Calipari sleeps on Kentucky offer-ESPN

This can’t be good. The longer this thing stretches out, the more time John Calipari has to have second thoughts about this big move he is contemplating. He has a good thing going on in Memphis, no doubt, and the cliche the UK fans know oh so well, “don’t mess with happiness” clearly applies. Here is what ESPN had to say:

John Calipari decided late Monday night to sleep on Kentucky’s offer to become its next basketball coach, a source close to the situation said.

The two sides had inched ever closer to a deal throughout Monday that could make him the highest-paid coach in the country.

While Calipari met with Memphis officials earlier Monday, representatives for both sides were working out details of an agreement. Sources told ESPN.com that the offer is believed to be for eight years and around $35 million.

Florida’s Billy Donovan is currently the highest-paid coach in the country, securing a deal for $3.5 million per year after his second national championship.

Calipari had a morning meeting with his players to discuss his interest in the Kentucky opening, and players came away convinced their coach would leave for Lexington, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported, citing a source close to the situation.

“He told us he’s going to keep us posted,” Memphis freshman forward Wesley Witherspoon told WHBQ-TV in Memphis.

The Commerical Appeal also reported that after meeting with his players, Calipari met with a number of influential Memphis boosters. While the meeting was at first said to be a last-ditch effort to persuade Calipari to stay, another source told the newspaper that Calipari was lobbying for Tony Barbee, the current coach at UTEP, to succeed him in Memphis. Barbee played for Calipari at Massachusetts and was previously his assistant at Memphis.

Memphis officials and boosters were still working to keep Calipari as of Monday night, according to the report.

Here’s the full ESPN article

It’s ironic that John Calipari was “sleeping on” the decision, because the delay undoubtledly caused many a sleepless night in the Bluegrass.

Also, I perused some Memphis boards last night, and there is more optimism that Calipari may actually stick around. The Memphis boosters and fans recognize that they will likely never reach the level that Calipari has taken them to if he leaves, no matter who they hire next. This desperation is apparently driving them to work hard to keep him. I don’t think it will be much longer until we have some resolution on this issue.