John Vitale (December 28, 1965 – July 9, 2000)^[1] was an All-American American football center for the University of Michigan Michigan Wolverines football team from 1985 to 1988.

A Detroit, Michigan native, Vitale was a star football player at De La Salle Collegiate High School. Vitale, who wore #67 for the Michigan Wolverines as a redshirt freshman in 1984 and as a varsity letterman in the subsequent four seasons,^[2] was a four-year starter for the Wolverines. He played guard as a freshman and switched to center in 1986. He was Michigan's starting center for three years from 1986-1988.^[3] He was a two-time All Big Ten pick and a consensus first team All-American and team co-captain in 1988.^[4]

Vitale was also known as a team leader who once showed up with a U-M winged football helmet design shaved into the side of his head. Vitale had a close relationship with his head coach, Bo Schembechler. Sportswriter Mitch Albom wrote about the following exchange between Vitale and Bo Schembechler.

"You gonna work us today, Chief?" Vitale would ask. 'I'm gonna kick your butt," Schembechler would say. "Good," Vitale would answer.^[5]

Vitale's senior year was ended with a 22–14 win in the 1989 Rose Bowl over the USC Trojans.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Vitale played for the San Antonio Riders in World Football League. He also briefly played for the Detroit Drive. After his playing career ended, Vitale worked for Wolverine Human Services as the Director of their East side Community Center, later renamed after him, The Wolverine Human Services John S. Vitale Community Center. The John S. Vitale Community Center (JVCC), located in Detroit, Michigan, is a part of Wolverine Human Services and offers a wide variety of youth programming.

Vitale was diagnosed with ependymoma, cancer of the spinal cord, in 1994 at age 29. He married Lynn Abdelnour in 1998. In 1999, he found the cancer had returned and he started aggressive chemotherapy treatments. When his father told him that the cancer had spread to his brain, Vitale said, "Well, this sucks." According to sports columnist Mitch Albom, "those were the only negative words anyone heard him say."^[5] He died at age 34 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009)

Christopher Charles John
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 7th district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Jimmy Hayes
Succeeded by	Charles Boustany
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 42nd district
In office 1988–1996
Preceded by	Donald Thibodeaux
Succeeded by	Gil Pinac
Personal details
Born	(1960-01-05) January 5, 1960 (age 52) Crowley, Louisiana in Acadia Parish
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Payton Smith John
Religion	Roman Catholic

Christopher Charles "Chris" John (born January 5, 1960) is American politician who was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005, representing Louisiana's 7th congressional district.

Early life[link]

John was born in Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish, one of six children, and reared as a Roman Catholic. He is of Lebanese, French, and German extraction. He attended Notre Dame Catholic High School and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He was a house page while his father, John N. John, Jr., was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He later was elected to and served on the Crowley City Council in the early 1980s.

State politics[link]

Chris John first became a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives before he entered the U.S. House. In what was considered a major upset at the time, John defeated the state House incumbent, the former director of the Louisiana State Police, Donald Thibodeaux, in October 1987, by 54-46 percent.

Thibodeaux had won a full term in 1983 after having won a special election the year before to fill the unexpired term of John's father, who died in an automobile accident.

Chris John served in the state house until 1996, when he finished third with 15 percent of the statewide vote in the 1995 race for lieutenant governor behind the eventual winner (and, who, eight years later, in 2003, became Louisiana's first distaff chief executive) Kathleen Babineaux Blanco. John narrowly lost the general election berth against Blanco to a fellow state representative, Republican Suzanne Mayfield Krieger of Slidell in St. Tammany Parish.

Terms in Congress: Representative, and run for Senate[link]

In 1996, John was elected to Congress. He defeated fellow Democrat Hunter Lundy in a runoff.

In 2004, John surrendered his "safe" House seat to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by popular Democrat and fellow Crowley native John Breaux, who endorsed him.

Despite the endorsement of Breaux, the most prolific vote-getter in the history of Louisiana, Chris John was defeated by Republican David Vitter of the New Orleans suburbs in the primary, Vitter garnering 51 percent of the vote, compared to only 29 percent for John. The remainder of the ballots was split between State Treasurer John Neely Kennedy and then-state senator Arthur Morrell, both Democrats. Additionally, John's seat in the House fell into Republican hands, as Charles Boustany won the 7th district with 55% of the vote against Democrat Willie Mount.^[1]

Post-political career[link]

John is married to Payton Smith of Leesville, whose father, John Smith, was a member of the Louisiana legislature. They have two sons, twin boys. John has worked as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C since his defeat, making his home in Lafayette, Louisiana, while commuting to Washington. In August 2007, Chris John made public his acceptance of the top lobbying job with The Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, allowing him to move permanently back to Louisiana (Morning Advocate).^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, John was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.^[2]

Electoral history[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org

v t e Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana 1st district Livingston, E. • White • Johnson • White • Slidell • Sére • St. Martin • Dunbar • Eustis • Bouligny • Sypher • Lawrence • Gibson • Hunt • St. Martin • Wilkinson • Meyer • Estopinal • O'Connor • Fernández • Hébert • Tonry • Livingston, R. • Vitter • Jindal • Scalise 2nd district Gurley • Thomas • Ripley • Chinn • Dawson • la Branche • Thibodeaux • Conrad • Bullard • Landry, J. A. • Hunt • Taylor • Mann • Sheldon • Ellis • Hahn • Wallace • Lagan • Coleman • Lagan • Davey • Buck • Davey • Gilmore • Dupré • Spearing • Maloney • Boggs, T. H. • Maloney • Boggs, T. H. • Boggs, L • Jefferson • Cao • Richmond 3rd district Brent • Overton • Bullard • Garland • Moore • Dawson • Harmanson • Penn • Perkins • Davidson • Newsham • Darrall • Acklen • Darrall • Kellogg • Gay • Price • Broussard • Martin • Montet • Mouton • Domengeaux • Willis • Caffery • Treen • Tauzin • Melançon • Landry, J. M. 4th district Bossier • Morse • Moore • Jones • Sandidge • Landrum • Vidal • Newsham • McCleery • Boarman • Smith • Levy • Elam • Blanchard • Ogden • Breazeale • Watkins • Sandlin • Brooks • Waggonner • Leach • Roemer • McCrery • Fields • McCrery • Fleming 5th district Ransdell • Elder • Wilson • Mills • McKenzie • Passman • Huckaby • McCrery • Cooksey • Alexander 6th district Sheridan • Nash • Robertson, E. • Lewis • Irion • Robertson, E. • Robertson, S. • Favrot • Wickliffe • Morgan • Sanders, Sr. • Favrot • Kemp • Sanders, Jr. • Griffith • Sanders, Jr. • Morrison • Rarick • Moore • Baker • Cazayoux • Cassidy 7th district Pujo • Lazaro • De Rouen • Plauche • Larcade • Thompson • Edwards • Breaux • Hayes • John • Boustany 8th district Aswell • Overton • Dear • Allen • Long, Doc • McSween • Long, G. • Long, S. • Long, G. • Long, C. • Holloway At-large Clark • Poydras • Robertson • Butler • Johnston • Sheridan

Richard J. "Dick" Vitale (pronounced /vaɪˈtæl/; born June 9, 1939), also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games, although many sports fans feel he subtracts from the sport coverage, rather than enhancing it. He is known for his catchphrases such as "baby" and "diaper dandy" (outstanding freshman player), as well as an overbearing and often bombastic style, and has authored nine books and appeared in several movies.

Coaching[link]

High school coaching[link]

Vitale took his first job as a coach at an elementary school in Garfield, New Jersey in 1959. Eventually he moved up to the high school level to become head coach at Garfield High School for one season, and then at East Rutherford High School (his alma mater).

College coaching[link]

In 1971, Vitale moved to Rutgers University as an assistant coach under head coach Dick Lloyd. After two seasons there, he was hired in 1973 by the University of Detroit to become its head coach. Vitale took Detroit to the 32-team NCAA tournament in 1977. Vitale had a 78-30 record during his tenure at Detroit, which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1977 season. During that streak the Titans defeated the eventual champion Marquette on the road in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following the 1977 season, his fourth as Detroit head coach, Vitale was named the university's athletic director.

NBA coaching[link]

Vitale coached the Detroit Pistons of the NBA for the 1978-79 season, leading them to a 30-52 (.366) record.^[1] On Nov. 8, 1979, Pistons owner Bill Davidson came to Vitale's house and told him that the Pistons were making a coaching change. It was twelve games into 1979-80 season, after the Pistons struggled to a 4-8 start. The primary reason for Vitale's downfall with the Pistons was the maneuver that brought Bob McAdoo to Detroit. M.L. Carr’s decision to sign with Boston as a free agent in 1979 spawned a transaction in which the Pistons, entitled to compensation for Carr, demanded Bob McAdoo, who the Celtics were looking to unload due to injuries. The Pistons sent two 1980 first-round draft picks (in addition to Carr) to the Celtics in exchange for McAdoo in a combination free agent signing/trade. The Pistons would have the worst season in franchise history in 1979-80, and their pick would become the first overall pick in the 1980 draft. Boston then traded the two picks to the Warriors (who selected Joe Barry Carroll with the #1 pick and Rickey Brown with the #13 pick) in exchange for Robert Parish and the #3 pick (Kevin McHale).

Broadcasting[link]

Following his departure as coach of the Detroit Pistons, Scotty Connal gave Vitale his first TV opportunity at the then fledgling ESPN cable network. His first reaction to the job of broadcaster was "Absolutely no way. I know nothing about TV. I want to get back to where I belong and my spirit belongs." He was reluctant to accept the position but his wife Lorraine told him to "go on TV and have some fun", so Vitale accepted on a temporary basis until another coaching job became available. He called ESPN's first college basketball game on December 5, 1979, when DePaul defeated Wisconsin 90–77.^[2] His first play-by-play partner was Joe Boyle.

Vitale was not a natural at first for broadcasting. He missed his first-ever production meeting when he was walking the streets of Chicago. Also, he would talk while the producers were talking to him through his earpiece, during commercials, and while the play-by-play man was talking. Vitale himself was not sure if broadcasting would fit him. Connal, who had hired him told him, "You have a quality we can't teach." Vitale did not understand this until many people wanted his autograph at the 1983 Final Four. He credits a lot of his success to working with Jim Simpson at the beginning of his career.

In 1985, after the American Broadcasting Company acquired ESPN, Vitale also began doing broadcasts on the ABC network.

In 1999, Vitale was featured in a series of thirty-second promo shorts for "Hoops Malone". The shorts, which aired in heavy rotation on ESPN, were presented as a sitcom featuring Vitale, George Gervin and others, including a puppet called "O'Hoolix". ESPN promoted "Hoops" with banners and other marketing premiums, with the idea of generating buzz about the show, but no actual episodes were ever produced. Though this led to an offer for Vitale to do an actual sitcom, he turned down the opportunity.

In December 2002, Vitale called a St. Vincent – St. Mary's–Oak Hill Academy prep game, featuring then high school phenom LeBron James. He announced the game with Brad Nessler and NBA great Bill Walton.^[3]

By the 2004-05 season, Vitale was doing approximately 40 games a year.^[4]

Vitale is signed with ESPN through the 2014-15 college basketball season. ^[5] Vitale was recruited to do color in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament by CBS but ESPN would not allow it. However, ESPN's analysts Jay Bilas and Len Elmore were allowed to provide color for CBS's tournament coverage, teaming with play-by-play announcers Dick Enberg and Gus Johnson.

Vitale is a voter on the AP Top 25 men's basketball polls, the annual Naismith Award and the John Wooden Award.

Vitale called his first NBA game on television since the 1984 NBA playoffs, along with Dan Shulman, on January 7, 2009 when the Miami Heat played the Denver Nuggets as ESPN swapped its NBA and NCAA crews. During ESPN's first incarnation covering the NBA, he regularly covered games.

Broadcasting partners[link]

As of 2009, Vitale had called close to a thousand games. Vitale, a color commentator, is primarily paired with play-by-play announcers Mike Patrick, primarily those in the ACC games; and Dan Shulman for Saturday Primetime and other non-ACC games. During the postseason, he appears as an in-studio analyst with host Rece Davis and fellow analysts Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis, and Bob Knight. Previously, he has been paired with Keith Jackson, Roger Twibell, and Brent Musburger for ABC as well as Jim Simpson, Tim Brando,^[6] Mike Tirico, and Brad Nessler. He worked in the studio with Bob Ley, John Saunders, Mike Tirico, and Chris Fowler as well as the late Jim Valvano.^[7]

Recognition[link]

On September 5, 2008 Vitale was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport, after falling just short of induction the previous year.

Criticisms[link]

Vitale is often criticized for being a "homer" for Duke, especially for Coach Mike Krzyzewski, as well as most teams in the ACC. He is also known for mentioning Duke frequently during broadcasts, even when Duke is not playing. Temple head coach John Chaney once said "You can't get Dick Vitale to say 15 words without Duke coming out of his mouth".^[8] He is also called "Duke Vitale" or "Dookie V", a take-off on his "Dickie V" nickname, by detractors for the same reason. Although his bias towards Duke is widely speculated by many, he is also believed to favor the entire ACC in general, including Duke's rival, North Carolina.

Personal life[link]

Vitale was born in Passaic, New Jersey. His father, John, was a security guard and clothing press operator.^[9] His mom, Mae, worked in a factory as a seamstress and sewed coats until she suffered a stroke.^[10] In kindergarten, Vitale lost the vision in his left eye owing to an accident with a pencil.

Vitale graduated from Seton Hall University in 1963 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. In 2011 the University of Detroit named their basketball court in his honor. He later earned a master's degree in education from what is now William Paterson University. He was close friends with Jim Valvano, also known as "Jimmy V", and continues to spearhead fundraising activities for the V Foundation for Cancer Research in his honor. Vitale is a Tampa Bay Rays season ticket holder and fan and is frequently spotted by fans sitting in the first row behind home plate at Tropicana Field. He is a native of East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he graduated from East Rutherford High School and later went on to coach. Vitale is now a resident of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, which is located near Bradenton, Florida. He appears once a week on Mike and Mike in the Morning, often mentioning The Broken Egg, a breakfast/brunch restaurant in Siesta Key and Lakewood Ranch.

On December 18, 2007, Vitale was diagnosed with lesions on his vocal cords. He underwent successful surgery and returned to announcing on February 6, calling the Duke-North Carolina game on ESPN, often exclaiming, "It's Serendipity, baby!" when things come together. Before this, he had never missed a game due to illness.

Dick Vitale is married and has two daughters, both of whom attended the University of Notre Dame and played varsity tennis. He is frequently seen at Notre Dame football games and is an avid supporter of the school.

In popular culture[link]

Vitale lent his name and voice to the 1994 Sega Genesis game, Dick Vitale's "Awesome Baby" College Hoops. Vitale and Nessler also provide the commentator voices for EA Sports' NCAA Basketball (formerly NCAA March Madness) video game series. In 2004, Vitale released a descriptive autobiography cowritten with Dick Weiss entitled Living a Dream. The book has several thoughts and comments on his days with the Pistons and ESPN, and memories of former NC State basketball Coach Jim Valvano. In 1988, Vitale had a cameo appearance as a baseball color commentator, sharing the crowded broadcast booth with Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen, Tim McCarver and Joyce Brothers in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. Vitale currently stars in commercials for DiGiorno pizza and Hooters restaurants. He guest starred on The Cosby Show along with friend Jim Valvano as furniture movers in the eighth season episode The Getaway. Dick Vitale is also the main spokesperson for Airborne Athletics Dr. Dish basketball training machine.

Author[link]

Vitale has authored nine books:

• "Dickie V's ABCs and 1-2-3s", Ascend Books (October 2010)
• "Living a Dream: Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat", Champaign, IL Sports Publishing LLC (January 1, 2003)
• "Dick Vitale's Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball: From the Best Seat in the House During My 30 Years at ESPN", Ascend Books (October 6, 2008)
• "Time Out Baby!", Berkley (December 1, 1992)
• "Vitale", Simon and Schuster; 1st Edition edition (1988)
• "Dickie V's Top 40 All-Everything Teams", Masters Press (June 1994)
• "Tourney Time: It's Awesome Baby!", Masters Press, (December 1993)
• "Holding Court: Reflections on the Game I Love", Masters Press (November 1995)
• "Campus Chaos: Why the Game I Love is Breaking My Heart", Sideline Sports Publishing (December 1999)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Vitale's "V-File" at ESPN.com
• Dick Vitale Online
• Video from Vitale's benefit for pediatric cancer held May 16, 2008 in Sarasota
• Dick Vitale's ESPN Bio
• Hoops Malone - from "Dick Vitale's Living Dream Reflections"

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2012)

John Calipari
Calipari at a press conference in November 2011
Sport(s)	Basketball
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Kentucky
Annual salary	5.2 million plus bonuses
Biographical details
Born	(1959-02-10) February 10, 1959 (age 53) Moon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1978–1980 1980–1982	UNC-Wilmington Clarion State
Position(s)	Point guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1982–1985 1985–1988 1988–1996 1996–1999 1999–2000 2000–2009 2009–present	Kansas (asst.) Pittsburgh (asst.) Massachusetts New Jersey Nets Philadelphia 76ers (asst.) Memphis Kentucky
Head coaching record
Overall	505-151 (.770)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships NCAA Division I Tournament Championship (2012) Regional Championships – Final Four (1996-vacated, 2008-vacated, 2011, 2012) C-USA Tournament Championship (2006, 2007, 2008-vacated, 2009) C-USA Regular Season Championship (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008-vacated, 2009) NIT Championship (2002) A-10 Tournament Championship (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996) A-10 Regular Season Championship (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996) SEC Regular Season Championship (2010, 2012) SEC Tournament Championship (2010, 2011)
Awards Naismith College Coach of the Year (1996, 2008) NABC Coach of the Year (1996, 2009) Basketball Times Coach of the Year (1996) Sports Illustrated Coach of the Year (2009) A-10 Coach of the Year (1993, 1994, 1996) C-USA Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2009) Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year (2009) SEC Coach of the Year (2010, 2012)

John Calipari (born February 10, 1959) is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky.

Calipari is the former head coach of the University of Memphis Tigers, the University of Massachusetts Minutemen, and the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets. He is the only coach to direct three different colleges to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, although two of those appearances (1996 at UMass and 2008 at Memphis) have been officially vacated by the NCAA. Calipari is also one of only two coaches to direct three different schools to a Final Four (1996- UMass, 2008- Memphis, 2011, 2012- Kentucky), with the UMass and Memphis appearances later being vacated by the NCAA. As a result, he is the only head coach to have a Final Four appearance vacated at more than one school, ^[1] although Calipari himself was not personally implicated by the NCAA in either case.^[2] As a college coach, Calipari has 18 20-win seasons (17 official), 8 30-win seasons (7 official), and has been named National Coach of the Year 3 times.

In the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Calipari led Kentucky to its 8th NCAA Tournament Championship, and the first of his career. ^[3]

Biography[link]

Calipari was born in Moon Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Playing career[link]

Calipari lettered two years at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington before transferring to Clarion University, where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. He played point guard at Clarion during the 1981 and 1982 seasons, leading the team in assists and free throw percentage.

Coaching career[link]

From 1982–85, Calipari was an assistant at the University of Kansas under Ted Owens and Larry Brown.^[4] From 1985–88, he was an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh under Paul Evans. From 1988–96, he was head coach at the University of Massachusetts. From 1996–99, he was head coach and Executive VP of basketball operations for the NBA's New Jersey Nets. During the 1999–2000 season, he was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers under coach Larry Brown, before moving on to his next position at the University of Memphis. He was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Calipari is famous for popularizing the dribble drive motion offense, developed by Vance Walberg, which is sometimes known as the Memphis Attack. He wrote three different books about basketball, including "Refuse to Lose," "Basketball's Half-Court Offense," and "Bounce Back: Overcoming Setbacks to Succeed in Business and in Life".

In his 19 official seasons (20 seasons overall, with one entire season later being vacated) as a collegiate head coach, Calipari's record is 505–151 (.770). His record in the month of March is 96–31 (.756). His record in the NCAA tournament is 38–13 (.745), and in the NIT is 15–5 (.750). His teams have made 14 NCAA tournament appearances (2 later being vacated), including reaching the Sweet Sixteen 10 times (2 later being vacated), the Elite Eight 8 times (2 later being vacated), the Final Four 4 times (2 later being vacated), and the NCAA Championship Game twice, winning the NCAA Championship at Kentucky in 2012 (with the previous 2008 Championship Game appearance at Memphis later being vacated by the NCAA). As a college coach, Calipari has 18 20-win seasons (17 official) and 8 30-win seasons (7 official). He has coached five teams to the NIT, winning the NIT Championship at Memphis in 2002. He is one of only four coaches in NCAA Division I history to direct three different schools to a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament; North Carolina coach Roy Williams, Kansas coach Bill Self, and Louisville coach Rick Pitino are the others. Through the first 19 collegiate seasons, only Roy Williams has won more games than Calipari overall.^[5]

University of Massachusetts[link]

From 1988–96 at UMass, Calipari led the Minutemen program to five consecutive Atlantic 10 titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, including periods where the program was ranked first nationally. He finished with a 193–71 record overall, with a 91–41 record in Atlantic 10 conference games. Calipari was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in 1992, 1993, and 1996. He was also named the Naismith, NABC, Basketball Times & Sporting News National Coach of the Year in 1996. He led UMass to its first-ever appearance in the Final Four with the play of the John R. Wooden Award winner and Naismith College Player of the Year Marcus Camby, although this appearance was later vacated by the NCAA because Camby had accepted about $28,000 from two sports agents.^[6]

Calipari helped accelerate the construction of the Mullins Center, UMass' basketball and hockey facility. He also reached out to eastern Massachusetts and Boston to enlarge the fan base. Before moving on to the New Jersey Nets, Calipari became the second winningest coach in UMass history behind Jack Leaman.^[7]

In February 2010, Pat Forde, at the time the writer of a regular college sports column called "Forde Minutes" for ESPN.com, recalled the 1992 team:

Calipari's greatest strength as a coach is his ability to create teams that play together. His 1992 Massachusetts team remains one of the most overachieving units The Minutes has ever seen, featuring a shooting guard with range so limited he made one 3-pointer all season (Jim McCoy), a 6-foot-3 power forward (Will Herndon), and a left-handed center who stood all of 6-7 (Harper Williams). Somehow, that collection of marginal talent went 30-5 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.^[8]

New Jersey Nets[link]

In an effort to start anew for the 1996–97 season, John Calipari replaced Butch Beard as head coach of the New Jersey Nets. After a 26–56 debut season, the Nets made a major draft-day trade in June 1997, acquiring Keith Van Horn, Lucious Harris and two other players for Tim Thomas.

The 1997–98 season was a lone bright spot for the Nets in the late 1990s. The team played well under Calipari, winning 43 games and qualifying for the playoffs on the last day of the season. The Nets were seeded eighth in the Eastern Conference and lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 playoffs in three straight games.

The 1998–99 season was delayed for three months due to an owners' lockout of the players. When the abbreviated 50-game season began, the Nets were a fashionable choice by experts as a surprise team. However, Sam Cassell was injured in the first game and the team started poorly. With the Nets underachieving at 3–15, the Nets traded Cassell to the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Nets acquired Stephon Marbury from the Minnesota Timberwolves. After two more losses, Calipari was fired as head coach with the team at 3–17. He then joined Larry Brown as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.^[9]

While coaching the Nets, Calipari became a resident of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.^[10]

University of Memphis[link]

In Calipari's first nine years as head coach at Memphis, he won 214 games (38 wins were vacated), posted seven consecutive 20-win seasons, plus one more in his final season (including an NCAA record four consecutive 30-win seasons, though the third season was vacated and this record no longer holds) and earned seven consecutive postseason bids (plus one in his final season). His 2007–2008 team's 38 victories set a new NCAA Division I Men's Basketball record for most victories in a season, a record that no longer stands due to NCAA violations that vacated all of Memphis' wins. The nine consecutive 20-win seasons and the nine consecutive postseason appearances would have been the most in school history, though that officially stands now at seven because of the vacated 2007-08 season. He was named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2006, 2008, and 2009. In 2008, he was named Naismith College Coach of the Year, receiving the honor for the second time.^[11] In 2009, he was named Sports Illustrated College Basketball Coach of the Year.^[12]

He built a national program by recruiting blue chip players from the Eastern part of the country, such as Dajuan Wagner from Camden (NJ), Darius Washington Jr. from Orlando (FL), Rodney Carney from Indianapolis (IN), Shawne Williams from Memphis (TN), Joey Dorsey from Baltimore (MD), Chris Douglas-Roberts from Detroit (MI), Antonio Anderson from Lynn (MA), Robert Dozier from Lithonia (GA), Derrick Rose from Chicago (IL), and Tyreke Evans from Aston (PA).

While at Memphis, Calipari popularized the Memphis Attack offense that was invented by former Pepperdine basketball coach, Vance Walberg.^[13][14][15]

On January 21, 2008, Calipari led the Tigers to the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll for only the second time in school history.

In 2006 and 2008, Memphis earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. In 2008, Calipari's Tigers advanced to the national championship game, their first under his leadership. They also won 38 games, the most regular-season wins in NCAA history. His team, however, would lose to the Kansas Jayhawks, 75–68, in overtime. This team would later have its entire season record vacated by the NCAA due to the NCAA invalidating Derrick Rose's SAT. Despite this, Rose still denies any wrongdoing. If not for the vacated wins, Calipari would be the winningest coach in Tigers history, as he would have 252 wins to Larry Finch's 220.

University of Kentucky[link]

Calipari on the bench for the Kentucky Wildcats, 2009

On March 30, 2009, four days after Memphis' season ending loss to Missouri in the NCAA Tournament, multiple sources reported that Calipari would agree to be the head coach at the University of Kentucky, after UK's head coach, Billy Gillispie, was fired after two unsuccessful seasons at the school.^[16] Calipari rejected a counter offer by Memphis for Kentucky's 8 year, $31.65 million contract.^[17]

According to University officials, John Calipari signed a written contract on March 31, 2009. The contract was worth $34.65 million over 8 years, plus incentives.^[17] On April 1, 2009, the University of Kentucky Director of Athletics, Mitch Barnhart, formally introduced John Calipari as the new coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. During the press conference, Calipari spoke at length about his relationships with former UK basketball players and coaches, and also in his difficulties in accepting the UK job, largely due to his deep emotional ties with both the city of Memphis and University of Memphis. Calipari stated, "Coming to UK was the easy part, it was leaving the city of Memphis that was the hard part." He went on to refer to the University of Kentucky coaching position as his "dream job". In the end, Calipari became the 22nd coach overall at Kentucky, and just the 7th coach in the last 79 years for the Wildcats.

2009-10[link]

In his first year as head coach, Calipari had a highly touted recruiting class, including the No. 1 overall rated recruit, John Wall, plus fellow 5-star recruits, Demarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, and Daniel Orton. Kentucky won its 44th SEC Regular Season Championship in 2009-10, with a 14-2 conference record. Calipari's team followed this up with the UK's 26th SEC Tournament Championship, with an overtime defeat of Mississippi State, 75-74, in the SEC Tournament title game. In the NCAA Tournament, however, No. 1 seed Kentucky (East Region) was upset by West Virginia in the Elite 8, to finish the season at 35-3.

2010-11[link]

In his second season at Kentucky, Calipari recruited the No. 1 rated point guard in the 2010 class, Brandon Knight. In addition to Knight, Calipari also signed two other 5-star recruits, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb. In 2010-11, Kentucky finished the regular season with a record of 22-8, with a 10-6 record in SEC regular season play. UK would go on to win its second consecutive SEC Tournament Championship, defeating Florida, 70-54, in the SEC Tournament title game. As a result, Kentucky received a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament (East Regional). During the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky would go on to defeat No. 1 overall seed Ohio State, 62-60, in the Sweet-16. In the Elite Eight, Calipari's team would avenge an early season loss to North Carolina, by defeating the Tar Heels, 76-69, securing Kentucky's first Final Four appearance since 1998. In the Final Four, UK fell to the eventual NCAA Champions, UConn, by one point, 56-55, finishing with a final record of 29-9.

2011-12[link]

In this third season, Kentucky landed another No. 1 recruiting class with four consensus five star players: Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Kyle Wiltjer. Kentucky came into the season ranked #2 in the country. They finished the regular season with a 30-1 record, their only loss to Indiana by a buzzer-beater and went 16-0 in conference play. In the SEC tournament, Kentucky lost in the championship game to Vanderbilt 71-64. In the NCAA Tournament, Calipari's team was selected as the overall #1 seed in the tournament, representing as the South Region #1 seed. Kentucky avenged the early season loss to Indiana beating them in the Sweet Sixteen 102-90, and knocked off Baylor in the Elite Eight 82-70, to advance to their second consecutive Final Four. In the Final Four in New Orleans, Kentucky first faced their in-state rival, the Louisville Cardinals and Rick Pitino, winning 69-61. Two days later, in the National Championship game, Kentucky played in another early season rematch against the Kansas Jayhawks, winning a hard fought contest 67-59. The win secured Calipari his first NCAA Championship, a NCAA record 38-win season, and the 8th overall NCAA Championship for Kentucky. By doing so, John Calipari became the 5th head coach to win a NCAA Championship at Kentucky (a NCAA record), and the first coach to do so at the school since 1998.

Following the 2012 championship, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart announced on May 4 that Calipari's contract had been renegotiated. Under the new contract, Calipari will make $5.2M annually ^[18] (not including bonuses), which further cements his status as the most highly-compensated college basketball coach in the country. Calipari will earn almost $2M more per year than the second-most compensated coach in the country, Tom Izzo ($3.5M annually).^[19]

Controversies[link]

Marcus Camby[link]

UMass had its 4-1 1996 NCAA Tournament record vacated when the NCAA discovered that UMass player Marcus Camby had accepted a reported $40,000 in cash and gifts from an agent. It was later reported that Camby's brother needed the money for groceries.^[20] Calipari was not implicated by the NCAA in this incident.^[21]

Racist insult directed at journalist[link]

While coaching the New Jersey Nets, Calipari referred to Newark Star-Ledger sports reporter Dan Garcia as a "fucking Mexican idiot".^[22] Garcia sued for $5,000,000 for emotional distress. Though the case was dismissed^[23] Calipari was still fined $25,000 by the NBA.^[24] Calipari apologized for his remarks:

"I would like to apologize to Dan Garcia for my ill-advised attempt at humor and insensitivity for the remark," Calipari said before the Nets lost to the Lakers, 109-84, tonight at the Meadowlands. "In retrospect, I can understand how the remark could have been misinterpreted. I have apologized to him personally and in writing. In no way was my intent to be derogatory in a racial context, and I am sorry for any pain my remarks have caused."

Derrick Rose[link]

The NCAA investigated allegations that a player on the 2007-08 team committed "knowing fraudulence or misconduct in connection with his entrance examination" and had an unknown individual complete his SAT examination.^[25] The NCAA informed Calipari in a letter that he was not considered "at risk" in this investigation.^[2]

The player was subsequently identified as Derrick Rose. Subsequently, allegations surfaced that Rose's brother, Reggie, had been allowed to travel to Tiger road games for free.^[26]

On August 20, 2009, the NCAA ruled that Rose was ineligible and forced Memphis to vacate the entire 2007-08 season, including the NCAA Tournament and its standing as runner-up. It took the line that even though Rose's score had not been thrown out by the Educational Testing Service, which administers the SAT, until after the season, strict liability required that Rose be ruled ineligible.^[27][28] The committee also determined that even without the questions about his SAT score, he would have lost his eligibility in December 2007 due to his brother being allowed to travel with the team for free.^[29]

On October 7, 2011, the Associated Press published a story about John Calipari and Derrick Rose settling a lawsuit with Memphis fans over the vacated 2008 season. According to the article, "Former Memphis coach John Calipari and ex-Tigers guard Derrick Rose agreed last year to pay $100,000 to avoid a lawsuit over the Tigers' season that ended in the 2008 Final Four with the wins later vacated by the NCAA. According to a settlement signed May 28, 2010, with attorneys representing some Memphis season ticket holders, not only did Calipari and Rose agree to pay $100,000, but Calipari and Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson committed to repaying Final Four bonuses."^[30]

Overall wins[link]

On February 26, 2011, after Kentucky beat the Florida Gators in Rupp Arena, Calipari was recognized for his 500th career victory as a Division I men's basketball coach. Over the course of the next few months, the NCAA's Committee on Infractions (COI) and the University of Kentucky exchanged letters debating whether Calipari had indeed reached the 500-win milestone. Due to games vacated by the NCAA in two different seasons (the 1996 season at UMass and the 2008 season at Memphis), the NCAA only officially recognized Calipari's 500th all time coaching victory on March 15, 2012. On June 13, 2011, Eamonn Brennan, of ESPN.com, broke the story on a college basketball blog, revealing that Calipari and other Kentucky officials may have to appear before the COI for the celebration previously mentioned and for lack of compliance.^[31]

NBA players coached[link]

UMass[link]

• Lou Roe (30th, 1995 NBA Draft)
• Marcus Camby (2nd, 1996 NBA Draft)

Memphis[link]

• Dajuan Wagner (6th, 2002 NBA Draft)
• Earl Barron (Undrafted, 2003 NBA Draft)
• Antonio Burks (36th, 2004 NBA Draft)
• Shawne Williams (17th, 2006 NBA Draft)
• Rodney Carney (16th, 2006 NBA Draft)
• Darius Washington, Jr. (Undrafted, 2006)
• Derrick Rose (1st, 2008 NBA Draft)
• Joey Dorsey (33rd, 2008 NBA Draft)
• Chris Douglas-Roberts (40th, 2008 NBA Draft)
• Tyreke Evans (4th, 2009 NBA Draft)
• Robert Dozier (60th, 2009 NBA Draft)

Kentucky[link]

• John Wall (1st, 2010 NBA Draft)
• DeMarcus Cousins (5th, 2010 NBA Draft)
• Patrick Patterson (14th, 2010 NBA Draft)
• Eric Bledsoe (18th, 2010 NBA Draft)
• Daniel Orton (29th, 2010 NBA Draft)
• Enes Kanter (3rd, 2011 NBA Draft)
• Brandon Knight (8th, 2011 NBA Draft)
• Josh Harrellson (45th, 2011 NBA Draft)
• DeAndre Liggins (53rd, 2011 NBA Draft)

Head coaching record[link]

College[link]

* UMass had its 4-1 record in the 1996 NCAA tournament and Final Four standing vacated after Marcus Camby was ruled ineligible due to his contact with a sports agent.
**Memphis had its entire 38-2 2007-08 season vacated by the NCAA due to academic fraud not directly related to the university.

***Under current NCAA official records, Calipari's record is 505-151 (.770), which accounts for the 4 vacated wins (and one vacated loss) in the 1995-96 NCAA Tournament at UMass, and the 38 vacated wins (and 2 vacated losses) at Memphis in the entire 2007-08 season.^[32]

NBA[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Bio at UK Athletics Site
• News Website