Calipari and Gillispie are no longer candidates at Kentucky.
The Kentucky people are starting to freak out. Their top 3 were Donovan, Gillispie and Calipari, and now two out of the three are gone.
http://gotigersgo.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/032607aac.html
Why is Billy G assumed out of the running? What did I miss? (Arkansas, A&M or something else?)
So why is Kentucky a top job when they lose the two coaches on their list to Memphis and Arkansas? Either Donovan is wrapped up (doubtful) or how they treated Tubby has every one else running for the next best thing. With cable channels (where you can be seen nationally) and the expanded field today, this isn't the prime job apparently that the Colonels think it is.
Calipari down, Pitino says no, if Donovan decides to stay at UF, then on to Gillespie. If he says no, we are on to TC. I originally thought he was going to stay, but as big name coach after big name coach says no, they are going to eventually get to our boy. Cue the opening guitar notes from the Clash's immortal "Should I stay or should I go." Damn.
The rumor making the rounds is that Gillespie has already agreed to a deal with Arkansas, though I don't know why he wouldn't wait if he's the no.2 for the Kentucky Job.
It only makes sense if he knows that someone else took the KU job, but someone still coaching so they can't announce it.
after looking at some of the sites with the Calipari news (yahoo, SI, ESPN, the cstv memphis link), i don't see anything where he says he's definatly staying and he doesn't want the kentucky job. i kinda see this as memphis covering their ass.
IMO: any UK search won't start till Billy D is able to be talked to, so memphis locked up Calipari (because UK wasn't going to offer him the job if they had a shot at Donovan and this deal wasn't announced till AFTER florida made it to the Final 4 and BD was off limits for another week). i'm guessing there's a nice big buyout clause in that new extention he just signed. so if UK goes another route, coach-wise, Memphis locked up a coach that took them to 2 straight Elite 8s, but in case BD says "no" and if UK is offered to Calipari, girlfriend (memphis) gonna get paid $$$