Calipari: Kentucky has backup plan if Louisville doesn't want to play

If Louisville decides not to play the Kentucky game this season, John Calipari has a backup plan. On a Zoom with reporters this morning, Calipari said that the date and time for the rivalry game is set, but Kentucky has another opponent waiting in the wings should Chris Mack and the Cardinals opt out.

“I know there was a question on the Louisville game but we have a date and a time unless that changes, if they choose not to play and we’ll plug in another team. We already have that team set.”

“You guys know I like to be ahead of this. You’re not going to throw the fire hose at me and it’s hitting me in the nose and mouth and I’m trying to figure out a schedule. I’m not going to do that. So we kind of knew, we’re going to have some home games with no fans, which is crap but we’ve got no choice. We’re also going on the road a couple of times without fans which isn’t fair to them, but there’s no competitive equity. It is what it is.”

Last week, Mack and Calipari went back and forth over the Kentucky/Louisville game, with Mack suggesting there is no equity in playing it at the Yum Center this year if there are limited or no fans allowed in, and Calipari insisting that it should be played because there is no equity at all in college basketball this year due to the pandemic. Cal doubled down on that this morning, pointing out that there’s no guarantee that the game can be held with fans next year at Rupp.

“I’m not going to tell you what they’re thinking or what they’re doing,” Cal said of Louisville. “I just know the terms of the contract. We go there and they come here next year. Does anybody really know what this virus is going to do? What if we’re in next year and we’re in the same boat? Then we’ve got them at home with no fans. We don’t know. This virus is running us. We are not running this virus. You’d have to talk to them.

“My hope is we’re playing the game this year but we’re prepared if not. I’m not going to wait and they tell me no. Boom, they say no. Bang, we’ve got another home and home. Here it is. The people want to play us. They want to beat Kentucky. They want to go against [us]. I think that game is good for our state. It should be played but I’m running Kentucky’s program. That’s what I do. I’m not telling any other program what they should and should not do.”

Well, at KSR, we can. Cardinals are looking more and more like chickens every day.