"Such sad news....RIP my new friend": John Calipari left disheartened after Arkansas sports reporter passes away
Razorbacks coach John Calipari informed college basketball fans about the passing of legendary beat writer Bob Holt through an X post on Thursday. Holt, who covered the Arkansas Razorbacks for 43 years, died from cardiac arrest at 65 years old on Wednesday.
Calipari shares the saddening news in his post, appreciating Holt for his work and sharing his newly-forged bond with the writer.
"Such sad news. Bob Holt passed away last night. He was a well known sports writer in Arkansas and throughout SEC. Bob was one of the GOOD GUYS in the profession. I was getting to know him better and was looking forward to working with him. His sudden passing rocked us all. My prayers go out to Bob and his family. RIP my new friend," Calipari wrote.
Bob Holt collapsed during Arkansas’ football game against Missouri on Saturday and was rushed to the hospital.
He was employed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Hold covered Arkansas ever since he graduated in 1981, and was inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2022 and had four Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year honors.
"He wasn't one of those kind of guys to me that was out to get someone," legendary Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson said. "He was good at doing the job that he did. He wasn't confrontational about it. The way he presented himself made it a lot easier for the guy who was trying to answer the questions."
Holt was a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s board of directors and was an AP Top 25 basketball poll voter.
Bob Holt highlighted the promise and shortcomings of John Calipari's roster in his last update
In his last story, dated Nov. 30, Bob Holt explored the issues and positive signs of John Calipari's first month of coaching.
Despite a rough 6-2 start (5-2 at the time of writing), Holt believed that the Hogs could still garner victories against plenty of notable programs in the nations.
He also highlighted that John Calipari's team trailed more than 90% of the games in defeats against Baylor and Illinois. With that, Holt touched on uncertainty around key players like Johnell Davis and Boogie Fland while pointing at Arkansas’ 3-point inefficiency.
Nevertheless, by emphasizing patience, development, and the necessity to play aggressively, Bob Holt expected the Hogs to bounce back strong. He noted that performances from young players and the return of injured athletes can quickly cover Arkansas’ recurring issues.