If Gillispie was crazy what do you guys think about Calipari??

[Guest spinks]

So many of you guys said Gillispie was crazy to leave TAMU for Kentucky.  If you believed that you surely must believe that Calipari is crazy to leave Memphis.  He is recruiting there like it is no ones business and he is a GOD there. 

I personally think he should take the challenge.  If he does not succeed than he can retire and be rich.  If he does he is considered one of the greats.  If Cal can recruit to Memphis he can damn sure recruit to Kentucky.  The BIG difference between him and Gillispie IMHO is that Cal is more of a national recruiter than BCG was and that will cary over at Kentucky where BCG's texas ties did not help him in Kentucky!

[Guest DickVitale]

Calipari would be crazy NOT to go!! How may times has Memphis been on TV during CONFERENCE? ZERO....At UK he will get national exposure AND top recruits...All of his Memphis commits will follow him to UK....GO! 8)

[Guest spinks]

Calipari would be crazy NOT to go!! How may times has Memphis been on TV during CONFERENCE? ZERO....At UK he will get national exposure AND top recruits...All of his Memphis commits will follow him to UK....GO! 8)

Agree 100%

[Icky3284]

I agree with both of you 100%.  I was one of the guys that thought Bill G was crazy for leaving, but I also think in this situation that Cal SHOULD take the UK job. 

The word I would describe the difference between these 2 situations is CEILING.  There is was a pretty high ceiling at A&M, being that it was in the Big 12 (great competition and exposure), A&M being a big time state school, and the emergence of the state of Texas being a basketball hotbed.

Memphis on the other hand has a pretty low ceiling.  I mean we probably stop the discussion at Conference USA, right?

And to be honest its REMARKABLE the job Cal has done getting such prized recruits to come and play in such a weak conference with such little regular season exposure.

I don't know what y'all feel, but it just seems like Cal is a natural fit for UK, kinda of like Mack was a natural fit for UT.  It just seems like he is destined to solidify his legacy in Lexington. 

[OldSkool97]

I agree as well...He is a great recruiter and Kentucky has great history. If he goes then Kentucky can for sure regain some elite status.

[Guest spinks]

Bottom line is this is Kentucky!!!! Unless you are a handful of coaches you take the job.  I hope he takes the job and if he does big things are coming in Lexington!!!!

[Guest nostradamus]

Memphis has always been a basketball school.  That is the difference between Memphis and A&M.  Lets not forget the days of "Penny" Hardaway.  Memphis was down when Cal got there but, basketball is all they have ever had to hang their hat on.  To me, "ceiling" is whether or not you can win national championships at that school and that comes down to the coach.  With Cal at Memphis the "ceiling" is much higher than it is at A&M.

The bottom line is....it is Kentucky and there are only a handful of jobs that come with that kind of prestige (UCLA, Kansas, Duke, and UNC)....if it is offered....you take it.  Like I have said all along......most coaches dream of having the job with the ultimate expectations and pressure.....not all coaches can handle it though.

I would be pumped if Cal takes it and WOW!  I can see it now!!!!

"Pitino v. Calipari PART II:  This time it's personal!"

[Icky3284]

Nos, thats a fair point.  And like I said its remarkable what he has done in Memphis, but who knows how big basketball would have been at A&M if BCG wouldn't have left given how bad the Football program is now.  I mean if he could have continued the type of recruiting classes he had gotten in his short time, man that program would have been scary.  I think Turgeron has really reaped the benefits of his success. 

Your right, basketball is what you think about at Memphis, but where they screwed up was not getting into the Big East.  Conference USA is just too weak for the GREATNESS of Cal. 

And as a UK fan, you should be pumped, because like u and Spinks said the SEC along with Louisville better watch out, because it will be ON!!!!

And I will add, that even though y'all believe only a handful of coaches turn down that job(understandable), the UK admin. has to do a better job of realizing which of those coaches are capable of handling a program as big as the UK.  BCG wasn't cut out for that job from the jump(nothing to do with coaching), and for Barnhart and the rest of the board to get a complete pass on it while putting the blame on Billy is in my opinion wrong. 

[Guest nostradamus]

Oh...I agree.......I didn't want to see BCG get fired......I like him as a coach but, he is not the PR guy that Pitino and Cal are.  That is key in being the HC at Kentucky.  You have to shake hands with the big dogs and make them "think" they are on the inside.  I still believe BCG ultimately would have been very successful at Kentucky if given the time.  I thought it was said best that Coach K had losing seasons in two of his first 3 at Duke and it took  him 6 years to get to the NCAA tournament........I think Duke is glad they hung on now.  Unless you have a name like Pitino or Cal or one of those guys it is tough (even as good a recruiter as BCG is) to go in and play at the level they expect at UK.......especially when there was nothing left in the cabinet.

I have always said that the Big East should contact conference USA and make a trade:  South Florida, Rutgers, and DePaul for Memphis.

[Icky3284]

agreed and agreed