John Calipari's First Task: Handle the Pressure of Coaching at Kentucky

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John Calipari’s position as head coach at Kentucky makes him the highest-paid coach in America as well as the most highly scrutinized.

If Billy Gillispie was the anticipated savior of Kentucky basketball, then the expectations of Calipari will rival God himself.

Kentucky fans have set a standard of performance that’s unmatched in college basketball. Nowhere will you find the passion of blue-blooded Wildcat fans or the backlash that comes with it all.

And Calipari already knows all about pressure.

Think back to last year when his team had a sizable lead with two minutes to go in the National Championship. Memphis faded and fell to Kansas, thanks to poor free throw shooting.

That’s the kind of coaching that doesn’t float at Kentucky. But Calipari’s promise shines through in a more recent coaching move.

Last winter, the Tigers dropped three of five non-conference games during a late November, early December slide. After losses to Xavier, Georgetown, and Syracuse, Calipari saw it was time for a change.

The coach said, “We’ve got to figure out how to play,” and Memphis did.

Calipari sparked some fire into his players, screaming throughout an almost empty FedEx Forum during a midday game against Drexel.

When his starters pulled down one-handed rebounds and allowed easy baskets, Calipari subbed en-masse, until the main guns figured it out.

The result was the breakout of freshman Tyreke Evans, who became the Tigers’ star throughout another undefeated season in Conference USA.

It’s going to take similar adjustments to corral Kentucky’s talent in a sink or swim first year in Lexington.

Two seasons were enough for Kentucky to find out they didn’t want Gillispie any more. With Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson both on-board to return—and the potential additions of top-two prospects John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins—rebuilding isn’t acceptable.

Louisville Courier-Journal writer Rick Bozich reported that Calipari is in the process of calling former coaches to fall into the mindset that is being the coach at Kentucky.

Included was the legendary Joe B. Hall. Not on the list so far were Rick Pitino and Gillispie.

You should bet that if Calipari wants to handle the pressure, he’ll give a ring to Gillispie. The recently fired coach went down in flames of glory, never succumbing to the same pressure Tubby Smith did as he was forced out three years ago.

That was the one positive of Gillispie. He was, unfortunately for Kentucky fans, all they ever wanted.

Gillispie didn’t have a life outside of basketball and poured everything into his team. He took the blame after losses and fought down to the wire to save his job.

Personality issues aside, Gillispie understood what Kentucky basketball was all about.

Now it’s time for Calipari to find out for himself.

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