Mitch Barnhart discusses status of Kentucky basketball, facilities issue with John Calipari
Mitch Barnhart is trying to navigate a restless fan base at Kentucky amid a difficult season for John Calipari’s men’s basketball team.
Barnhart, the athletics director at Kentucky, spoke with Matt Jones on Kentucky Sports Radio, via NewsRadio 630 WLAP.
Barnhart repeated said he didn’t want to micro-manage Calipari as issues were raised by Jones from an article written by Kyle Tucker of The Athletic, and deflected questions abut staff changes, or requests for more resources. Barnhart disputed the idea that he told Calipari that he couldn’t apologize after the brouhaha in the summer about Kentucky being a basketball school, or a football school.
“I did say stop the chatter, I didn’t say no one could apologize,” he said.
Barnhart admitted that fans are upset with him, and some wanted him to leave. Barnhart noted that Mark Stoops, Calipari and Barnhart could all leave and work elsewhere, but they haven’t.
“I love this place, I’ve devoted 2 decades of my public life to this place,” he said. “We’ve made a permanent home here.”
About the basketball program overall, following recent losses to South Carolina and Missouri, Barnhart offered his assessment.
“Obviously we all want to win, our coaches are all engaged in that,” he said. “… We’re not where we want to be, no one is. Cal’s a Hall of Fame coach, he’s been unbelievable in the past of finding a way for our team to get better as we go through the season. We’re in a tough stretch right now, we’ve got to find our way through that. I know our coaches and our players are committed.”
Barnhart did not dispute the idea that Calipari has $30 million in pledges that would help build a new practice facility. Barnhart said he believes Calipari has connections to secure those pledges, but there’s a long process to execute facility upgrades, and referred to Title IX, design, state trustees and construction as reasons why there are 18 to 24-month timelines for such a development.
“That’s not my DNA to turn away help or capital construction,” Barnhart said. “… Just because, even if we have pledges in hand, it’s not going to allow you tomorrow to go get a building together and put a shovel in the ground. We’re not against facility expansion.”
So the Title IX comment means what? That there would need to be requisite women’s facilities upgrades? They’re already upgrading Nutter for the track teams, which is deserved based on the olympiads we’re cranking out. AND football has had to share for what 30 years? All Mitch has to say is YES, we’ll make the new practice facility happen, but the timeline is unknown. The Kyle Tucker article feels like the tip of the iceberg.
Because it’s not like all those people can’t make that red tape go away for a basketball PRACTICE facility.
Tip of the iceberg for sure. I don’t think anything major basketball is being done before 2024-25 June 30. That is the day Cal can step down to basketball ambassador role at 1 mil a year and it makes sense somewhat. Barnhart’s contract is up after 2025-26 season June 30. How I see it is Cal is trying to bribe with “his” outside money, and UK waiting to see if Cal can win by UK standards to get 3 more years at 9.5 mil a year. A brand new #1 in country practice facility is a great tool to lure a coach you are after! It will be interesting if Cal fights stepping down if UK is still struggling. My guess he will put up resistance and leave with half his remaining buyout which would be 10-15 mil. Is there a reason Cal blabbed this out before the season in the Bahamas? Winning would take care of all these problems!
I guess I am old and behind the times, but why do you need a practice facility for basketball? Why not just practice on the court you play on?
UK does not own Rupp Arena, it’s a city facility. So if there is a concert tomorrow night, they may already have chairs on the floor or whatever.
UK does have Memorial Coliseum on campus, I believe that’s where volleyball and the Lady Cats play, but I guess then it becomes a matter of trying to fit everyone on the schedule.
I still don’t know what’s wrong with the Joe Craft Center though. It has courts for men and women’s basketball, and is not old at all. It was built in ’07.
From the UK website just to refresh my memory:
The Joe Craft Center, the $30 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility, opened in January, 2007. The facility houses the men’s and women’s basketball teams plus many administrative and UK athletics staff offices.
In the lower level, the men’s and women’s basketball teams each get their own practice court, locker rooms, video room and lounge. There is also a huge weight room and training room utilized by both programs.
Thanks for the info Bill. I didn’t realize the Craft Center had all those amenities AND it’s right there on campus.
Cal is in a slump. I just hope the fans boycott the Georgia game next week after Tennessee whips UK on Saturday.