The search has gone nuclear because most media outlets are reporting that Kentucky has just given the deed to the City of Lexington and 14 coal mines to Memphis Coach John Calipari. Reports place the value of the deal at $5-6.5 million per year. I think the technical term for a deal that large is "a shit load of money."
Various reports have Memphis asking for permission to speak with Mike Anderson while other reports say that they haven't asked yet. TigerSportsReport is the Rivals.com Memphis affiliate. They paint a pretty bleak picture for Memphis fans regarding both the incoming recruiting class and existing players as it relates to retention.
Per TigerSportsReport.com the Tigers would almost definitely lose unsigned commit Demario Cousins, a top 2 player in the country, and others. The site's editor feels that Memphis would be unable to lure Mike Anderson back to Conference USA from the Big 12 due to the lack of prestige and anticipated player departures. Per their site:
"If Calipari goes to Kentucky, who are on the short list to coach Memphis?
Memphis fans on the Commercial Appeal message board are clamoring already for Mike Anderson, the former UAB head coach who took Missouri to the Elite Eight this season.
That is highly unlikely, however. With seven scholarship players and a sour taste after Calipari leaving, the situation at Memphis would be a lateral move, at best, for Anderson. As he would be leaving the Big 12 for C-USA, it is realistically a step backwards for the highly regarded Anderson."
Memphis fans on the Commercial Appeal message board are clamoring already for Mike Anderson, the former UAB head coach who took Missouri to the Elite Eight this season.
That is highly unlikely, however. With seven scholarship players and a sour taste after Calipari leaving, the situation at Memphis would be a lateral move, at best, for Anderson. As he would be leaving the Big 12 for C-USA, it is realistically a step backwards for the highly regarded Anderson."
The Memphis Commerical Appeal adds that Tiger recruit Nolan Dennis has an addendum to his letter of intent that releases him from his scholarship and allows him to sign with Calipari at another school.
In barely news, FoxSports.com is reporting that UVA is set to hire Washington State's
You think things are nuts now? Wait til tomorrow.
UPDATE: Yes. I've heard the rumor that there's a press conference on Wednesday. I do not believe that such an event is currently scheduled because my sources tell me we do NOT have a done deal. If we have a press conference on Wednesday, it's just coincidence. I also know about the rumored note to the UGA pep band asking them to be ready for a press conference, but I understand that there was no actual date on the note.
UPDATE 2: Dean Legge of DawgPost.com expects a hire this week. I do, too.
PWD
33 comments:
We win in a battle with Memphis. The SEC carries us unless they come up with UK money.
Especially in a fight for Anderson, yeah, he likely has a "been there done that" attitude about C-USA/Memphis.
the UGA pep band definitely did get an email. all that was said essentially was that we will have a press conference, likely within a week's time. since it's monday... i'd say it's probably this week sometime.
that's as much legit info as the AA has put out there.
rbubp you're forgetting one minor detail.... No one is saying that Anderson is unhappy at Memphis. Just because we can offer more money doesn't mean he uproots his family & the nephew who just transferred there to play for him to take on a project the size of UGA Hoops.
Don't forget, Memphis has 2 of the top 4 recruits in the Country. Anderson at least has their ear if he goes there. Those are 2 better recruits than UGA has ever had, period.
"No one is saying that Anderson is unhappy at Memphis."
You're right about that. That's why i didn't say it, either.
Anderson sucks. This fcking guy is like Pam Anderson circa 1995 - red hot one moment, gross and worn out the next. We don't need that guy to ruin this program.
We need someone like Doc Rivers who will inspire these young men and win big.
http://georgia.scout.com/2/851717.html
This dude is off his rocker:
"The Dawgs are never going to be Duke or UNC with a host of McDonald’s All Americans filling the roster. What they have to be is tougher than the other teams they play and willing to put their bodies on the line."
Well, duh, of course that's true now...but this kind of thinking, that we will never be able to recruit the best in the country, is dangerously small.
rbubp: No, but you did say this: "We win in a battle with Memphis."
You talk like its a done deal which is far from accurate. Chill man. You don't know what you're talking about.
Stansbury it is!!!
Anon 7:49, I was speaking hypothetically. Of course I don't know what I'm talking about--it's an opinion, just like everybody else here.
Gotta have some kind of respite from doing taxes, and this is fun, IMO.
Rick Stansbury??? That's the best we can do?
The negativity of some of these comments amaze me. Wow, the world sure has a lot of "half empty" type guys.
Chip Towers says the report about Evans meeting with Sexton in Atlanta is false.
"Media reports out of Memphis that Evans was meeting with Anderson’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, in Atlanta appear untrue. Evans was in Athens all day Monday."
PWD,
UVA got the right hire. I do not know if Bennett will succeed at UVA, because UVA is about like us, except they have to play in the ACC, but he is the best young coach in the country. I really wish we had gone after him. I am very worried that we will go through a string of public turn-downs and wind up with Bobby Knight, or worse.
We would let Pete Herrman coach the team for another year before we hired Bob Knight. I don't even know why his name is still coming up. That possibility has been debunked.
A Memphis player has confirmed that Coach Cal has met with Ky. He also said that Cal met with the team and has told them of his options.
Coach Cal is packing his bags as we speak... Memphis is dying and there is no way to stop the bleeding.
And the two top players in the nation will be trading their Memphis blue for Ky blue. The rumor around town is that Memphis's finest players will also go with him.
David Hale is saying we may get word a/b a hire of someone other than Anderson or Capel soon.
Miller from Xavier? Hamilton from Florida State?
The mushroom clouds are in Columbia, MO and Memphis, TN, not in Athens, GA.
We are actually dealing from a position of strength.
Can anyone give me a broad outline of Conference USA's TV deal? I bet every fan of Conference USA can give you the 40k feet overview of the TV money the SEC is getting for BASKETBALL.
Where have the best players on Memphis's team come from? That's right, Georgia.
They have FedEx, we have Coca-Cola. They have Beale St, we have, okay, that's one for Memphis. Felton cleaned up a mess, chances or Calipari is leaving one.
I am not sure Anderson is our man, but we will get our man!
Chill, and GO DAWGS!!
I just read on Duke's site that Coach K has spent all day in Athen's with DE!!!! This is great! We now get the greatest hoop coach of all-time! Rock-Chalk-Dawgs!
If it's Hamilton, DE should be fired. Calling Hamilton a "committment" to anything other than cellar dwelling would be criminal. That would mean another five to six year setback. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear Leonard Hamilton and the UGA job linked.
Coach K? Rock Chalk?
Do you know anything about collegiate athletics?
Sarcasm, Anon 9:32, sarcasm...
Hamilton sucks. 4 NCAA appearances in about 20 years with three different schools.
Anon. 9:32: Much like rbubp stated: SARCASM! If you took 32 seconds and read the entire post, it is possible, not likely, but possible, that you would have understood. The 1st hint was that Coach K spent the entire day in Athens. Maybe you should be our next coach!
RE:David Hale is saying we may get word a/b a hire of someone other than Anderson or Capel soon.
Miller from Xavier? Hamilton from Florida State?
-----------------------------
The identity of the "other" coach is going to surprise you...I don't think you will be happy, either...
I think we're going to wind up getting Tubby back. I know that PWD wrote an article about how he was "going out of his way to let Minnesota fans know that he's staying," but I've heard from a solid source that Tubby (or perhaps his agent) has actually reached out to the Georgia Athletic Department.
I wish we could pull down Anderson, but I just don't think it will happen. However, I think everyone would agree that Tubby would be a hell of a plan B.
Just say no to Hamilton, Haith, and any other mediocre to poor coach.
Compared to them, Kruger excites me on the level of a nubile 19yr old blonde with daddy issues.
If all we can up with is Leonard Hamilton after a two month search, I am pretty much done caring about this program.
I would have to agree on Hamilton. Who needs a search firm for that one.
Great point on Bennett/UVa Paul. And I've said it before, I'll say it again, a guy like Reggie Theus or Sam Mitchell makes sense at Memphis (among other openings). Why are neither of these guys getting any interest, especially with names like Leonard freakin Hamilton floating about? Seriously, I'd curl into the fetal position and shed tears for hours if he's the choice.
Glad that UVA hired Phil Bennett, but they should have hired Washington State's TONY Bennett.
I haven't heard much on Mike Davis...could he be the secret name Hale is promising? I would feel pretty mixed about him, if so.
If we got Davis, I'd wonder why we passed on one of those Caveman from the Geico commercials.
Epic Fail.
"UVA is about like us, except they have to play in the ACC"
LMFAO at you stupid doggies.
Yeah, except UVA has 2 final fours, 5 elite eights, 7 sweet sixteens, and 16 births in the dance.
UGA you ask? A meager 1, 1, 2, and 8 - one of the eight including the fluke that was 2008.
How about some more comparisons?
Memphis - 2 finals appearances, 2 final fours, 5 eights, 10 sixteens, 20 appearances. Two recruits coming in next year rated better than what UGA has ever been able to muster.
Florida - Just as many championships in the last 3 years as UGA has had sweet sixteen appearances, ever. 4, 4, 6, 14.
Xavier - 0, 2, 4, 20.
Florida State - 1, 2, 3, 8. But they play in the ACC.
Missouri - 0, 3, 6, 22
SO RIDDLE ME THIS BULLDOGS, WHY WOULD ANYONE GO TO UGA OVER ANY OF THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS?
1) To play second fiddle to Mark Richt in terms of fan support, university support, and financial support?
2) To be the bottom dweller of the SEC and lose to schools like Auburn?
3) To coach in an empty, run down stadium because you have no true fans? (i.e., those who would even support a bad team)
4) To be out-recruited in state year in and year out by a flash in the pan named Paul Hewitt who can't even coach basketball?
5) To coach a team whose history starts and ends with Dominique, one of the most overrated players in any sport, next to maybe Deion Sanders?
The answer to all of those questions is a resounding NO. That's why no coach will ever choose UGA over any of the universities mentioned above.
Take off your rose colored glasses and realize that UGA has NO shot to get a coach over Florida, UVA, Memphis, Bama, Xavier, FSU, or Missouri. You just don't.
Anonymous 9:21 AM:
I'm glad you spent all that time coming up with reasons why Georgia can't compete for the services of a premier coach.
If we were basing the feasibility of luring a top-notch candidate to UGA based solely on W's/L's or "tournament metrics," surely no coach would ever consider packing his bags for Athens.
That being said, anyone looking to further his/her career would be ignorant not to consider the positive attributes of a legitimate opening. Moreover, a coach wouldn't be doing his due diligence if he were to ignore the PROSPECT of building an elite program. This prospectus is made up of a number of components, not just program history, and I would expect someone of your "basketball IQ" to recognize this. Your unfounded animosity and is blocking any perspective.
I'll leave you with a couple of thoughts: 1. Compared to where the UGA basketball program is now, is there another opening that has a larger gap between the current status and a possible ceiling?
2. Would the possibility of a $1.5 million raise be alluring to you?
Don't lie to yourself...and have some perspective, brotha!
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