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Coach Cal auctioning off shoes for Coaches vs. Cancer

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John Calipari is probably the most polarizing figure in college basketball.

Kentucky fans love him. Memphis fans loved him and now hate him, like just about every other fanbase in the country. Some media members think he’s a God, others consider him the worst thing to happen to college athletics since television contracts, while still others respect his coaching acumen while believing that, as a person, he’s the equivalent of the dirt that gets caked in-between the treads of your shoe.

Me?

I fall somewhere in the middle. I hate the one-and-done rule, but I think the way that Coach Cal takes advantage of it is genius. I don’t think he’s a great x’s-and-o’s coach, but I’m not sure there is anyone better at being the CEO of a program -- recruiting, teamwork, salesmenship, etc. I don’t know him well enough to have an opinion of him personally, but I love nothing more than needling Big Blue Nation with quips about him.

But if there is anything that his critics and his supporters can agree on, it’s that Cal does do a lot of good for charity. There was the Hoops for Haiti program that raised more than a $1 million in support after the earthquake. There was the money he raised to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. And now, Coach Cal is auctioning off the shoes he wore on Saturday against LSU to raise money for Coaches vs. Cancer.

In addition to the shoes, which are signed by Cal and were worn to help promote Cancer awareness, the winner of the auction -- which, as of this posting, had reached more than $2,100 -- will get two lower bowl tickets to the Mississippi State game and a piece of the National Championship court from last season.

(Image via EBay)

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.