Memphis Commercial-Appeal is now reporting that Memphis has granted permission to Kentucky to talk to John Calipari about its head coaching position.
University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson released a statement that said he had been contacted by Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhardt and has granted Barnhardt permission to talk to Calipari about the coaching vacancy.
“We have given Kentucky permission to talk with John (Calipari) about their position,” Johnson said in the statement. “However, I will tell you that we are elated with the job John has done as our head coach and we will do everything in our power to retain his services at Memphis.”
The way this has worked in the past few years, is that this is the final piece of the puzzle. Minnesota didn’t actually ask for permission to talk to Tubby Smith until it had received assurances that Smith would take the job if offered. Guessing it’s the same thing here.
John, I noticed an update was missing. I just want you to know that my post about it was not directed at you, rather at some of the crazy fans out there. BTW, you’re doing a great job keeping up on all this. Here’s hoping the Herald Leader believes in overtime pay.
John looks like you might have a press conference to cover this evening.
Thanks for all the hard work you’re doing today John! By far, you’ve had the single most concentrated amount of resources today regarding the UK-Calipari situation. Thanks for keeping us Big Blue fans to the south of you informed!
Hopefully John you are correct.
I’m impressed that Barnhart targeted an individual so quickly and apparently moved with great speed to get what he wanted.
The difference between Calipari and Gillispie’s situations is the fact that you are dealing with a known commodity with John. Less question marks…he’s been around a long time.
Mark Liptak
I agree with you on the difference.
I love it! I think with the recruits he could bring with him, we may be back near the top sooner than we all think!! LOL
Just wondering John….you think if Derrick Rose wasn’t commmitted to Memphis 2 years ago we would have gotten Calipari then?
John,
Nice job quoting sources from other newspapers and getting scooped by the national media every step of the way. Looks like you subscribe to same line of thought Tubby Smith used for recruiting- Let someone else do the heavy lifting and we’ll take what we can get and put the pieces together as best we can at a later date.
I just hope MB has vetted this candidate thoroughly and is satisfied that there will be no hint of impropriety as has clouded JC’s reputation heretofore. I just hope UK is as careful as it should be about staying on the narrow path, given our history of “winning at all costs.”
I hope we don’t regret that we didn’t (assuming we didn’t) give first shot to Izzo, by all accounts a clean and proven winner.
Come off it, Brad.
Right now, the story is in Memphis, not here. UK is just waiting on Calipari’s answer.
George Lapides just announced on WHBQ-AM in Memphis that Coach Cal is taking the UK job and will inform some key boosters today at 3:30.
Supposedly this guy is very reliable
hey John,
How likely is it that Calipari is just using this opportunity as a chance to up his salary at Memphis? How serious do you think he is about coming here?
I also send my thanks for the constant coverage today John.
The upside on this is huge. It is the big hire UK wanted. He will win immediately, especially if he brings a few of his recruits with him.
The only downside is the “risk” of scandal. Hopefully that is a modest risk based on past coincidence and not personal practices. Billy D’s recruiting methods were criticized in the past, but nothing ever came of that either.
Arn’t us Kentucky fans wonderful?!? Spending a nice sunny day off watching Sportscenter and checking the internet for who/when will Kentucky hire the next basketball coach!
Jody Demling has some interesting information about how this will affect recruiting. He also comments that he will bring along his staff. I would like to see a former Kentucky player on the staff….like Walter (it makes me cringe every time I see him on the Loserville bench!)
http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html
Seeing as though Calipari has the best incoming recruitment class, do you see any of his recruits (namely Cousins or Henry) following him to the bluegrass state?
Brad,
Dont be a douche.
John has done a fantastic job giving us the news and his insight on the situation as it develops. I\’ve been scanning the internet all day, and he is waaay ahead of the national media reports i have found. (ie espn)
John,
Keep up the good work. Almost all of us appreciate it.
I do see Cousins coming. Henry has already signed, so he would have to ask for his release.
John
Could this possibly be Kelvin Sampson redux??
Just wondering how the scholarship situation works for the upcoming year. One sr leaves and three recruits come in means two scholarships are still needed. And if The incoming coach has a recruit or two he needs to give a scholarship, where are they most likely coming from. It would not surprise me to see Liggins transfer, but I have no idea who would willingly give theirs up. Ideas/comments?
Hearing now that the Memphis people no longer think it’s about just getting more money.
George Lapides knows his stuff. He’s as well-connected in Memphis as they come. There is now talk of a possible 4 p.m. announcement.
If Henry asks for a release b/c Cal comes to UK, according to his Mother, the deal is it would be granted.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/mar/30/mother-tiger-recruit-dennis-says-he-could-leave-if/
I also wanted to give kudos for the constant coverage during this process. I am a Kentucky native who now lives in Dallas, so I sometimes have to struggle to find the latest. When BG was fired, I found you on the twitter feed – keep it up!
What about John Wall? I know he is very interested in Memphis right now, and I would assume most of that interest is based on Calipari. I know Kentucky had been on his short list, albeit a little farther down, but do you see a Calipari-coached UK team as his number one choice?
Thanks for the updates!
Would you like the hire John? I would be giddy!
John, just wanted to say you’re doing a great job keeping everyone updated. As you can imagine, we’re all on the edge of our seats- especially the die-hards up here in Greenup County(NE KY for those of you who don’t know). Thanks again, Mr. Clay.
WOW, this is great, great news! Back on top baby!
Seven year, $30 million ?
Brad,
Mark Twain had some good advice. “Keep your mouth shut and let people think you are an idiot, rather than open it and remove all doubt”.
Don’t criticize someone when you are (obviously) clueless about what goes into what they do!
You recruit a player for a particular school and then bring him with you to a new school — Clay, What kind of morals is that? But you UK Suck-Ups are going to get your coach that has been in trouble before, doesn’t graduate anyone and recruits only thugs. Best of Luck.
Great job on covering all of this John! You have been very careful not to report about simply rumors since this all began and I really respect that. I really think Calipari is the “home run” everyone had spoke of. However, I wonder if we will be discussing the same thing UConn is right now 5-10 years from now if they hire him. He’s seems shady to a lot of folks in this state, but maybe we are wrong and there is no real evidence of wrong doing. I hope Mr Todd and Mr Barnhart make him walk a straight and narrow line if he becomes coach at UK. No doubt it will make UK a national contender right out of the box next year (if Meeks and Patterson stay). Let’s cross our fingers and hope that this works!
Hey Leander Wapshot … you don’t happen to live in Leander texas do you?
I’m in Cedar Park!
UK fans are so so sad.
Mr. Clay
Anything new. BTW Thanks for keeping the BBN updated. GREAT JOB. GO CATS
Hiring Calipari will be a bigger mistake than Gillispie. He has beyond questionable recruiting practices, and everyone knows it. Why is no one interested in Tom Izzo? You guys want style or do you want championships?
Izzo is now in his 4th final four this decade. A classy man, with a classy wife. He’s everything Kentucky needs in a coach, and he’s the best X’s and O’s coach in the business. Why are we not pursuing him?
Izzo said no the last time. UK wants to move and Izzo is still coaching. Why would he want to leave now??
Jag, I agree. Why not see if Izzo would be interested. We\’re all feeling the repercussions of a quick hire the last time. Izzo is a proven winner and runs a squeaky clean program as far as we know. Rumors of shady dealings follow Cal wherever he goes. UK needs a guy like Izzo.
Izzo, Jay Wirght and Rick Barnes said no through a third party (agent).
I don’t like it. I don’t get it. Does every coach we hire have to have some element of sleaze associated with them?
John ur the best thanks for keeping us updated
8 year, 35 million dollar deal offered to Calipari according to Mad Dog radio on XM/Sirius. Yuckkkkkkkk.
Coach Cal says ” YES ” to UK, welcome to Big Blue Nation Coach