John Calipari, Sean Miller connected to UK job
Guy | Mar 29, 2009 | Comments 7
Friday afternoon, I think there was a lot of worrying among UK fans that the UK coaching search was going to once again come down to Billy Donovan spurning UK, and the ‘Cats being left to go after a backup choice, this time likely Travis Ford.
After keeping my ear to the street all weekend, I think it’s pretty safe to say that a lot more people are going to have to say “no” to the UK job than Billy Donovan for it to come down to Travis Ford.
We’ve heard about the Tom Izzo rumors and the fact that Mike Pratt said UK is “swinging for the fences”, so I think we’re safe from Travis Ford for the time being. Things can change quickly, but I feel much better about the search process than I did about 48 hours ago.
Two names that I have heard in separate rumors regarding the UK head coaching job are Memphis’s John Calipari and Sean Miller of Xavier.
Stephen A. Smith was on Outside the Lines on ESPN this morning, and he said that he believed it was likely that Calipari will be the next coach of UK. Calipari recruiting at UK would be a scary proposition for the rest of the country (and scary for some UK people as well). What he has done at Memphis is phenomenal, and this hire would really tick off UofL fans, which is always a plus. I think this would be a homerun.
**UPDATE**Larry Vaught is reporting that an in-person meeting with John Calipari is occuring or has already occured today. Apparently the decision has been put to Calipari the decision-making process is not anticipated to be a long one.
Also, in yet another example of Kentucky fans’ extraordinary ability to mobilize online, there is a website called UKWANTSJOHNCALIPARI.COM, as well as a Facebook group with some very interest membership.
HERE’S THE LATEST ON THE CALIPARI TO UK WHIRLWIND
700 WLW in Cincinnati reported on Saturday that Xavier coach Sean Miller would be in Lexington tomorrow to discuss the coaching vacancy. I think this would be a terrific hire as well. Miller is a young guy who has done a phenomenal job continuing the work that Thad Matta did for the Musketeers, whose program is nearly as impressive as Memphis’s. At Xavier, he’s gone after mostly 4 year guys who fit into the system, but coming to UK, he would have access to an all new talent pool. Look at what Matta has done on the recruiting trail since heading to Columbus.
Every day a new name pops up, even though this weekend has been a little bit quiet in terms of hard news. Stay tuned, because I think the craziness will pick back up on Monday!
Filed Under: Kentucky
Comments (7)
Leave a Reply
“Look at what Matta has done on the recruiting trail since heading to Columbus.”
That has NOTHING to do with what Sean Miller could/would do at UK.
It is totally irrelevant.
“Miller is a young guy who has done a phenomenal job continuing the work that Thad Matta did for the Musketeers, whose program is nearly as impressive as UK’s. ”
Musketeers or Ohio State?
Either one does not matter.
“…whose program is nearly as impressive as UK’s. ”
LOL!
Far from true.
No link to Vaught’s article? Poor form.
Your last point was valid, it was a typo on my part, and I meant to compare Xavier to Memphis, not UK. Thanks for pointing that out. As for your first point, I was merely pointing out that Thad Matta, a Xavier coach, has successfully made the jump in recruiting from Xavier to OSU. He went after 4 year guys at XU, now goes after NBA guys at OSU. I think Miller will do the same if/when given the chance.
i hope it happen
[...] UK coaching front…until Sunday when Calipari madness broke out. First, we heard about a supposed face to face between the UK brass and John Calipari, then the infamous Calipari to UK Facebook group emerged [...]
I think UK needs to get one of the hometown boy’s either Ford or Pelphrey, being former UK player’s they know first hand what being a wildcat is all about. They would also look at more in state talent. In the past years of UK history the team alway’s seemed to preform better with in-state player’s. The state of Kentucky has a deep pool of talent, that why there is always a Lofton or similar player’s out there from Kentucky that have the Kentucky Wildcat heart, and that what we want, and need to put life back in the program.
[...] John Calipari, Sean Miller implicated; UK reportedly meeting with Cal Sunday afternoon-First substantial mention of John Calipari in connection with UK. [...]