As someone who grew up somewhat close to Coach Hall, as my dad was one of his closest friends, and then getting introduced to Kentucky Basketball when John Calipari got here in 2009 (give me a break, I was just a sixth grader), the connection I’ve seen John Calipari and Joe B. Hall have over his tenure has been so heart warming.
You can always tell the great respect John has for Joe B. Hall, as he’s been his mentor his entire time here. I can even remember being in a press conference mid-season at the Joe Craft Center a few years ago, and Cal getting swarmed with questions at his podium, and in mid-answer (of a reporters question) Cal had seen Joe B. walking through the lobby and in an instant dropped his thoughts and left the podium to go greet him. “Coach Hall. Coach Hall. How are ya doin?”
Their bond is truly one of a kind, and I think I speak for more than just myself when I say the Big Blue Nation backs it tremendously.
Anyways, John Calipari went to go visit Coach Hall on his 93rd birthday, and here is what he had to say about it during Thursday’s press conference.