Heavy rumors of Calipari to Kentucky....

[anders5189]

The reason I got upset over this news/possibility is that I feel bad for when fans see coaches of a successful smaller-school go to a bigger-name.

For instance, how do you think Aggie fans felt when Gillespie left in 2007?

And remember when Urban Meyer was courted by Notre Dame in 2004? If the Irish had successfully gotten him, imagine the pain of Utah fans

That's how Memphis fans would feel if this happens.

Also, I've grown to like the Tigers under Calipari- I wouldn't want to see them regress to their pre-Calipari status.

After all, Memphis' Grizzlies have not been very good recently- the Tigers are Memphis' best team.

UK will not be a has been if they get Calipari. They might get put on probation someday, but they will not be irrelevant.

As for Texas A&M they are doing just fine 2 years after Gillispie left. And Utah's football team just went undefeated this past year and crushed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. They don't need Urban Meyer.

I don't know what will happen to Memphis if they lose Calipari. My guess is they will take a step back, but C-USA still sucks so it wouldn't be too hard for someone to step in and keep winning.

 

[anders5189]

All programs go through their ups and downs. Stick around long enough and you'll understand young grasshopper. But you gotta respect history man! Come on!

Can I interpret this to mean you feel sorry for the mess that is Michigan football these days?

 

[Ramy]

I really don't want Calipari to sign with UK.

I can't stand all these coaches falling for Big Blue's siren song.

When will Kentucky realize they are a has-been? They still act like they are hot stuff.

Shut Up. I am tired of hearing your crap.

 

[HD MM]

Can I interpret this to mean you feel sorry for the mess that is Michigan football these days?

I don't feel sorry for them, but I accept that it's a part of the ebb and flow that is sports.

 

[Ramy]

I'll admit it- I've never been a fan of Kentucky.

You know how some programs have a "love them or hate them" mentality? For me, Kentucky falls under that category.

They are like the Cowboys are to football fans or Notre Dame and USC to college football- there are people who like them, but not everyone is supposed to like them.

You must be the only one. I have never heard someone say they hated KY like I hear people say about Duke or NC.

 

[SabresRule]

Shut Up. I am tired of hearing your crap.

Ramy, I'm sorry if that offended you, but you know how some schools have their fans and detractors, fans that love or hate a school?

I fall under that category.

Besides, not everyone who is a college hoops fan is a fan of a specific school.

After all, Duke has their detractors; so does Carolina.

I'm sorry if this offends you.

 

[SabresRule]

I had no idea what I said was going to be seen like this.

What I ORIGINALLY tried to said was that Kentucky, which was immortal as a hoops power recently from 1992-2005, has become a mere-mortal.

I don't want this to go any longer; I don't want to keep alienating you guys.

If this keeps up, I could lose respect as well as friends on this site.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Too late.

 

[SabresRule]

Guys, listen- judging by what I said, it feels like I may have gone too far.

I may consider taking a break from this site for a few days- maybe I could cool off, since I've been going on.

I'm not going to post for a few days. I may need to do some personal soul-searching.

 

[Skyhi]

...

 

[stmcld]

I welcome him. He is a great coach.

I just can not see him as a good fit for UK. The only aspect I see for him is this: trying to bring a Pitino-esq coach to UK. I for one would rather have Travis Ford or John Pelphrey.

 

[stmcld]

I am sure they would have looked past it, just because he was winning. I don't think though that he was the right fit from the beginning and said that. I don't think I ever said they should have gotten rid of Tubby.

I am glad Tubby left. It was time for him to mosey on down the road. His ability to recruit had sunk, in my opinion, to unacceptable levels. I think Billy Clyde should have been given one more year but it seems that he caused a lot of bad blood behind the scenes and with fans. He never grasped that at UK it is like being president. When you say or do something it is digested and disected and everyone will have an opinion in this state on what it all means. He never grasped on how big of a deal it is to be the coach at UK.

 

[salsadancer7]

Hmmmm...could this be leaning toward a done deal??!!

Coach John Calipari is spending Monday meeting with Memphis officials and contemplating what is expected to be a multiyear, multimillion-dollar offer to coach Kentucky, a source close to the situation said.

Calipari had a morning meeting with his players Monday to discuss his interest in the Kentucky opening, and players left convinced their coach would leave their program for Kentucky's, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported, citing a source close to the situation.

Calipari met with Kentucky officials on Sunday at an undisclosed location, at which time he was given an outline on the length of a deal and contract dollars to succeed Billy Gillispie, the source said.

But more than the money, Calipari has to decide if he wants to leave a program in Memphis that he has transformed into a national championship contender for one of the most tradition-rich programs in the sport that has recently fallen upon hard times.

Calipari's top recruit, DeMarcus Cousins, has made an oral commitment to Memphis, but because national letters of intent do not have to be signed until next month, Cousins could easily follow Calipari to Kentucky if he were to become the Wildcats' coach.

Calipari has a longstanding rivalry with Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who coached Kentucky to a national championship in 1996, and would have the opportunity to go head-to-head with him within the borders of a state that considers college basketball to be the national pastime.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4026848"]Source: John Calipari contemplates taking Kentucky Wildcats job - ESPN[/ame]

 

[HD MM]

Hmmmm...could this be leaning toward a done deal??!!

Coach John Calipari is spending Monday meeting with Memphis officials and contemplating what is expected to be a multiyear, multimillion-dollar offer to coach Kentucky, a source close to the situation said.

Calipari had a morning meeting with his players Monday to discuss his interest in the Kentucky opening, and players left convinced their coach would leave their program for Kentucky's, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported, citing a source close to the situation.

Calipari met with Kentucky officials on Sunday at an undisclosed location, at which time he was given an outline on the length of a deal and contract dollars to succeed Billy Gillispie, the source said.

But more than the money, Calipari has to decide if he wants to leave a program in Memphis that he has transformed into a national championship contender for one of the most tradition-rich programs in the sport that has recently fallen upon hard times.

Calipari's top recruit, DeMarcus Cousins, has made an oral commitment to Memphis, but because national letters of intent do not have to be signed until next month, Cousins could easily follow Calipari to Kentucky if he were to become the Wildcats' coach.

Calipari has a longstanding rivalry with Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who coached Kentucky to a national championship in 1996, and would have the opportunity to go head-to-head with him within the borders of a state that considers college basketball to be the national pastime.

Source: John Calipari contemplates taking Kentucky Wildcats job - ESPN

This is the logical next step for Coach Calipari. If he doesn't accept this job, I'll be shocked.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

He is going to Kentucky and they should be happy to have him. He will do great.
Any chance we could send Ted Thompson there as an assistant?...maybe water boy or jock washer?

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Yeah I heard that too, and that is why I was surprised about todays news.

I found this page from 2007. Looks like Calipari evaluated the talent level of the programs and mapped out his immediate future:

“Truth be told, there are probably better jobs than Memphis,” Calipari said. “But there may not be a better team than the one I’m going to have for the next couple of years. You don’t leave that.”

2007 link:

Calipari in 2007

 

[salsadancer7]

I found this page from 2007. Looks like Calipari evaluated the talent level of the programs and mapped out his immediate future:



2007 link:

Calipari in 2007

The funny thing is, they ALL say something of the realm of "you don't leave that".

Funny how we all make a major issue about players being greedy...and the 1st better looking job with more $$$, NOBODY says ANYTHING about THEIR greed. Truth be told, there is MORE loyalty from players there is from coaches.

 

[HD MM]

The funny thing is, they ALL say something of the realm of "you don't leave that".

Funny how we all make a major issue about players being greedy...and the 1st better looking job with more $$$, NOBODY says ANYTHING about THEIR greed. Truth be told, there is MORE loyalty from players there is from coaches.

College players aren't "paid". When did someone every call college players "greedy"??

 

[cosmo_kramer]

The funny thing is, they ALL say something of the realm of "you don't leave that".

Funny how we all make a major issue about players being greedy...and the 1st better looking job with more $$$, NOBODY says ANYTHING about THEIR greed. Truth be told, there is MORE loyalty from players there is from coaches.

Well, duh, the restrictions on NCAA players are much tighter than they are on coaches. My point was to show he looked at the talent he was going to have at Memphis in the immediate future (hence the bolding of "next couple of years"). He didn't consider Kentucky then, but he is now....

 

[salsadancer7]

College players aren't "paid". When did someone every call college players "greedy"??

I am talking coaches/mangers in general. These guys take off at the 1st jobs that shows cleavage.