Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
[Moderated by Matt Jones]
- Matt spoke with someone close to the negotiations and he said that UK expects to receive an answer from Calipari at some point today. Whether he accepts or declines, it should be resolved today.
- Along that note, the same person said that almost all of the details were finalized late Monday night. One of the major sticking points was the status of the outstanding scholarship offers for the players in the 2010 class and beyond. According to this source, Calipari said that “only one is anywhere close to a UK-level player”.
- Matt spoke to someone very close to Calipari who said a couple of interesting things:
1. There will be no players leaving Memphis to follow him to UK. There was some speculation of Wesley Witherspoon, Robert Sallie and others following their coach, but that will not happen.
2. This person also says that Calipari is very excited about the current UK roster. This person said that “Patterson, Meeks, Miller, Stevenson, Harris, Galloway, Orton and Hood”, along with 1 or 2 recruits he would bring with him, is a team that Calipari says could potentially be special.
****Matt will be on Bomani’s show at 11:20 discussing the situation. Listen in here.
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March 31st, 2009 at 10:24 am
This and the previous post sound encouraging! Come on Cal!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:24 am
Get on the plane!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am
haha..would that one person be perhaps Dominique Ferguson?
March 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am
Calipari is a real coach who can utilize the strengths of guys like Stevenson, Harris, and Galloway - should be fun to watch. I hesitate to read into any of this, but why no mention of Liggins?
March 31st, 2009 at 10:28 am
Interesting about the future recruits. I saw they signed on with the coach and if the new guy wants someone different he should be able to let those guys know that we are going in a different directions. Heck they can follow Billy G if they like.
I know some will say they signed on with the school and since Billy was a rep of the school then we shouold honor that, yet if a recruit wants out because of a new coach the arguement becomes….he signed with the coach and should be allowed to leave.
SO in other words the player can break his committment and it’s cool but the school can’t? Crap I say
Let whoever go and allow John to bring in his players.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:29 am
Can you imagine what will happen to this board if Dakota Euton and Zollo keep us from getting Calipari? I think the entire internet would blow up.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:29 am
Yank their schollies if they aren’t UK material, it should not be an issue. If Calipari comes, then this is a new coach and a very different program now and these kids might not be the ones the program needs.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:31 am
All scholarships and LOI’s should be honored, but not verbal committments.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:33 am
If we do not get Calipari because Dr. Todd does not have the intestinal fortitude to allow a new coach to clean up some questionable recruits by the former, bi-polar, coach then we need a new president because the current one will always keeps us in the middle of the pack as a basketball institution.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:35 am
Dakota Euton would be the new Steve Bartman–he would have to go into hiding.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:38 am
You guys are reading this wrong. He is saying Memphis players are no where near UK caliber. HE IS EXCITED ABOUT OUR ROSTER!!!!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:41 am
Go read the chat on this Memphis site:
http://memphisroar.com/2009/03/tuesday-am-memphisroar-live-chat-discus s-the-standoff/
March 31st, 2009 at 10:41 am
I need more info, keep it coming guys!! I have knots in my stomach. This is NOT healthy. What’s up w/ the Memphis offer?? More $? I know he said that it is not about the money, if not, does that really bode well for the cats? I mean his family has established roots in Memphis. thoughts?
March 31st, 2009 at 10:43 am
huh, the current memphis roster would kick our ass 9 out of 10.
I do not think he is saying the current uk roster is better than the one at memphis. If he likes our curren thinks roster maybe he thinks he has something to work with the first year.. having meeks and patterson is a good start on the first year. That goes for anyone who takes the job. This team should do better next year.
I am currently listening to a Memphis station and they have been talking about Mark Story’s story in the Leader today. I am trying to be hopeful but I feel that he is going to stay. I also read on a Memphis paper that says the hang up is that Calipari wants to have say in who they hire. I think Cal wants on of his assistants to take the job.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:43 am
sorry dakotah, KC, Avery, etc. You can all got to L-ville after they lose Pitino.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:43 am
11. No he is saying past 2010 no one on the UK roster is UK caliber….you can’t read.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:44 am
BSB-
It’s clear he is talking about UK early commitments - Zollo, Avery, Euton.
The player that is a UK-level player is Ferguson. If this is the sticking point and
it precludes his signing, Billy will get the last laugh after all. Unreal.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:47 am
Huh. Calipari includes Harris among the players he likes on the roster, according to the source. He may just be a coach who can polish the razor’s game…
March 31st, 2009 at 10:47 am
Suprised Liggins is not listed as someone Cal could get excited about.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:48 am
10… What is wrong with you? Why would you harbor any ill feeling towards a KID who was offered and accepted an opportunity to play for his dream school? Even IF it is his offer that holds up negotiations, blame the Admin for not reaching a compromise, not the kid who just wants to play basketball and can’t control all of the other stuff around him.
11… You’re reading it wrong. It says that the verbals for 2010 and beyond could be a sticking point. He’s referring to our young committs.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:48 am
Georgia has offered Missouri’s Mike Anderson their job…If he goes, first it would be stupid, second the SEC would be getting another great young coach. Kind of scary, so come on over Cal.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:53 am
Very interesting stuff on the Memphis blog stating it’s 99.9% certain he leaves for UK and it would take something of biblical proportions to keep him in Memphis.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:55 am
WHEN ALL OF THIS IS FINALIZED AND KENTUCKY HAS A NEW COACH—IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO READ HOW ALL OF THIS TRANSPIRED!
—
March 31st, 2009 at 10:55 am
11—youre definitely reading it wrong. that statement is obviously about incoming players (read the previous sentence…lol), not the current roster. I forgive you though, i find that in this hysteria, sometimes i lose control of my motor functions, the ability to read, cannot tell which way is north, etc.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Is anyone else of the opinion that if this thing would for some reason fall through, that someone needs to take a serious look at why the “top level” coaches are saying no.
Personally, I prefer Calipari over Donovan, but what is going on behind the scenes that UK is not able to get their first choice, reportedly Donovan, to say yes. Is it an administration problem? A negotiating problem? What is the problem? In my mind this is KENTUCKY, it shouldn’t be this difficult to get our first choice to say yes.
Anyone else, Ford, Pelfrey, etc., would just be settling. Kentucky shouldn’t have to settle!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:56 am
Everyone can relax. Calipari is the new UKBB coach. It is interesting that the media is commenting about how quick this process was compared to 2 years ago. As posters on this site know, the Calipari-to-UK process has been in the works for 10+ days. Obviously UK did not meet with Calipari himself until after the Memphis loss. But Calipari craves a job like this and his reps were ready. He nearly missed out on this opportunity (we will talk about that more later).
Couple of things to note:
–The base offer will be right at what was posted here ($4M/yr), not the ridiculous amounts heard yesterday
–Calipari has absolutely no record of NCAA violations
–It is an unspoken rule that ADs don’t allow mass player exodus (i.e. Barnhart will discourage transfers of current MU players)
–Unsigned recruits (and some signed recruits) are fair game
Lots of chatter about Pitino in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see how this affects it.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:58 am
I know it’s premature, but:
PG- John Wall
SG- Jodie Meeks
PF - Patrick Patterson
PF - Demarcus Cousins
C - Daniel Orton
That has the potential to surpass the ‘96 team. That’s 5 potential NBA first round draft picks.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:59 am
OK people. Lets stay calm until we get something official. And try to go 10 minutes between refreshing. That should make it easier on all of us to get the info. Unless of course we all get on the same ten minute cycle.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:59 am
With addition of Grant to Bama last week, and if the story is true with Anderson it appears the SEC is getting tougher by the minute.
Do you guys think UK is talking to Ford while we wait for Calipari’s decision?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:00 am
Since everything you read on the internet is true then I’m banging Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen! All City forever!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:01 am
Why no mention of Pilgrim. As far as our current roster, I’m most excited about Patterson and Meeks (obviously), but right after that would be Miller and Pilgrim.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:02 am
Sucks that we lost Ferguson because of this. But seems like a fair trade for Cousins, Wall, etc. if they end up coming too (assuming Cal is coming–don’t wanna count em before they hatch).
March 31st, 2009 at 11:03 am
I understand what Calipari is saying about the future commits, but you can’t help but feel for those guys. Also, I have to ask what in the world was BCG thinking?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:07 am
WHAS-TV and WAVE-TV are reporting Cal accepted the Kentucky job
http://www.examiner.com/x-2308-Louisville-Sports-Examiner~y2009m3d30-B reaking-John-Calipari-to-take-UK-job
Link is also posted on Aaron’s blog.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:08 am
33.
I doubt he was, actually. Gillispie offered scholarships like Imelda Marcos bought shoes. Calipari, if hired, should be able to correct the mistakes Gillispie made.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:09 am
More news-meets-rumor-mill from Memphis:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/mar/31/tigers-coach-john-cal ipari-said-be-making-decision/
March 31st, 2009 at 11:09 am
As for the current roster, he probably figures they will play better since they won’t have to walk back and forth to the hotel after a hard game day practice. and #11, it’s too early in the morning to be drinking that much.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:11 am
081305 - 100%?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am
Most of those future commits
will see the handwriting on
the wall and realize they will
not get much playing time at
Kentucky and go elsewhere.
#32 where is it written that
we have lost Ferguson.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:18 am
has anyone heard about a uk press conference at 2 today
March 31st, 2009 at 11:18 am
The WHAS THING WAS FROM YESTERDAY, NOTHING NEW.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:21 am
26—THANKS
March 31st, 2009 at 11:22 am
I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown….
March 31st, 2009 at 11:23 am
espn has had breaking news about everythibg except this
March 31st, 2009 at 11:24 am
everything
March 31st, 2009 at 11:26 am
Good link #36
March 31st, 2009 at 11:28 am
yeah appeal saying he told his friend taking the job is the easy part leaving here is the hard part
March 31st, 2009 at 11:30 am
47/ then he should bring Memphis with him…i.e., playas!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:33 am
#4 - lexslamman - So your a negative a$$wipe for the entire last year and ridiculed people for being optimistic yet now you make comments like, “Calipari is a real coach who can utilize the strengths of guys like Stevenson, Harris, and Galloway - should be fun to watch…”
You even made a statement criticizing the optimistic philosophy some people follow stating that your “realisitic”.
Your strewn all over the table. Maybe if what you said meant more to you then you wouldn’t regret it tomorrow. And we might value it more as a side effect.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:34 am
nah i don’t think he should bring players unsigned recruits ok but i don’t want to buy a basketball team those guys feel like we did when rick left and i feel for them but it won’t stop me from welcoming calipari with open arms hell i will give him a big kiss if he’s just sign the darn thing
March 31st, 2009 at 11:35 am
So now he is driving around Memphis to make a decision… Hope he hits the depressed areas lol.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:35 am
39.
Scout had reported him as a decommitment - no one else has. I can’t imagine he would really decommit before speaking with the new coach, but you couldn’t blame him for going ahead and getting ready to start the process again.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:36 am
Rumor- Memphis having a presser at 2 pm today (I don’t know if that’s eastern or central time)
March 31st, 2009 at 11:37 am
Mitch better not screw this up… he ought to be driving around Memphis in his new Paul Miller Ford! We’re letting him get away!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:37 am
36 Thanks.
If you’re into reading tea leaves — or coffee grounds, if you prefer — Calipari did say two things that should have Memphis fans worried.
“Things will be OK here,” he said.
And also: “Taking the job is the easy part of the decision. Leaving here is the hard part.”
March 31st, 2009 at 11:39 am
53- whats your source?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:39 am
I would prefer if Cal flew around Memphis instead of driving. Then he could head on to Lex.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:39 am
chuck norris said that he is gonna think about crying if we dont get calipari
March 31st, 2009 at 11:40 am
49.
I was optimistic when I heard Gillispie was not going to be the coach for much longer, while you were crying that the sky was falling and blaming the decline of the program on the players because you were totally awe-struck by Gillispie, I was pointing out that better days were ahead. I am ecstatic about getting Calipari. He should have been our coach two years ago, for much less money, but better late than never. Calipari being announced as UK head coach > John McCain conceding the presidency to Barack Obama. This is going to be great - remember what it was like in 1996? This is going to be THAT kind of great.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:42 am
i wish that i could have watched the 96 season
March 31st, 2009 at 11:44 am
GAME TIME baby.
get pumped everyone.
2ish sounds good to me.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:45 am
#59 - lexslamman - You weren’t optimistic and you specifically criticized people relentlessly stating you were realistic.
You criticized optimism. Now you embrace it. Sorry to be the one to inform you.
Do you remember yesterday?
March 31st, 2009 at 11:50 am
59) and 62).
Make your own blog, and fight on it. Or exchange numbers and have a duel somewhere (unless you plan on running for political office in KY). I’m sure each of you could find a second to accompany you. Let’s talk about our coaching situation and give the blood feud a rest!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:50 am
39) I believe some recruits and possibly current players will be advised that if they insist on staying, they’ll ride the pine, and likely be blamed by fans (and maybe other players) for preventing highly-touted recruits from coming in. Fair or not, it will be the perception.
I also imagined Avery and the other future verbals will be advised to reopen their recruitment, but we’ll “stay in touch”. Ferguson will be pursued hard by current players and the coaching staff.
As for Cal’s players at Memphis - I would love to have some of them, but I hope for the sake of their program that they stay. If Memphis brings in a good coach, they should lose 2, tops. Upperclassmen are more likely to stay, same as here.
Their unsigned recruits are fair game. Also, if Memphis told signed recruits that they could leave if Cal leaves, then those players should be allowed to go wherever they want, and if they ask Cal to come with him, he should be allowed to talk to them. But he shouldn’t try to bring any current players or signed commits. The ball will be in the court of Memphis and those players.
60) It was fun. While we weren’t perfect, we had so many great athletes. That was the team about which Pitino once famously said in response to a question about whether anyone can beat his starting five, “Yeah, my second five.”
Cal has the recruiting prowess to bring in that kind of talent we’ve been missing much of the last decade, four and five stars (including Kentucky Boys we’ve missed sometimes) coming off the bench.
There are more early-exits nowadays by players, but we could still have a lot of talent. Cal has the newish althetics building, plans of a new arena, and ESPN coverage to entice the elite talent.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:04 pm
54)…how is Mitch screwing this up?? He has done everything he can do to entice Calipari to UK. The Mitch haters on this site are incredibly hypocritical. If he doesn’t do what they want he sucks, if he does what they want…but the results are immediate then he sucks.
Do you suggest that he just go ahead and offer $10M per year and get it over with. Would that make you happy. Perhaps we can put a surcharge on every known UK item to cover the cost. Go to PPV for all home games to generate revenue.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I know that absolutely no one wants to consider this, but any inclination as to what UK would do if spurned by Calipari? Being left at the altar is hard enough in the hiring process for b-ball coaches, but even worse for a nationally prominent program like UK.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
http://www.wreg.com/wreg-calipari-decision,0,7710064.story