bradywaters (anonymous) says...

All signs point towards Born Ready to KU. Hopefully everything goes as plan.

March 30, 2009 at 4:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...

Calipari lies as much as he breathes. I'm SO glad he didn't get a shot at the KU job. He's the epitomy of a slick car salesperson who would sell his momma.

March 30, 2009 at 7:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

oljhwk (anonymous) says...

Does anybody else find this turn of events interesting? Calapari and HCBS were in a recruiting battle over several recruits that eventually went to Memphis and now Calipari may leave Memphis for Kentucky. I wonder what these recruits are thinking now? If Calapari leaves Memphis, will the recruits be allowed to leave also?

March 30, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

nebraska_jayhawk (anonymous) says...

Hmmmm....this is interesting news about Joe Dooley. Apparantly Billy Gillespie and Joe Dooley were seen in Lawrence together on Saturday. If Joe ends up getting the head coaching job at VCU, will BG become an assistant again under Self? Just something to keep an eye on.

March 30, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

If those Calapari recruits are granted releases from Memphis I'm sure they wouldn't have any problems finding a place to play.....including UK, assuming Cal ends up there.

From what I have heard, if Cole and Sherron come back next season and Stephenson wants to play at KU, we'll have 15 players and 13 scholarships. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next several days.

If Stephenson announces that he wants to play at KU (which I still don't believe 100%), it must mean that Self knows of at least 2 players that intend to move on.

March 30, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

yates33333 (anonymous) says...

I hope Dooley gets the job. He deserves it.

I hope Calipari does what is best for him. I do think he should think long and hard about Kentucky. If you just get two years to produce you are almost doomed from the start. John is slick,but what big time coach isn't? Bobby Knight and Bobby Knight and Bobby Knight.

March 30, 2009 at 8:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

nebraska_jayhawk (anonymous) says...

oljhwk- Yes, because only a couple of players who have been recruited to Memphis have actually signed the letter of intent.

March 30, 2009 at 8:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

guscornhawk (anonymous) says...

NebJay - That was the first thing I thought of as well.

oljahwk - I found this on collegehoops.net (interestingly enough, the article is about the process Tyshawn had to go through to come to KU)

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/blog/m...

March 30, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

guscornhawk (anonymous) says...

KU - didn't I read somewhere that Brady's dad offered to pay for school in order to free up a scholarship? Help me out with this one anybody?

March 30, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

wi_jayhawk (anonymous) says...

guscornhawk - That rumor has circulated campus the last couple years. Haven't heard anything official, but it'd definitely be helpful to KU if true.

March 30, 2009 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

63Jayhawk (anonymous) says...

What is the situation with Jeff Withey? Is he on scholarship this year? If so, does that not put KU one over our limit? I believe our limit for this year is eleven. Jeff would make twelve. Has another player given up a scholarship, or is Jeff Withey not on scholarship?

Gary, do you know the answer?

March 30, 2009 at 9:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

63Jayhawk (anonymous) says...

Again, with regards to the scholarship situation, can a school bring a basketball player in on a football (or other sport) scholarship if they never play or practice with the football team?

March 30, 2009 at 9:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Jaminrawk (anonymous) says...

Xavier Henry signed a letter of intent to attend Memphis. DeMarcus Cousins hasn't. If Cal leaves, you can bet Cousins might follow (as well as John Wall). Memphis might grant Henry his release, but he will no doubt NOT be allowed to follow Calipari. If this happens, the Henry's are really going to rue not choosing KU. Still, someone will gladly accept Xavier. Watch out for OU or OSU if he does get granted a release. All speculation at this point.

March 30, 2009 at 10:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

kupark (anonymous) says...

Can KU have Lance sign the LOI and then wait for a scholarship to become available or does a scholarship need to become available before LOI is signed? I would imagine Lance first wants to see a scholarship become available before he signs his LOI.

If a player or two transfer, it would seem that the way Bill Self recruits some players are forced to look at other options due lack of PT. If nobody gives up his scholarship, then we need two guys to transfer. That would be a total of five guys (I remember five, may be more) that have transferred from KU during Bill Self era. That seems a bit much.

March 30, 2009 at 10:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

sdoyel (anonymous) says...

I think Lance is going to announce he's playing overseas....

March 30, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

KoolKeithFreeze (anonymous) says...

Funny. That's what my intuition tells me as well. Just because he has insisted that it will be a "big surprise". I guess coming to Kansas is a big surprise in the mind's of NY peoples. I have been watching all of the Born Ready TV episodes. I'm not sure that kid is mature enough to handle living overseas.

March 30, 2009 at 10:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

irish2255 (anonymous) says...

Cousins and Wall would probably both follow Cal to UK. They already have 2 real studs coming in next year who I would guess would stay if Cal was named new coach. It would be an instant turn around. With UK's tradition and facilities along with Cal feeling teenagers heads full of lies we would start losing recruits to UK instead of Memphis. I'll hate this guy no matter where he coaches.

March 30, 2009 at 10:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

williepless (anonymous) says...

The Stephenson situation reminds me a lot of Baron Davis ... Baron kept dropping hints that he was coming to Kansas, all to create a stir when he chose UCLA. Stephenson seems like the same kind of guy. He obviously loves to play the media, to string them along, and to give them something to write about. He also seems like he'd be a perfect candidate for playing overseas, so I'd be shocked if he didn't go that route.

March 30, 2009 at 11:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

cklarock (anonymous) says...

I'm not sure I get all the Calipari hate. I agree that he has a used-car-salesman persona, and is as slick as he wants to be, but he is a big-time Men's Div I basketball coach. There's a lot of b.s. in the recruiting process these days, and they're all kind of slick. People dislike his one-and-done factory, but I put the blame a bit more squarely on the NBA with their dumb 'no kids out of H.S. rule.'

If these top-flight recruits are being forced to play college ball, coaches (including Coach Self) are going after them. It is what it is, because winning is the only real value in big-time athletics.

Cal's recruiting abilities at Memphis are at least partly down to World Wide Wes, so I'm really curious to see what he'd be able to do at Kentucky -- big time tradition, but no handy NBA franchise and/or power-broker middleman.

I'm not convinced it's a lock that Cal would take Cousins and Wall with him. I think WWW would have something to say about that, and all the reasons you sell kids on Memphis as a school aren't going to change just because the coach has. In fact, if they're really only looking for a stepping stone, why follow Cal to a program that hasn't been great for several years (an eternity in the eyes of an 18 year old).

March 30, 2009 at 11:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

Just my gut feeling, but I think UK is more interested in Calipari than the other way around. Sort of like UK was interested in Billy Donovan last time around. UK throws their name out there, assuming that every coach is just dying for the chance to coach at Kentucky.

Why would Cal leave Memphis. The last four years he has gone Elite Eight, Elite Eight, Championship Game, Sweet Sixteen. He's had a top ten recruiting class the last couple of years. He has signed what could be the #1 class in the country - may sign the #1, #2 and #3 players. He could be elected lifetime mayor of Memphis.

At Kentucky, they would love him for about a month, or until he lost to Louisville. Then they would bash. They bashed Pitino until he left. They held off on Tubby Smith because he won a title his first year, then started in on him. They always hated BCG. Kentucky fans think every coach should be the second coming of Adolph Rupp. Lots of coaches see that and realize that the job they already have is just as good, or even better than, the Kentucky job.

March 30, 2009 at 11:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Toto_the_great (anonymous) says...

Collins 3rd team All-American

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/st...

March 30, 2009 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

BrockIII (anonymous) says...

After Kentucky's fiasco with Eddie Sutton and being so conscious with the coaches they bring in, they are now going to turn to Calipari? This is desperation at a high level.

March 30, 2009 at 12:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

SoCalAlum (anonymous) says...

More on Lance in: http://www.zagsblog.com/2009/03/30/la...
and see the article in the New Republic about Lance that Zag links to:
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.htm...

With everyone wondering how Coach Self will work out the scholarships, we read that Lance's dad, Stretch Stephenson, was also his AAU coach - in this case, let me be the first to nominate Stretch for whatever job Ronnie Chalmers had.

March 30, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

railer1122 (anonymous) says...

Dooley needs to be a head coach. He is very smart, and his replacement should be Billy Gillespie. Just imagine, 2 head coaches on one staff. And Gillespie has been an assistant to Self for many years, and they still remain good friends.

March 30, 2009 at 1:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jhokfan (anonymous) says...

One would think Kentucky would have little difficulty finding a coach but they have run so many people out of Lexington that a lot of coaches are reluctant to take the job. I think Gillespie is a better X & O coach than Calapari but coach Cal is a great recruiter and that will win you a lot of games. He’s got to be interested in the job but like so many others must be reluctant due to the unrealistic demands of this particular job. I’m curious to see how this whole thing will play out with Kentucky and Arizona and the subsequent coaching changes. Glad we’ve got our man.

March 30, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...

nebraska_jayhawk,

No. In fact, I think it's less than no. I think there is a negative 120% chance he becomes an assistant under Self.

It is an interesting thing to think about and toss around the comment boards, but there have to be at least 100 small schools that would drop everything to have him as a head coach.

As to Calipari, I would have a hard time seeing him move from a school that he's brought to national prominence where he is treated like the Almighty to a place that would be filled with more pressure and more critical voices than even the Almighty could handle. If he takes it on, I think it's a mistake.

Fortunately, I can't stand the guy, so pack up and shove off to Lexington Cal!

March 30, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

This is college bball today - no loyalty amongst coaches. For Cal to recruit these great players only to leave, that is absurd and very unscrupulous.

He's leaving a lot of people high and dry. After this Stephenson saga is over and we don't get him, I wouldn't be surprised to see Wall leaning toward KU or even Henry asking out of his LOI.

March 30, 2009 at 3:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jayhawkintexas (anonymous) says...

Coaches know how to play the scholarship game--many of these kids qualify for financial aid that is outside of the athletic scholarship (and, incidentally are available to many students who are non-athletes) and athletic department budget--take it from someone with first hand knowledge. The 2008-09 KU basketball calendar lists 16 players on the team, only one of whom is a walk-on, so I'm guessing that there is non-athletic financial aid already at work. If Calipari does go to Kentucky, then I wouldn't be surprised to see Xavier Henry ask out of his scholarship and come to KU and have Quintrell Thomas, Tyrel Reed, and Conner Teahan redshirt a year.

March 30, 2009 at 3:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jhawkr (anonymous) says...

UK is a step up for Coach Cal. They are a top 5 program over time. Let's face it, Conference USA is NO challenge and doesn't make Memphis any better come tournament time. All they get out of it is a better tourney seed and a better developed bench.

I gotta think that Lance is liking KU over St. Johns and Maryland. You have to be very mature to go overseas and deal with the grind of playing in a foreign country and most likely a different language. He would hate himself half way into the season.

If Lance doesn't come, I look for Xavier to follow his heart to his second choice -- KU. He wanted to play with his brother, but with Coach Cal gone and Memphis not likely to allow him to follow him to UK, then it looks like KU where his daddy played.

Like "JayhawkinTexas" mentioned, redshirting a few is possible. But I have to believe that Quintrell is going to transfer. It's almost like HCBS and Quintrell came to that conclusion during the mid-point of the season. He rarely played the 2nd half of the season, and believe me there were times that neither Mark. Morris, Marc. Morris or Little were viable options. Little came out strong once he got over his injuries and then basically became a non-factor. Self could have looked to Quintrell as an option, but didn't. I gotta believe that he will be transferring ............

March 30, 2009 at 6:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

MrPilot (anonymous) says...

Let Henry, Wall, and Stephenson go anywhere they want to but KU. We don't need to start going after one and done players. Calipari can have them. Complete waste of a scholarship.

March 30, 2009 at 6:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

rtjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Redshirting isn't going to solve the scholarship issue since they're still under scholarship (even though they are redshirted). I do believe that Roger Morningstar will pick up Brady's scholarship and QT will transfer...pros and cons to both, but that's just my 2 cents.

March 30, 2009 at 7:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

johnjayhwk (anonymous) says...

Why would Appleton stick around either....If SC stays and with the new recruit coming in at PG....His playing time will be even less next season.

March 30, 2009 at 9:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

This is business, guys.

Don't wail on Calipari for going to listen, when Bill Self did the identical thing to KU to leverage his deal out of Perk and Hem.

Calipari will most likely stay at Memphis and get a bump in his salary, too.

He is talking to UK to see if they are ready to up his salary by a few million per year, which they are probably ready to do, if he promises to bring the Henry boys and Demarcus with him. And of course he would bring them and of course they would come. If Calipari at Memphis is better than KU and OU, then Calipari at UK would be even better than KU and OU to these players.

The reason Cal won't got to UK is that he can't bring his entire Memphis team to UK. If he could, he would jump in a second. Since he can't, he's just going to try to squeeze a raise out of Memphis, the way Self squeezed a raise out KU.

The best way to reduce the high risk of the coaching profession is FU money. Larry Brown is the mentor and role model of John Calipari. LB would go listen to get the FU money, so Cal will go and listen.

I would go and listen. These schools can afford to pay vastly more than they do. The alumni base of most major sports programs could easily fork up $10-20 million per year, if they felt compelled to do so. In the age of multi trillion dollar bail out, 10-20M is peanuts.

It costs nothing to listen. It adds luster to Cal's recruiting bonafides to be someone UK considers. And it makes him seem like even more of a loyal guy when he holds the press conference and says, "I listened, and UK was very generous, but I just couldn't leave my kids." It plays well with recruits. And Memphis ups his salary.

March 30, 2009 at 10:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

AaronHawk19 (anonymous) says...

Sorry Jaybate, but it looks like this is the real deal. Cal's Memphis players think so, ESPN thinks so, the UK officals think so. Cal is finally going to try to compete with the big boys (although be it in a football conference).

March 30, 2009 at 10:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...

Except all signs -- including the statements of the Memphis players themselves -- seem to point toward Calipari heading to Lexington. UK offered nearly 5 mil a year (35 mil over 8, supposedly) which is simply astronomical. I don't think he's listening. I think he's going.

And while I still think it's a mistake for him, possibly by tomorrow or at least by the end of the week, John Calipari will more than likely be a Wildcat.

March 30, 2009 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...

My comments were in response to jaybate. Sorry, AaronHawk19, didn't refresh before posting.

March 30, 2009 at 11:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

mlubyRN (anonymous) says...

I am very happy that Calipari got beat 2 times in two NCAA tournaments by KU and MU. I also have a strong dislike for Cal, He seems like a very shady guy to me. Big time Jack@$$

March 31, 2009 at 2:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

drgnslayr (anonymous) says...

I seriously doubt Lance is going to play overseas. I played overseas, in The Netherlands (where I still live), and the coaching is atrocious. I was often asked to run drills since no one knew half the basic practice drills you learn in high school. Our players with the most-potential were shipped over to the US to go to basketball camps to pick up more skills.

Money is the only draw to playing overseas... however there are some great coaching opportunities for people not qualified at the D1 or D2 level. For all you ex-players out there... you can draw a decent salary, have your housing free, and gain valuable coaching experience right away. You can prove your abilities with your results and can move up just like D1 coaches do in the states. Chances are, your alma mater has some level of connections into foreign ball and with a phone call or two you might just find an opportunity!

March 31, 2009 at 4:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

drgnslayr (anonymous) says...

mlubyRN:

Let me put it in architectural terms:

Coach Self = pillar of strength

Coach Calipari = facade

March 31, 2009 at 4:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Viggo3003 (anonymous) says...

63Jayhawk - Again, with regards to the scholarship situation, can a school bring a basketball player in on a football (or other sport) scholarship if they never play or practice with the football team?
______________________________________________________________

Had to comment on this one as it made me spit my coffee out in laughter. You need to work in our Government big guy, you'd fit right in.

March 31, 2009 at 6:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Chicago_JHawk (anonymous) says...

The overseas thing seems overrated. Brandon Jennings skipped out on Arizona to go to Europe this past year and had this to say "I've gotten paid on time once this year. They treat me like I'm a little kid. They don't see me as a man. If you get on a good team, you might not play a lot. Some nights you'll play a lot; some nights you won't play at all. That's just how it is." Maybe it's worth it for a couple million, but assuming you'll get the the league in a year anyway, I'd have to assume playing a larger role for a top tier college squad would be more fun.

March 31, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

drgnslayr (anonymous) says...

Playing Euro-ball will never up your marketability in the NBA, and if anything will diminish it. You are bound to learn bad habits because the coaching and discipline stink.

Euro-ball is an opportunity for people like myself, that could never make it in the NBA but wanted a chance to keep playing and earn a living at it. The risk of injury is enormous, the hacking is unreal... and a future high-draft prospect, like Lance, would be crazy to risk it all for some quick cash available overseas.

It's also a cultural overload, and it doesn't sound like Lance is ready for that level of adjustment, especially since he has had run-ins in his own environment. With some teams you better learn their language quick, or you'll miss out on half the game plan. Language is always a huge barrier because most Europeans speak several languages and if you only know English they'll use it against you. Most leagues allow 2 imported players per team, and you are lucky if you get on a team that already has an experienced American to show you the ropes.

Euro-ball is no opportunity for Lance.. but would be for some of his old high school teammates.

March 31, 2009 at 8:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

ralster (anonymous) says...

Interesting points everyone. Nothing to do with Lance (in my mind), but even if what Brandan Jennings said is truly the case, but he still got paid "a couple of million", it really is pause for consideration. Just playing devils' advocate here, but hard to turn down that kind of money if you are a top10 recruit. Personally, I wish the NBA would say a player must be 20 yrs old as that is when most males are physically mature (compared to age 18). It would also erase any idea of 1and-done in everyone's mind. It would be Europe or college. We like our basketball traditions, at least at some universities (not-named-Memphis), and it would reduce the frenzy and danger of turning college ball into a bb-"mill" (ala 'puppy-mill'). Cant put much hope in the player's own agenda, as even a lifelong Jayhawk fan like Cole Aldrich, if he chooses to leave early--what player could you ever trust (other than a B-rated talent, who has to stay multiple years in college)?

March 31, 2009 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )