The Wait is Finally Over, Calipari to Coach Kentucky

After sleeping on the 8 year, 35 million dollar offer from Kentucky, John Calipari has finally made the decision to be the next head coach at Kentucky, making him the highest paid coach in college basketball, ESPN and the Commercial Appeal reports.

The deal that was thought to be done yesterday, had to wait another day because John Calipari was still torn between the decision of leaving a powerhouse that he built in Memphis, to a once power-house and storied program that needs a little help getting back to it’s stature of a national contender, in Kentucky.

Although, Calipari’s decision was probably one of the hardest decisions ever in his life, the chance to coach an elite program like Kentucky just couldn’t be passed up.  After all, it is a “once in a lifetime chance”, so he had to jump on it when the chance came around.

It is unclear of any current player situations, coming or going, but Kentucky expects to introduce Calipari as the new head coach at a press conference at 9:30 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday.  The press conference should be aired on your local channels (Kentucky residents) and ESPN.  We hope to learn more about the players’ situations within the next couple of weeks.

Update on John Calipari as Head Coach of Kentucky

It is being reported that the deal isn’t quite done yet, but moving closer to being done between the University of Kentucky and John Calipari. 

The deal is being reported to be worth around 35 Million dollars for 8 years, which would still make John Calipari the highest paid coach in college basketball.  More to report on this story as it unfolds.

John Calipari is Kentucky’s Next Head Basketball Coach

It has been reported by several reliable websites that John Calipari has rejected the counter-offer that the University of Memphis offered him to stay at Memphis.  The report is that John Calipari has officially resigned as the head coach of Memphis.  He has called the University of Kentucky ”The Notre Dame of College Basketball” and expressed that he could not resist the opportunity to coach at UK.  Some have reported that the contract would be worth 40 Million dollars over a 6 year period, which comes to over a whopping 6 million per year, but there is no way to confirm the dollar amount at the moment!!

Either way, Kentucky was able to get their man this time and I’m sure all of us fans are looking forward to the coming months.  It has also been reported that several players from Memphis will accompany Calipari to Kentucky.  If this bodes true, look for the University of Kentucky basketball to become an instant powerhouse next year.  More to reports as information becomes available.

John Calipari and the Head Coaching Job at Kentucky

It has been reported that John Calipari planned to meet Monday with Memphis officials to contemplate a multi-million dollar deal that has been offered by the University of Kentucky.  Calipari is said to have had a meeting with his players this morning on the possibility of taking the head coach position at Kentucky.  It has also been reported that some of the Memphis players believed that he would take the head coaching position at Kentucky after the meeting, sources say.  Some media believe that this may be a stunt by Calipari to get Memphis to give him a raise, but it’s too early to tell.

The Memphis athletic director stated Monday, that Kentucky had permission to speak to Calipari, but that they plan to do everything they can to keep him at Memphis.  If Calipari did decide to become the next head coach at Kentucky, it is possible that he could bring one of his top recruits with him that has not signed on with Memphis yet.  That recruit, DeMarcus Cousins, has made an oral commitment to Memphis, but has not signed a “Letter of Intent” as of yet.

It has also been reported that sources say John Calipari and Kentucky officials had already met on Sunday to discuss the contract details and what they expect from their next Kentucky head coach.  John Calipari can bring an excitement to Kentucky that hasn’t been around since the Rick Pitino days.  In a way, they are very similar and would match up well when Kentucky and Louisville face off for the yearly battle of the rivalry.

Please remember, this is all speculation until something solid comes out in the media.

Update on Kentucky’s Search for Next Head Coach

There have been so many rumors and comments on other message boards and blogs, so I have decided to update what is known so far about the search for the next “Kentucky Head Basketball Coach”.

Here are the possibilities for head coach at UK that we mentioned before, now with their updates:

Billy Donovan - Donovan states that he is staying in Florida and not interested in any other coaching positions that become available.  It’s probably safe to go ahead and cross him off the short list.

Travis Ford- Nothing has been reported on Travis, besides Rick Pitino recommending him and John Pelphrey for the job.  Yes, I know Pitino should not have even made a comment and has no business with our coaching situation, but a reporter did ask the question.  An appropriate answer from Pitino should have been, “No Comment” or “Not of my Concern”.

John Calipari- Per ESPN, John Calipari has expressed interest in the Kentucky head coaching position, but has not been contacted by the University of Kentucky.  ESPN also reported that U of K is currently gathering information on John Calipari, which indicates that UK is interested in Calipari as well.

Bob Knight - No other word has came about from Dickie V’s comments on ESPN.  It’s safe to assume that he has no interest in UK.

Rick Barnes - Nothing to report on Barnes at this time.

John Pelphrey- Again, Pitino recommend him and Travis Ford…take that for what it’s worth.

Jay Wright- Wright has expressed his interest and love for Villanova and does not seem interested in a coaching change at this time.

Mark Few - Nothing to report on Few at this time.

Bruce Pearl- Not really mentioned anymore for the job and was barely mentioned in the first place.  Cross him off the list.

Jamie Dixon - Nothing to report on Dixon at this time, but could still be a possibility.

Tom Izzo- Tom Izzo’s name has been added to the mix.  Since he is still competing in the NCAA Tourney, it is doubtful that he has been contacted.  He did speak at a press conference stating that he would never say “Never” to a job offer such as Kentucky, but he talked about his goals at Michigan State and what more he wants to accomplish there.  Even though he probably hasn’t been contacted, he still remains a viable candidate for the position.  It’s a long-shot that he would take the job, considering Izzo is a Michigan native and wants to turn Michigan State into a UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Duke type of powerhouse.  He’s probably already at his dream job.  So, it would be doubtful that he would take the job, but stays on the list for now.

Jeff Capel - His name has came up, but no evidence of interest by either parties.

Mike Anderson - His name has came up as well, but no evidence of interest by either parties.

The top candidates, for UK’s open head coaching position, that I can derive from all the mess and rumors that have surfaced are the following in order of relevance:

John Calipari (Probably the most relevant candidate at the moment, but could change if more coaches express interest)

Travis Ford (Although inexperienced, Kentucky ties keep him on the list)

John Pelphrey (Not a stellar performance at Arkansas this year, but Kentucky ties keep him on the list)

Tom Izzo (He spoke about the opening at UK and states that he don’t think he would ever say never, but expresses his accomplishments and what more he wants to accomplish at Michigan State.  So, if Kentucky does contact him, he will most likely turn down the job offer)

All other names seem to be irrelevant until new information surfaces.

The Best Fit at Head Coach for the Kentucky Wildcats?

Now that Coach Billy Gillispie has been let go by the University of Kentucky, it is time to talk about who might replace him as head coach.  Here are the possibilities that I have come up with based on the media and other sources:

Billy Donovan (Florida)
Billy Donovan would be the best fit for the head coaching position at Kentucky.  He spent years under Rick Pitino as an assistant coach and knows the program.  Unfortunately, he soon expressed (after the Gillispie firing) that he has no intentions of leaving Florida for any other school and that his intentions are to stay focused on Florida basketball and building the program.

Travis Ford (Oklahoma State)
Travis Ford, being a former Kentucky player and a native of Kentucky, knows Kentucky basketball really well.  He has been a head coach in the state of Kentucky (most notably at Eastern Kentucky).  He put a good run together at Oklahoma State this year.  I’m quite sure that he would say yes to the offer if Kentucky offered him the head coaching position.  Now the downfall, he hasn’t really stayed in one place for too long and doesn’t seem to have enough experience as a head coach to take over a high-profile position, such as the one at Kentucky.  My take, if Travis Ford was named the next head coach at Kentucky, I would be happy with the hiring.  I would understand that it may take him a couple of years to get on track, but I would be willing to be more patient with a guy like Travis Ford, compared to Billy G.  I think that he could be a great ambassador of Kentucky Basketball and I wouldn’t foresee any problems arising with the media or players.

John Calipari (Memphis)
Another big name that has arisen in the rumor mill is John Calipari of Memphis.  I just don’t know if he would be a great fit at Kentucky, but he does have an outstanding track record with Memphis and can obviously recruit really well.  If it was announced that he would be the next UK coach, then I would be glad to hear it.  I would rather have him than an up and coming mid-major coach, but he wouldn’t be my first choice for the job as shown here.

Bob Knight (ESPN Analyst) w/ Travis Ford as Assistant
This actually came from the horses’ mouth.  I am referring to Dick Vitale (the basketball guru), actually suggested bringing in Bobby Knight and having Travis Ford as his assistant.  He suggested to let Bobby Knight be the head coach for about 5 years and then allow Travis Ford to take over the head coaching position.  Even with Knight’s controversy, I would not mind if he were to be hired.  I think it would be great!  He has a track record of being a great coach and to have Travis Ford under him and eventually taking over as head coach.  In my opinion, it would be a win-win situation.

Other Notable Names That Have Come Up
Rick Barnes of Texas
John Pelphrey of Arkansas (Former Kentucky Player/Native)
Jay Wright of Villanova
Mark Few of Gonzaga
Bruce Pearl of Tennessee (doubtful he would leave Tenn. for Kentucky)
Jamie Dixon of Pittsburgh

Now that you have seen the names that have been spread across the rumor mill, who would be your first choice for the head coaching position at Kentucky?  Let your opinion be known by leaving a comment here!

Coach Billy Gillispie Has Been Fired

It was announced earlier today by reliable sources that UK basketball Coach, Billy Gillispie has been officially fired as the UK head basketball coach.  A press conference is set for 4:30 p.m. (EDT) by Kentucky’s Athletic Department with more information on the firing.

There has been no word of a possible coach that Kentucky has been communicating with and it is reported that no information will be available on this during the press conference scheduled later on today.  This firing should come as no surprise to most of the Big Blue Fan Nation.  It was credited that the firing was more-so for incidents off the court than on the court, which is what everyone expected it to be for in the first place.

Tune in to your local station at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) for more information on this developing story.  If you live outside of Kentucky, it is quite possible that the press conference will be aired on ESPN as well.

Has Coach Billy Gillispie Been Fired?

There have been numerous sources stating that Coach Billy Gillispie has been fired or stepped down from the coaching job at the University of Kentucky.  Please understand that there is no way to officially confirm this statement at the moment, but look for a press conference soon either by the school or by Billy Gillispie or by both.  This really shouldn’t come as a big shock to anyone because it seemed like a 50-50 chance that he would be let go after this year.

If the above statement is true, who would be a good fit for the University of Kentucky basketball program.  Billy Donovan’s name has resurfaced for the job.  Now that his Florida team isn’t doing so well, might he reconsider the offer that was given to him by Kentucky before the Billy Gillispie hire?  It is possible, but in no way confirmed.  Treat all this as speculation for now until official news is released.

What other coaches might be a good fit?  What about former Kentucky players and Kentucky natives that have been making progress as coaches, such as Travis Ford of Oklahoma State or John Pelphrey of Arkansas?  These young coaches would probably be accepted by fans since they played at UK and have an understanding of Kentucky basketball and what is expected from the program, but would they really be able to fill the shoes of the past with coaching legends such as Rupp and Pitino?  There’s really only one way to tell and that would be to hire one of them as Kentucky head basketball coach, but would Kentucky take that chance after a failed marriage with Gillispie?  The answer is ”very doubtful”.

What about the bigger name coaches, such as John Calipari of Memphis or Rick Pitino of Louisville?  It is highly unlikely that any big name coaches would be willing to give up their current teams to come to Kentucky, especially Rick Pitino…sorry guys.

The fact of the matter is that many coaches may not want to fill Billy Gillispie’s shoes after seeing what he has been through.  UK may have to settle for an up and coming coach from a mid-major program, but that won’t be a popular choice by most Wildcat fans.  When/if the official news surfaces of Gillispie’s firing, look for more shakeups for Kentucky basketball, such as players transferring and Gillispie recruits choosing to go elsewhere.

If Billy Gillispie is out, next year may have to turn into a rebuilding year for the program.  The Kentucky Wildcats’ fan base might have to sit through another year or two of embarrassing losses, low conference finishes, and non-existent post season play.  If this is the case, don’t get discouraged, just bare with the program in the coming years and eventually UK will bounce back as a powerhouse in college basketball if the right coach is hired.

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