John Calipari is weighing an offer to leave Memphis for Kentucky. Should he go?
Yes...I'm a MSU fan and want somebody in there...anybody....besides Tom Izzo.
#1 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:18 AM EDTWhy not? Everytime he leaves a team, the crap finally comes out. Starting with UMass and Camby, through the Nets, etc. He is toxic, and after Kentucky gets rid of him, maybe he'll be our of basketball, which will be all to the good.
#2 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:26 AM EDTWe need a coach like Calipari that has enthsiam and will get the game exciting again!!!
#3 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:42 AM EDTYes. And when the game is less than exhilirating he will go the way of the others. Memphis gave Calpari time to build a team and fans filled the forum for every game at the beginning of the season when things were really going poorly. If he is smart he will stay where there is potential for strong recruits and loyal fans.
I'm a lifelong Carolina fan, so I think Kentucky should go to a player-coach situation, or hire Dick Vitale out of retirement. No seriously, Calipari would be a good fit . . . but only if he's willing to stay for the long haul and restore their rich basketball tradition.
#4 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:26 PM EDTThey should hire Travis Ford, a guy that thinks like KY fans. Does anybody know how much they will be paying off on B.G.'s contract?
#5 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:45 PM EDTLook I like Travis and he might just be my favorite KY player ever but he isn't ready to coach the Cats just yet.
I think KY learned that they can't hire a third rate community college coach and win a national championship. Now I don't know if Calipari can hang a banner in Rupp but I do know that he brings a very strong resume to a school with great tradition. (seems like a recipe KY fans can feast off of for a bit) Not to mention, If he is ever to be looked at in the same light as Pitino (who he dislikes a lot), Krzyzewski, Williams, or Knight he must get out of C-USA and coach where the competition is.
To answer your question about the buy out... may not be much. He never signed a contract with KY and they are not obliged to give him a thing. If they do it will just go-away money.
Yes, hire him please......just leave Travis Ford alone at O.S.U. He's going to do big things for our program, but is a UK grad. Hopefully, UK will decide that he hasn't made enough of an impression to warrant pursuing. Not that O.S.U. is a bad gig...we have a fairly storied history in BBall too....
#7 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:58 PM EDTCoach Cal has been great for Memphis as a city and for the University. This city is divided and he brought us together with Tiger Basketball.
Memphis is not the great city it once was, but Coach Cal still brought glimpses of the old Memphis. We may not all love Memphis anymore, but we all love Memphis Tiger Basketball! GO TIGERS!!! Coach Cal, PLEASE STAY WITH YOUR FANS! WE LOVE YOU!
#8 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:06 PM EDTPut Calipari in a bigger conference than CUSA... Only reason Memphis has dominated CUSA over the past 2 years is due to the fact Louisville & Marquette, the only 2 big contenders in CUSA moved to the Big East. He will be able to bring any player to UK, even moreso than at Memphis. The facilites are state of the art and the fans are so passionate that they will support and worship you... Until you start going downhill (see Billy G, Tubby Smith last 2 years). Calipari's up-and-down style with big name players is exactly what UK fans want, and the boosters that really run the atheltic department will pay whatever is necessary to bring him here.
#9 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:10 PM EDTCoach Cal.....if the Money means more to you than the kids...then leave...if not..Stay and build the major program the city and the conference needs. A True Tiger Fan...
#11 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:29 PM EDTIf he leaves Memphis for any other program, it won't be because of money. We can match ANY offer....maybe not through the schools budget, but a little coctail party/fund raiser at Fred Smith's or Pitt Hyde's house, et al.....
#13 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:14 PM EDTThe SEC is not CUSA if he wants to dominated a league he should stay at Memphis, if he wants to be a good coach in a great conference he should go to UK
#14 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:53 PM EDTCal will get the players to dominate in the SEC. People will see Memphis was winning because of talent. Doing it in the SEC means you have a good team. But do it in CUSA with the same players and people assume they can't be that good because of the schedule. CUSA fans will feel relieved that the total domination may be coming to an end.
Kentucky fans and boosters beware. Cal is charismatic and you can't dictate how he runs the program. He'll schedule as he see best for the school rather than scheduling schools just because boosters like to see certain games. He's will drop some out of your out of conference favorites in return for national coverage games.
You will be dominant because there is no better recruiter. You'll see it was no fluke doing it in CUSA. He's going to have the SEC with a second tier of teams following the footsteps of Kentucky just as he did in CUSA.
I hope we successfully counter any KY offer or the Tiger's progam will feel the loss.
I was wondering about John Pelphrey at Arkansas. He played at Kentucky
#15 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:10 PM EDTJust what Kentucky needs...another crook heard from. Leave ol' coach Cal & his merry gang of thugs at Memphis...bring in Ford or Pelphry & give a true blue grad. a chance at restoring the pride the RIGHT way.
#16 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:11 PM EDTYour an ass what makes his team thugs? is it because they are good?
NO. Please John, STAY! I hear the used car business is much better in Memphis so you might oughtta stay put. I am a rabid UK fan. I live in Travis Fords hometown. Travis is NOT the pick either. At least not the first one. Tom Izzo would be far and away the best pick of any I have heard that are actual prospects. He is class through and through. I just have not ever had a good feeling about Calipari, ever. Travis is a grinder type too that I think would make things work, no matter what it took,same as Izzo, but at this point in time I think Izzo would be the experienced big name that would be the best fit.....for now. The Big Blue Nation will rise again I have no doubt, but Barnhardt had better get it right this time or it will be a new AD we are looking for in 2yrs.
#17 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:32 PM EDTUK needs to take the time to investigate fullly Calapari's past problems at UMass. We know he can coach can he run a top flight program the right way. UK has had enough nonsense in it's past we don't want another win at all cost program. Let's do the old fashion way let's earn it!!!!
#18 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:58 PM EDTI would think a "top flight program" would be easier to run "the right way" than a lesser program. He's certainly run the Memphis program the right way. If he does accept the job, all you guys who walk around with SEC puffed out on your chest will soon find out what it's like to be stepchildren in your own conf. It will be Kentucky and the other 11.
Calipari's problem at UMass was Marcus Camby taking money from a booster. Hard to blame that on the coach. Calipari is exactly what we need at UK !
#19 - Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:59 PM EDTIf Coach Cal decides to leave our program he will be greatly missed. Some things are more important than a silver lined stage. We'll just have to see!!!!
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