Calipari's Lawyer Corrects Report Out of Kentucky
Public rebuke changes last minute narrative surrounding future Razorbacks coach
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A high profile Kentucky media member has been called out publicly by John Calipari's lawyer in response to reports the former Wildcats coach went back to athletic administrators in Lexington and asked if the Arkansas offer was something that might could be matched to keep him there.
Dick Gabriel, a Kentucky broadcaster, not only said the moment happened, but that the Wildcats essentially told Calipari to hit the road because they weren't matching anything. The report was already in question because most reports indicate Calipari will make the same or slightly less than he already makes and there were also reports Kentucky couldn't officially begin its search because they hadn't been informed of negotiations beginning with Arkansas.
However, when Tom Mars, Calipari's lawyer went public on social media to shut down Gabriel's report, it raised a lot of eyebrows.
"That's odd," Mars wrote. "Dick's reporting doesn't seem to align with the text message I received as Coach Cal's lawyer from KY Athletics at 1:22 p.m. ET, which said:
'We are hearing Cal made us a counter offer??? That was never received by us.'"
Not long after Mars received that text, Calipari released his goodbye video to Kentucky in which he was thankful and grateful to fans and took care not to mention Arkansas by name out of respect.
Calipari is expected to be named the new coach sometime tomorrow. Traditionally, Arkansas provides roughly a day's notice to the media to allow for planning and travel for media located in the central and southern part of the state. As of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, that notice has not been sent.
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