Plus, it's a Saturday night and these late game college football games are off to a whatever start (except somehow the Nevada/Boise game). This is a basketball blog.
Look, John Calipari is in the Hall of Fame. He won me a 2012 NCAA title. But this is who 65-year old John Calipari is. He's a man who is stuck in his ways. Shit, Jimmy Dykes and the other announcer said it no more than 18 times during the game. 'Arkansas didn't expect Baylor to play zone.' It makes sense when Kenny Payne is on the Arkansas roster too:
How do you not know that Baylor would play zone? Because they didn't play zone a ton against Gonzaga? John Calipari has coached against Scott Drew before. Scott Drew lives to play that amoeba zone he made famous. Can't say I'm surprised, every Kentucky hater when Cal was wearing blue said this was his downfall. Now, I have to agree.
You'd think that Cal would know he needs shooting. 2 guys made a 3 the entire night for Arkansas. They shot 25% from three. That's not shocking when you see the roster makeup. It's the one thing every Kentucky fan warned Arkansas about when it came to Cal.
And, hey, credit to Baylor. See, I can make it about more than Calipari. But why would I? I want him to lose every game at Arkansas this year. They are a rival. I want every SEC school to lose every game. It was the ultimate bounceback spot for Baylor after getting its ass kicked by Gonzaga. Edgecombe is figuring it out and looked more like the future top-5 pick everyone thinks he is. Nunn is a shooter who they find open, a lot. Roach is just that old college point guard. Omier is still playing and a walking double-double.
But this was the first big game for John Calipari wearing Arkansas red. This wasn't a preseason game against Kansas that meant nothing. This was his chance to show he changed. This was his chance to show that this Arkansas team would be different. Johnell Davis looks like a shell of himself. Fland is good, I'll give him credit there. He's still gotta figure out what to do with Aidoo/Ivisic. All I know is Drew out coached him for 40 minutes.