Sports

Raucous Ovation For John Calipari’s Debut At Bud Walton Arena Was Just As Rowdy As His Ejection

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John Calipari Arkansas Crowd Reaction
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John Calipari made his debut as the head college basketball coach at Arkansas on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Bud Walton Arena. Razorbacks fans went absolutely bonkers.

It was a hilarious full-circle moment for a coach who was ruthlessly taunted in 2020 by the very same people who cheered him just four years later. Life moves pretty fast!

Calipari, a future Hall of Famer, spent the last 15 years with the Wildcats. He won six SEC Tournaments and reached four Final Fours during that stretch. Kentucky cut down the nets as national champions in 2012.

Even though Calipari went 410-123 during his time in Lexington, the relationship started to sour toward the end after he failed to advance past the Round of 32 in four-straight years— including two embarrassing upset losses in the first round. Both parties seem pretty content after the 65-year-old packed his stuff and left for the same job at Arkansas. The surprising and sudden split, funded in large part by frozen chicken, was about as amicable as it could be.

Razorbacks fans got their first taste of the new era during a charity exhibition against the top-ranked team in the country. Kansas got mollywhopped. Arkansas, led by Boogie Fland, won 85-69.

Bud Walton Arena was rocking!

The Hogs went absolutely bonkers prior to tipoff when John Calipari walked out onto the floor as head coach for the first time. It was a madhouse.

According to boots on the ground, it was the loudest Bud Walton had been since 2020. Calipari, still at Kentucky, was ejected during the second half of a tie game. The crowd went wild.

Freshman guard Terrence Clarke actually covered his hears because it was so loud.

Now four years later, the very same coach who was ejected, received an equally as raucous ovation for his debut.