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Not the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team, contrary to local opinion.

Losses happen.  Sports is a zero-sum game.  One team celebrates, one team hangs it head.  People say you learn a lot more from a loss than from a win.  Who says that?  Losers.  And you know what?  The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team must have been geniuses under the direction of Billy Gillispie.  What else were they?  Losers!

Call me spoiled, but  I’m not arrogant enough to think that this year’s team will go undefeated.  There are many potential stumbling blocks on the schedule, and with the #1 ranking comes an even bigger target than the interlocking “U” and “K” logo brings.  I get that.  I welcome that.  The players welcome that.  That said, is there any reason to ‘need’ to lose?  The point is to win.  To go out and try as hard as you can every single night to win the ball game.  No team needs to lose, nor should a coach want a loss to ‘refocus’ a team.  If your team needs to lose to refocus, then you are not doing your job as a teacher and a motivator.

In hindsight, coaches can say that a loss did help.  Fine, but they didn’t feel that way when the clock read :00 with their team behind on the scoreboard.

As a fan, I don’t need to see my team lose;  I’ve seen enough of that in the past seasons to want any more, thank you very much.  John Calipari gets that and he welcomes those expectations.  He understands that the fans of this team need victories the way most fans need air.  We’re a damned proud bunch – but that’s what fans should expect!  Why cheer for a team if you don’t want them to win EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY STEP ON THE COURT?

At some point, there will be a loss or (gasp) losses, but to say a team needs one is absurd.

You can say a lot bad about the man, but Al Davis got one thing right.  Just win, baby.

Guess the wind is blowing across the Memphis mushroom cloud from the southwest. From Dick Weiss in the NY Daily News:

The Memphis investigation could have far-reaching consequences at Kentucky. Rest assured, the NCAA will take a much closer look at the Wildcats’ three prized recruits – point guard John Wall, forward DeMarcus Cousins and point guard Eric Bledsoe – who are all still trying to qualify academically.

Well, yes. There is that. As for Kentucky, a story familiar to Memphis fans is unfolding. That of the University AD and President carrying Calipari’s bags. That is also a part of it with Calipari, it is immediately unclear just exactly who works for who. There’s a price that is paid for getting into bed with him. Your milage may vary on whether it is worth paying. It was in Memphis. I think. Maybe. Well. Hmmmm.

1. Uber-incompetent or uber-corrupt Athletic Director RC Johnson (take your pick) had “no plans” to tell anyone about the allegations prior to the June 6 hearing before the NCAA. Stupid Freedom of Information Act Request. And apparently Johnson’s bad luck that Memphis still (if only barely due to staff cuts) has an actual newspaper.

2. New coach Josh Pastner, who was an assistant of Calipari, was not told and had no idea about the allegations when he was offered and took the job.

Seriously. Because why would that be pertinent information for someone considering an offer to coach at a university?

The CA hit Johnson with the “why did you sit on it” question and got this in the exchange:

It’s highly common for universities to publicly announce an investigation and then release information about a pending NCAA charge within a few weeks of receiving a letter like the one Memphis received.

Johnson, however, said, “Talking about it publicly, I don’t know that that really gains anything. We’re not trying to hide anything. We’re trying to be as efficient as possible.”

What the fuck does that mean? Why is he babbling about being efficient? CA columnist Geoff Calkins (one of the really good ones) absolutely lays RC Johnson bare on this and his general incompetence when it came to management of Calipari and the men’s basketball program. It is a good read. Have at it.

…has not covered themselves in glory. At all.

So…the initial word from the NCAA that they were looking into questions over the Derrick Rose SAT test was in September of 2008. The formal letter of investigation and inquiry was issued in January 2009 (three counts against the men’s basketball program, three against women’s golf. Because when you think Memphis college sports, you think women’s golf…). And RC Johnson, Memphis’ AD, and Shirley Raines, Memphis’ President, sit on that and do not advise the public until forced to via a Freedom of Information Act request from the Commerical Appeal? Five months after formal notice and nine months after the initial inquiry? Really?

That seems ridiculously ill-advised. It is Public Relations 101 that when you have bad news (or potentially bad news), you get out in front of it. That serves two basic functions: (1) it lets you control the story a bit and (2) it keeps people from assuming that you are hiding somerthing.

Well, RC Johnson. What are you hiding? Because a quick google search yields that the general way universities handle this kind of formal notice is to make it public within a few days or at least within a week of receiving such notice. Generally with a statement that they are cooperating/want to get to the bottom of it etc. Which, at the very least, makes it look like the school is taking the matter seriously and has nothing to hide. Peter Edmiston, morning Sportstalk Host on 560 WHBQ did a quick google spin this morning and found, at first glance that initial full disclosure of the investigation is the norm.

So, why not here? And what of the fact that this was known to all Memphis decision makers when the Calipari to Kentucky stuff came up? And was it known to Kentucky as well? The word is it appears to have been. Just not to their fan base and the Kentucky media.

I just cannot fathom what interests were legitimately served by keeping this quiet. In the meantime, Memphis has continued to merrily collect renewals for season tickets, which includes paying the college equivalent of personal seat licences, so, yeah, there’s that. Congrats on sweeping this under the rug as much as possible to try and keep the money flowing a bit longer.

When the NCAA starts poking around this program – seriously poking around this program – what I suspect is that whispers of lack of institutional control will become shouts. And the lack of transparency about this from the Athletic Department only adds to the noise.

…major NCAA violations. Allegations anyway.

And no, no one is surprised. At least they shouldn’t be. The details from the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

The University of Memphis is in the process of responding to an NCAA notice of allegations charging the men’s basketball program with major violations during the 2007-08 season under John Calipari.

The allegations include “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team. The wording of the report seems to indicate the player in question only competed during the 2007-08 season and specifically the 2008 NCAA tournament. The player’s name was redacted in the report, obtained by The Commercial Appeal through the Freedom of Information Act, due to privacy laws. The player has subsequently denied the charge, according to university personnel. The only player on the roster who competed only during that season was Derrick Rose, who subsequently was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last June. If proven to be true, the Tigers could be forced to forfeit their NCAA-record 38 victories and Final Four appearance.

The report does not include allegations of lack of institutional control, meaning Memphis would likely avoid serious penalties that would have an impact on the program going forward. The report includes no allegations that would have occurred during the tenure of Josh Pastner, either as an assistant or head coach.

It was fun while it lasted. This would make it 100% of Calipari’s Final Four teams whose seasons “didn’t happen”. Perhaps the third time will be the charm in Kentucky and their Final Four appearance next year will stay on the books.

Or not.

Some discussion unfolding in the Swamp. Drop by with a thought or two.

It went well for John Calipari. Of course it did. That guy absolutely loves the spotlight, and says all the right things, in just the right way. I don’t mean that as a criticism, he genuinely makes followers of teams he coaches feel like they are the most important people in the world. He is going to be greatly loved in Lexington. Yes, he has to win. But he will. A lot.

More interesting in looking over the glowing reviews of Calipari Day 1 in the Lexington Herald is the column from Mary Story about why now for Calipari, when he wasn’t on their radar two years ago when UK made the ill-fated Billy Gillespie hire. And this seems pretty spot-on:

Why wasn’t Calipari in that top three in 2007? “There was no real reason. It was sort of like when a coach goes out recruiting and you have a list of prospects, one, two, three, four, five, six,” Barnhart said. “I entered that search with a firm plan in mind. And stuck to it.” OK. Since they won’t say it, I will. I think the reason Todd and Barnhart didn’t call Calipari in 2007 was that they were scared by the coach’s reputation for working in the college basketball gray areas. The reason they did call him in 2009 was that Kentucky’s athletics honchos were feeling a whiff of desperation to get UK basketball back to winning at a ” Kentucky level.”

At the University of Kentucky, when you are coming off four straight double-digit-loss seasons; when you’ve just played in the NIT; and when you’ve been forced to acknowledge you’ve completely bungled the prior coaching search after two years by firing the coach; well, then an athletics director’s hold on his job can start feeling a little shaky. At Kentucky, it could even be that a university president’s hold on his job could start feeling a little less than secure. You really need a hire of the magnitude that changes the conversation. Under those circumstances, the positives of a charismatic coach who can energize a fan base, recruit and flat-out coach begin to come rather starkly into focus. Meanwhile, all those gray areas — Worldwide Wes; players on the police blotter; Massachusetts and its vacated Final Four trip — become a lot easier to look past.

That pretty much sums it up. Kentucky heads back into the shade. Again, as with my previous posts on this subject and in the Swamp discussion, that is is not a criticism from me. With Cal, you get a lot of shade. Nothing outright illegal, but stuff that makes people feel like something is not quite right. You also get winning. A lot of winning. Good luck to Kentucky on their gamble. I think it is worth it. But it does carry a bit of risk. A risk Memphis fans were very unhapy to see leave Western Tennessee.

Subtle, Memphis Commercial Appeal. Very subtle. From that publication:

—A fairly comprehensive timeline of the good and bad, on and off court, from Calipari’s extremely successful nine years in Memphis

—Commercial Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins with some relevant words, including these:

“It’s those people who are the angriest and most disappointed today. It’s those people who were the most desperate for Calipari to stay. Because they believed the fictions. They’re reacting with the fury of the betrayed. But the Calipari they now revile – and they do revile him, with almost frightening intensity — is no different than the Calipari they adored for so many years. He’s a basketball coach. A highly gifted basketball coach who will do wonders for you as long as your interests align with his. For nine years, Calipari’s interests and Memphis’s interests were identical. In the last few days, that changed. So Calipari relentlessly watched out for his interests, of course. If that means Memphis will be a Conference USA bottom-feeder next year, well, that’s the kind of price the guy has always been willing to pay.

And, in fairness, that’s the price/chance Memphis was willing to pay. Rational people in Memphis know that, and are making their peace with the shell of a program (maybe four players will remain, and no recruits at this point in time – finishing out of last in the shitty C-USA may be a challenge) that is left upon Calipari’s departure. The less rational were holding a vigil outside Calipari’s house yesterday. Seriously. Some were crying. Dudes. It was, um, embarrassing. If they thought that was sad, wait til they see what Memphis puts on the court next year. The Grizzlies will actually have the most talented team in the city again next fall. First time in awhile. Actually, several Y pick-up games in and around the city will feature more talent than the Tigers as well.

Meanwhile, down in Lexington, joy in the fanbase (at least a large portion of them). In the Lexington Herald, two views:

—John Clay on the hopes and dreams of UK nation with this hire made.

—Mark Story takes the cynical hard-edged view of Calipari’s hire, chronicling exhaustively all of the smoke (and some fire) that has surrounded Calipari since UMass. Story ends his piece with this question:

Back then, Dr. Todd, you talked often about being the president who was going to end UK’s cycle of one major sports scandal a decade. Is the hire you are about to make consistent with that goal? Kentucky’s choice isn’t hire John Calipari or never win big again. There are several coaches who I believe are available right now — Sean Miller; Travis Ford; maybe Thad Matta or even the best coach in the country, Tom Izzo — who are capable of winning at Kentucky at the level UK wants to win. No, Dr. Todd, the question here is whether Kentucky is back to trying to win at all costs or whether it is going to try to win with honor. If it’s the latter, Dr. Todd, can you really hire John Calipari?

Well there is that. I can only say, as a follower/fan of the Memphis program, and as we have discussed extensively in this thread in the Swamp, you have to be comfortable with some “shade” when it comes to having Calipari as your coach. He is tight with the shadowy part of the AAU world. He has no reservations about hiring the dad of a desired recruit. He is somewhat morally flexible when it comes to discipline of his players. None of that is against NCAA rules (or different than what a whole bunch of coaches/programs do). But it does make people justifiably uncomfortable, and there will be discomfort in general as long as he is with the program. But, damn, he wins. A lot. And as long as he does that at Kentucky, and the “shade” doesn’t drift over to outright paying of players etc., I am guessing UK’s administration will go to bed happy at night.

As for me, I may be 38, well out of shape and short, but, hey, I have not used any collegiate eligibility. Time to go work on my jumpshot and enroll part-time at the University of Memphis. I think I can get some run next fall.

No question John Calipari is heading to Kentucky. That’s reported everywhere, and all the local news and usual outlets have been sourcing it for hours. Gotta say, in addition to the challenge and the high-profile gig, an alleged six years and forty million dollars is pretty damn persuasive. Well played, Kentucky. Well played.

Best of luck to him, and Kentucky is getting a great coach (as I said earlier today). If he brings all his recruits with him, as is presumed, that’s gonna be a hellaciously good team. The talent drain from Memphis is going to be legendary, as an all-time recruiting class said to rival the Fab 5 is about to re-locate to Lexington. And maybe a few bonuses, like transfers from current players on the team.

But here’s the thing. Apparently Calipari is also trying to also control his replacement in Memphis. And that is less than cool. It is also being reported that the meeting with a big-time money Memphis booster this afternoon (right now) is NOT a last ditch attempt to keep him, rather, it is Calipari trying to talk Memphis into hiring his former assistant and current UTEP coach Tony Barbee. Best of luck to Cal in Kentucky, but Memphis would be rock fuckin’ stupid to give any kind of shit about what Calipari recommends or wants for his replacement. If Calipari has enough pull with the big money donors that he makes this happen, then the big money donors can reap the crap whirlwind if they run to a thirtieth tier candidate like Barbee instead of going hard after someone like Mike Anderson. Insane.

With apologies to the departed Pushing Daisies, the facts are these:

1. Plenty of sources are saying that John Calipari and Kentucky officials have a “mutual interest” in talking to each other;

2. Kentucky has not asked Memphis for permission to talk to Calipari. Yet.

3. Some Memphis fans will seize on number two as proof that this is all hooey. Delusion is fun.

4. There are zero reasons that Calipari should not talk to Memphis, and many several millions why he should. Oh, and Kentucky is just s l i g h t l y more prestigious than Memphis. Which is not to slag on my adopted town’s program. It just ain’t Kentucky. Few programs are.

5. That said, Geoff Calkins in the Commercial Appeal plays counter-point, noting that there is nothing Calipari can accomplish at Kentucky that he can’t at Memphis, and that talking to Kentucky gives Calipari the juice he needs for another sweet contract re-do in Memphis. Maybe.

That’s the lay of the land from Memphis this morning. And I have seen enough of these go down, up close and from afar, to know that it is not worth breathlessly paying attention to, as certain of the Tigers and Wildcat fanbases will. There are tons of legitimate reasons for Calipari and Kentucky to woo each other, and just as many reasons for him to take the job if offered. There are nearly as many reasons for Calipari to pitch and receive woo and stay put.

In the end, whatever it is that decides things for Calipari and UK, one way or another, will be legitimate and there is nothing, really, that anyone can do or say about it.

What can be said, from having watched Calipari run the program here in Memphis for the much of the last decade, is that UK would be lucky to have him. For all of the reputation that preceded him to Memphis, and the used car salesman image he projects, he has been a tireless promoter of the university and the program from day one. He has delivered on everything he has promised. He said he would make Memphis a national program again, and he did. He said he would win recruiting battles, and he has. He said he would graduate players, and, once again, he has. A large percentage of them. He has been an outstanding bench coach, and a steadfast champion for his players. There have been times when he has appeared too forgiving of individual transgressions, but that’s a flaw he shares with a lot of coaches. And, I suspect, that loyalty helps him when he is in the recruiting process. And he has developed players of varying high school pedigrees be as good as they can be on the court and go on to the NBA.

Kentucky would be lucky to have him, and Memphis has been lucky to be on the ride they have with John Calipari. There will never be another period of time where Memphis has this kind of sustained success, should Calipari move on. And being ground zero to a “those were the years” time in a program has been fun. If Kentucky does the smart thing, they will find a way to get Cal to relocate to Lexington. They, and their fanbase, will not be disappointed.

The worst kept secret indeed came to pass, and Gillespie doesn’t have to go home, but he can’t stay in Lexington anymore. The only details with Gillespie at this point are how much the settlment will be. It might have helped Gillespie’s cause if he had signed the original deal. Man, that guy plays by his own rules. Next time, sign the contract, dumbass.

Now what, UK?

The reader poll at the Lexington Herald narrowly would like to see John Calipari head north and east from Memphis. Memphis’ fans are not so down with that. Calipari insists Memphis is where he wants to be. Great. I’m still not holding my breath. It has been a really fun run in Memphis with Calipari, at some point, if he moves on, this will have been the golden years for the program.