LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Despite confirmation from John Calipari that he's stepping down as head coach for UK men's basketball, nothing really is official regarding UK sports until the guys at Wheeler Pharmacy have had a chance to analyze and hash things out over breakfast.
Since the breakfast bar is closed on Mondays, Tuesday morning was their first chance to discuss the situation surrounding John Calipari, which developed late Sunday night.
“I think it’s a win/win proposition for both sides,” said Elzie Shegog. “UK, I think, was getting tired of Cal, and I think he knew it was time to move on,” the longtime UK fan continued.
Calipari, the man who won 410 games in Lexington and a National Championship, will be missed—at least by those who sit around this horseshoe-shaped table.
“I think he did great,” said Jim Hanna. “He brought us back from kind of a low point, won a championship, kept us in the hunt,” he said of Calipari’s 15 years at Kentucky.
Like everyone else, some of the guys at the table have their list of favorites to replace Calipari should he make this move from Fayette County to Fayetteville. They include all the usual suspects, from Danny Hurley (UConn) to Nate Oats (Alabama) and Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls). Mr. Shegog even threw in a vote for BYU Head Coach Mark Pope.
No matter who becomes the next coach, that person will need to drop by Wheeler at some point because any coach who has won it all here has paid these men a visit at least once.
“When I saw him, he was pretty personable,” Shegog said of Calipari’s visits to the pharmacy. “He would talk to you and have some decent conversation,” he continued.
As always, the conversations here will continue until, and long after, Calipari’s departure, whenever that might be.
