Mr. Calipari

ELVIS

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 25, 2002
3,620
1
0
memphis
Location: Memphis, TN


One of the biggest pranks of all time was played in the sports world on Wednesday. University of Memphis Men's basketball coach John Calipari announced that he would be leaving the University to accept his dream position of coaching the Men's Basketball program at the University of Kentucky. Calipari stated, that this was not about money, but simply about him following his goal of becoming head coach at the distinguished university. Calipari has taken the last 9 years to not only elevate the University of Memphis Basketball program to an elite and respectable program within the national landscape of Division I collegiate basketball, but he has also been able to elevate himself to an upper level, respected coach, and recruiter within the realm of collegiate basketball coaches. Calipari did this in a manner that on the outside appeared to elevate the stature of the University of Memphis as not only a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court, but also as a nationally respected and top notch university for students of all kind to attend. In actuality the total opposite happened. Calipari used his time at The University of Memphis to set himself up for the position which he has now accepted. His experience prior to coming to the University of Memphis ( A Final Four Team as Head Coach at UMASS and a short tenure as Head Coach and Executive with the New Jersey Nets of The NBA) was a solid foundation which he used as a spring board at the University of Memphis. His abilities to recruit and sale ideas, dreams, goals, and hopes snowed an entire community over at its lowest period as a University. Prior to Calipari's hiring, Tic Price was handed the keys to the University of Memphis basketball vehicle, and seemed to be on his pathway to success with two productive seasons, a N.I.T. appearance and new following from the longtime supporters of the University. Price Resigned as head coach of the Tigers due to his admission of an affair with an undergraduate student at the University. Prior to Tic Price, the greatest name in the history of the University held the reigns as the Men's Basketball Coach; Larry O. Finch. As a homegrown player from Memphis,TN he single handedly influenced the city not only in the realm of athletics, but also racially bringing together a city that was adversely divided due to the turbeulent race relations, and the civil rights movemnt of the sixties. He led the University to its First Ever Final Four and NAtional Championship game as a player. He spurned offers to play in the NBA to remain home and play with the Local ABA team, and furthermore displayed his love for his Alma mater by becoming an assistant coach at then Memphis State University and eventually the head coach of Memphis State University and later the University of Memphis. His ability to recruit and relate with all of the players, especially local players was a gift that proved to be instrumental in his success within the University.
Coach Calipari had an agenda from day one. To make the University of Memphis a University that appealed to national prospects that could compete nationally. Calipari's ability to recruit and his experience on the professional level enabled him to gain the best prospects in the country, which in turn led to the development of a National Program that brought prestige and validity to John Calipari as a collegiate coach ; Not The University of Memphis. The greatest example of Coach John Calipari showing an interest in his personal career rather than the Univeristiy of Memphis as a university was when he rejected a bid for the University of Memphis to join the Big East. The Big East is widely regarded as the Premiere conference in college basketball. The joining of this conference would have solidified the University of Memphis's men's basketball program as one of the top programs in the nation. But the joining of this conference would have also caused for more competition for John Calipari, as he would have had to recruit with more proven coaches such as Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, and Bobby Huggins to name a few. This would have in turn led to more difficulties winning which would not have allowed Calipari to so easily claim the stake as a winner and great coach. He was somewhat exposed in every big game that he coached at The University of Memphis as a coach that could not win the big game ;2002 overtime loss to No. 4 Cincinatti 2005 N.I.T. Tip Off Championship Game Memphis Vs. Duke, 2006 Elite 8 UCLA Loss, 2007 Elite 8 Loss Ohio State, 2008 Home Loss to No. 2 Tennessee as Mephis was ranked No. 1, 2008 National Championship Games Loss in overtime after having a 9 point lead with 2 minutes to go in the game. These major losses have been covered by the fact that Coach Calipari has been able to win in a weak conference and get one-and-done players to the NBA. These things have done nothing to elevate the University or the overall basketball respectability of the University of Memphis. All of his actions have allowed him to look like a savior of a University, not a leader of a University.
After The loss of some of the top recruits in the city and a couple of sub par season the University of Memphis Fired Larry Finch; at a Concession stand in the Pyramid the home arena after a Tigers game. The firing was not the worse part, the manner in which the firing occurred was the most disrecptable manner in which a person that has been so loyal to a job can be dismissed, without the decency or privacy of a one on one termination.
Coach Calipari lost his last game as coach at the University in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Upon flying home, Calipari announced at the Airport that amid speculations about his Coaching Future, The University of Memphis is where he wanted to be. Fast forward a couple of days later, and the Great Calipari not only accepts the University of Kentucky's Men's Basketball Coach Position, but with it he will also possibly take some of the players from the University of Memphis as transfers, and the number one recruiting class which was to be enrolling at the university in the fall, putting the University of Memphis Men's basketball program in complete disarray as the summer approaches, and the uncertainty of a solid head coach looms over the program.
The same people that hailed Calipari as a genius and savior for the University are now calling him a traitor and in total disbelief as to not only the fact the he left the program, but the manner in which he left the program. Coach Calipari made his intentions known via a text message to an ESPN reporter while University of Memphis Supporters, Boosters, and Fans were in total darkness as to his intentions.
 

IX_Bender

Registered User
Forum Member
Enter.png
 

SIMON

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 21, 2002
444
0
0
57
East Coast
Being a New York Yankee fan - I love now love John Calipari !!!!

Reason being: Every time the Kentucky Wildcats have won the National Championship...the New York Yankees have won the World Series in that same year.

GO CATS!!!!!
 

dawgball

Registered User
Forum Member
Feb 12, 2000
10,652
39
48
50
This write-up doesn't make much sense to me. Caliperi has made a ton of money for the university (and now personally) and did put Memphis on the tongues of every sportscaster in the country.

It's now the job of the athletic director and boosters to continue the winning ways.

Caliperi doesn't owe a damn thing to Memphis. A better job was offered, and he accepted it.

I love the attitude of the scorned fan. Caliperi's success was fantastic prior to accepting the UK job. Now that he left you in the rear view, it's all about him not winning the big games.

Personally, I hope Memphis can continue their run in the basketball elite. But if this is the attitude of the fans, financial supporters, and administration they are officially done.
 

WhatsHisNuts

Woke
Forum Member
Aug 29, 2006
28,077
1,359
113
50
Earth
www.ffrf.org
This write-up doesn't make much sense to me. Caliperi has made a ton of money for the university (and now personally) and did put Memphis on the tongues of every sportscaster in the country.

It's now the job of the athletic director and boosters to continue the winning ways.

Caliperi doesn't owe a damn thing to Memphis. A better job was offered, and he accepted it.

I love the attitude of the scorned fan. Caliperi's success was fantastic prior to accepting the UK job. Now that he left you in the rear view, it's all about him not winning the big games.

Personally, I hope Memphis can continue their run in the basketball elite. But if this is the attitude of the fans, financial supporters, and administration they are officially done.

Well said. I like how the Memphis fans find it so hard to be happy with what he did for their program. Coach Cal put them on the map, but that's not good enough....he HAS to stay. What a load of crap. They paid the guy to win basketball games and he did just that. Move on Memphis fan, move on.
 

ELVIS

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 25, 2002
3,620
1
0
memphis
Well, i got a serious dose of reality last sunday night. i happened to be on rivals last sunday night when the rumors hit the web. all of the big schools had recruits for 2010 already. one guess on the lonely team that didn't. MEMPHIS, wonder why.

does anyone remeber Cal taking shots at UK a couple of years ago ? they wouldn't offer him the job.

did the man love memphis ? no, he loved what he could do at memphis.

does anyone wonder why memphis is not in the big east ? Coah Cal kept us out of the conference. he convinced king dipshit (RC) that we didn't need the big east, but we (memphis) would have benefited a lot - would have helped tommy west immensely with football.

what may have not happened was memphis being a perennial 1,2 seed in the tourney because the big east is a bitch of a schedule.

the man chased st. john's,nc state, pitt, and UK. the additional rumblings were all about brokering more cash.

am i bitter, yes. but i do understand a great offer at a storied program, and the "dream job".

however, my dissapointment comes in when the sob was going after every job available. UK didn't offer 2 years ago, and i guess that was good for memphis.

Simeon star Derrick Rose wrapped up his prep career last weekend with a state title and a wave to the crowd. His future seemed settled, he would play in a couple of all-star games this spring and then head off to Memphis.

That could be changing.

Tubby Smith?s resignation at Kentucky could have a significant effect on Rose?s future. Memphis coach John Calipari is considered one of the top candidates for the Kentucky job. Rose signed a National Letter of Intent with Memphis in November. He could ask to be released from his letter of intent if Calipari leaves, but those requests aren?t always granted.

??I feel that if Calipari did leave that the university would show us respect and release Derrick from the letter of intent,?? said Reggie Rose, who is Derrick?s brother.

According to Reggie Rose, Derrick?s recruiting would be re-opened if Calipari left Memphis.

??We would sit down with the new coach and give him a chance,?? Rose said. ??You never know, Derrick might buy into the new coach. He really liked it down there.??

As of Thursday afternoon, the Rose's hadn?t heard anything from Calipari. ??I think if he was considering leaving he would give us a call,?? Rose said.

It?s too early to speculate about which schools would be in the running for Rose if Calipari left Memphis, but Reggie Rose did let something slip. ?

?We may have to get back on the highway and head down to Champaign,?? Rose said.

Reggie Rose didn?t mention it, but it is also possible that Derrick would follow Calipari to Kentucky.

Posted by Michael O'Brien on March 22, 2007 11:20 PM | Permalink

so for all of the people outside of memphis that believed he was agonizing over a situation - he wasn't. i truly believe that a contract was in place b4 we played Mizzou, but i can't prove it.

either way, if you are going to go, then go. do not take 2 days to publicly make a decision that was already made.


call me bitter, but it is a little different than just bitterness.

i don't think ole roy is well liked at KU, but that is different i guess.

we will see how many guys he takes with him to UK, or how many memphis can keep w/ pastner in place now.
 

Sun Tzu

Registered User
Forum Member
Nov 10, 2003
6,197
9
0
Houston, Texas
I cant believe you guys hired Pastner. They dont come dirtier. Dana Kirk, Calipari, then look at Drew and hire Pastner.....surely somebody there cares about running something resembling a clean program.
 

ELVIS

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 25, 2002
3,620
1
0
memphis
not during a re-seating year at the fed ex forum. the grizzlies do not draw. the best thing going for the grizz owner is the Tigers. he should have signed cdr to put people in the seats....

pastner does have world wide wes on his caller block list.:shrug:

the irony here is that he learned from a couple of the best at ...............

boosters worked like crazy to save this class. it may not work, but hey it couldn't happen to a better mentor. :0corn
 

dawgball

Registered User
Forum Member
Feb 12, 2000
10,652
39
48
50
however, my dissapointment comes in when the sob was going after every job available.

Not being close to the story, what jobs has Calipari gone after?

UK didn't offer 2 years ago, and i guess that was good for memphis.

You think? A national championship game (that you should have won) and a Sweet Sixteen?

Nah. That's not good for any program.
 

maverick2112

Registered User
Forum Member
Jan 16, 2001
2,967
5
38
Wyoming
Bring this post back in a few years.........Funny thing is, I dont think Cal will win at Kentucky, He is in for a big surprise. He will have at least 8-10 losses each of the next 2 seasons and he will then realize that those saturday afternoons when you were playing SMU and Central Florida are a lot different than tangling with Florida, Mississippi State and LSU............
Its all about the wins............
Great Recruiter??? Lets not forget the class that put him on the map Antonio Anderson, Joey Dorsey,Shaun Williams and Dozier all came from the same Prep school.........How many times is that gonna happen where you sign the whole class...............

Lots of people think Cal was cheating getting all these recruits..........think he will be watched at Kentucky???

In my time as a sports fan and player I have never seen anything goo happen to someone who ducked competition (not joining the Big East) we will see now how he can do in a big conference. The SEC is not the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA...........

BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR COACH CAL................
 

ELVIS

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 25, 2002
3,620
1
0
memphis
Cal chased st. john's pitt,uk, and uk again (with the best recruiting class in college bball for 2009).

anyway, it is done now and i am looking forward to what our new coach is going to bring to the table.

the entire point of this thread was not to paint cal as a bad guy or one that did not do his job. if he had just "taken" the UK job quickly ,and not made it a media circus for espn - i would have left it alone. he, in fact, has looked for several dream jobs along the way - not just UK.

he got us back to the title game (1973)
and back to the final four (1985). he put Memphis bball back on the map, and all parties involved benefited greatly.


it has been tough dealing with losing a title that we thought we should have one. few know what it is like to lose their coach less than a year later, and the best recruiting class in 2009 as well.

KU fan is probably as close as it gets, after Roy left.

Mav, keep cheering for the Tigers. there will be a drop off for sure, but hopefully we will get back after it in 2010. i am not giving up on 2009, but realistically it will be hard to duplicate the sweet 16. obviously, we will have to land a few guys that are still out there. i have my eyes on eric bledose (pg) and latavious williams (SF) long shot here.

henry should end up at ku, dodson ? , wall ? , cousins at UK. nolan dennis may still come - he is from tex. will coleman's status probably hinges on his juco coach being an assitant. witherspoon will stay and angel garcia should also stay (he dnp last year grades).
 
Last edited:
Bet on MyBookie
Top