What's with ego?

[RyDogg66]

The big news seems to be John Calipari leaving Memphis to coach at Kentucky and it has me wondering. Why? Calipari has been insanely successful in Memphis, so much so that he is THE man in Memphis, a school with not a lot of college basketball history and sustained success prior to Calipari's arrival. Also, Calipari seems to be getting the nation's best players to come and play at Memphis. He had the NBA Draft #1 overall pick last year, he had a top 10 team this year and from what I have seen he has 3 of the top 6 or 7 recruits coming into Memphis next year, including the top player in the country.

 

Kentucky, to me, is a lot like the NY Yankees. Tons of history, one of the best programs in the country and a place where they take basketball very very seriously and almost feel a right to be a top team and relevant program. Now I dont hate Kentucky like I do the Yankees, they are just another program to me, but I have no idea why Calipari would want to leave Memphis. Lets look at some of the factors as to why he would leave.

 

Legacy:

If he stays in Memphis, is successful and finishes out his career there would likely be statues of himself built outside the arena and Mempis could be become a Duke-like program under Coach K.

If he goes to Kentucky and is successful he just becomes another great coach in a long line of great coaches from Rupp to Pitino and everyone in between. He retires, UK says thanks and they are off to look for the next coach they can hire. No statues, that is for sure.

Advantage Memphis

 

Lean Years:

If he stays...and he has a two or three year run where he has some down years, he likely STILL makes the tournament because Conference USA isnt exactly the Big East, and even if he doesnt make the tourney Memphis isnt going to kill the golden goose and believe they will get someone better. There will forever be a longer leash and much more room for error in Memphis

If he goes...and has two or three years like Billy Gillespie just had he will get the boot and now be without a program. Granted, in another year or two he could and probably would land on his feet in a midlevel team in a big conference like Cincinatti or Clemson or something, but still. The leash wont be long and if he has a down year or two he likely misses the tourney with somthing like an 18-12 record.

Advantage Memphis

 

Recruiting:

If he stays...I guess he continues doing what he is doing and getting top recruits

If he goes...I guess he continues doing what he is doing and getting top recruits

Advantage: Push

 

Money:

If he stays will get paid well

If he goes will get paid insanely well

Advantage Kentucky

 

Championship Potential:

If he stays...remains a top 10 program, usually, and gets to occaisonal final fours with a chance to play for a championship

If he goes...takes Kentucky back to top 10 program, annually, and gets to occaisonal final fours with a chance to play for a championship

Advantage: Slight edge to Memphis since they already are at that level.

 

Competition Level:

If he stays he continues to schedule great competition early in the season and then play a softer conference schedule.

If he goes the plays a softer nonconference schedule and a more difficult conference schedule

Advantage: Push, slight edge to Memphis because of flexibility

 

Ultimately I believe it comes down to ego. UK wants Calipari and like a school girl he is enjoys being courted and a fuss being made over him, and him being hailed as a savior. But in the end, that has to be the driving reason behind why he might leave. I just dont see how it is better for his career to go to Kentucky and just be another guy rather than staying at Mempis and making Memphis a national powerhouse.

[PlayerHader]

Did you question why Urban Meyer left Utah for Florida?

[Glennron]

With Meeks and Patterson coming back, they're certainly a tournament level team next year. With Calipari's success in recruiting, I'd be surprised if Kentucky really missed a beat in 2010-2011 and on. With that being said, if I was him I sure wouldn't want to go there. They gave Gillispe only two years, even though he probably could've easily taken them to the tournament next year and probably win a a game or two.

[RyDogg66]

Did you question why Urban Meyer left Utah for Florida?

No, because of the way football is set up Utah will NEVER play for a title.

[patrickgpe]

this is the same coach that left a great situation at UMASS for the NBA's Nets for a payday and to bolster his ego and failed miserably. I think he is gone but agree that Memphis may be a better sitation but i don't think he can ever win it all there and for Kentucky he definitely can. Also the money that UK is talking about is crazy. I think those 2 has a lot to do with it.

[bbrauch2000]

He'll be the guy at one of the top programs in the country who is telling these top recruits that he's totally cool with them coming and playing for a year and bouncing. If he can throw those guys in with the long term guys that want to play for a program with that level of prestige, they could be a powerhouse in no time flat

[crewcrazy]

I was actually mildly surprised about this. I had always pegged Cal is the type of coach content on racking up 30 wins a year in a weak conference after coming back from the NBA with his tail between his legs. At Memphis he's largely been given full control of everything, and had some of the best job security in college basketball. Kentucky's shown that they're delusional and living in the past by firing guys in rapid succession...this is the same program that fired Tubby Smith because he could "only" get the team to Sweet Sixteens and Elite Eights.

 

I guess at worst Cal figures he'll give a shot at "resurrecting" Kentucky basketball. If he's successful, he becomes a legend. If he fails, oh well, he'll collect a $6 million buyout like Gillespie did and go back to dominating mid-major conferences every year.

[JJHardy7]

Money:

If he stays will get paid well

If he goes will get paid insanely well

Advantage Kentucky

 

That's a huge advantage. He was going to leave Memphis at some point and time since they can't pay him like an elite coach. I think many of us would have a hard time passing up doubling our pay. It's not all about money, but that's a huge pay raise.

 

Championship Potential:

If he stays...remains a top 10 program, usually, and gets to occaisonal final fours with a chance to play for a championship

If he goes...takes Kentucky back to top 10 program, annually, and gets to occaisonal final fours with a chance to play for a championship

Advantage: Slight edge to Memphis since they already are at that level.

 

I don't know about this one. Going after one and done guys is pretty risky. I think it also could hurt the ranking of Memphis long-term due to their conference. If you put up those type of wins (or close to it) in the SEC, you'll be a number 1 seed every year.

 

Competition Level:

If he stays he continues to schedule great competition early in the season and then play a softer conference schedule.

If he goes the plays a softer nonconference schedule and a more difficult conference schedule

Advantage: Push, slight edge to Memphis because of flexibility

 

There's no way Memphis has a competition level advantage. The SEC was down this year, but Conference USA is a mid-major. Kentucky will most likely play Louisville every year and we'll see if they renew their contract with UNC. The competition level at Kentucky will be much higher than Memphis.

 

I don't blame Calipari for leaving. People down here are pretty excited about this, but if I'm Calipari I don't know if I'd personally go here. Memphis fans knew he'd leave eventually. The one thing you don't bring up RyDogg is the insane pressure Calipari now has. The way they talk down here, you'd think Kentucky went the past two years without winning a game. There also predicting a final four NEXT YEAR at Kentucky. Calipari may have an ego, but I would guess many athletes and coaches also have an ego. If they're going to double your pay as an athlete or a coach, my guess is most of those guys leave for the money. Again, I personally wouldn't want all the pressure and in Memphis they will have bad years. He was going after one and done guys. This can be pretty dangerous in terms of violations and all that. I've heard stories about his recruiting 'strategy' and it is a risk if he does that at Kentucky. I don't know if any of it is true.

 

The one major issue I have with this is Calipari himself. Memphis fans have told me he did not want anything to do with going to the Big East so they could win their conference every year. Now that it looks like he's gone that may have been a huge mistake. They may not have won as many games in the Big East, but they'd have bigger pockets to pay Calipari or to recruit the next coach. It will be very interesting to see what type of coach they bring in (assuming Calipari is gone).

[burniebrewer]

What role does his rivalry with Pitino play in making this decision? That would be part of the ego factor.

[fondybrewfan]

I see no problem with it. Rumor has it that he will be the highest paid coach in college basketball. Going from the top team in a crappy conference to a contending top team in a better (albeeit it crappy last year) conference just makes it a no brainer IMO. Plus Kentcuky has some returning talent. If some of his recruits at Memphis are allowed to follow him to Kentcuky he will have a very good team very fast. I believe it is standard procedure for the NCAA to let new recruits out of their Letters of Intent if the coach leaves or is fired.

 

This situation is somewhat similar to Tony Bennet. He left an average team in an average conference for a crappy team in a good conference. There is just so much more potential there.

[MJLiverock]

What are the admissions standards for Kentucky versus Memphis? It seemed Memphis was the type of school that grades, high school transcipts, etc. didn't matter as much as basketball ability. Is there enough of a difference to matter at Kentucky? Also didn't Callipari have some recruiting clouds around him a UMass and there have certainly been rumors of recruiting activitities at Memphis as well with D. Rose and others. Is Kentucky prepared to potentially blow up their legacy if some of the background allegations turn out to be true, i.e. some shadowing figures working at pimping Memphis for Callipari and now "representing" Kentucky. It almost reminds me of the Indiana situation with Sampson. There were plenty of warnings and even a NCAA investigation over him yet the Hoosiers wet ahead and tarnished their program a little in the pursuit of Sampson. Calipari has played his games at a couple levels below Kentucky's perceived standing in the college basketball world so I wonder how it will hold up under heavier scrutiny.

[TooLiveBrew]

Honestly I'm confused why anyone is pausing to ask any questions about any coach taking the UK job. Good for UK to right the wrong in hiring Gillespie.

[samwise]

Once conference play starts Memphis goes into the blackout zone, Calipari wants to be relevant and that means face time on CBS and ESPN.

[Glennron]

I think he is gone but agree that Memphis may be a better sitation but i don't think he can ever win it all there and for Kentucky he definitely can.

I'm not so sure he can't win one at Memphis. If their 08 team wasn't awful at free throws, they win the championship. I agree that a few years down the road he'd have a better chance of winning one at Kentucky, but winning one at Memphis wouldn't be that surprising either.

[JJHardy7]

What are the admissions standards for Kentucky versus Memphis? It seemed Memphis was the type of school that grades, high school transcipts, etc. didn't matter as much as basketball ability. Is there enough of a difference to matter at Kentucky?

 

The graduation rates are higher in Memphis than in Louisville or Kentucky for the basketball teams.

[patrickgpe]

I'm not so sure he can't win one at Memphis. If their 08 team wasn't awful at free throws, they win the championship. I agree that a few years down the road he'd have a better chance of winning one at Kentucky, but winning one at Memphis wouldn't be that surprising either.

 

the reason i said this is that if i was a top recruit, would you rather play in a conference that features road games at Southern Miss, Tulane, SMU or one with Alabama, Tennessee, or Florida.

The pairings this year shows that the CUSA brings Memphis down. Granted they should of won it all last year and had a great team this year, and I should of said that Memphis could not form a dynasty, which Cal can do in Kentucky.

[JJHardy7]

the reason i said this is that if i was a top recruit, would you rather play in a conference that features road games at Southern Miss, Tulane, SMU or one with Alabama, Tennessee, or Florida.

The pairings this year shows that the CUSA brings Memphis down. Granted they should of won it all last year and had a great team this year, and I should of said that Memphis could not form a dynasty, which Cal can do in Kentucky.

 

It's a moot point now, but I think Cal would've been fine at Memphis. He essentially already had a dynasty while he was there. The problem IMO is that he was the dynasty. Cal seemed to be able to recruit very well and had an amazing class heading to Memphis. He'll go after the one and done guys whereas some coaches won't do that (at least going into the season). If Memphis offered the same amount (I read this at a few sites like bleachereport), I think this could be a bad move. Kentucky fans are pretty crazy. Cal owned Memphis and could have a bad season or two. Now at Kentucky he'll need to win next year. The Kentucky fans I know have changed their minds on this hire. They loved it at first, but now think it's too much money. If I were coach Cal and Memphis offered the same amount, I'd stay at Memphis.

 

Memphis is really screwed now. They will most likely lose quite a few recruits for next year and Cal didn't want to go to the Big East so they're stuck in a mid major conference. I also read (on the Memphis Fox News site and a friend of mine said the same was mentioned on some big college basketball message board) that Cal was offered more money to go to Arizona, but turned it down.

[patrickgpe]

I am going to be interested to see who Memphis gets to replace him. I don't see a top notch coach or even one of the top mid major coaches leaving their situation to go to C-USA. I know they are still one of the premiere programs in college basketball for the last couple of years but its going to be hard to keep it going without coach cal.