Calipari Remodeling UK's Program Inside And Out

In his first few days on the job, John Calipari has been conducting practices at the Craft Center. The workouts have two primary purposes: 1) to see which players can actually play and which would be better suited playing elsewhere and 2) to improve the image of the program with the fans, former players and boosters.

If Coach Cal is anything, he is demanding. He wants every one of his players to be the best they can possibly be, and if he feels they aren't doing what's necessary to reach that goal, he will do whatever is necessary to motivate them. Sometimes that motivation is a pat on the back. Other times it's a kick in the ass.

UK senior-to-be Perry Stevenson recently experienced the latter. During a practice drill, Calipari called out Stevenson for his lack of strength and told him that it would DEFINITELY change before next season.

That comment solicited some concealed laughter from some former UK players in attendance because it reminded them of Rick Pitino. Back in the 90's, such a statement usually meant some long, grueling hours in the weight room with Rock Oliver.

Hearing what Calipari said to Stevenson reminded me of what players such as Henry Thomas, Andre Riddick, Aminu Timberlake and Walter McCarty had to endure in an attempt to pack on the pounds.

The sight of those guys going to McDonald's in the morning and being forced to down 3 or 4 Egg McMuffins along with two orders of pancakes and a 2,000 calorie protein shake used to make me cringe. It would only get worse as the day wore on with their special servings of lunch and dinner at the training table. The day would not be complete without their nightcap of another 2,000 calorie protein shake. It was enough gluttony to make even Brad Pitt throw up.

And it's those memories that would make me feel a little sorry for Perry Stevenson if it weren't for the fact that he should have been in the weight room 3 years ago. Even if you have difficulty putting on weight, as Thomas, Riddick, Timberlake and McCarty did, you can always get stronger.

Much was made about Billy Gillispie alienating so many people around the UK program the last two years--something that was not lost on Kentucky's new coach. While holding these practices, Calipari has extended invites to watch the workouts to various people in the community. If you were fortunate enough to make it into one of these practices, you might see anyone from WKYT General Manager Wayne Martin and WDKY morning anchor Jennifer Nime to former UK Standout Kyle Macy and Claiborne Farm President Seth Hancock.

Calipari's attempt to repair fractured relationships seems to be working quite well, and Hancock is a perfect example. He is said to be so impressed with Calipari and the way he has handled himself in his first few days as UK's coach that Hancock wants to be involved with the program again after distancing himself the last couple of years. And that's great news to Calipari and Mitch Barnhart.

If Kentucky is to race back up the standings to the top of the college basketball world, it would certainly help to have a thoroughbred of a booster in your stable!

John Calipari, Your New Job Is Waiting

I know, I know, I know. I said I would try to stay out of this UK coaching situation madness, but I can't help it. I'm too tied to too many of the people involved to completely leave it alone. Plus, so many of my friends keep bugging me for information that I figured it would just be easier writing it here instead of responding to each and every phone call, text message and e-mail.

So here's what I know as of right now. John Calipari woke up this morning convinced that he was going to take the job at UK. After his intermediaries discussed some specifics (namely potential salary and contract length) with some Kentucky intermediaries, both sides felt they had an agreement in principle. It would then be just a matter of fine tuning some language in the contract and Calipari informing University of Memphis officials, as well as his players, of his decision to leave.

And barring something drastic, I do believe Calipari will officially accept UK's offer within the next 24 hours. Memphis AD R.C. Johnson has formally granted Kentucky permission to speak to Calipari, which means now Mitch Barnhart can have actually offer him the job.

However, Memphis is not going down without a fight. Calipari has that town eating out of his hand, and they don't want to lose him. As crazy as UK fans are about the Wildcats, Memphis fans are just as nuts about the Tigers. The only difference is the sheer number of fans who root for UK compared to Memphis.

Calipari met today with Johnson and some of the program's biggest boosters. Their intent was to convince Calipari to stay in Memphis, and they were prepared to renegotiate his contract yet again to help him make up his mind.

Calipari's intention for the meeting was two-fold. First, he wanted to explain his reasoning for accepting the UK job even though the Tigers have been a much more successful program over the last few years. Secondly, he wanted to lobby for his former assistant Tony Barbee (currently the head coach at UTEP) to replace him in Memphis.

Now, as I said earlier, barring something drastic, I do think Calipari will become UK's next head coach by the end of the business on Tuesday. But that something drastic could be a serious counter-offer to what UK is offering, although Memphis will never be able to match Kentucky dollar for dollar.

There is also one other small issue that might play into Calipari's final decision: Recruiting! As many of you probably know, he has commitments from two of the top 10 players in the country, and a third (John Wall) is said to be leaning towards Memphis as well.

The problem Calipari is facing is that he much prefers his recruits to the one's Billy Gillispie had been securing. And if you compare both recruiting classes player for player, you can't blame Calipari for wanting his guys to come to Lexington with him.

If Calipari was able to bring all of his recruits to UK next season, the Wildcats could very well make a run at the Final Four. That's how good Xavier Henry, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall are considered to be.

One potential hang up regarding Henry though is that his brother is currently on the Memphis roster. He joined the team earlier this season, but did not play due to injuries. It was a common recruiting move. Sign one brother so you can sign the better one. That's why some people believe that Henry may not follow Calipari to Lexington.

So that's where everything stands as I sit here in this Cincinnati hotel typing this post. With the money that's been rumored to be sitting on the table and the opportunity to coach at one of true storied programs in all of sports, I just can't see Calipari not signing the contract at this point. But as we all know, until he does, anything can happen.

Isn't that right, Billy Donovan?

Billy Gillispie: The Aftermath

While listening to Mitch Barnhart and Lee Todd announce the firing of Billy Gillispie Friday, one statement in particular stood out to me.

A reporter asked the UK Athletics Director if he regretted hiring Gillispie in the first place and Barnhart said no. Say what?

You just fired a man less than two years after offering him the job, but yet you don't regret that decision? Then why are you even firing him?

I'm sure Barnhart was trying to be respectful, but come on! Be honest to the UK fans. That's the least they deserve.

Don't Let The Door Hit You

I read in Sunday's Lexington Herald-Leader about the UK assistant coaches only having 3 hours after Gillispie's firing to clean out their offices.

If you think that's bad, check this out. While Gillispie was packing up his things, he tried to use his swipe card to get back into the Craft Center only to find out that it had been turned off. As you might expect, the former UK coach was a bit peeved. So he went to fire off an e-mail to share his displeasure, but that too had been deactivated.

The Right Kind Of Games

I did not make it to Lexington in time to see or hear any of Billy Gillispie's news conference live. But having read several accounts of the event, it seems as though Gillispie stuck to his guns all the way out the door.

He reiterated that coaching and recruiting are far more important than being a celebrity. I agree with that belief. However, when the first two job requirements fall short of expectations, the third becomes even more important.

I do have one contention with something Gillispie said Saturday. He said he thought he and his staff did a great job during their brief tenure at UK, but they simply didn't win "the right kind of games."

The right KIND of games? What the hell is that?

Did he mean games against Gardner-Webb and VMI?

Did he mean SEC regular season games against Ole Miss and Georgia?

Or did he mean NCAA Tournament games?

Oh wait, my bad. You have to make the NCAA Tournament to win those games.

The Joe Craft Center

Saturday afternoon, I got my first glimpse of the Joe Craft Center. With a $30 million price tag, I fully expected it to be quite the spectacle. I was not disappointed.

Kentucky's basketball practice facility is on par with those of most NBA teams. From the weight room and practice court to the locker room and players' lounge, UK's players have absolutely everything at their disposal.

However, with such access comes the lack of excuses. There is no reason, whatsoever, for the UK program to be this average.

Regardless of who the next coach is, the players need to step up to the level of their facilities. The Craft Center is championship caliber, and those who use it should be as well.

It's Official: Billy Gillispie Has Been Fired!

After weeks and weeks of speculation, it appears that it is finally official: Billy Gillispie has been fired!

Multiple sources have confirmed to me that Gillispie was relieved of his duties following UK's loss to Notre Dame. In fact, the players were informed right after the game but were told to keep quiet about it until an official announcement was made. That announcement will come Friday.

Here is an excerpt of an e-mail I obtained from an employee at the university:

I have a little UK basketball news that you can share with any of your UK buddies... Billy Gillispie has been fired. He and the other assistant coaches told the team goodbye in the locker room after the game. The players were then told by Mitch Barnhart and Lee Todd (the athletics director and president of the university) how to answer reporters after the game. (Denying any knowledge of the firing, etc) A formal press conference will be scheduled for Friday to make the official announcement to the public. Gillispie left the game last night on a flight and the team traveled back to Lexington on a bus.

As of last night, the only names being mentioned for the replacement are Billy Donovan and Travis Ford. Lee Todd says he will not hire John Calapari under any circumstances. It seems as if President Todd has a little more say than Mitch Barnhart as far as the hiring this time.

I hope to have more on this story as well as potential replacements in the immediate future.

Is It Finally So Long, Billy G At UK?

Now that the season is officially over, everyone can now focus on the future of UK basketball--seemingly a future that will not include Billy Gillispie.

Finding someone official who will say that Gillispie will definitely be back next season is like finding someone to take responsibility for our struggling economy. No one is stepping up to that plate.

And was it just me, or did Billy G seem resigned to his future during and after UK's loss to Notre Dame? He coached the game and spoke to the media as if he knew he would no longer be Kentucky's coach after tonight. He just didn't come out and say so.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying he didn't try or want to win the game. Of course he did. I've never thought the man was a quitter. In the immortal words of Herm Edwards, "you play to win the game," and Gillispie has always seemed to be about winning. It's just that he hasn't done enough of it over the last two years. This season's 14 losses were the second most in school history.

However, I don't think his win-loss record will ultimately be his undoing. To put it simply--as I have said repeatedly since the beginning--Gillispie and Kentucky were not a good fit. Independently, they can be great, but together they are a disaster.

I'm sure most of us can relate in some capacity. I'm divorced. That's not to say that I was a bad husband or my ex was a bad wife. We simply weren't good to together. But that failed marriage is not going to stop me from getting married again, and I will be the first to say that I sincerely hope Gillispie gets another coaching job somewhere else.

John Calipari Rumors

A constant question from the readers lately has been about the thought of John Calipari replacing Billy Gillispie. I have known Coach Cal for almost 10 years now. I was working at a station in Memphis when first took over the Tigers program.

I have not spoken to John or anyone close to him lately, but I do believe that UK is definitely a job he would leave Memphis for. While that statement may seem like a no-brainer, Cal has had other opportunities to leave Memphis over the last several years, but he has a really good thing going down there, and he's not about to give it up for just any good offer that comes along. Plus, I know he was very interested in the Kentucky job after Tubby resigned.

Calipari's track record shows an incredible ability to stack rosters with NBA-level talent, and his motivation tactics are Knute-esqe. Two attributes seemingly missing from the UK program over the last few years.

And in the mold of Rick Pitino, Calipari is the consummate salesman. He could probably sell a crossword puzzle to a blind man.

However, with all that being said, it's fair to point out that Calipari has a little shade in his background. The NCAA found recruiting violations during his tenure at UMass, and there has been wide speculation about his players at Memphis receiving improper gifts--most notably being high-priced luxury cars.

Is he perfect? What coach is really? The main question should be, is he perfect for Kentucky right now?

Dan Issel Rumors

I received an e-mail on Facebook shortly after UK's loss to Notre Dame asking me if I had heard anything about Dan Issel joining the athletic department as the head of basketball operations. Evidently the belief is that Issel would run the basketball program, and Mitch Barnhart would oversee all other sports.

I have no credible information to either confirm or deny this particular speculation.

However, I do think it would be a tremendous idea. As the program's all-time leading scorer, perhaps no one knows the value and tradition of UK Basketball more than Issel. But even beyond that, his basketball acumen is off the charts. He's held both coaching and front office jobs in the NBA. His contacts and respect within the basketball world would immediately make Kentucky a serious player again in big-time college basketball.

So if this idea would somehow be put up to a vote, allow me to cast the first YES ballot.