John Calipari claims he's never heard his "Swaggy Cal" nickname before
And we think he’s lying.
According to our extensive database here at KSR, the first instance of the “Swaggy Cal” nickname on this here website was all the way back in Oct. 2013. Eight years ago! And yet, during Wednesday’s Kentucky Men’s Basketball 2021 Media Day, head coach John Calipari claimed he hadn’t heard of it.
Friend of the program, John Huang from JustTheCats, posed this question to Calipari during the head coach’s 45-minute interview with the media: I had a colleague from out of state ask me, what is a Swaggy Cal? What should I tell him?
What followed is a pretty funny interaction between Calipari and Kentucky MBB Communications Director, Eric Lindsey.
JOHN CALIPARI: What is the name he said?
ERIC LINSEY: Swaggy Cal.
JOHN CALIPARI: Where do they–who says that?
ERIC LINDSEY. Everybody does. Fans do.
JOHN CALIPARI: They call me Swaggy Cal? Why don’t you tell my wife (Ellen Calipari) that’s what you guys call me. She would enjoy that.
While the entire Big Blue Nation will find it hard to believe that the term “Swaggy Cal” hasn’t breezed through the Joe Craft Center at least once over the last eight years, Calipari has said he tries to stay away from social media and the outside noise. But even still, that grin Calipari smacks across his face once he hears the words “Swaggy Cal” tells me all I need to know.
“I’ve said this many times,” Calipari continued. “I went from the business of basketball to the business of kids and families, and it shifts. Like, I’m telling these players now, a lot of stuff we’re doing is for you individually so you will improve so you can help us be our best.
“I don’t know if that’s Swaggy Cal, but I’m confident in what we do and how we teach and how we’re playing.”
After the offseason he put together, revamping both his roster and support staff, Calipari has been walking around with the swag he initially brought during his first five or so years in Lexington. Part of the “Swaggy Cal” aura though is his indifference when it comes to small, trivial things like a nickname.
With that being said, it feels like Calipari knows about “Swaggy Cal”, but he prefers if we think he doesn’t care. That’s kinda swaggy, right?
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