A lot has been made of John Calipari’s microwave-like effort in piecing together the top recruiting class in the country in under two months at UK. Apparently, his quick work is not limited to recruiting.

For years, Mitch Barnhart and company have been targeting John Schnatter as a major donor to no avail, but in barely 4 months, it appears that John Calipari has wooed the pizza baron of Louisville, the namesake of UofL’s football stadium, over to the blue side of things:

Guess who I am with in this picture? He and I will have an announcement tomorrow. (about the above picture)

You guessed it, Papa John. What’s BETTER than UK fans teaming with Papa John’s to make a difference in kids’ lives. More details tomorrow.

Was in Louisville for a reception @ Papa John’s HQ hosted by Charlie Cassis, Erwin Roberts, Britt Brockman, Jude Thompson & John Schnatter.

Now, just because John Schnatter is a little bit more involved in UK sports from a fan and financial point of view, it does not preclude Schnatter from staying involved in UofL sports. Even so, this development demonstrates the additional fund raising punch that Calipari brings.

Think about John Calipari’s Twitter alone. Coach Cal can reach thousands of UK fans instantly who wait with baited breath for the tiniest tidbit that he offers them. Calipari knows that every new follower he gets represents some additional marketing power and leverage. Don’t think that potential donors and sponsors aren’t acutely aware of the same thing.

However significant or insignificant this turns out to be, I really enjoy the thought of Tom Jurich seeing this photo.