Saturday night will be a special date for John Calipari. It will mark his return to Rupp Arena, this time on the other side of the bleachers, as the Arkansas Razorbacks will visit the Kentucky Wildcats.
That will mark the first time he returns to the place he called home for more than a decade. And with his team 1-6 in conference play, it will be a playoff-like game against his former program.
With that in mind, the legendary coach shared his thoughts on this highly-anticipated matchup. He admitted it was going to be weird for him to be on the other side.
John Calipari expects to be booed in return to Kentucky
“Can’t say I’m looking forward to it,” Calipari said. “I’m looking forward to coaching, but to walk in, and the vibe, I don’t know how I’m going to take it, to be honest with you. That was a special time in my life, and Ellen’s (Calipari) life.”
More than that, he knows that he might not be welcomed with open arms by the Kentucky Wildcats, and the same goes for his trio of former Wildcats: Zvonimir Ivisic, D.J. Wagner, and Adou Thiero:
“That’s all part of it. You get booed. I’ve done this so long, I tell you, I’ve got bazooka holes in my body. When you shoot arrows, it doesn’t even hit skin. It goes through one of those bazooka holes,” Calipari said.
Calipari did his fair share of winning at Rupp Arena during his 15 years in charge of the program. But you know what they say: Live long enough to see yourself become a villain.