Cal talked a bit today before he makes the trip up to Springfield, Mass. this weekend to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His presenters will be Larry Brown, Julius Erving and Pat Riley.
Part one:
On growing up as a Celtic fan and what it means to be enshrined with some Celtics greats:
I was a basketball fan, and I liked the Celtics. I wouldn't say I was a die-hard Celtic fan, but to have Tommy Heinsohn and Jojo White -- Jojo and I worked on the staff at Kansas together. So he and I were together on that staff. When we were there he was probably in his mid-40s and was still like ridiculously in shape and could still play. So, he -- it's kind of neat. With Lou (Dampier), the issue for Lou (is) he won't get up there -- he's not going to say much, and he needs to because he is such a fan favorite. In the history of this program may never have been a better shooter, and as far as just unassuming, humble, deference to everybody else I want him to enjoy this night because it's well deserved for him.
On how many people he will take with him to the ceremony:
I'll have a lot of people there based on my UMass days and Memphis days and Pittsburgh friends. Friends from here in Kentucky are coming up, so there's going to be -- there will be a lot of people there. See, it's different. When you're a player, yeah your team mattered -- it mattered -- but none of that matters. You had to perform yourself, and then your team had to do well and then you have and opportunity for this. As a coach, it's all based on everybody else. It's based on the kind of staff you had. How about this? It's based on the kind of jobs you had. You have guys that have been at the greatest jobs in history their whole career. You have other guys that have been at mid-major jobs toiling -- some started at Division II. I mean, so the job you had matters, which depends on other people offering you those jobs. And then the players that you coached. So, when you're a coach there's just so many more people involved. You had to become an assistant coach, and someone had to give you a chance so that you could become a head coach so that maybe you could get a job like this. I mean, the journey is totally different and it's more inclusive of more people than if you played.
On if he will take the current team to the ceremony:
That would be the plan.
On how much he's visited the Hall of Fame:
Ellen and I, our first press conference when I was hired by UMass was at the Hall of Fame. That's where they did it, but it was at the old Hall of Fame. I've been back a lot. The new Hall of Fame, I've been into four, five, six times. So, you know, it's surreal based on the fact that I've been there when different people were inducted and was in awe of the whole setup. Then all of the sudden you turn around and, you know, it's happening to me.
On if he's been able to reflect on the honor in the months since the announcement:
I haven't, but it's funny. All my friends and some Hall of Famers who are friends say you don't realize until you walk in there and you're on that stage. Then it hits you. Like, 'What just happened?' I've had to -- I've worked on a speech more than I've ever worked on any speech ever. Not for the sake of the speech. For time. This isn't just my night. There are 10 other people other than myself. So you don't want to -- so everything I'm doing, every time I come in is, 'How short can we make this and hit what we need to hit?' We've taken down a few trees trying to get this thing. Believe me. Eric and Metz are laughing, but believe me I've changed it 6,000 times to just keep shortening and shortening and shortening. I don't want to -- Let's put it this way: I don't want to be that guy.
On what he expects his emotions to be like during the ceremony:
A friend of mine called me today and said, 'I know how you are. You're worried about the logistics. You're worried about everybody else. You need to step back and enjoy this.' OK, that just was my call today. And right now all I'm worried about are logistics and all the people, do they have rooms? Are they all set? Did we call them about the reception? And I really have spent no time yet -- but there's going to be a time. C'mon, now. If you're in this profession, whether you're coaching or you're playing -- and the greatest thing about this hall of fame? It includes high school, it includes all genders, it include all the world. FIBA, high school, everything. Pro, college. And that's what makes this Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame different. And… Kind of neat.
Part one:
On growing up as a Celtic fan and what it means to be enshrined with some Celtics greats:
I was a basketball fan, and I liked the Celtics. I wouldn't say I was a die-hard Celtic fan, but to have Tommy Heinsohn and Jojo White -- Jojo and I worked on the staff at Kansas together. So he and I were together on that staff. When we were there he was probably in his mid-40s and was still like ridiculously in shape and could still play. So, he -- it's kind of neat. With Lou (Dampier), the issue for Lou (is) he won't get up there -- he's not going to say much, and he needs to because he is such a fan favorite. In the history of this program may never have been a better shooter, and as far as just unassuming, humble, deference to everybody else I want him to enjoy this night because it's well deserved for him.
On how many people he will take with him to the ceremony:
I'll have a lot of people there based on my UMass days and Memphis days and Pittsburgh friends. Friends from here in Kentucky are coming up, so there's going to be -- there will be a lot of people there. See, it's different. When you're a player, yeah your team mattered -- it mattered -- but none of that matters. You had to perform yourself, and then your team had to do well and then you have and opportunity for this. As a coach, it's all based on everybody else. It's based on the kind of staff you had. How about this? It's based on the kind of jobs you had. You have guys that have been at the greatest jobs in history their whole career. You have other guys that have been at mid-major jobs toiling -- some started at Division II. I mean, so the job you had matters, which depends on other people offering you those jobs. And then the players that you coached. So, when you're a coach there's just so many more people involved. You had to become an assistant coach, and someone had to give you a chance so that you could become a head coach so that maybe you could get a job like this. I mean, the journey is totally different and it's more inclusive of more people than if you played.
On if he will take the current team to the ceremony:
That would be the plan.
On how much he's visited the Hall of Fame:
Ellen and I, our first press conference when I was hired by UMass was at the Hall of Fame. That's where they did it, but it was at the old Hall of Fame. I've been back a lot. The new Hall of Fame, I've been into four, five, six times. So, you know, it's surreal based on the fact that I've been there when different people were inducted and was in awe of the whole setup. Then all of the sudden you turn around and, you know, it's happening to me.
On if he's been able to reflect on the honor in the months since the announcement:
I haven't, but it's funny. All my friends and some Hall of Famers who are friends say you don't realize until you walk in there and you're on that stage. Then it hits you. Like, 'What just happened?' I've had to -- I've worked on a speech more than I've ever worked on any speech ever. Not for the sake of the speech. For time. This isn't just my night. There are 10 other people other than myself. So you don't want to -- so everything I'm doing, every time I come in is, 'How short can we make this and hit what we need to hit?' We've taken down a few trees trying to get this thing. Believe me. Eric and Metz are laughing, but believe me I've changed it 6,000 times to just keep shortening and shortening and shortening. I don't want to -- Let's put it this way: I don't want to be that guy.
On what he expects his emotions to be like during the ceremony:
A friend of mine called me today and said, 'I know how you are. You're worried about the logistics. You're worried about everybody else. You need to step back and enjoy this.' OK, that just was my call today. And right now all I'm worried about are logistics and all the people, do they have rooms? Are they all set? Did we call them about the reception? And I really have spent no time yet -- but there's going to be a time. C'mon, now. If you're in this profession, whether you're coaching or you're playing -- and the greatest thing about this hall of fame? It includes high school, it includes all genders, it include all the world. FIBA, high school, everything. Pro, college. And that's what makes this Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame different. And… Kind of neat.
