I’d like to formally announce what no one else seems to believe: John Calipari isn’t going to leave the University of Memphis for another coaching job – period.
With the announcement of Billy Gillespie’s termination at the University of Kentucky, speculation is swirling about possible replacements, one of which was Calipari.
Note how I wrote he was possibly being considered, not is being considered.
While Kentucky is one of the few basketball programs in the nation that any coach would listen to, Calipari knows what he has in Memphis.
What he has is a program that has already landed the nation’s top recruiting class and the possibility of adding one more player, John Wall, to the list. If Wall signs with Memphis, it would rival Michigan’s ‘Fab Five’ class as the best recruiting class ever.
He’s got a contract that pays him $3.35 million annually, a deal that includes a base salary of $2.35 million and an annual annuity. And that doesn’t include monies from the new shoe contract the university signed with Nike.
That deal was signed last year after Memphis made it to the national championship game. Expect Athletic Director R.C. Johnson to announce a new deal for Calipari in the coming weeks, one that will assuredly be even more lucrative.
Calipari also has a team that can win Conference USA every year and earn a high seed in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers have proven that playing in lower-tiered conference isn’t as detrimental as some believe.
Memphis has either been a one or two seed over the past four NCAA tournaments, making the Sweet 16 all four years, three Elite Eight’s and one national championship game. Not bad for a school that isn’t given much credit as being one of the best programs in the nation.
Although next season’s schedule isn’t completed or confirmed, there’s been conversations about Memphis playing non-conference games against Louisville, Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina.
Memphis already has deals to play Gonzaga, Syracuse and Tennessee next season.
Memphis has won 61 straight conference games and can tie or break the record next season of 62 straight conference wins set by – how ironic is this – Kentucky.
Name one program that can offer Calipari all of that
No one.
Not Kentucky, Arizona, UCLA…
Calipari isn’t going anywhere except back to his office at the University of Memphis. There he will try to figure out a way to make another deep run in the NCAA tournament next season, and don’t be surprised if that’s what happens.
Even if Tyreke Evans decides to make himself available for this year’s NBA Draft, Memphis will have more than enough talent to win Conference USA again and earn another high seed for the big dance.
At the conclusion of next season, we’ll probably have to revisit all the reasons Calipari isn’t leaving Memphis. The reasons will be the same next year too.
Who can offer more than that? The University of Kentucky. Easily.
I disagree. UK is attractive, but can’t match what Calipari already has. By the time Memphis’ boosters add more money to his package, UK would have to come up with close to $4 million annually to match his contract. Then there’s the recruiting class. UK doesn’t have a class even close to Memphis’. He’ll stay at Memphis.
Reports are this is a done deal. Say goodbye to Calipari Memphis!
“UK would have to come up with close to $4 million annually to mach his contract.”
You write that as if it would only be done with difficulty. You apparently don’t understand the cash cow that is UK Basketball.
I won’t say Calipari’s leaving until we hear it from his own lips. But don’t underestimate the Blue side of the Force.
Please get off of Kentucky’s nuts…..Kentucky is old news. We all know that you are sooooooo desperate for a coach because you can’t even get into the the NCAA tournament. When coach Cal stays in memphis try not to cry to hard. Just keep working hard and maybe you can win a couple games in the NIT. Kentucky is no basketball god anymore. What have they done the past 10 years? NIT NIT NIT NIT NIT NIT!!
As I said, don’t underestimate the power of the Blue side of the Force.
Comments here remind me of similarly wrong USENET comments made 12 years ago about why Pitino wouldn’t leave UK. What some folks fail to realize is that it doesn’t matter what your current employer offers you if you’re being offered your dream job. For Pitino, he thought it was the Boston Celtics. For many, Kentucky is just another university. But for others, including apparently Coach Calipari, Kentucky is BASKETBALL.
Although I don’t feel badly that UK snagged Coach Calipari, I do wish Memphis the best of luck in pursuit of a new coach, and hope you get someone who can continue the development of your program. Solid teams make for good games.
And, while I can’t speak for Kevin, I’m not crying too hard today.
Hi,
Who was the University of Memphis Tiger Basketball player that got into trouble while they were in the state of Washington this season? I believe his girlfriend was with him and he missed two curfews.
Thank you,
Mary Ellen
Matt Simpkins. He was kicked off the team. Don’t know if he’s still attending the U of M or not.
Hi,
I wish University of Memphis could get out of the Conference USA and move up to a better Conference. It is such a stigma we need to shake. Do you think we could ever move up to a better Conference?
Thank you,
Mary Ellen Vaughan
[...] buddy MoonDog also offers up some similarly solid reasoning for why Calipari will not be going to Kentucky, including the killer recruiting class he has coming into Memphis next [...]
[...] -A case for John Calipari to stay in Memphis. [...]