SEC Commissioner Mike Slive might have been hoping that when college football season ends, he would not have to be issuing weekly warnings to his high profile coaches to watch their mouths. But it looks more like he will be chiding coaches some time into April.The addition of John Calipari at Kentucky means the SEC coaching family gatherings promise to be more entertaining. Calipari has never been one to build warm relationships with other coaches in his conference (right, John Chaney?). His soured relationship with Rick Pitino should make his meetings with Florida's Billy Donovan more interesting.
The warm and special relationship that was built during his time at Memphis, with Tennessee's Bruce Pearl will undoubtedly produce the most entertainment. .
As Calipari made no secret of his feelings at SEC basketball media day.
Which should make his trip to Knoxville as well as Florida, for that matter, a little more spicy."He was trying to take over the state, and I wasn't going to let him," said Calipari. "I conceded the rest of the state other than Memphis.
"I'm not recruiting Knoxville, you're recruiting Memphis; that's why I didn't want to play him in a home-and-home (series)," Calipari said, his audience swelling as he spoke. "What good does it do for me to go to Knoxville, other than to play in front of 22,000 people in orange ... I can't stand the color."
Pearl, who always seems to enjoy any and all attention played the good sport.
"Why would he like orange? I think that's great," Pearl said. "I said when I took this job I wanted Kentucky to be my rival. If we're not competitive, it's not a rivalry."Then there is Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt to declare his lack of interest in public shots by coaches -- after he fired one.
Safe to say that SEC basketball is going to be a lot more entertaining this year. On and off the court."I don't agree with all the things Bruce does, or John will do ..." Stallings said. "I don't want to be out there publicly feuding with other coaches.
"If John and Bruce want to square off and have a 12-rounder, I'm sure people will pay attention to it. A little bit of that is probably good for the league."
