Sources: Calipari on Kentucky radar

[Dback Jon]

Memphis coach John Calipari has taken a place on Kentucky's radar in its search to replace Billy Gillispie, multiple sources told ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil and Pat Forde.

On Friday, a source told O'Neil that Calipari 'likely would not be interested' in the job but on Sunday, multiple sources said Calipari is indeed interested. A source also said Kentucky was gathering information on Calipari over the weekend.

According to Memphis sports information director Lamar Chance, Kentucky officials have not contacted Memphis for permission to speak to Calipari.

Athletic director Mitch Barnhart says the search to replace Billy Gillispie, who was fired Friday, will focus on finding someone who can match the passion of the school's rabid fan base.

Allow former Wildcats coach Rick Pitino a couple of suggestions: John Pelphrey and Travis Ford, guys with talent and deep Kentucky roots, if not lofty credentials.

Pitino spent eight years masterfully stalking the sidelines at Kentucky, reviving a reeling program with a mix of charm, charisma and -- most of all -- success.

Beloved by some diehards even after his defection to hated Louisville, Pitino is still the yardstick by which any Kentucky coach in the near future will be measured.

It's a standard ousted coach Gillispie failed to live up to, whether on the court, in the press or out in the Bluegrass.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4026035

 

[Southpaw]

and then there is Billy Donovan.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Cal would be a monster at Kentucky. And he'll probably go there too if the rumors of the financial package are true. $4.5 million base for a basketball coach is ridiculous, I'm not sure any football programs come close to that.

 

[Russ Smith]

Cal would be a monster at Kentucky. And he'll probably go there too if the rumors of the financial package are true. $4.5 million base for a basketball coach is ridiculous, I'm not sure any football programs come close to that.

Even I can see Calipari considering that job but I'm still not sure he's willing to walk into that pressure cooker.

But the lure has got to be there, give up your great recruiting class now and hope you can bring say Cousins and Wall with you to UK?

If nothing else he's doing a great job of driving up his contract extension offer Memphis will give him.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Even I can see Calipari considering that job but I'm still not sure he's willing to walk into that pressure cooker.

Cal has wanted out of Memphis for years. He pretty much took the NC State post-Sendek until the State AD lowballed his assistants. If UK comes up with that kind of money then Calipari is a goner.

But the lure has got to be there, give up your great recruiting class now and hope you can bring say Cousins and Wall with you to UK?

Wall, Cousins, Meeks, and Patterson and eight midgets is a National Championship caliber team. Who cares about your recruiting class if you can walk into that situation?

 

[DWKB]

Do I come off as too bitter to hope Xavier Henry can't get out of his LOI to Memphis?

 

[DWKB]

Cal to Kentucky appears to be a done deal. Memphis radio is now reporting that Missouri has given Memphis permission to talk to Mike Anderson.

 

[Southpaw]

Will someone pleas take Frank Haith?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Will someone pleas take Frank Haith?

Sorry. Although with Arizona's AD you never know.

Cal is going to be huge at UK and if not he's going to be hating life. That salary is ridiculous.

 

[Russ Smith]

Cal to Kentucky appears to be a done deal. Memphis radio is now reporting that Missouri has given Memphis permission to talk to Mike Anderson.

The other name is Tim floyd to Memphis if Cal takes the UK job.

And is it a coincidence that the Memphis board I sometimes read has been down for hours, can't access it?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

And is it a coincidence that the Memphis board I sometimes read has been down for hours, can't access it?

That's because the city of Memphis is in full on panic mode right now. Tucson is also on the verge of such a meltdown.

 

[Ronin]

Don't let the door hit you on the way out Calipari!

 

[Russ Smith]

http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/whas11-topstory-090330-calipari-uk-coach.87f62981.html

This site claims it's a done deal, Cal to UK. Also says he'll try to bring DeMarcus Cousins with him as mentioned earlier.

 

[Russ Smith]

Gary Parrish reports that Xavier Henry has in writing from memphis(as did Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans before him) that if Calipari is not the Memphis coach, Memphis has to release Henry from his NLI "without conditions."

So he could get out of his commit and Memphis could not stop him from following Calipari to UK if they had the scholarship. That's now 3 guys who would be allowed to follow him to UK if they chose, Cousins, Henry and Wall.
He doesn't have Wall yet but most assume wall was going to pick Memphis.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Can I get some odds on UK winning it all next year?

That team will be ridiculous, Arizona should really try and hire Pastner in some capacity to see if any of those guys would be willing to follow. That's the least we could do to UK for costing us Calipari.

 

[Russ Smith]

Can I get some odds on UK winning it all next year?

That team will be ridiculous, Arizona should really try and hire Pastner in some capacity to see if any of those guys would be willing to follow. That's the least we could do to UK for costing us Calipari.

THey would only have a PG if Wall picks UK too, and who knows if that many star recruits together will get along, but on paper that's a pretty scary group.

UK also has Daniel Orton coming in, he was a one and done until he blew his knee out and missed most of his senior year. not clear if he'd stay or ask out if UK suddenly had Cousins.

 

[Russ Smith]

This is just making Calipari look shadier and shadier. now Memphis boards are reporting that Henry is not the only recruit with a promise to be released without stipulations if Calipari leaves, Nolan Dennis has one too and other recruits might also.

So in effect Calipari recruited this entire class under the assumption he might be leaving Memphis. When kids heard that talk and asked he said look to show you how confident we are I'm going to be here, if I'm not, we'll let you out of your NLI. Sounds great to the kid, Memphis agrees to it because they're getting a great class, and now Calipari is free to try and poach all those recruits to UK if he can.

So what looked like him trying to reassure kids during the recruiting process was actually him suckering his current school into agreeing to something that was in the best interests of Calipari not the school.

 

[DWKB]

Can I get some odds on UK winning it all next year?

I might be buy-ist, but I'd put them at less than KU right now.

 

[boisesuns]

If the NCAA allows the players to follow before they are officially enrolled, I don't see a problem with it. I know it sucks for Memphis, but if they are going to allow it, they have to expect something like this to happen.

Calipari has been there for 9 years. I'm sure he wants to try his shot at a legendary program. We'll see how this all plays out.

 

[DWKB]

Gary Parrish reports that Xavier Henry has in writing from memphis(as did Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans before him) that if Calipari is not the Memphis coach, Memphis has to release Henry from his NLI "without conditions."

So he could get out of his commit and Memphis could not stop him from following Calipari to UK if they had the scholarship. That's now 3 guys who would be allowed to follow him to UK if they chose, Cousins, Henry and Wall.
He doesn't have Wall yet but most assume wall was going to pick Memphis.

Following up on this. Born Ready has postponed his announcement that was scheduled for today. Rumor was he was 99% KU.

Xavier Henry is being asked about KU again and appears very receptive to the idea:

What do you like about Kansas? 'Everything'

Your family is from there: "Yeah, my family is from there and we feel real comfortable"

Self: "Me and coach Self are real close."

Wall is still an enigma.

Cousins is possibly in limbo. Doesn't look like UK is interesting to him with Patterson and Orton there. Kansas State is a dark horse here.

 

[DWKB]

Will someone pleas take Frank Haith?

For you, wally:

If [Mike] Anderson doesn't take an expected offer from Georgia, the Bulldogs are expected to turn to Miami's Frank Haith with an outside shot that Clemson's Oliver Purnell could be in the fray.

 

[Skkorpion]

It's been entertaining. As will the rest of the coaching job reshufflings and recruit poachings. Lots of fans will be thrilled or bitter. Bring it on. Will UA get their top pick? We'll see.

 

[Dback Jon]

Calipari Accepts Kentucky Coaching Job

After over a day of deliberation, John Calipari is headed to Kentucky.

The coach sent a text message to ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday evening saying, "I am accepting the UK job! Go Big Blue, coach Cal."

A source told Katz that Calipari will receive an eight-year, $35 million deal. He gets a $2.5 million signing bonus and $3 million per year for the first four years. In Years 5, 6, 7 and 8, Calipari will get an additional $1.5 million per year, so for the last four years of the contract his salary would be $4.5 million. Incentives push the deal up a few more million to get to the $35 million mark.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4031573