UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart spoke at a groundbreaking for an addition to the Lighthouse Ministries, a mission on Elm Tree Lane on Friday.
During the speech, he noted how popular he had become since hiring John Calipari as UK’s basketball coach.
“Seven weeks, eight weeks ago, I probably wouldn’t have been invited to speak here,” he told the audience. “There (were) people who wanted me to find a new job.
“Eight weeks later, boy I’ve got invitations to the Derby, ‘We’re gonna go places,’ ‘we’re having fun again.’
“And why? With all due respect to Coach Cal, my value in a lot of people’s eyes id driven by one man. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong man, OK? The value that we drive is gotta be from Jesus Christ and the value we gain is through that.
“And that’s sort of been my message. I’m the same guy today that I was eight weeks ago. That hasn’t changed.”
18 comments ↓
Mitch, you were a bum before you hired JC, you were a bum AFTER you hired JC, and you will remain a bum. The amount of money your education is going to cost UK will be staggering. JC was a good hire (at too high a cost IMO), but BCG was about as sad as it gets. You TOTALLY blew that one dude….. And all of your postering about the new/remodeled stadiums is crap. In these economic times we should be trying to SAVE money not see how much we can blow to keep up with those idiots from Cardinalland. The amount they are paying for their new digs is ridiculous, but they don’t seem to care…..since it is for the Cards…. $65M+ to move a utility substation across the street when another location was as good is totally out the window…. Now we are going to try and top that stupidity here in Lexington….. Nice “vision”…..and like the Webbs, always with someone else’s money….
mitch, thanks for your public stand for jesus christ in a world that needs him more than ever.
Very nice Mitch, your great at your job plus a man of God. dstaxpro, what have you done with your life?
Mitch Barnhart should be fired. The homerun he hit with Calipari doesn’t excuse the disasterous decision he made to hire Gillispie. His lack of due diligence significantly damaged the program and the image of the school.
Is no one accountable anymore?
Mitch is a good man, and we are lucky to have him at the University of Kentucky. His record of hiring good coaches can be seen throughout the athletic department. He stood with Rich Brooks when no one else would and has been vindicated over the past few seasons. The money paid to Coach Calipari and the future money toward an arena is not connected to the University’s budget. The basketball program is more than self sufficient as is the football program. Coach Calipari is a relative bargain compared to the revenue he generates throughout the commonwealth. The new arena project will primarily be funded through corporate sponsorships and revenue generated through the sale of tickets, luxury suites and private donations. Keep up the good work Mitch.
I applaud Barnhardt’s comments and desire to remain in Christ as Christ certainly remains in him.
I love UK, I am a UK alum. However, as much as I “bleed blue”, I think some fans should stop and look at what is really important in life.
Putting down Mitch, as some comments have done, not only shows a lack of respect for Mitch, but also a lack of respect for themselves. Live big, not small.
Everybody is in love with Coach, just as they were with BCG. Our society is becoming too predictable for own good. I’m not an insider by any means, but even this guy heard whispers about BCG as soon as he was hired. Blind optimism is deadly (BCG), but I think any UK fan would agree that we’ve learned our lesson and have built a tolerance to acknowledge the fakers, and our new coach to me seems genuine in all regards. As far as his salary is concerned, if you’re a pragmatist you can’t deny that he’s enhacing what UK is known for.
Mitch is a class act and has been the whole time he has been at UK. He has been consistent in his beliefs and his goals. Just because you may disagree with him, DSTAXPRO, does not make him a bum. It in fact says a lot more about you than him.
dstax,
GET OVER IT!!!! SPORTS IS ENTERTAINMENT, ENJOY IT.
Barnhart IS the same guy he was eight weeks ago. He is the same guy that did not hire Calipari two years ago. He hired a coach he thought he could control, Barnhart has to be the man and does not want to be overshadowed. He had nothing to do with this hire it was taken out of his hands. Barnhart still needs to find another job.
I respectfully disagree with “dstaxpro” and would like to thank Mr. Barnhart for reminding us where our priorities should be and for his work with a very worthwhile charity. I would also like to remind concerned citizens that the University funding and budget has no relation to the University of Kentucky Athletic Association (UKAA) funding and budget. They are two completely separate entities. The University receives public, government funding, while the UKAA is solely self-funded. Regarding the new facilities, the new request is titled Private Financing for Athletic Facilities. “We wanted it very clear to anyone interested” that developing a method of financing the new baseball stadium and additions to Commonwealth was the key element being requested, Mullens said. The trio of projects (baseball, basketball & football) with a price tag between $300 million and $400 million, would be financed privately, UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart said in August. The Urban County Government and Lexington Center would own the new arena, and UK would own the baseball field and Commonwealth Stadium. Also, Rupp Arena is aging. The current lease agreement between Lexington Center and UK expires at the end of the 2017-2018 basketball season. At that time, the arena would be 42 years old.
Mitch—Don’t let comments from people like “detaxpro”
bother you. I am glad to learn that you are a Christian. As you know, Jesus said, “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you.” As I examine my own life over
the last two years in basketball, I made comments, not
about you, but about coach Gillespie that I should not have made. Sometimes, we really learn a lot about ourselves when things aren’t going the way we want them to. In fact, in the Bible, God says he is going to make the lives of people miserable in an attempt to turn
them away from their wicked ways. I believe we are in
a time throughout the world like that. Sadly, the Bible
also says when peoples lives are made miserable they
still refuse to repent(turn away from their wicked ways.) Basketball, like other sports, is just a “game”
and not really important in the grand scheme of things.
Look at last year. North Carolina won the championship. Did it help those people starving to death in the world? Did it help those children suffering
because their parents got divorced? However, sports,
is like life. If you are going to play, then play to win.
The Bible talks about a “race” set before us all. That race is to run to win the prize of the high calling of Jesus
Christ. That prize is rewards in Heaven won by loving and helping others. God bless you, the University of
Kentucky, and the people of the great Commonwealth
of Kentucky.
dstaxpro….what’s stuck in your craw this morning? You are one angry dude! Move on….
Serious dude Cal isnt getting paid from the money the university gets. Cal’s pay which is only 400,000 comes from the athletic department which is raised from ticket sales and the rest is from endorsements from outside the university such as , commericals. The new arena isn’t going to cost the university any money either that is coming from sponsors. Really get a clue before you post a comment like the one ya did!
Spoken like a true frightened Card fan.
Calipari’s salary will be paid for many times over with increased revenues from the bball program.
[...] Mitch Barnhart on deriving our value from Christ. [...]
I am always encouraged when I see a public figure voice support for their faith. It goes farther than you could ever realize when you say it.
Go Mitch…
Great hire in Coach Cal…….
Can’t wait for the season to start…
I do hope Mitch is a true christian. Unfortunately I have met far to many that use their faith as a cover for other concerns. I question why he has such a penchant to deliver the word of God at every speaking engagement when he is asked to talk about his activities as AD. I wonder why I should not question his religious advice and sincerity when he obviously doesn’t even have a clue about or accountability for, the much lesser job of basketball operations. And, finally, I find it ironioc that he insinuates how popular he has become because of hiring Cal, when it is common knowledge that he was forced to do it.
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