Cal to UK a real possibility

I don't like the sound of this. This would be bad for UT

almost 3 years ago kidbourbon 18 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Ive been saying for the past few days that I really dont see Calipari coming to UK

but the talk is heating up, so its hard to argue against at the moment. (hes also the leading in votes over at a A Sea Of Blue) My gut had been telling me Izzo, but that may have changed when they beat Louisville to get into the final four.

This would be horrible for Memphis though. The football program is struggling, and would probably spell doom for the basketball program – they have the players, but the C-USA is just a cakewalk.

On the other hand, this would make for some interesting new Calipari-Pitino relations. Its like UK has said “Well if we cant have Pitino anymore, lets just find his clone”.

Side note: I ran three errands this morning for my boss, and each place I was in I heard a conversation about Calipari coming to UK. 2 of the three times I also heard how UK would like to have Pitino back, usually followed by a sigh. Lol.

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

I still don't see Calipari to UK.

It’s far easier for me to believe this is simply a testing of the waters prior to finalizing a new contract with Memphis. I can’t see a single benefit to going to Kentucky for Calipari, but there are plenty of reasons to stay at UM:

- He’s living at the epicenter of one of the best recruiting areas in the nation.
- The Memphis crowd gives him just as much love as he’d ever get at UK (at the best of times, even)
- Memphis is ready to raise his salary to near-pro league levels.
- There is no way he can live up to expectations in UK.

In the last point, I’m referencing his success at UM as the inevitable benchmark that UK fans will hold. He’s currently the closest thing to a guaranteed conference winner you’ll ever see in sports, and a bad year would constitute about 25 regular season wins and a 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Why would he trade his role as Pharaoh of C-USA for King Damocles of Lexington? It makes no sense to me.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

I think it might be a done deal

http://blog.masslive.com/minuteblog/2009/03/john_calipari_reportedly_close.html

by kidbourbon on Mar 30, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

I just can't figure out what Calipari sees in this.

Unless he’s getting bored at Memphis – which is a real possibility – there’s absolutely no reason to take the Kentucky job other than they had a dynasty way back when. At best, he can do as well at Kentucky as what would be an average year at Memphis. And Memphis would provide millions of reasons to laugh at anybody who criticizes his winning the C-USA.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Its looking more and more like the hes the guy

ESPN coverage during lunch today was all about it. Unless, hes just entertaining the offer from UK just as a way to get more money out of Memphis.

But heres why I might be able to see something like this happening:

If you think about it, Calipari is still very much an outsider in college basketball. Memphis has been in the conversation the last few years for NCs, but its almost always “how good are they really?”, “do they deserve it?” type questions because of the C-USA stigma. If he leaves for UK, and does a good job, you eliminate those questions, he solidifies himself as a coaching great, not to mention the deals/promotions/etc that comes with a big-name program like UK.

My question is, can he live up to the expectations of UK. Im a firm believer no one can – the UK fans have such incredibly unrealistic expectations, no one can ever live up to their expectations except, as someone else said, the zombie-reincarnation of Adolf Rupp himself.

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

And Rupp probably couldn't live up to them, either.

Part of Rupp’s mystique is the magnification of memory through time. Part is that he enjoyed the same advantages that football coaches like Bryant, Hayes and Parseghian had when the NCAA laws were less restrictive and information wasn’t as nationally available.

I could see the legacy-building concept playing a factor, but Calipari would be foolish to buy into that. They played in the finals a year ago and had a very good chance to win it all. The team this year had a legit shot and happened to have one bad outing (which is how most teams fall). He also did wonders at UMass. Love him or hate him, to say that he hasn’t earned his place among the best is to be prejudicially myopic.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

No, Rupp would be crucified like the rest of them.

anytime he lost a conference game or a first round NCAA game, his head would be called for just like the rest.

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Of course,

there could always be internals that we don’t know about either.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

It's the challenge.

Look at his trajectory through the coaching ranks – UMass to a failed stint in the NBA to Memphis – and you see a guy who hasn’t had a chance to get a power conference with a power team. These positions don’t open up every day, and I think he has enough of a competitive streak to think he can succeed where guys in front of him have failed.

Tough break for Memphis, and I don’t really know what this does for our rivalries. Memphis would be in trouble if this happens, unless they get crazy and try and poach Pearl.

by Chris Pendley on Mar 30, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like they'd go for Anderson in Missouri.

At least as plan A.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions

But do you think Anderson would take that?

I dont know much about Anderson, or Missouri sports for that matter, but it seems that it would be tough to get a Big 12 coach to the C-USA.

I think Memphis is going to need a hell of a recruiter to keep them up top.

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think he will.

He’s also being pursued by Georgia, and probably others we don’t know of yet.

I think the Memphis program is in significant trouble with this news. Calipari is not going to let go of the Memphis recruiting inroads, which will make things very difficult for anybody following him to recruit from the home base. I don’t see many people going to Memphis from afar under a new coach unless, as you say, the new guy is some kind of wizard.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Our friends over at A Sea of Blue are reporting its all but a done deal now

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 4:20 PM EDT reply actions

It's fun over there.

The creepy stalker-fan club is at full force. The live feed of a door in Memphis is absolutely hilarious.

by David Hooper on Mar 30, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Its ridiculous.

Its insane how they were practically at the AD’s door on Friday with pitchforks and torches and now they’re all slapping him on the back and offering him drinks. 2 coaches in 4 years is wearing thin on my patience in this town.

now with less meyton panning.

by Pride of the Southland on Mar 30, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Living in Memphis, It's Done

Living in Memphis, It’s basically a done deal – Cal to UK. There’s a second round of meetings by Tiger Boosters to keep him.

On the call-in shows during the drive home… If the money is the same, Memphis Fans cannot grasp why he would choose the winningest program in the country and holders of 7 national champ banners over the Tigers. You could almost fit 2 FedEx Forums inside Rupp Arena. It’s the SEC against C-USA. Unbelievable. These people in Memphis are delusional over their Tigers.

The more interesting questions: which players get to go with Cal? We know Cal can recruit but can he coach on the bench/game plan for good teams twice a week for 2 1/2 months? How does he do in the tourney with a lower seed and more even talent?

To date, his NBA talent has overcome his blatant inability to coach because he has feasted on inferior competition. Even in the tourney, he beat a #10 and #15 seed. Nice when your NCAA tourney doesn’t even start until the Sweet 16. Won’t have the luxury of padding the resume with 19 conference wins in the SEC.

by memphispete on Mar 30, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions