On this day in basketball history 20 years ago, then-Temple head coach John Chaney threatened then-UMass head coach John Calipari. Chaney didn’t like Cal’s handling of the officials and let him know it.
According to the New York Times, witnesses said they heard Calipari tell officials they would never officiate a game here again.
Chaney then said he had been “blasted” for similar criticism of the officials in a game against West Virginia. He also praised the three officials who worked today’s game, saying: “Good job. Three class guys. And you single them out.”
Calipari interrupted. “Coach, coach,” he said, “I’m going to tell you something.”
“Shut up,” Chaney said as he began to move toward the front of the room, and Calipari left the podium to approach the Temple coach.
Mike Williams, the Massachusetts guard whose 15-foot shot became the difference with 3.2 seconds to go, stood up and wedged himself between the two coaches as others stepped in.
“I’ll kill you,” Chaney said as the two were separated.
It today’s world of media wranglers and separate press conferences, it is hard to imagine such a public display between basketball coaches.
Apparently the two have made amends, as Calipari posted this photo to his instagram account in 2012:
h/t nbcsports.com
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