Calipari and replay clear the air on quick postgame exit, no handshake with Stackhouse

If you were watching the benches when the buzzer sounded on Kentucky Basketball’s win over Vanderbilt, it looked like John Calipari ghosted Jerry Stackhouse with no acknowledgment of Kentucky’s opposing coach. There were several comments around the arena and online about Calipari’s quick exit to the locker room with no handshake. You can count me among those who smelled postgame beef cooking. I too accused Calipari of an Eric Wolford goodbye.

After the game, Calipari was asked if the physical nature behind the game played a role in the coaches going separate ways without shaking hands.

“No, no, no—,” Calipari interjected. “What happened, I’m looking around the country and many coaches are just doing what they do in the NBA, which I did. I acknowledged him.”

He added, “That was nothing.”

Back to socially-distanced postgames

While clearing the air on the alleged unsportsmanlike conduct, Calipari called it a COVID precaution to skip the traditional handshake line. It’s a change in plans from what Kentucky had done in past games because last Saturday at Kansas and in the first game against Vanderbilt, Kentucky met its opponent at midcourt for formal goodbyes.

But not anymore, not since Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji tested positive for COVID after Kansas hosted Kentucky in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

“I got worried after the last game,” said Calipari. “Did you see what happened to one of the Kansas players after the last game? What? What happened? The guy has COVID. He has COVID. Basically, he played with COVID. And now I’m saying, I’m not sure we should shake hands. Give us another two weeks.”

He noted that South Carolina and Mississippi State moved to socially-distanced postgame lines Tuesday night too. “I saw those two coaches, great guys, both of them, they gave the peace sign and left,” said Calipari.

Let’s go to the monitor

Continuing with the theme of the night, let’s go to the monitor. We take Coach Cal at his word, but it never hurts to check the tape.

And the replay confirms it. There’s a Calipari wave with a second left on the clock before he turns and bolts for the locker room, likely because the game took forever and he missed his recliner. Can you blame him?

Now put those spicy Calipari-Stackhouse takes to bed. You should go to bed too.