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

[O's are Legends]

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.

Calipari doesn't face tough competition? Sure they weren’t impressive this season in OOC play but are we so quick to forget 2007-2008 when they were 1 made free throw away (and maybe some better defense down the stretch) of winning the National Championship?

2007-2008 wins against

Oklahoma

Austin Peay

UCONN

Georgetown

Arizona

Siena

Gonzaga

-trny

Mississippi State

Michigan State

Texas

UCLA

I’m sure Calipari has a lot to prove to the almighty Vazquez.

--

And what’s up with all this Big East and ACC turmoil? Can’t there be more than one powerhouse basketball conference? Geschinger – don’t forget to use the Big East had a record 5 teams in the sweet 16 this year card before it expires, wait it already expired.

Calipari should of stayed at Memphis, they have a good young team and would have had a bunch of great recruits coming in as well; beef up the OOC schedule for next year and they would have been ready for another deep run in the NCAA trny. At the same time, he did have Kentucky calling and he will still be able to bring in the talented one and done players; will be real interesting for all the reasons at Kentucky the next couple of years including this offseason.

[beaner]

Calipari doesn't face tough competition? Sure they weren’t impressive this season in OOC play but are we so quick to forget 2007-2008 when they were 1 made free throw away (and maybe some better defense down the stretch) of winning the National Championship?

2007-2008 wins against

Oklahoma

Austin Peay

UCONN

Georgetown

Arizona

Siena

Gonzaga

-trny

Mississippi State

Michigan State

Texas

UCLA

I’m sure Calipari has a lot to prove to the almighty Vazquez.

--

And what’s up with all this Big East and ACC turmoil? Can’t there be more than one powerhouse basketball conference? Geschinger – don’t forget to use the Big East had a record 5 teams in the sweet 16 this year card before it expires' date=' wait it already expired.

Calipari should of stayed at Memphis, they have a good young team and would have had a bunch of great recruits coming in as well; beef up the OOC schedule for next year and they would have been ready for another deep run in the NCAA trny. At the same time, he did have Kentucky calling and he will still be able to bring in the talented one and done players; will be real interesting for all the reasons at Kentucky the next couple of years including this offseason.[/quote']

Really, you're going to go Austin Peay and Siena on me? Honestly, last year's team was somewhat the exception as they did have Derrick Rose, who was the #1 pick in the draft. Oklahoma was a second round team last year, UCONN, Gonzaga,and Arizona lost in the first round and Georgetown in the second. But I get your point.

Let's just see how he does against solid programs night in and night out. No more Central Florida, Marshall, and East Carolina twice a year.

[hoosiers]

Calipari doesn't face tough competition?

Calipari can afford a more difficult out-of-conference schedule because he plays a bunch of weaklings during the year. Memphis strength of schedule in 2007-8 was 58th. Memphis played the fewest games against top 25 opponents and top 50 opponents of any of the top 10 teams and this is AFTER their tournament run - meaning they had a pretty darn weak pre-tournament schedule. In that year, Memphis was 4-2 against top 25 teams and 10-2 against top 50 teams.

This past year, Memphis SoS was 71st. One has to go to the 31st ranked team, BYU, to find a team who played fewer than the four top 25 opponents Memphis played this year. One has to go to 44th ranked Butler to find a team with less than the 7 Top 50 oppoents Memphis played. BTW, Memphis was 1-3 against top 25 teams and 3-4 against top 50 teams - really mediocre results.

As I posted previously, I welcome Calipari's jump into a competitive conference where his talent differential will be less, his teams will have to compete harder on a nightly basis, and he will find it necessary to win by out-coaching good coaches. I am sure he will have some successes, but I believe he will fail more often than many believe because he is overrated.

[O's are Legends]

Beaner, I understand what you’re saying as well but it's not as if Calipari hasn't proved himself. But you’re correct about the in conference; he gets the opportunity to face tough in conference competition day in day out now and cannot schedule a cup cake OOC schedule. (Good OOC wins are now extremely important for Major schools as well-well most of them.:rolleyestf:) I think Calipari’s recruiting style will continue to net him great players and good teams but will it bring a NCAA championship back to Kentucky? We will have to wait and see but one thing is for sure, no more ridiculous in conference winning streaks.

And yes Austin Peay (trny team) and Siena (round of 32) were solid teams 2 years ago.

[beaner]

Beaner' date=' I understand what you’re saying as well but it's not as if Calipari hasn't proved himself. But you’re correct about the in conference; he gets the opportunity to face tough in conference competition day in day out now and cannot schedule a cup cake OOC schedule. (Good OOC wins are now extremely important for Major schools as well-well most of them.:rolleyestf:) I think Calipari’s recruiting style will continue to net him great players and good teams but will it bring a NCAA championship back to Kentucky? We will have to wait and see but one thing is for sure, no more ridiculous in conference winning streaks.

And yes Austin Peay (trny team) and Siena (round of 32) were solid teams 2 years ago.[/quote']

Good call on Siena, they had a nice run the past two years..I just saw the name and reacted.

I would argue that he's proven himself, to me he's nothing but a bully who is now about to go into the Lions Den so to speak.

Hoosiers and I (among others) share the opinion that he won't have tremendous success at Kentucky. It's impossible to speculate, but I would be more comfortable betting that Kentucky will end up on probation before they make another Final Four.

[Sports Guy]

Good call on Siena, they had a nice run the past two years..I just saw the name and reacted.

I would argue that he's proven himself, to me he's nothing but a bully who is now about to go into the Lions Den so to speak.

Hoosiers and I (among others) share the opinion that he won't have tremendous success at Kentucky. It's impossible to speculate, but I would be more comfortable betting that Kentucky will end up on probation before they make another Final Four.

If Patterson and Meeks come back and he gets some of his kids, like Henry, to follow him to Kentucky(he will get Cousins i am sure), he has a great shot at the final 4 next year.

He should be able to rack up the wins in a bad SEC, get a #1 or #2 seed and put Kentucky in position for a final 4 run next year.

He is going to have success at Kentucky because he has even more money to pay kids to come to Kentucky.