Calipari leaves Memphis....but should he have?

[Sports Guy]

The conference is the key... Memphis has had incredible success but they aren't going to ever get the kind of exposure during the regular season that a team from a big conference will. Memphis and UConn are not analogous due to the conference affiliations. If Memphis had what UConn has - membership in the greatest conference in the land then I doubt Calipari even considers leaving.

UCONN isn't in the ACC.

The exposure is obviously the reason he left...But should he have left?

With that exposure also comes great pressure, scrutiny and things like that.

At Memphis, he can have every he could get at Kentucky in terms of recruiting, top seeds in the tourney, 25+ win seasons, etc....

Jerry Tarkanian was a well known coach for what he did at UNLV, a team in a conference like Memphis is in.

Originally, i felt it was a no brainer to leave for Kentucky but when i think about it, I think he is better off at Memphis...All I know is he better start winning immediately at Kentucky or he will be under fire quickly.

[Sports Guy]

Absolutely he should take the job.

Memphis has no chance of being the new UConn. Because Memphis isn't in a real conference.

Memphis was basically a slightly better Gonzaga. That was all they would ever be.

Kentucky is one of the 5 or so most storied programs in college basketball history.

The only reason to stay at Memphis would be cowardice. For someone with Calipari's ego, I don't think that would be an issue.

That's pretty foolish to say.

That's like calling K a coward for not taking the Lakers job.

Is Gary Williams a coward for not pursuing an NBA career?

[beaner]

That's pretty foolish to say.

That's like calling K a coward for not taking the Lakers job.

Is Gary Williams a coward for not pursuing an NBA career?

I disagree SG..Coach K and Gary Williams have proven themselves year after year in the toughest conference in the land, not some crappy conference like the Atlantic 10, Conference USA or the Big East;). They don't need to do anything in terms of credibility.

Calipari has proven he can get recruits to come to these schools and dominate but has yet to prove it on the big stage. To a guy like me who doesn't believe in Calipari, he can certainly prove me wrong if he can contend for Final Fours and National Championships at Kentucky.

[Sports Guy]

I disagree SG..Coach K and Gary Williams have proven themselves year after year in the toughest conference in the land, not some crappy conference like the Atlantic 10, Conference USA or the Big East;). They don't need to do anything in terms of credibility.

Calipari has proven he can get recruits to come to these schools and dominate but has yet to prove it on the big stage. To a guy like me who doesn't believe in Calipari, he can certainly prove me wrong if he can contend for Final Fours and National Championships at Kentucky.

But why does he have to prove it in a big conference?

He proves it in his non-conference schedule and in the tourney.

Why be under the microscope for everything you do?

I can see it either way...I don't fault him at all for taking the Kentucky job, even money aside...Its a great oppurtunity.

But he only gains so much by going to Kentucky.

[beaner]

But why does he have to prove it in a big conference?

He proves it in his non-conference schedule and in the tourney.

Why be under the microscope for everything you do?

I can see it either way...I don't fault him at all for taking the Kentucky job, even money aside...Its a great oppurtunity.

But he only gains so much by going to Kentucky.

Here's where myself and Greivis Vazquez agree. Let's see how he does at Kentucky against good competition night in and night out. If he proves me wrong, great, I'll be the first on this board to admit it, but I don't think he will.

I give him credit for taking this job. Maybe he won't be able to dominate like he has in the past, and that might make him a better coach, we'll see. All I know is, in close games these past few years, Memphis didn't end up on the winning side of many.

[Pedro Cerrano]

That's pretty foolish to say.

That's like calling K a coward for not taking the Lakers job.

Is Gary Williams a coward for not pursuing an NBA career?

I call him a hero for doing that. I don't know what I'd do with myself. I didn't sleep the week that was a rumor...

[geschinger]

UCONN isn't in the ACC.

ACC basketball is too much finesse... Much easier to survive there than it is in the BEast. But that is not a shot at the ACC, they are clearly year in and year out the second best conference in the land.

The exposure is obviously the reason he left...But should he have left?

What does he have left to accomplish at Memphis. Some guys have the personality that they want to keep challenging themselves. Big conference is the next step up.

I disagree SG..Coach K and Gary Williams have proven themselves year after year in the toughest conference in the land, not some crappy conference like the Atlantic 10, Conference USA or the Big East;). They don't need to do anything in terms of credibility.

Not in terms of credibility but apparently at their respective jobs they are content and don't feel the need to see if they are capable of succeeding at the next level up. Everyone and they themselves knows they are great coaches at the college game but they'll never know if they had the capability to have success at the next level. But again, for some personalities, being a lifer is sufficent, for others they must keep challenging themselves.

[Sports Guy]

ACC basketball is too much finesse... Much easier to survive there than it is in the BEast. But that is not a shot at the ACC, they are clearly year in and year out the second best conference in the land.

What does he have left to accomplish at Memphis. Some guys have the personality that they want to keep challenging themselves. Big conference is the next step up.

Not in terms of credibility but apparently at their respective jobs they are content and don't feel the need to see if they are capable of succeeding at the next level up. Everyone and they themselves knows they are great coaches at the college game but they'll never know if they had the capability to have success at the next level. But again, for some personalities, being a lifer is sufficent, for others they must keep challenging themselves.

You know, you make me hate the Big Least and WVU..just so you know that.

As for challenging himself...What is more challenging...Winning a title in a big conference and with a major school or winning the title out of what has essentially become a mid major conference and a school that doesn't have a lot of history?

[beaner]

ACC basketball is too much finesse... Much easier to survive there than it is in the BEast. But that is not a shot at the ACC, they are clearly year in and year out the second best conference in the land.

What does he have left to accomplish at Memphis. Some guys have the personality that they want to keep challenging themselves. Big conference is the next step up.

Not in terms of credibility but apparently at their respective jobs they are content and don't feel the need to see if they are capable of succeeding at the next level up. Everyone and they themselves knows they are great coaches at the college game but they'll never know if they had the capability to have success at the next level. But again, for some personalities, being a lifer is sufficent, for others they must keep challenging themselves.

Keep challenging themselves? This will be the first "challenge" at the College level for Calipari.

It's not like Calipari is the only smooth talking, scumbag coach who brings in shady kids out there. There are plenty of those kind of coaches, and there always will be in College Hoops. Plenty of those guys have won National Titles (Valvano, Big John, Tarkanian, Donovan...etc) at least those guys won in tough conferences (Except Tark), but I'd rather see the guys who seem to recruit the right way and bring in good kids (Knight, Izzo, Coach Smith, K, Roy, Gary, Tubby...etc) have success and win titles.

[beaner]

You know, you make me hate the Big Least and WVU..just so you know that.

As for challenging himself...What is more challenging...Winning a title in a big conference and with a major school or winning the title out of what has essentially become a mid major conference and a school that doesn't have a lot of history?

WVU? You mean the school where Bob Huggins coaches? Bob Huggins makes Calipari look like Mother Theresa.

[Pedro Cerrano]

ACC basketball is too much finesse... Much easier to survive there than it is in the BEast. But that is not a shot at the ACC, they are clearly year in and year out the second best conference in the land.

There's really no evidence to suggest that this sentence is in any way accurate. I can recall several seasons when the "BEast" was worse than the ACC, Pac 10, Big 12 and SEC.

And this was before you pumped yourself up by adding the behemoths that are South Florida and DePaul.

[geschinger]

Keep challenging themselves? This will be the first "challenge" at the College level for Calipari.

That may be exagerrating just little bit, but I do see it as a challenge... If he goes to UK and wins conference championships and challenges for national championships it's a lot more of an accomplishment than the equivalent result in Memphis.

[geschinger]

WVU? You mean the school where Bob Huggins coaches? Bob Huggins makes Calipari look like Mother Theresa.

Growing up a Moutaineer made him tolerable hire for me as their coach. If he wasn't a grad (and likely to be Michigan's next coach after Belien leaves), with his Marylandesque graduation rates and past problems with the bottle he's not someone I would have wanted hired. But I do think he's changed, if the Logo is willing to send his son to be coached by Huggy that is a good enough endorsement for me.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Growing up a Moutaineer made him tolerable hire for me as their coach. If he wasn't a grad, with his Marylandesque graduation rates and past problems with the bottle he's not someone I would have wanted hired. But I do think he's changed, if the Logo is willing to send his son to be coached by Huggy that is a good enough endorsement for me.

Ah, an irrelevant insult, good to see!

Anytime you wanna debate academic standards at MD vs. WVU, let me know cowboy.

[geschinger]

Ah, an irrelevant insult, good to see!

Anytime you wanna debate academic standards at MD vs. WVU, let me know cowboy.

Relax... I agree with Huggins' defense of Cincy's grad rates and the MD defense of the graduation rates even if I don't like the negative publicity it brings with it. It has nothing to do with a schools academics.