College sports have some of the most passionate fans in the country.
One coaching search saw a reality star wade into the discussion.
And former HGTV star Chip Gaines is in hot water for going to war with this college fanbase.
The college basketball coaching carousel saw a major domino fall when University of Kentucky coach John Calipari left the school after 15 years to take the job at Arkansas.
Suddenly, one of the biggest jobs in the sport was open and the hunt began for the next coach.
Rumors swirl about Baylor’s Scott Drew
Baylor University coach Scott Drew was reportedly at the top of the shortlist to take over the Kentucky job.
He pulled the school out of the depths of scandal that nearly saw the program get shut down after the previous coach covered up a murder to the 2021 National Championship.
Rumors swirled that he was seriously considering leaving for the Kentucky job.
Kentucky has the most passionate fan base in college basketball dubbed Big Blue Nation and used a flight tracking website to discover that a private jet was on its way from Waco, Texas – home of Baylor – to Lexington, Kentucky.
Local television stations gathered outside to attempt to catch a glimpse of Drew potentially exiting the aircraft.
The Waco to Lexington flight is close and apparently there are tv crews at the airport pic.twitter.com/Oa4v9yEKIO
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 10, 2024
A picture surfaced of Drew on social media at a restaurant that day.
Kentucky fans were able to determine that it was a Mexican diner in Waco and called the restaurant to tell the staff to let Drew know that he should be the next Kentucky coach.
I am told (via a text screenshot) that someone saw the picture of Scott Drew eating at the Mexican restaurant in Waco. They figured out which one it was, called it and had the waitress go over and say “we need you in Lexington”
BBN insanity is amazing
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 10, 2024
HGTV’s Chip Gaines snaps at Kentucky fans on social media
While the rumors were flying about Drew, a Kentucky fan account posted a picture asking followers to keep former HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines away from the Baylor coach.
Keep these two away from Scott Drew for the next 48 hours pic.twitter.com/Ig4HLFnNBz
— Barstool Kentucky (@BarstoolUK) April 10, 2024
The two home fixer-uppers both went to Baylor and live in the Waco area.
Chip Gaines responded to the account with, “Y’all wish” and a laughing emoji.
🤣 yall wish
— Chip Gaines (@chipgaines) April 10, 2024
Another tagged him and asked who “tf” he was.
“Do you kiss your mom with that mouth… ask her who I am, she’ll know,” Gaines replied.
Another Kentucky fan replied, claiming the school could outbid Baylor for Drew.
“You don’t wanna go band for band with us Chip,” the user said.
Gaines pointed out that Baylor is a Baptist college.
“Money is boring… everybody’s got money,” Gaines wrote. “We’ve got God on our side.”
Money is boring.. everybody’s got money🙄
We’ve got God on our side.. ✨😉
— Chip Gaines (@chipgaines) April 10, 2024
Things worked out for the former HGTV star when Drew decided that he was going to stay at Baylor.
But the frenzy around the Kentucky basketball coaching search was enough to get Chip Gaines to rib fans on social media.
