"What the genuine hell is this?": College hoops fans make fun of John Calipari after hilarious SEC basketball response
John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks gave the Southeastern Conference (SEC) another win on Tuesday night, beating the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines 89-87 in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. The Hogs have won three games in a row to improve their overall record to 8-2. Calipari had a funny take after the game when asked about the strength of the SEC.
All 16 teams in the conference have a winning record to start the season. Nine SEC teams are in the top 25 of the latest Associated Press rankings. No. 1 Tennessee, No. 9 Florida and No. 13 Oklahoma remain perfect with 9-0 records, while eight other teams have just one loss this season.
ESPN's Scott Van Pelt talked to Calipari after Arkansas' win and asked him about the greatness of his league. Calipari responded hilariously, suddenly making barking sounds during the interview.
It didn't take long for college hoops fans to make fun of Calipari on X (formerly Twitter).
"What the genuine hell is this?," one fan asked.
"I thought he was trying to do the Ric Flair Wooo for a second," another fan wrote.
"Coach Cal cracks me up. Always has," one user chimed in.
Here are some other reactions.
"Would love to sit down with Cal & Saban. Both are unhinged, unfiltered & unapologetic," one fan shared.
"I still love this man. Glad he’s not my team’s coach, but love him," another fan replied.
"He’s the greatest," one user claimed.
Calipari further expounded on Van Pelt's question about the depth of the SEC.
"It's like SEC baseball. Every game in the basketball now is a game you can lose. If you're looking for wins, there are none. And the only problem I've had for a while, I thought we were the win," Calipari said.
John Calipari celebrates Arkansas win with Karl-Anthony Towns
John Calipari headed to the press room after the interview with Van Pelt, revealing to reporters that he was talking to his former player Karl-Anthony Towns via speakerphone.
Towns didn't mind the journalists hearing his conversation with Calipari, praising the Razorbacks for their victory. Calipari had to hang up on Towns, calling the New York Knicks star "Chatty Cathy" before starting the press conference.
Calipari lauded the Razorbacks, who had to dig deep against the Wolverines. They showed their resilience, battling back from a 15-point deficit in the opening half. The Hogs surged in front in the second half, taking a 78-60 lead before holding on for a narrow two-point win.