'They forgot the nails': John Calipari zinger turns into Arkansas basketball mantra during March Madness
SAN FRANCISCO — Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari first said the phrase after the Hogs' win over Mississippi State in the regular-season finale. He doubled-down with a similar version of the quote when speaking with a CBS sideline reporter after the Razorbacks beat St. John's in the second round of the men's NCAA Tournament.
"They threw us in a coffin. They just forgot the nails," he said.
The mantra has been a source of inspiration for the Arkansas fans and a fitting mentality for Calipari's first season in Fayetteville. There appeared to be little hope for a March Madness run after starting 1-6 in the SEC. Adou Thiero said he remembers one website saying the Hogs had a 5% chance of making the NCAA Tournament.
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But any scheduled funeral for this year's Arkansas squad is still on delay. The Razorbacks face Texas Tech Thursday night in the Sweet 16, coming off thrilling upsets over Kansas and St. John's in the first two rounds.
Speaking to the media Wednesday, Calipari said the line was 'off the cuff' when he first said it, but the line comes from his long history working alongside other leaders.
However, he did highlight one specific CBS announcer who might have been a direct source of the quote's inspiration.
More: 'We need him': Why Zvonimir Ivisic is an x-factor for Arkansas basketball in March Madness Sweet 16
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More: From 1-6 to Sweet 16: Arkansas overcomes adversity in March Madness win over St. John's
"Bill Raftery talked about it with Seton Hall," Calipari said. "May have come out of a casket. I refuse to do that. That's not good luck. But he came out of the casket on his TV show and said, 'We ain't dead yet!' But he's crazy. I'm not that crazy."
Calipari's players have identified with the ethos. D.J. Wagner said Calipari's been going to the quote since the start of SEC play, and the Razorbacks have rallied around the mindset of proving there's still a lot of life left in this season.
Mar 26, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari (right) talks to guard Johnell Davis (1) during NCAA Tournament West Regional Practice at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
"That's something (Calipari's) been standing on," Wagner said. "Just don't give up. People can say what they want to say and stuff like that, but don't feed into that. Just stay together as a team and stay together as one."
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And the players can feel the fans' connection. Arkansas was the butt of multiple punch lines during the early-season struggles. Calipari brought the media microscope with him from Kentucky, and the Razorbacks are relishing their chance to prove the doubters wrong with all of Northwest Arkansas behind them.
"They're there with us through the whole season," Zvonimir Ivisic said. "After every game, people are texting us and letting us know they support us no matter what. Even in the beginning with the 0-5 start, so it makes this even more fun."
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@gannett.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: 'They forgot the nails': John Calipari zinger defines Arkansas' March Madness run
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