Calipari

[The1Bluedevil]

Coach Calipari has reached a new level of arrogance that makes it impossible to route for him or his team.

After USC game " I was severly outcoached tonight and thats never happened before".

After the G-town game " This is the best team we have played since I've been at Memphis"

Today on Tennessee " This is the best team we will have played in my time at Memphis, I can't believe they aren't #1".

" We are that good to where we beat UAB with no production from Dorsey or Dozier".

[mnk1010]

i second that..this guy oooooooozzes scum and it wouldnt suprise me if he was the next coach to have some recruiting allegations come down on him..he should look into using some of his great coaching skills and teach his great team to shoot free throws..i hope tennessee beats them into next week

[tux]

This is why Memphis will not go undefeated: The basketball gods won't allow it!

[Classof06]

Haha, since my brother and I started watching college basketball years ago, we always joked that Calipari was like a used-car salesman; just a sleazy, scummy guy trying to get over on anyone that'll give him a chance. It's hard to take anything Calipari says at face value.

He's a hell of a coach, but just a funny, funny character...

[should_be_working]

Speaking of Memphis/Tennessee, wouldn't it be more beneficial for Duke if Memphis won? There is little possibility of Memphis NOT getting a number one seed, and Tennessee like us (both having lost two games) is competing for a #1 seed. Just a thought. I would however love to see Memphis get their rear ends kicked, i only hope that it wouldn't come back to haunt Duke in the end.

[The1Bluedevil]

A while ago SI's Luke Winn wrote an article on Tyreke Evans recruitment and talked about Memphis having a booster who’s a " close friend to Calipari" that helps players who graduate find jobs. Nice recruiting tactics.

[ugadevil]

Speaking of Memphis/Tennessee, wouldn't it be more beneficial for Duke if Memphis won? There is little possibility of Memphis NOT getting a number one seed, and Tennessee like us (both having lost two games) is competing for a #1 seed. Just a thought. I would however love to see Memphis get their rear ends kicked, i only hope that it wouldn't come back to haunt Duke in the end.

I'd say there could be some truth to that. I'm all for believing that it doesn't matter what other teams do, we should worry about just winning our games and making our own case, but that's not all there is to it. UT is definitely competing for a 1 seed like we are, and a big win over Memphis on the road would go a long way for them. I think it's important for the location of the seeding. As for who we actually play, I don't care what number we are because it depends so much on match-ups.

[dukeENG2003]

Here's a screwey thought. If Tennessee wins, then they put themselve in position for a #1 seed. Memphis is probably still in position for a #1 as well though. But if both of them finish ahead of Duke and UNC, isn't it possible that NEITHER Duke or UNC would get the Charlotte regional?

[Classof06]

I'd agree with the notion that Duke fans should want Tennessee to lose on Saturday. Even though I personally think it's BS, Memphis has a 1 seed locked up even if they do lose a game or two in the regular season. Therefore, it doesn't do Duke any good should Memphis lose; it just gives UT a stronger case for a 1 seed.

[Faison1]

he should look into using some of his great coaching skills and teach his great team to shoot free throws..

be careful what you say about free throws......Duke isn't exactly tearing it up at the line either

everyone's seen Memphis run the break, right? is there any team out there better at it than them? at the same time, my guess is, if you can slow the break, you've got a great shot at them.

[BCGroup]

Pat Forde has an interesting column (you have to scroll down) asking if Memphis is really "America's team".

"After beating Gonzaga last month, MempHis coach John Calipari (19) proclaimed that the Tigers are "going to go from being Tennessee's team to being America's team." Since then, the Tigers have accumulated more victories. And more baggage.Which got The Minutes thinking that it's time to put this to a popular vote. Do you, my fellow Americans, wish to declare as Your Team a group that includes the following:"

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3252485&sportCat=ncb

[StiggyMata]

A while ago SI's Luke Winn wrote an article on Tyreke Evans recruitment and talked about Memphis having a booster who’s a " close friend to Calipari" that helps players who graduate find jobs. Nice recruiting tactics.

With Memphis graduating 30% of their recruits (http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/inst2007/404.pdf) he can't be that busy.

[dukegirlinsc]

Haha, since my brother and I started watching college basketball years ago, we always joked that Calipari was like a used-car salesman; just a sleazy, scummy guy trying to get over on anyone that'll give him a chance. It's hard to take anything Calipari says at face value.

He's a hell of a coach, but just a funny, funny character...

reminds me of a certain former UCLA coach.
minus the "helll of a coach" thing.

[Bluedog]

Calipari was just on PTI, and seemed like an okay guy in the five minute interview. One interesting response was when he was asked if Memphis' free-throw shooting could be seen as their achilles' heel in the tournament.

Calipari said something like this: "My teams have historically not been that great of free throw shooters. We typically make 58, 62, 59% during the regular season. But in late game situations, we hit them. Against UAB, the last point for us was a free throw. And in the NCAA tournament last year, we shot 72%. If I had a list of 25 aspects of recruits' games that I find important when recruiting them, free throw shooting would be 26th."

Interesting perspective.....

[KyDevilinIL]

Here's a screwey thought. If Tennessee wins, then they put themselve in position for a #1 seed. Memphis is probably still in position for a #1 as well though. But if both of them finish ahead of Duke and UNC, isn't it possible that NEITHER Duke or UNC would get the Charlotte regional?

Memphis is probably pretty squarely in the Little Rock-to-Houston route. But yeah, a UT seeded above UNC or Duke could certainly stake a claim to Charlotte. The other alternative too keeping the ACC in Charlotte would be to push Memphis to Phoenix and send Tennessee to probably Houston, which doesn't seem like much of a reward for either team. Then Duke or UNC would have to go to Detroit, which I have no opinion about whatsoever.

If the No. 1 seeds are UNC, Duke, Memphis and UT - all east of the Mississippi, of course -- somebody's going to moan a lot about being sent to Phoenix.

[KyDevilinIL]

If I had a list of 25 aspects of recruits' games that I find important when recruiting them, free throw shooting would be 26th.

I'm not sure many college coaches worry about that in the recruiting process, so that's no shock to hear him say it. But I never understand why coaches don't seem to emphasize it more. They are game-changing circumstances, especially if they aren't falling.

[The1Bluedevil]

With Memphis graduating 30% of their recruits (http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/inst2007/404.pdf) he can't be that busy.

Hilarious

[HK Dukie]

on PTI Calipari also bemoaned the fact that Duke fell only two spots after losing to Wake (who he commented had a lower RPI than UAB)

I think he wants that regional spot too so he couldn't resist taking a minor shot.

[barjwr]

If the No. 1 seeds are UNC, Duke, Memphis and UT - all east of the Mississippi, of course -- somebody's going to moan a lot about being sent to Phoenix.

I doubt that both Duke and UNC will get #1 seeds with Kansas lurking around the top five--they will probably end up being the team sent to Phoenix.

[Bluedog]

on PTI Calipari also bemoaned the fact that Duke fell only two spots after losing to Wake (who he commented had a lower RPI than UAB)

I think he wants that regional spot too so he couldn't resist taking a minor shot.

I don't think he really bemoaned the fact they we dropped only two spots. He was just trying to stand up for his conference and said that Conference USA is better than people think. He followed this up by saying that if they had lost to UAB they would have dropped much more than Duke did despite the fact that UAB has a higher RPI than Wake. Which I totally agree with - they definitely would have dropped more than two spots if they lost to UAB.

[Oh Canada]

On Sportscentre here in Canada last night they were showing the top ten coaches quarrels. The Calipari press conference with Jon Cheney (sp??) storming the room came in as #2. I remember the situation but more as an afterthought. My son was in a temper tantrum so I couldn't hear the tv last night.

Anyone remember what it was about? May shed some more light into his character.

[dynastydefender]

Here's a screwey thought. If Tennessee wins, then they put themselve in position for a #1 seed. Memphis is probably still in position for a #1 as well though. But if both of them finish ahead of Duke and UNC, isn't it possible that NEITHER Duke or UNC would get the Charlotte regional?
Duke or UNC need to go outside of NC for the first and second round games. I have never in my days of fandom seen such a home court advantage when Duke or UNC play in Charlotte during tourney time.

Smiles!!

[calltheobvious]

Duke or UNC need to go outside of NC for the first and second round games. I have never in my days of fandom seen such a home court advantage when Duke or UNC play in Charlotte during tourney time.

Smiles!!

Then you really, really need to read this article to refresh your memory on what happened in 2005.


http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/articles/?p=24272