Why Didn't Memphis Just Blackmail Calipari Into Staying?
by Truzenzuzex on May 30, 2009 7:24 AM EDT
in Commentary
78 comments
I swear, some things you just can't make up.
Gary Parrish and Clay Travis, both in separate pieces, have actually belittled Memphis Athletics director R.C. Johnson for not being corrupt enough to keep John Calipari at Memphis. I know that stories like the Memphis investigation sometimes produce some weird columns, but these two are just ... Well, you judge for yourself. First, we'll look at Parrish:
When it became clear that Kentucky was seriously interested in Calipari, Memphis countered with a contract worth more than the contract Kentucky offered. That was bold. But as it turns out, all the school had to do to keep Calipari was leak the NCAA letter.
It really would've been that easy.
Remember, there was a big debate about whether UK should mess with Calipari and his reputation; that was the hurdle. And though the pro-Calipari people ultimately convinced the anti-Calipari people that winning is the most important thing, that would've been an impossible task had the NCAA letter leaked then and created all the negative headlines it has created this week.
Gary, just so you know -- doing this would have been unethical, and possibly criminally actionable under some statute or another. You can't go about "leaking" things, even true things, in a deliberate effort to derail a negotiation like this, especially one that you've given permission to take place. At the very least it would have been tortious interference with a business relationship, it seems to me. In a piece that is intended to take R.C. Johnson to task for keeping the NCAA investigation of Memphis secret, Parrish's solution would have been to do something even more insidious?
On the heels of this comes Clay Travis, he of Claynation. Clay apparently thinks that mere tortious interference would have been much too bourgiouse:
If [Johnson] didn't want to leak the letter because he believed it violated his moral code, he could have called Coach Cal into his office and said, "Here's the deal, we'll increase your salary by $500,000 and I won't release this letter to the press. We'll stand by you through the investigation. You can sign right here. Or you can get on the plane to Lexington and before you land, it will be on the front page of the Lexington Herald-Leader Web site. They'll drop their pursuit of you and we won't give you the raise, but we'll still be happy to have you as coach."
Heh. "Hey, Cal, I've got an offer you can't refuse. Either stay with us and get a raise, or I'll release the letter and destroy your chances at the Kentucky job, and keep the raise." If this sounds kind of similar, if less gruesome than, "Either your brains or your signature will be on this contract," it should. Both are criminal acts, albeit different crimes. In the Calipari case, it would have been good, old-fashioned blackmail.
What makes this even more droll is that Travis, in the very same piece, pokes fun at R.C. Johnson's master's degree in physical education. All I can say is that R.C.'s degree may not be as fancy as yours, Clay, but he apparently does know right from wrong, and he didn't even need a Vanderbilt law degree to figure it out. Kind of makes you wonder what they're teaching down in Nashville these days.
These two coulumns make me wonder what the heck is going on in the national media. Why, all of the sudden, does everyone care so much about Memphis keeping Calipari, or is suddenly so concerned about what might happen vis-a-vis NCAA sanctions if Coach Cal stays at Kentucky? It has gotten so bad that two guys who are supposed to have, you know, real reputations to protect go out and make fun of an athletics director for not doing something shady or felonious.
I have a suggestion for both these guys -- Next time The Godfather comes on, don't watch -- you can't handle it.
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Read the Clay Nation piece.
Clay’s bio is all tongue in cheek. I suppose he thought his take on the Memphis AD and Cal was hip and cutting edge-you know like an eighth grader might. IMO the picture of Clay standing next to the Oscar Meyer Wiener mobile sums up his post.
by blue oregon on May 30, 2009 8:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Exactly.
You know, it’s one thing to write a satirical piece, but its totally another just to write nonsense. I actually thought Travis made a couple of good points about Barnhart, but it gets lost in a muddle of unreason that even satire can’t rescue.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 30, 2009 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There may be some nuance in this piece...
Certainly if Parrish really meant they should have ‘black-mailed’ Calipari that is nuts..
But I think if one looks at the total article, this issue weaves into the major point of the importance of realeasing the NCAA letter immediately. I think this is right. It would have been certainly fair to the recruits. It would have been fair to UK board, alums, etc. to see this as Kentucky was in pursuit of Calipari.
I suspect they sat on the letter to allow them to pursue a new coach and recruits. That was wrong. It looks like it is coming around to hurt them. Karma is a bitch.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 30, 2009 8:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I have personally not decided ...
… whether sitting on the letter was “wrong.” Ill-advised? Possibly. But the reality is, Memphis is really not likely to be seriously in any kind of trouble, going forward, although they could lose some accolades.
I assume they had reasons for not releasing it. No doubt, it would have been convenient to keeping Calipari had they simply released it the moment it hit the door. Perhaps they feared that if they released it after Kentucky’s interest in Calipari were made public, it would have looked like a deliberate attempt to interfere with the negotiations, and brought them even more trouble.
In the end, I don’t really have an opinion on whether they should have released the letter early or later. In all honesty, all it would have done was create a rather unfair impression that Calipari did something wrong. I know it is a convenient argument for many people to make, but quite frankly, it is neither fair nor accurate, at least as far as we know.
Having it discovered now was actually a benefit to Calipari which Memphis arguably had no intention of creating. But as I say, if it had surfaced during the Calipari-Kentucky negotiation, Memphis would have looked unethical.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Truzenzuzex on May 30, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
'..if it had surfaced during the Calipari-Kentucky negotiation, Memphis would have looked unethical.'
Certainly. All the more reason to release the letter immediately because they got it in January (I think that’s right, isn’t it?). From an administration standpoint, it is safer to release quickly to keep it from being leaked. Given that, I suspect that they kept it hidden from potential recruits…and interestingly I suspect Calipari was part of that strategy.
That’s the karma part I was referencing. My theory is that Memphis bought into the strategy of keeping the letter/investigation quiet to get recruits, and that decision ‘hurt them’ when UK came calling.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 30, 2009 9:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think they held it...
because they expected the basketball aspect of the charges to go away. The travel expense part is easily handled by getting reimbursement from the person that rode the charter (that was an administrator’s oversight in not sending and collecting the bill) and the SAT charge is not against them. If the player cheated on the SAT at his high school, as alledged, that does not fall on Memphis, especially after the NCAA clearinghouse gave the OK to use the player. Personally, I doubt they ever prove the charges about the SAT as Derrick Rose will never co-operate with them and the NCAA does not have subpeona power to get more info.
by wklawdog on May 30, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you are
Absolutely right on, counselor. The main investigation is about the women’s golf program, right ? We are not being blind on this issue. :-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 30, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Correct. For some weird reason...
Memphis paid their women’s golf players. I mean if you are going to pay players, then do it in a revenue sport for Pete’s sake.
by wklawdog on May 30, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reggie Rose And Oversight
Do not belong in the same sentence.
Rose’s older brother Reggie is the person you referenced.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 30, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It doesn't make a difference whether Rose testifies or not, counselor.
Hellooooo???? This is not a court of law. Subpeona power? What?
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 30, 2009 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well someone agrees with me...
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/may/28/geoff-calkins/
Just read this on the sports front page of the Henderson Gleaner while visiting in-laws.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 30, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great post Tru, of course
I link both these guys are trying to sell their story. I am sure they will have a lot to buy it. Heck, they may have no problem giving this one away, to even those great news outlets in Kentucky that have been so non-fond of this whole hire to start with.
Everybody here knows, I am not a win-at-all-cost fan. I never have been. I love to watch my Wildcats play ball win or lose. I am a lot more happy when they win, SURE. But more happy with and for the team. I really love to watch UK basketball when the guys are really having fun. To me that is the whole key to a good game. But I knew our team was not having fun playing the game. The games were starting to be non-FUN. So when things didn’t look so good in previous years, I wondered, what do I do? What DO I do? There is nothing really that I CAN do that would really matter.
So I hoped and I prayed that things would get better. I was sad to see my team not having fun. SO sad. But I had seen it occasionally before. I knew it would pass. It had to. KY is not this way. We put our guys first and foremost.
Then, I saw at times, some of the player’s families speak on interviews after the coaching change. Trying so very hard to say only positive things about the staff. You know, not wanting to put anyone down. I totally got it. I would have done the same. But when you see a mother actually say that she knew her son wasn’t happy playing here at UK, and you see it in her eyes, well, that is all it takes. SHE knows. Not by things he had said. By the way he looked, acted and felt. We mothers tend to know things without one word even being uttered.
So here I am now. What DO I do? Well we still have a few Wildcats from last year. We have come to know them quite well, and the new recruits will be known more and more, with each day. Midnight Madness will show us a whole lot about their attitudes. Their sparkle in their eye for the love of the game and the uniform. See….this is where the media fails to realize exactly how UK fans feel. We feel the game. We feel the hearts of our guys. They will let us know if something is not right. We can tell. That, is why this is the BIG BLUE NATION. A connection, just under the parent and child connection, with the team. That is why we are a players fan for life. I hope you “guys” can understand.
:-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 30, 2009 9:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I Had A Similar Perspective From Carmen Daniels On 2002 (Team Turmoil) Squad
It is certainly enlightening to have a Next-To-First-Hand insight on how players react when basketball is not fun.
Plenty went on in that 2001-02 season. Rarely was it “fun” for players or their families. Even Erik got in a little trouble that year.
But UK cleaned house that offseason. Carruth, Chiles, Sears, and Parker gone. A few other changes, too.
Voila! Most of the very same players who were 22-10 in 2001-02 turned into 32-4 and the #1 team (AP poll) in the nation in 2002-03.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 30, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well played
I am fairly new to this site, and have not lived in KY for almost twenty years, but this exactly how I relate to the teams and players from the present to the past. I feel for them and win or lose wish them only the best.
by rodoc on May 30, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
AH!
Thank You, thank you, thank you… that’s about it.
by bekster63 on May 30, 2009 3:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It took the above new member 3 mins to add his thoughtful remarks!
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
by oldcat70 on May 30, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Let Them Eat Cake......
and wash it down with hemlock…..whining doesnt eve begin to cover this crap…..Hoze, you get my star for the day, I thought you could come up with more rhetoric than anyone, but you couldnt hold a light for these two to work by. Both of them need to be called on the carpet for even SUGGESTING that the Uof M take any action that would be contstrued as illegal or immoral. Reporters these days will not hesitate to nail a man to the cross for jaywalking, but these 2 want them to commit blackmail? I swear to all that is holy, that school tried to do the right thing ( in handling Calipari’s departure) and they are still getting crucified for it.
If it turns out that Rose did do something screwy on his SAT, there ought to be a way to go back and let the NCAA take him to civil court and get damages for fraud on his part. Nail one of these kids for faking a test or something else with a 2-3 million civil court settlement and the crap would stop.
Both of those reporters need to be villified and made to apologize to the University publicly. It’s a crying shame that trash like that has a job reporting for a living. And that is exactly what they are, trash. They ought to be made to wear a sign in public for a year that says, “I am an idiot, and I get paid for being one.”
I wish there was a way to have an effect on their employment. Unfortunately we would only look like we have no more sense than they do for trying to do something about it.
I really hope that someone at UofM gets them both by the gonads and squeezes until they both lose their lunch.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 30, 2009 5:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think, sir, you have missed their poindt.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 8:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry Hoze.....but I got their points EXACTLY
they both havent got anything else to run their mouths about, so they decide to sit back and speculate about how Memphis could have just as easily prevented this whole situation from developing…..they have run out of ways to write about what actually IS happening, so now they want to make something happen themselves. Like I said above….they are no better than trash for even suggesting it….I wanted to make sure they both didnt work for the National Enquirer.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 31, 2009 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ABC. Your observations about making these guys wear a public sign of vilification...
brings up the comedian Bill Engvall’s quote “there’s your sign”. :) Squeezing one’s gonads until they puke would be excessively painful. Are you having a fun day?
by blue oregon on May 30, 2009 7:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I simply cannot tolerate
a “holier than thou” attitude from anyone. There are enough people in this world who have hard enough lives without some giant pair of “sphincter plugs” out there actually recommending that someone break the law. Much less a couple of miscreants like these two who would have written the articles the OTHER way if the UofM had even THOUGHT about trying what they suggest.
You think about what we went through here when Pitino left. Nothing but angst and headaches for the entire off-season, and we were 100 times better off than Memphis is. And these two pompous windbags want to suggest that all Memphis had to do was blackmail that coach into staying. I have a 13 yr old nephew with more sense and conscience than these two walking examples of a waste of DNA.
No wonder the public has a jaded opinion of a lot of major sports and the personnel that surround them. If it were 40 years ago, Adolph Rupp would have had them banned from his games, press conferences, and any other functions in the state. And he would have been right in doing it. Too bad these guys don’t have to have licenses to do their jobs, because these two deserve to lose theirs.
Those folks at Memphis deserve better than having to see this thrown up in their faces by anyone with as little talent as these two simpletons.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 30, 2009 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not going to jump in the middle of your buzz saw. Like I wrote as the first response to this post...
Clay wrote his post like an eighth grader, his bio was tongue & cheek and his picture with the Oscar Meyer Wiener mobile sums up his post. Both guy’s positions are absurd to me. There is so much garbage out there, these two posts are examples of that garbage.
There is so much ludicrous nonsense in our culture. I find these two guys ridiculous. My
post was an attempt to reflect the same kind of laughable comments.
by blue oregon on May 30, 2009 10:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
youre ok oregon
I just have a low tolerance for viciousness from someone who knows that the other side cant retaliate….the “bully pulpit” doesnt impress me…..not even a little….must be a character flaw in me….dont like anyone going out of their way to make someone look bad just because they can…..or to make money off of it. And they call muslims “terrorists”….hmph….gimme someone that will point the gun at me when they see me anytime….its the ones who hold it behind their back while they are shaking your hand with the other hand I cannot stand.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 30, 2009 10:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
We're talking sports here, right?
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What we are talking about here
is a couple of low-life braggarts that make their living by insinuation and innuendo….and ANYONE that suggests that someone commit a crime, in an attempt to prevent a situation from developing that they cannot control otherwise, has need of extensive therapy….or a career change….
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 31, 2009 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Getting nuance can take some effort, but I think you are up to it.
I believe their point was to put an additional coin on the scale to tip it towards releasing the letter in January instead of sitting on it. Think of this….they could have traken a strong position on what a ‘snake’ Calipari was in convincing the Memphis administration to keep the letter/investigation secret so he could trick his recruits to stay interested in Memphis while really using the secrecy in allowing him to court UK free of scrutiny. But they didn’t.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And how do you know that Calipari did that?
You don’t, and they dont, And that my friend is the point. They don’t about their position either. They want to try and start a lot of nonsense by speculating a load of crap. This Sypher-inspired idea of theirs is nothing more than an attempt to create an internet “buzz”….and to try and create bad publicity for the University of Kentucky. Unfortunately they are using the UofM to do it. That is the real crime here. They make Memphis look bad to try to get to us….And they can take their “nuance” and blog it……How do you thiink people felt at UL when Ms. Sypher started her nonsense….and supposedly she actually was a participant in whatever it is that actually happened with her.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 31, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And how do you know that Calipari did NOT?
Of course we don’t really know since neither of us are or were the decision makers. I gave a very plausible reason that may be the reason from releasing the letter. See smart, insightful people can look at the facts in front of them and draw reasonable conclusions. Give it a shot. What’s your theory behind delaying the release of the letter?
Oh, and you may want to look up the definition of crime.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No theory
Honestly, according to what we have heard from everyone, the letter had been released to anyone who had a DIRECT relationship to the case. The fans do not represent a DIRECT relationship, and neither do the press, contrary to what we may all think or want to believe. This supposition crap is exactly what I am talking about…..we will know what we need to know WHEN we need to know it. And as far as the definition of crime goes, I think I have that one figured out. Unfortunately no one has figured out how to make this type of nonsense a crime yet.
Remember, we're having fun now!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on May 31, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Snake
The real snake is in Louisville.
Been that way since 1971.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 31, 2009 9:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Okay...here's my 'Forty' reply.
No he’s not.
You may get a little more respect with your opinions if you pry yourself away from the data websites and offer a little personal perspective and maybe original thought.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Please remind me again...
…Why Pat Forde was suspended by CJ…
Huh, what..?? I thought so…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Classic defense.
Ignore the issues sent forth, and demonize the sender. Classic.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let's look at facts then....
Has coach John Calipari EVER been implicated in any wrong doing in 17 yrs on coaching… NO.. Assumptions are FALSE
Has Pat Forde been suspended by The Courier Journal…? YES, that is a FACT…
Why is the truth so damn hard for some to see..?
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh...I get it. It's okay as long as you don't get caught.
Up here in Chicago, there was a well known gangster who stacked up bodies by the dozens until he was convicted of tax evasion. Interestingly, some citizens used the same excuse to rationalize him and his operation before the conviction. Just sayin’.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So is Mike Krzyzewski a dirty coach..??
He used Cory Magette in the Final Four… And we all know what went down there…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Now coach is is a gangster...?
Good lord man… lol
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No...I am not comparing him to a gangster (warning...read slowly to follow along).
I am comparing people’s defense to those who defended Capone in the past. Get it?
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just Did, Bubba
Crum was a snake. Pitino is a snake.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 31, 2009 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
2nd Classic Defense
Obscufate by bringing up a non-sequitor attack.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What..?
Obscufate by bringing up a non-sequitor attack
Again, remind us of what Calipari has been charged with… I keep forgetting…
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
To me it has nothing to do with the charge or lack thereof.
It has to do with how (warning…warning…this is my opinion) he was part of hiding the letter of investigation to trick recruits initially and then parlayed that into getting the UK job. This is exactly his modus operandi…he operates within the rules but doesn’t hesitate to ‘snake’ around them for his advantage.
Face it…if that letter was released in January like it should have, he wouldn’t have the UK job. I give the UK alums credit with that information they would have run away from him as fast as a thorobred.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
so who do you blame Hoze..??
CAl..?
Todd..?
I say if that’s your assumption, it’s on the NCAA, not coach, UM or UK
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In order of blame:
1A. Calipari for likely forcing the admin’s hand.
1B. Memphis Administration for playing along.
2. Todd and Barnhardt for compromising UK’s integrity and keeping the alums in the dark during negotiations.
3. The UK fans/alums for now ignoring the facts and bending backward to rationalize.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK Hoze, you're reaching now
I thought even that was beneath you… I was Wrong..
Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.
by vinceuk1 on May 31, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hoze
Respectfully, didn’t you and Tru disagree passionately a few weeks back about the allegations between Pitino and Ms.Sypher. If I am recalling correctly, you dug in your heels
concerning Tru’s post on the story.
IMO, both situations are similar in this way. There are currently not enough facts made public to make an accurate conclusion.
by blue oregon on May 31, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Have to agree with HozeKing
I am a Tigers fan and found this site via a google alert. I listened to the above sports shows and apart from them making all sorts of conjectures (which is what sports radio does…there are only so many things you can talk about during the slow months), what they were trying to say was if the University would have made this public, would Cal have been able to leave…would anyone have wanted him?
Personally, I think the allegations was one of the reasons he left for UK. Just like UMass, Cal has somehow removed himself from what could potentially be a very bad position….this is regardless of whether he knew about it or not.
What is interesting to me is watching UK fans do essentially what Memphis fans would do…rationalize the whole situation and pretend that Cal didn’t know anything about this.
Cal isn’t a fool. If this goes down like the UMass/Camby situation then Coach Cal will have the legacy of being the only coach in the history of NCAA basketball to have had two final fours stripped from him….dunno about you but either he is very unlucky or he knows a thing or two about bending the rules to his favor.
To understand why the University didn’t release the news, I would say that it is more likely that this was under the direction of Cal (he held all the cards…Memphis would have renamed the city to keep him…RC Johnson lived in Cal’s backpocket). Let’s face it. UK AD may have still wanted him but once the news went public, there would be a lot of pressure from fans NOT to take him.
I have read over at UNC message boards that are absolutely giddy over the Cal thing. They seem to believe that you guys are going to have a great couple seasons only to have it wiped away on a technicality. Dunno if it will happen but you have to wonder. Cal knows what it takes to get recruits and he knows all the ins and outs about how to do it undercover of the night.
I don’t hate Cal. I wish him all the best and will be watching UK b-ball b/c of him. I just find it interesting that there is a lot of rationalizing now that you guys got him.
by leo d on May 31, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If this were totally correct,
(he held all the cards…Memphis would have renamed the city to keep him…RC Johnson lived in Cal’s backpocket).
wouldn’t Cal still be there, at all costs, even if it meant Johnson losing his job ? :-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 31, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Though, I get your point,
I am just asking. Memphis has to understand that this is the Big Blue Nation. Look it up sometime. It is a term for KY fans only. We are only trying to look at this with the facts. We may not have the insight of Memphis fans, but we do know how to rationalize though sometimes we are accused of not being able to. :-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 31, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry But UK Basketball >>>>> Memphis
UK is one of the Top 5 elite basketball programs. Calipari had never coached above Mid-Major level (UMass = A10 and Memphis = CUSA, both mid-major conferences).
Choosing UK over Memphis is a no-brainer for any coach.
Memphis (Dana Kirk circa 1985) knows quite a bit about cheating NCAA rules.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 31, 2009 11:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
@a2d2- yeah, Cal would probably still be here and Memphis fans would be rationalizing by any means necessary to scrub Cal clean of the allegations although it is very likely that he was in the least informed or at the most, partially involved.
And in regards to this being a KY board, I understand. I am just trying to provide a voice of reason…neither for nor against. Like I said, I am not out to get Cal like most in Memphis. I will be watching KY basketball next season actually b/c of Cal (he lived down the street from me in Memphis.
@fortyyearcatfan- You are right. The minute UK offered the job to Cal, I knew he was gone. It is a more storied program than Memphis and is one of the 4 top schools as far as legendary college schools are concerned….
And yeah, I remember Dana Kirk (don’t remind me).
by leo d on May 31, 2009 12:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
UK Had Its Own "Dana Kirk" Named Eddie Sutton
Memphis has a good basketball tradition but UK (and UNC, Kansas, UCLA) are at another level.
by FortyYearCatFan on May 31, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sorry if you took me wrong leo d
I was asking for your opinion. As far as this message board, I did not imply you were not welcome. I was talking about KY fans are the BBN.
:-)
Blue, there is no other color to Bleed !!!
by a2d2 on May 31, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure I agree
i’m not sure it would have been tortious interference with a business relationship to release the letter. How can you tortiously interfere with contract negotiations when you would be perfectly within your contractual rights to put a stop to them altogether? Plus, there was probably a FOIA request out there that the letter would have been responsive to. Arguably, Memphis should have released the letter almost immediately, regardless of what cal was doing.
Richard Pittman
by Richard Pittman on May 31, 2009 1:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
a2D2-No worries
Man, sorry for being a little defensive. I get on these boards never knowing how I am going to be taken (fans can be zealots and rightfully so…)
Richard Pittman, you are right. I imagine what happened was several things in regards to the letter. In the event that Cal didn’t leave, he would have to worry about damage control for the recruits that were coming in (pre-UK Cal Memphis would have had what would have arguably been the #1 recruiting class ever). If Cal did leave, getting a coach with that kind of baggage would have proved a tough sale (after all, although Memphis is a basketball school with a lot to offer, they still are a mid-major in a cupcake conference).
That probably explains why RC and company didn’t publicize it immediately. The thought of many of those blue chip recruits going elsewhere because of this scandal would not only hurt Memphis’ credibility as a basketball school worthy of national attention (I don’t think anyone would argue that Memphis was on the way to being a perennial powerhouse given the last 3 years…for those that don’t because of conference play, I understand).
Obviously, Calipari most likely didn’t want it to come out during UK negotiations b/c it would have polarized UK fans (who would want another Eddie Sutton, right?). For Memphis, most wouldn’t care as much and it would have been swept under the rug as long as Cal was winning….
Wasn’t Kansas’ championship that year revoked due to ineligible players playing….if Memphis has their final revoked, would that mean that the year wouldn’t really have had a championship game?
by leo d on May 31, 2009 1:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Everybody's forgetting something
Im not at all worried about Cal or anything dirty happening at UK because of Sandy Bell. Our compliance officer is top notch. She will get the job done and I dont see her being at all ok with anything not above board.
DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!
by davw83 on May 31, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Can Sandy Bell proctor the SAT for every kid we recruit?
I agree that Cal won’t be wiring money or making phone calls he shouldn’t make… but I don’t see how anyone can prevent a kid like Rose from doing this on his own. Or hell, even the story that Wild Weasel linked in the other thread about Corey Maggette taking money before he enrolled at Duke… how do you stop that? (And how have I not heard about this until now?!!?)
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
by chirop1 on Jun 1, 2009 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No she cant
I dont see how you can blame either Memphis or Cal for that one. If a kid did that here at UK it wouldnt be either the school or the coache’s fault.
DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!
by davw83 on Jun 1, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Most Cryptic Question
Why there are so many who respond to HozeKing’s post and thus fall into his snare of logical fallacy? His tactics are consistent in that they give the illusion of a strong argument when the opposite is the actual case. My advice is to give it the attention it deserves: none. In short, ignore him and he’ll go away.
"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." --Thomas Jefferson
by Wild Weasel on May 31, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Respectfully Disagree. I admit that living in Eugene, Oregon...
I do not have the constant hum of the competitive fervor between the U of L and Kentucky sports. Here it is the U of O and Oregon State University.
There is no doubt that Hoze enjoys ratcheting up the rival here on ASOB. However, having the Hoze in the
conversation is an overall good thing from the Louisville point of view.
by blue oregon on May 31, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree 100% with WW
Tru told me long ago to not pay him any mind. Just ignore him is the best advice! He will finally find some thing in Chicago or Loserville to occupy his time!
Happy Days are here again The sky is all ways BLUE again Happy days are here again !
by oldcat70 on May 31, 2009 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oldcat 70
If memory serves me correctly, (a while back) you asked Tru if we had to keep
looking at Hose’s Cardinal avatar. Tru said yes. So, I took that decision to mean that
Tru is ok with Hoze and his U of L opposing points of view.
Isn’t a dissenting point of view a cornerstone of the free press? Besides most folks here
at ASOB certainly don’t hesitate to dish it right back out to Hoze. :) The rubber really meets
the road when our two basketball programs go head to head. I feel confident that UK will
competitive in that game.
by blue oregon on May 31, 2009 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The fact that Hoze
spends all his time over here is a direct reflection of how little UL matters.UofL = greatest mid major.How many FF does UL have since entering the big east?ZERO.
by -Zoso- on May 31, 2009 9:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
IMO, Hoze gets his fanhood buzz from twisting the Kentucky Wildcat faithful.
by blue oregon on May 31, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And its amazing.....
…how twisted people get trying to argue with him. Similar to nailing jello to the wall.
by hoboat33 on May 31, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
3rd Classic Defense
Stick your own head in the sand and convince likewise thinking others to do the same. Ignore rather than engage in logical discourse.
C’mon, you all can do better than this…WW I am especiallyi disapointed in you. BO, good for you.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on May 31, 2009 11:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
:)
The Spork, I'm two things in one.
Are you NORML?
by the spork on May 31, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
South Park reference, automatic rec from me
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on Jun 1, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hoze
Fly your Card flag as high as you wish on Kentucky Wildcat sites.
However, just like in Chicago (I spend a couple weeks there each year-my wife’s hometown). If you go to a Bears home game and you wear a green Packer T-shirt that reads in yellow Bears Suck. Then be prepared for the rainstorm of crud that you got coming your way. Your peeing in the wind.
by blue oregon on Jun 1, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Extremely condescending
DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!
by davw83 on Jun 1, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or you can go with the 4th defense
Have your university put pressure on the local media to not run a story that is damaging to your program and coach.
Oh wait, that is Louisville…..
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on Jun 1, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Riiiiiight.
I especially like the way the UofL administration commands our fleet of black helicopters that constantly buzz all the radio and television stations….oh yea, and C-J as well.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
by HozeKing on Jun 1, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jurich did get a sports talk station blown up
Just Saying…..
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
by btcoop71 on Jun 1, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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