Can we please get real?

[Harrison]

All the banter back and forth as to whether Crean would take the UK job is getting old.  I personally, think that he would take it.  However, much more importantly is the simple fact that he will never even be considered for the job.  Enough is enough. 

UK basically ran a guy that won an NCAA title and went to the NCAA's 10 out of 10 years. 

Tom Crean while he has done some very nice things at MU is no where near what UK would be looking for.  Yes he has increased the fan support and deserves an A for his marketing of the program...but that is not needed in Lexington.  His recruiting, coaching, and tournament success do not warrant an A.  In fact the one and dones that he has turned in as a higher seeded team tarnish his luster, especially as viewed through the eyes of a potential employer in UK. 

Tom Crean has done a good job at MU.  But UK will be looking for the guy like a Calipari, who like Pitino can recruit the McDonald's all-americans and get them high flying like they were 10 years ago.  Crean has never demonstarted that ability apart from one academic non-qualifier.  Pitino in his days at UK and Calipari at Memphis have been signing lottery picks every year. 

Crean to UK made the most sense after his Final 4 team, but 4 years later, only 2 NCAA teams with his guys and both first round flameouts versus lower seeds.  Not happening. 

[Big Papi]

Actually the Tom Crean to Kentucky scenario is not far fetched.  I doubt he is even in their top 5 list but I think there is a decent chance that the big guns will shy away from Kentucky.  No Donovan, Pitino, Izzo.  Furthermore, Kentucky might view a Calipari as too much of a character risk considering what happend at UMass.  That leaves second tiered coaches.  Coaches that have recruited successfully for where they are at.  MU has a hard time competing for the big time recruits but TC can judge talent and does get in on a lot of players that he eventually loses out because he is recruiting them to a small private, higher standards insitution over a well known state school that can really take anyone in.  I think TC would be able to recruit lottery picks at Kentucky fairly easily.

Now would he want to enter a pressure cooker job like Kentucky where he would have the tools to have a legit chance to win a national championship, knowing that anything short of a Final Four and he gets abused by neighbors, local media, alumni and fans.

[ChicosBailBonds]

He's probably in their top 5 and would go if offered.   I think it plays into some of the anti-Crean crowd that there is "no way" a school like Kentucky would want him.

He wins, he graduates players, he's considered a good teacher by basketball insiders, he runs a clean program, he puts players in the pros and he's a PR guy.

Plus, many of the blueblood programs think if you can do that at Marquette (or Gonzaga) then you can do even better at a program with lax admission standards, lax NCAA policies, larger athletic department, etc.

And likely they are right.

[Sir Lawrence]

Kentucky basketball:

The school's men's basketball team is the winningest program in Division I college basketball with over 1,974 victories, seven NCAA national championships (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998) -- which is second all-time to UCLA's 11 -- two NIT national championships (1946, 1976), one Helms national title (1933), forty-eight NCAA tournament appearances, runner-up three times, 13 Final Fours, and 28 Elite Eight appearances.

source:  wikipedia--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Kentucky

And, never underestimate the power of the spouse.  The dad-in-law, as we know, was at Western Kentucky, and must have drooled at the thought of being at UK.  I agree with Chicos--if offered, he's history.

[4everwarriors]

won't be offered.

[Harrison]

yet another thread dissolves into whether he would go or not.  Again, as 4ever states he will never be offered.  He has not accomplished nearly enough.

[ecompt]

The only coach who has accomplished enough according to UK standards in James Naismith, and he's not taking calls.

[mviale]

Not sure Memphis(under calipari) and UK (under tubbs) have produced better NBA talent than Crean.

[mosarsour]

OK..so then the job gets offered to Izzo and he takes it.  You can't tell me that Michigan State's not gonna call TC's number.