Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari made an unforced error earlier this year as he pled his case for a new practice facility. He called UK a “basketball school” and made it clear he feels his program is more important than the school’s football team.
That didn’t go over too well on campus and football coach Mark Stoops brought out the receipts when it comes to the rising Wildcats on the gridiron—pointing out UK has more recent postseason success in his sport.
It also opened up Kentucky to some more mockery after losing to Ole Miss in Week 5.
With ESPN’s College GameDay in Lawrence, Kansas to showoff the No. 19 Jayhawks, basketball coach Bill Self wasn’t going to make the same mistake. Asked about what it means to have football success at KU, Self put a not-so-subtle twist on Calipari’s comments.
Bill Self: “You know we are a basketball school… AND we’ll be a football school! This is good for basketball.”
Bill Self sending shots towards John Calipari. 👀 pic.twitter.com/KG6tQ1hZsR
— Zachary Elam (@ZacharyKElam) October 8, 2022
Don’t think people didn’t notice.
Interesting how Bill Self managed to talk about Kansas' football program's ascendancy on live national TV without saying something that could create an enormous office politics pain in the ass for his bosses
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) October 8, 2022
Bill Self embracing KU's football success. Couldn't be John Calipari.
— John Hood (@TheJohnHood) October 8, 2022
Wonder why Bill Self said this? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/GsILhaQG5i
— John Lewis (@JohnWDRB) October 8, 2022
Bill Self taking digs at Calipari! Inject it into my veins!
— Shane Ahles (@youngbuckAhles) October 8, 2022
Bill Self on College GameDay.
"We are a basketball school, and we will be a football school. I don't know why it can't be both."
No doubt he was referencing Stoops-Calipari summer feud.
— Jon Hale (@JonHale_HL) October 8, 2022
Feels like Bill Self sorta low key just took a shot at Cal.
— Log🅰️n Criswell (@LoBamaCwell) October 8, 2022
It’s almost like Bill Self knows a strong football team is a pretty good recruiting tool for all other sports—and that harmony among coaches on campus goes a long way toward overall success.
