Arkansas coach John Calipari notched one of his best wins as coach of the Razorbacks when his No. 25-ranked team defeated the No. 6 Louisville Cardinals at Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday evening. The win in the ACC/SEC Challenge represented the Razorbacks’ first ranked win of the season after narrow losses to the Michigan State Spartans and the Duke Blue Devils.
How Did Fans Respond to John Calipari Calling Out Arkansas Fans?
During a public address after the game, Calipari admonished Arkansas fans for chanting “Overrated” at the opposition.
“Please do me a favor, no overrated stuff,” Calipari said. “Please, don’t do it. Appreciate you fans.”
College basketball fans on X fully supported Calipari calling out Razorbacks fans over their chanting.
“I cringed when they started chanting “overrated.” Worst chant ever,” one fan tweeted.
“He would always tell the same thing to the student section at Kentucky and I liked it. Never understood the overrated chant, you bring your own team down by chanting it anyway,” another fan tweeted.
“Dumbest chant ever. “You were supposed to be good but we beat you” so your saying you team isn’t good?” One fan tweeted.
“It’s the dumbest chant ever lol literally downplays the win,” another fan tweeted.
“I never understood fans chanting “overrated.” All it does is make your opponent look inferior and discount your team’s win,” one fan tweeted.
The Razorbacks still have a tough slate against ranked sides, including a game against the No. 19 Texas Tech Red Raiders and the No. 8 Houston Cougars, before tipping off SEC conference play on Jan. 3 against the No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers.
Calipari Takes Blame for Prior Arkansas Losses
During his postgame news conference after the win against the Cardinals, Calipari confessed to letting down his team during the Razorbacks’ losses to ranked teams and what he did to change that scenario against Louisville.
“We needed another good game like this to see where we’ve got to get better late in the game,” Calipari said. “They made a run and made us make our plays. I’ve done a crap job of doing that in the two games we had a chance to win.
“I hadn’t coached them well enough. My thing to them today, prior to the game, you fight and do what you’ve been doing. You get us to the finish line. I will get you over the finish line.”
Last season, the Razorbacks finished with a 22-14 overall record and lost narrowly in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in Calipari’s first season in charge of the program after arriving from Kentucky. With a revamped roster, the expectations during Calipari’s second season at the helm have been elevated.
