Calipari reportedly interested in Kentucky job [Updated]

[Aughnanure]

Per ESPN.....Digger and Hubert were just discussing it last night.

Update= Now ESPN is saying Kentucky officials met with Calipari on Sunday


let the dominoes fall...........................

[muPARTY]

if he goes, i dare say "bye bye" to memphis being an elite team... that is unless they bring in a big name coach to replace, which i don't see happening.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

The rest of CUSA would be jumping for joy since all of a sudden, a few more programs (UAB, Houston, UTEP) will have a shot at the NCAAs.

Unfortunately for them, Memphis is the only thing keeping CUSA on the national radar.  Otherwise, they're no better than the MAC. 

[sailwi]

I haven't read any of the UK boards to see what the opinion on JC is but two years ago it was pretty overwhelming that he wasn't good enough becasue of the sleeze factor, guess he is good enough now that their program is a mess.

[CAINMUTINY]

If he goes to KU its only because UA isn't willing to pay the 4 to 5 million a year that he is probably going to want as he currently makes close to 3 million without including the monster endorsement deal he signed with Nike.

[chrisk1]

I won't completely write off Memphis' ability to remain relevant and/or the power of CUSA, but they will certainly fall a bit without Calipari.  There's too much Fed Ex money to be had for Memphis to stay down for long.  If they can lure a coach who's willing to be a little slimy then they should be alright.  When does Sampson's suspension from coaching expire?

[Warrior_2002]

I won't completely write off Memphis' ability to remain relevant and/or the power of CUSA, but they will certainly fall a bit without Calipari.  There's too much Fed Ex money to be had for Memphis to stay down for long.  If they can lure a coach who's willing to be a little slimy then they should be alright.  When does Sampson's suspension from coaching expire?

I'm not sure how you think they can sustain what they've had with Calipari if he leaves.  I don't see anyone considering continuing the Mempis legacy JC leaves behind.  I agree with TC's TB that the UTEPs, UABs and Tulsas will be jumping for joy (Horizon League #2).  If Memphis had a choice during the CUSA explosion to leave the conference with everyone else, they will have regrets if JC leaves.  He is the only reason for the Memphis success.  Not the money from FedEx.

[4everwarriors]

Does Pastner then get the Memphis job? If so, he made a good move by turning down Buzz last year.

[GGGG]

I haven't read any of the UK boards to see what the opinion on JC is but two years ago it was pretty overwhelming that he wasn't good enough becasue of the sleeze factor, guess he is good enough now that their program is a mess.

Calipari really hasn't been all that sleezy.  The problems he ran into at UMass were really because of Camby's relationship with an agent...not having anything to do with recruitment and such.  He's run into no problems at Memphis.

[bma725]

Calipari really hasn't been all that sleezy.  The problems he ran into at UMass were really because of Camby's relationship with an agent...not having anything to do with recruitment and such.  He's run into no problems at Memphis.

That's not exactly true.  He had issues during the Abdul Gaddy recruitment with some phone calls made by a Memphis booster to Gaddy's mother that he did nothing to discourage.  He's also got the connection to Worldwide Wes, who the NCAA would love to bring down but can't get anyone to talk on the record about whether it be college coaches, NBA coaches, NBA players, Nike executives etc.

[4everwarriors]

Yep, should have hooked up with Kool Aid Perry instead.

[Blackhat]

Like Calhoun I pretty much assume Calipari is cheating in order to get the top 20 players...got to play the game with the handlers these days to get those guys.   NCAA doesn't want to put the hammer down on one of its cash cows I'm sure a lot goes on that the public doesn't know about and may never know about. 

[VegasWarrior77]

Like Calhoun I pretty much assume Calipari is cheating in order to get the top 20 players...got to play the game with the handlers these days to get those guys.   NCAA doesn't want to put the hammer down on one of its cash cows I'm sure a lot goes on that the public doesn't know about and may never know about.

+1

The NCAA will turn the other way when players are paid as long as it isn't blatantly obvious.  This reminds me of MLB turning it's head to the steroid issue until too many average home run hitters had career years!

[sailwi]

I know little has stuck to Calapari but the whispers are out there wheter it is World Wide Wes or Fed Ex jobs for parents and realtives, at one time supposedly the blue bloods of KU were better than that.  I know KU has the Eddie Sutton legacy but on the surface it appeared Pitino and Tubby were relatively clean.

[bma725]

I know little has stuck to Calapari but the whispers are out there wheter it is World Wide Wes or Fed Ex jobs for parents and realtives, at one time supposedly the blue bloods of KU were better than that.  I know KU has the Eddie Sutton legacy but on the surface it appeared Pitino and Tubby were relatively clean.

They always claimed to be better than that, but remember, they are the same school that had their run stopped because of a point shaving scandal and got suspended for an entire season.

[StillAWarrior]

Unfortunately for them, Memphis is the only thing keeping CUSA on the national radar.  Otherwise, they're no better than the MAC. 

I think you're giving CUSA too much credit there.

[TJ]

Wwhy do random people on this board incorrectly refer to Kentucky as KU?  No one anywhere else refers to them as anything except UK.

[MU B2002]

Wwhy do random people on this board incorrectly refer to Kentucky as KU?  No one anywhere else refers to them as anything except UK.

Agree

I was wondering why Bill Self was getting the ax?? 

[TallTitan34]

I think you're giving CUSA too much credit there.

+1  Memphis wouldn't win 62+ games in a row in the MAC.

[sailwi]

My mistake using KU instead of UK, guess I was thinking of Kansas which brings up a question that I have never heard the asnwer to; why do the old Big 8 schools abbreviate backwards Kansas KU not UK, Colorado CU not UC, Nebraska NU not UN, etc.

[OneMadWarrior]

The rest of CUSA would be jumping for joy since all of a sudden, a few more programs (UAB, Houston, UTEP) will have a shot at the NCAAs.

Unfortunately for them, Memphis is the only thing keeping CUSA on the national radar.  Otherwise, they're no better than the MAC. 

In no way should any team in this conference be jumping for joy. This completes the death of C-USA. They are nothign more then the MAC or WAC. They are a step below the Mountain west and no longer have a nationally relevant program in either revenue generating sport. Its too bad. It was a good idea that got destroyed by greed and football. I expect the league will dissolve as the television money will now dry up even further. You only need to look at what happened to the A-10 after Calipari left to see exactly what can happen when a school loses a coach in a mid-major conference. They no longer even support a football conference like they once did.

[dsfire]

Probably depends on how the money splits.  You potentially lose the split of money from Memphis being a national power, but if you're a Tulsa or UAB, you get a better shot at ending up in the NCAA tournament yourself.

Of course, that's all predicated on Memphis faltering as a program if Calipari leaves.

[nyg]

Media reports have the offer to Calapari at 5 million a year.  Jeez.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Katz is reporting 8 years, $35 million over at ESPN.

But hey, what's another couple hundred thousand a year anyways in this economy, right?   

[4everwarriors]

Too Tan Tommy should renegotiate. He's grossly underpaid.