John Calipari unexpectedly lost his temper during a press conference on Saturday after Arkansas’ defeat to Texas A&M, expressing frustration about his team’s performance and labeling some players as “fragile.” The Razorbacks currently sit at 15-10 and find themselves on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, having endured two narrow defeats this past week against No. 3 Alabama and No. 8 Texas A&M. Winning either of those games would have significantly improved their NCAA chances.
Although Calipari showed a generally somber demeanor in the press conference, his frustration became evident when a reporter asked him to assess his team’s overall performance as they approached the final month of the season. “Normally, you are what your record says you are,” he stated. “But in this league [SEC] … you just got to get it going at the right time. Alabama’s really good, too, this team (Texas A&M) is really good. Guess what? We had a chance to beat both of them, but we didn’t. And for us to bust through, we’re going to have to beat somebody.”
Then, Calipari vented, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “I wanted to make sure they weren’t happy thinking we’re going to be OK. No. If we’d won that game, we’re in the tournament. … SO IT’S NOT OK TO SAY WE’LL BE ALL RIGHT! Now, we’re going to have to go get somebody else. But I didn’t want to put that on them because I’ve got some guys that are a little bit fragile … but when you’re losing some games, or you’re not playing well, that happens.”
John Calipari was NOT pleased postgame:
“IT’S NOT OKAY TO SAY WE’LL BE ALRIGHT… But I didn’t wanna put that on them, because I’ve got some guys that are a little fragile”pic.twitter.com/OjXNepeKg2
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 15, 2025
“I still love coaching these guys,” Calipari added. Some fans, however, questioned his postgame comments, expressing concerns over his criticism.
I’ve never really seen Cal snap like this. pic.twitter.com/MavTvc12Gx
— Rare Rookies #BBN (@rarerookies) February 15, 2025
Bad mouthing your own players not a good look
— James Willis (@JamesWi11047973) February 16, 2025
Cal never changes. Nothing is EVER, HIS fault.
He’s a old, washed up, used car salesman. https://t.co/kGtdJq6VMo— Ron (@RRush59) February 15, 2025
It’s understandable that Calipari was emotional after experiencing another close loss in a week. While he is no stranger to unusual behavior during interviews, and has a history of calling out his players, describing them as “fragile” may have crossed a line.
