John Calipari Interviewing with Arkansas MBB
Just heard that John Calipari is interviewing for the Arkansas job. I didn't realize things had gotten so bad at Kentucky. Maybe the AD gave him the Warde/Harbaugh ultimatum.
I dislike Kentucky hoops and Calipari, I enjoy(ed?) rooting against both of them at the same time.
Per the ESPN article linked below:
"A deal to hire Calipari would take a significant financial commitment from Arkansas' side, but sources told ESPN the Hall of Fame head coach has longstanding ties to the Tyson family, who are longtime supporters of the University of Arkansas and its athletic programs."
"Following the first-round defeat to Oakland, there was enough speculation about Calipari's job status that athletic director Mitch Barnhart had to release a statement confirming Calipari would return as the Wildcats' head coach next season."
Tyson family involved... clearly something fowl going on.
There may be a nugget of truth to this
Are they really saying Calipari is going to fly the coop?
This story has legs. We should stay abreast for further developments.
Let's not get our feathers ruffled until there's a formal announcement.
Man, some of these puns. You guys are really just winging it.
some are no more than mere chicken scratch
The deal isn't done yet...don't go counting your chickens until they hatch.
I am sure they will be egg-static with the purchase of their new coach
So Calipari is first in the pecking order?
Kentucky will be thrilled if it happens. They wanted him gone but didn’t want to pay the 31 mil buyout. They’ll get what they wanted. Time will tell if they’ll want what they get.
This could easily become a case of "be careful what you wish for". The post-season coaching carousel is pretty much over, and it's not clear who might be available and at what price. Kentucky might be left without a chair when the music stops. You hate to see it. You love to see it.
Kentucky has a long history of doing this. Basically they want their version of Bear Bryant, another Adolph Rupp. They chased out his successor Joe B. Hall, and they chased out Tubby Smith, even though they both won national championships and both were running competent programs. Actually, they may be worse than Alabama football, since they chased out Rupp in his declining years (the official reason was that Rupp hit a mandatory retirement age, but the idea that the commonwealth couldn't find an exception for its basketball coach is kinda ridiculous).
Tubby's NC was in his first year when he took over for Pitino. Pitino's last 2 years befor Tubby, UK was NC and lost in the NC game.
Isn't Calipari the Jimbo Fisher of basketball? He got his one title with roster that made it hard to screw up, but he routinely under achieves.
You mean Mack Brown and Tom Izzo
I actually think he and his staff are pretty competent coaches. He is pretty clear about taking one-and-dones and preparing them for the NBA. What I think his record shows is the difficulty of winning consistently that way, even when you have a versatile roster of top talent. This is especially true at tournament time, where it seems the "get old and stay old" mantra is a key difference.
Calipari took UMass and Memphis to the Final Four before UK. He's been an excellent (if a bit shady) coach throughout his career.
The only thing that was keeping him at Kentucky was the HUGE buyout
John Tyson is personally negotiating the Calipari trade with Kentucky's AD. In exchange for Calipari, they are converting the concession stand to all chicken at no charge. Instead of hot dogs, chicken dogs. Instead of pretzels, chicken twists. Instead of beer, alcoholic chicken.
Calipari makes me want to root for Adolph Rupp.
ESPN reporting it's a done deal.
I stopped smoking crack...switched to Meth.
Details at 11.
This feels like the Tubby Smith situation all over again.
I am excited he’s leaving. The entire fam base was calling for his head after this horrible tourney play. He needed to go but Mitch wasn’t buying out his 33 mill contract. Cal knew the writing was on the wall especially with the fan base being intense down there. Scott Drew is widely expected to be the only contact at this moment. If that’s the case, mediocrity is coming. UK will be the next IU. Happy this happened. Not happy MB is solely looking at Drew.
I’m a little confused. Scott Drew is bad? He seems successful.
He was Louisville’s first call. If Drew spurned Louisville but goes to Kentucky that will really twist the knife.
Kentucky fans want a bigger splash than Drew especially because they consider Drew has declining.
Don't keep us. . . hanging. Does your sentence have an object?
Drew is lackluster IMO. If you’re going to get rid of Cal then UK needs to reach for a big splash hire. Oats, Hurley (yes I know he’s not leaving), Brad, etc. If rumors are true that he’s solely focusing in on Drew, I think is a bad decision. Personally, I am a wait and see type but am skeptical with a guy like drew surviving at UK with an insanity fan base unknown to mankind.
Meh, UL hiring Kenny Payne and their trajectory of basketball has been declining since Pitino and the scandal. Dont think they’re too particularly concerned with what UL is doing with the current dumpster fire going on.
Ironically, both are in similar places. Both teams will have a horrible roster setup this upcoming season. As it pains me to say it, UL may have the nicer appeal as they have been through some shit this last decade so expectations are lowered. UK, when coach is hired, will expect to turn it around dramatically. Unless a big splash hire happens, the fan base will chew the next person out. Hence, why I do not think Drew will be given the amount of time he needs to compete.
Columbus radio had just confirmed that Cal reached out about the OSU job vacancy. There shows the interaction between UK and Cal. Lol.
Seismic shift in college basketball. The domino effect is going to be weeks worth of open jobs
not surprised, kentucky fans had grown tired of the lack of tournament progress
wonder who replaces him.
If Dusty had just waited a couple weeks, he could've really stuck it to Louisville insiders!
Honestly it's a good thing Warde moved quickly to fire Juwan and hire May. This is going to set off a chain reaction of openings.
I always thought Coach Cal was greasy but lately, I've started to change my tune.
He is very upfront in what he's trying to do. Get the best recruits and send them to the NBA after one year. And he does it well.
Unfortunately, that doesn't always mean winning. And we've seen coaches with future NBA stars get flustered (even in the big 10 with Howard and Izzo).
He is greasy. He might be upfront on what he wants to do but for years those bags were given to get what he wanted. Now with Covid year, portal, and NIL he actually has to scheme to win young talent vs veteran teams who scheme. His way is done
(cough..Saban..cough)
Yep! Saban was smart to get out this year. My big issue with him is now he thinks he is going to “fix” college football.
Şaban is a GOAT whether we like him or not. Cal… not so much
Well, if reports are true (this is coming from a UK beat writer) he didn’t even tell his current players or recruits he was leaving. He’s changed to a d bag last few years.
I thought they were talking to Keith Jackson.
Who are the NIL backers for Kentucky? Can they compete with the Tyson/Walton bag at Arkansas? Calipari is smart enough to read the room and know when he isn't wanted, but part of me wonders if his move is calculated on how he can best compete for talent in the current NIL landscape.
Cal alienated top 2/3 donors at UK. They started funneling their money in the football recruiting efforts. They have hitting power especially for their bball stature
I live in the NWA (ntNWA) Northwest Arkansas near the campus. I like the hire. The UA basketball program has done well, but can do better. The infrastructure is in place (gorgeous campus and area, strong fanbase, money, etc.). I'm hoping it takes them to the next level.
Long time since the last Final 4
I'd be pretty unhappy with him too if I'd been paying for NIL deals for 15 years and only got one title out of it. I think I got those timelines right..
Kentucky was turn to some equally sleazy, ethically challenged greaseball like Bruce Pearl. Someone who plays "I'm a god-fearing man" card like a televangelist.
Bruce Pearl may be every bit the sleaze you described but I always rooted for him because he got screwed over by the NCAA worse than literally anyone.