If we take the evidence into account when forming an opinion, there can only be one conclusion.
John Calipari is a liar.
When we listen to the statements made by school officials and take them at face value, we arrive at that same conclusion.
Athletic department officials who were there during Calpari’s tenure at both the University of Massachusetts and the University of Memphis are liars.
Could we really be expected to come away with any other opinion?
Calipari left Amherst as the second-winningest basketball coach in UMass history. The Minutemen found themselves the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time. Calipari was Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year three times and National Coach of the Year in 1996. He brought them a Final Four appearance.
All of these feats helped drive plenty of sponsor dollars and alumni contributions in building their on-campus basketball and hockey arena.
Calipari also left Massachusetts a couple steps ahead of NCAA investigators, knowing full well the hammer was coming down and it wouldn’t look good on his resume.
The inquest found junior Marcus Camby pocketed $28,000 from two sports agents in a bold breach of NCAA rules. Bold but certainly not unique, as money and gifts are passed between college athletes and outside influences more often than cheat sheets are passed between certain of those athletes and their “advisers.”
UMass was busted for all 35 victories in Calipari’s final season and their Final Four appearance was left tainted forever in the record books. One can only imagine the shame inflicted upon all parties.
I pause here for a few seconds to allow the laughter time to subside.
UMass athletic department officials and mouthpieces shook their collective heads and proclaimed they had no knowledge of any wrongdoing. David Scott, who was chancellor from 1993 to 2001, came forward and assured everyone Calipari knew nothing of any off-court skulduggery. And of course, Calipari denied any cheating took place.
LOL break. (That’s “laughing out loud” for the Internet and text-message challenged).
This as he was signing that fat contract to coach the New Jersey Nets for a disastrous two seasons and change. Of course, those checks all sailed right into his bank account while UMass was punished, and Calipari again went job-shopping.
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