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Calipari's Lawyer Corrects Report Out of Kentucky

Public rebuke changes last minute narrative surrounding future Razorbacks coach

Kent Smith

Saying that Florida deserved to win, Kentucky coach John Calipari laments the loss by Wildcats. He is expected to be the next coach at Arkansas after officially stepping down in a video to fans.
Saying that Florida deserved to win, Kentucky coach John Calipari laments the loss by Wildcats. He is expected to be the next coach at Arkansas after officially stepping down in a video to fans. / Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA

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.

HOG FEED:

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• Calipari had reasons other than frustration with Kentucky athletics, fans to come to Arkansas

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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