John Clay's Sidelines

Click here for the live feed to Calipari’s house. Or shall I say the gate to Calipari’s house.

It’s the Fox 13 news in Memphis. They are also cutting away to live shots.

Joe B. Hall

Update: Jerry Tipton talks to Joe B. Hall about the phone call. Calipari has also called Eddie Sutton.

My friend Rick Bozich over at the C-J reports that Calipari has already started reaching out to UK connections, including former coach Joe B. Hall.

Said Hall:

“That was awfully nice of him,” said Hall, who coached UK to the 1978 NCAA title.

“Coach Cal is a hot item. He’s a great coach as well as a superior recruiter. His track record speaks for itself. I think Kentucky was looking to do something dramatic in the face of all that has gone down.”

The New York Times has a Harvey Aaraton column on the John Calipari-Kentucky marriage.

Here’s a good quote from Chris Douglas-Roberts, the ex-Memphis Tiger now with the Nets:

“Kentucky is a great opportunity,” Douglas-Roberts said. “They need a big name, a high-profile coach to get players. And when it comes to recruiting, he’ll always have the top prospects in the country, no matter what school he’s at.”

Will Graves of AP has a story where Rick Pitino says John Calipari would do a good job at Kentucky, though we know there is no love lost between the two coaches.

What’s more interesting is this quote from Cal’s friend, Larry Brown:

“I think all along he’s always been thinking in the back of his head, ‘I’d love to be (on a big stage).’ And how can anybody fault him? If he leaves, they’re going to be upset, but it’s because he’s done such a phenomenal job,” Brown said. “If you leave and you’ve done a bad job they’re happy that you’re gone. So you can’t win.”

WREG in Memphis is reporting that John Calipari is leaving Memphis to become head coach at Kentucky.

Here’s the report:

News Channel 3 has learned from a source very close to the situation that U of M coach John Calipari is leaving. Right now, Calipari is at his home meeting with members of his staff explaining the decision. We have live crews stationed in the area as well as working with our sister station in Lexington, KY.

The story posted 10 minutes ago.

Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today looks at what might happen to John Calipari’s recruits at Memphis:

Two signees say they have agreements from the school that would release them from their scholarships should Calipari leave. One player who has publicly committed and another who is interested say Calipari’s departure could change their minds.

The Tigers have signed Oklahoma City guard Xavier Henry, the No. 3 overall player according to Rivals.com; Richland, Texas, guard Nolan Dennis, No. 47 on Rivals’ list; and two players from Miami Dade Community College.

Memphis has a verbal commitment from Mobile, Ala., forward DeMarcus Cousins, the No. 2 overall player. Raleigh, N.C., guard John Wall, Rivals’ No. 1 player, has Memphis on his short list.

A friend of Mike Casey’s passes along word today that the former UK basketball star is in need of prayers as he remains in a Nashville hospital suffering from a heart condition. The 60-year-old Casey has been in critical condition.

Keep Mike in your thoughts and prayers.

Henry Abbott, left.

Henry Abbott at ESPN’s True Hoop blog weighs in on the Kentucky-Calipari courtship:

That surprises me none. Kentucky is one of the winningest teams in history but has had something of a lull. Calipari is one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history, a recruiter of elite talent and the leader of an exciting offense that has been heavily replicated. He’s also one of the coaches who has been most supportive of talented players moving on to the NBA, which has been a key factor in luring top recruits like Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans.

But the e-mail I have gotten from TrueHoop readers about this potential move has mostly been along the lines of: Why would Kentucky stoop to such a level?

I guess the idea is that Calipari — who is closely associated with one of basketball’s most powerful behind-the-scenes operators in William Wesley — is somehow beneath the traditions of a place like Kentucky.

And my knee-jerk reaction to that is: There are clean college programs? Are you sure about that?

Having talked about college recruiting with people who have lived it first hand, I’m not under the impression that there are major college programs who really want to get righteous about this kind of stuff. Of course there must be exceptions — and everyone I have asked about Bob Knight seems to single him out for being legit in this regard, but he’s no longer coaching.

Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that John Calipari told friends he will make his decision this afternoon about whether to accept UK’s offer.

Excerpt:

John Calipari told friends at a Memphis donut shop this morning he would make his decision about the Kentucky job “this afternoon.”

And, yes, that is what this has come to: Tracking the man to a donut shop.

Calipari dropped by to see a collection of buddies at Gibson’s Donuts at Mt. Moriah at 9:35 this morning.

Unbeknownst to him, The Commercial Appeal had a source — we’ll call him Deep Crueller — at a nearby table.

Here’s the end of Geoff’s article:

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.”

We’re in a holding pattern this morning on the John Calipari watch.

• Dan Wolken of the Memphis Commercial Appeal was on with Colin Cowherd this morning. Dan said that Memphis is pulling out all the stops, including stock options and a big retirement plan. He said the powers-that-be have matched UK’s offer dollar-for-dollar. But he also said that chances were “slim” that Cal stays in Memphis.

• UK is saying nothing, but hoping to hear a final decision today.

• Fred Smith the CEO of Fed Ex and Billy Dunavant, a cotton magnate in Memphis, were among the boosters who talked to Calipari yesterday.

• Most think this is not about money, it’s about Calipari and the stage he wishes to inhabit. He has been very involved in the Memphis community and one daughter is a freshman at UM, while his son goes to school in the city. But Kentucky offers a much bigger stage and platform, and maybe a better shot at a national title.

• Don’t believe those reports of it being a done deal. It’s not, until Calipari says it is a done deal.