John Calipari to Cleveland?

by Will Shelton on May 13, 2010 12:20 PM EDT in Tennessee Volunteer Basketball

(This is more than just an excuse for me to talk about the Celtics, I promise.)

Tonight's Game Six between the Celtics and the Cavs could become one of the most important basketball games in recent history. If LeBron James and Cleveland get bounced from the playoffs by the Celtics (especially after their dismal Game Five performance), the chances of LBJ leaving Cleveland and shaking up the entire league will be higher than ever.

But the chances of Cleveland doing whatever it can to keep their star will also be higher than ever. Cavs coach Mike Brown is a virtual lock to be dismissed if Cleveland loses tonight. If you want to do everything you can to keep LeBron, could that include making an offer to LeBron's "close personal friend" John Calipari? And both in terms of dollars and the chance to coach LeBron...could that be an offer Cal couldn't refuse?

A number of outlets are exploring this scenario this morning:

John Pennington cites the NY Daily News and says a Cal-LeBron combo could pop up in Cleveland or Chicago.
The Dagger also points out that Cal sat next to LeBron's agent and the Cavs' owner during Game Five in discussing this scenario.
The always excellent A Sea of Blue looks at the entire Calipari whirlwind and asks "Is it worth it?" - as fans who just spent a year defending a coach everyone else hated (with a lot less winning along the way), we can relate to the effort behind the question.

Tonight's game could shake up the NBA...but it could also shake up the SEC, if rumors (which is all we have here) are to be believed. As a Celtics fan, I wouldn't want to see Cleveland start running the DDM with LeBron still in their uniform.

And here's the other question - as Tennessee fans, isn't there some part of us that, secretly or openly, enjoys having Calipari in our lives? If he left Kentucky, there is no one else they could hire that would make this rivalry as passionate as it is right now for us. This is not like Rick Pitino leaving for the NBA, after he beat the Vols like a drum for a decade. Bruce Pearl can stand toe to toe with Calipari and beat his very best teams, we've already seen it.

Would we really want Calipari to leave?

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Comments

Yes we do

by golfballs03 on May 13, 2010 12:38 PM EDT reply actions

I'm conflicted.

A big part of me agrees with you. I would actually like for him to stay, because I enjoy hating him so much, but more importantly, because I don’t think he’s a very good coach. The petty, not-so-nice part of me wants him to leave just to see the reaction in the BBN.

"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti

by sddbaker on May 13, 2010 1:36 PM EDT reply actions

I'm Also Conflicted

Part of me wants to say “YES!!!” I also know that UT will probably never be the “Top Dog” in the SEC with Coach Cal (and his supernatural recruiting powers) at that school up north. Sure, we will beat Kentucky and continue winning and/or competing for SEC titles, but that’s not how the media will portray the situation.

However, Kentucky being good is good for the SEC. What’s good for the SEC is good for the Vols. It will help our exposure, strengthen our schedule, and ultimately help our recruiting.

So Sayth King Zach I

by kingofzachland on May 13, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Absofreakinglutely

And not because I’m scared of him continuing to coach Kentucky, far from it. Because it would leave their program in shambles.

Although, it might be better for him to stay and work his NCAA violation magic for a few more years. That might be more gratifying…..

"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan

Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.

by VolBrian on May 13, 2010 1:39 PM EDT reply actions

If you're Kentucky

and Calipari leaves, don’t you go after Pearl? What do ya’ll think the chances of Pearl to KY are in that scenario? And if that happens, do we self-mutilate?

by Rx Salt on May 13, 2010 1:47 PM EDT reply actions

Never happen.

I see lots of different schools trying to woo Pearl and maybe even being successful down the road, but not Kentucky. I just don’t see it.

"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan

Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.

by VolBrian on May 13, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

No Way

Pearl has too much class to go to our main rival.

So Sayth King Zach I

by kingofzachland on May 13, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree.

Still. A horrifying possibility.

by Rx Salt on May 13, 2010 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Didn't stop Pitino

But it would never happen in this case.

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
is just a freight train coming your way.

by btcoop71 on May 13, 2010 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

No

Tom Izzo

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
is just a freight train coming your way.

by btcoop71 on May 13, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

The guy who's probably getting the court named after him in three seasons?

Sure, why not.

Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.

by Chris Pendley on May 13, 2010 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions

by golfballs03 on May 13, 2010 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

But we also got to enjoy this a little more

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on May 13, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

it would be nice to do this after winning the SEC

by golfballs03 on May 13, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

So I wonder what the coaching search will look like.

Will it look like this?

Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.

by Chris Pendley on May 13, 2010 6:10 PM EDT reply actions

I knew that was coming.

"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan

Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.

by VolBrian on May 13, 2010 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions

It's what I do.

Simulated Gameday Experience - just like the real thing, only we have smoke machines.

by Chris Pendley on May 14, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought

that picture was copyrighted by now!:-)

Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !

by oldcat70 on May 14, 2010 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Question

If Calipari leaves for the NBA, will his current recruiting class follow him????

"I condone fun things" ~~ Cortland Finnegan

Hello ladies. Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.

by VolBrian on May 13, 2010 7:33 PM EDT reply actions

John has left the building

by oldsmokey1 on May 13, 2010 8:05 PM EDT reply actions

When there is smoke, there is fire....and we have ALL

heard these rumors from credible sources

Fact is, Cal is letting these rumors stay and even if he doesn’t take a job now…he will at some point in the near future

by Alious on May 13, 2010 9:51 PM EDT reply actions

I just love...

How the people you are managing somehow don’t = responsibility.

by Caban on May 13, 2010 10:47 PM EDT reply actions

Cal says he's staying.

So the rivalry stays on at least for another year. ;)

And for what its worth, dont ever worry about Pearl and UK. I think big blue fans would absolutely convulse at the thought of the orange sweaty one in blue and white. No worries. ;)

It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.

by kentuckygirl0724 on May 14, 2010 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

Ooops...

Link:

http://twitter.com/UKCoachCalipari/status/13978874108

It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.

by kentuckygirl0724 on May 14, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for posting

Looking forward to a couple (and perhaps a few) more good games.

Rocky Top Talk

by Joel Hollingsworth on May 14, 2010 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown has been fired........

Official MCM Hater!

"If anyone asks you, you fixed my television. Now go!"

by gramsey712 on May 14, 2010 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

I don't hate Coach Cal enough to banish him to Cleveland

and I am not really that fond of him, as some of you might have already surmised.

Kentucky in a shambles would be good, but who else could possibly screw up 5 NBA First Round Draft picks besides a guy like Calipari? Not only did he fail to win the National Championship, but he even managed to lose to a much less talented Tennessee team with just one potential Second Round pick.

Kentucky fans will remind us that they won 2 of 3 and pounded us in the SEC Tourney. My response is simple: with that talent (legal or not, ethical or not), why the [Fulmerized] didn’t you sweep us by 30 each time? The answer is simple – Thanks, Coach Cal!

Cal letting these rumors go adds to the recruiting spice and it also adds to his paycheck.
Like Kiffin in the headlines, Coach Cal loves to be talked about and it creates buzz in the minds of the 17-yr olds with the overinflated egos. If he actually left (highly unlikely) it might let Kentucky stumble for a couple of years as the Cal-recruits left for more lucrative pastures.

I look forward to the day when Pearl has almost equal talent with Calipari – perhaps even this season – then the Vols will be back on top in the SEC.

by memphispete on May 14, 2010 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

Parrish's top 25, which is always good, has three SEC teams

Florida
Kentucky
Tennessee

When taking into account the losses and Parrish’s heavy weight on talented freshman, this seems to make sense. I think our experience will help us edge Kentucky, but Florida returns everybody from a team we split with last year. On paper, they’re the favorites. Our hope there is Pearl > Donovan.

by Incipient_Senescence on May 14, 2010 5:12 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, forgot about auto-formatting

Florida is at #10
Kentucky is at #17
UT is at #25

by Incipient_Senescence on May 14, 2010 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Alex Tyus coming back is huge for them

you can make an argument for Ole Miss, but once again the four best teams in the SEC should be in the East, with Georgia replacing Vanndy

Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on May 14, 2010 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd say the top five will be in the East

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vandy good again. By the way, this post was supposed to be in the other basketball thread, but I suppose it doesn’t matter much.

by Incipient_Senescence on May 14, 2010 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions