University of Kentucky coach John Calipari touched base on many subjects during his annual Media Day interview on Tuesday.
In this interview Calipari elaborated on the McGuire family along with any developments.
Michael Joe McGuire is the coal minor whose picture with his family went viral this past weekend after the Blue-White game in Pikeville.
“Well, I was sent the picture and never even looked at who sent it to me because when I saw the picture I was like, like it hit me right between the eyes when I saw it,” Calipari said. “I had to find out later, because I went to the coffee shop. Which one of you guys sent me this? It ended up being Marc Hill. I don’t know where he found it or where he saw it.
“So, when we put it out, we got businessowners — I mean, you know. So, when we found out who it was, I called and it was, we had Mollie McGuire’s name,” he added. “So, what do you think my first question was? Did you marry the guy so your name could be Mollie McGuire?
“But we talked for a while, and what I got, because you guys are looking at it as though here’s a guy — and we know the power of basketball in our state. We all know it,” Calipari continued. “You saw it when I went out this summer, and you see it. But my thought was, that’s what this was about. He wanted to be there so bad that he was willing to leave without showering, without changing, just get in his car and go because he got out of the mine late. It wasn’t about that. It was that he wanted to be there with his son. That’s why he did it.
“So, you’re talking about a miner, and I’ve said my family, I called my dad today. I said Clarksburg? He said it was Clarksburg. It might have been Shinnston where my grandfather worked,” he added. “And Mollie’s comment to me is, ‘My husband is humble. He’s hard working. This is hard work, but he makes enough being there that I don’t have to work. And he’s a great father. He’s done this many times.’ She said, ‘Do you know his beard is red?’ And I said ‘What do you mean?’ She said, ‘That was coal dust in his beard.’ So I said, ‘Well, what did he say?’‘He hadn’t heard yet.’ ‘What?’ ‘He’s still underground.’ ‘What?’ So, then I called back after he got back home and it was, ‘They called me to the office. First of all, I thought I did something and I come out, they’re cheering me. What are you people doing?’
“But here’s what it is for me,” Calipari said. “You guys know me. For two years I couldn’t go anywhere. We were COVID. Couldn’t be out, couldn’t, just awful for everything. But I’ve done some things that have been fulfilling for my wife and I. But this you would have to say you’re bringing light to a good man, a hardworking Kentuckian and a coal miner, who does everything he can to make time for his family and his son and his daughter. Come on. That’s what it ends up being. That’s the story. And then it just went crazy. It went viral.
“Now, I’m saying to you, you got hotels calling,” he added. “We want to put ’em up. You got restaurants calling. We want to feed ’em dinner. You had a car dealership call up. We’ll give you a car to drive out. Think about this. And isn’t it neat for someone like that, who is a quiet, humble guy to know people appreciate you, and we appreciate what you stand for? And I appreciate it because it’s how my family got their start in this country. The American dream started in a coal mine in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Now, backbreaking work? Yes.
“So, the other comment, I went underground in West Kentucky,and I believe I went underground in that mine he was in,” Calipari continued. “So, the mine, there were parts of it that were 5, 6 feet high, 7 feet high, and then there were parts of it that were like 3 feet high, and I said, ‘Well, how and what?’ They said it’s a duck walk. What? So, I looked at the guy and I said, ‘What if you, do you go up to have lunch, to go to the bathroom?’ And that’s when the guy says, I can’t remember his name, but he looked like John Wayne. ‘We go down together and we come out together or up together.’
“And I put it on, when I got back, I put it on my team’s wall and just said, ‘Guys, this is us. You know why they hold each other accountable? Do you have to have the manager down there or do they hold each other accountable? It’s life or death. If you’re not pulling your weight, someone’s going to say something,” he added. “If you’re not ready to be there, one of the other miners will say something. That’s when a team it is empowered.’
“And I talked to my guys about it. It’s just a great lesson, and I showed ’em the picture yesterday of Michael and his son, and I talked about hard, backbreaking work that’s honorable work, but that he makes time for his son, even when he knew he couldn’t shower,” Calipari said. “It didn’t matter what he looked like, he just wanted to be with his son. So, believe me, it hit home as soon as I saw it. Within five minutes I called TJ (Beisner) and said, ‘Let’s go. This one here, I’m taking care of this guy and his family.’ So that’s the whole story, and I’m sticking with it.”
