March Madness Turns to March Tragedy: Calipari, Arkansas Declared ‘Dead’ Before Facing Pitino as the NCAA Tournament heats up, the Arkansas Razorbacks, led by Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, find themselves at the center of a March Madness storyline that has quickly turned into March Tragedy. Facing off against Rick Pitino and the resurgent St. John’s Red Storm, the Razorbacks are being written off before they even step onto the court.It’s a stunning fall from grace for Calipari, who took the Arkansas job amid high expectations after his tenure at Kentucky ended. With a roster that struggled to find consistency all season, the Razorbacks barely squeaked into the tournament, only to be matched up against a Pitino-coached team that has been surging at the right time.For college basketball fans, this showdown between two legendary coaches should be a must-watch. Yet, the narrative has already been set—Arkansas is finished. Analysts, pundits, and even some fans have declared the Razorbacks “dead on arrival,” expecting Pitino’s squad to dismantle them with ease.But if history has taught us anything, it’s that doubting John Calipari in March is a dangerous game. While his Arkansas team may lack the firepower of his past Kentucky juggernauts, his ability to rally a team when its back is against the wall is well-documented. Pitino may have the momentum, but Calipari has the experience.Will the Razorbacks defy expectations, or will the skeptics be proven right? The only certainty is that when two coaching legends clash, anything can happen.
