So, what exactly is coach Cal saying? Is he saying that Memphis fans weren't crazy enough about our Tiger basketball? Oh, we're crazy. Later in the press conference, Cal revealed the real reason behind his departure:
"I cannot tell you how excited I am to be here, how hard the decision was because of what I left behind, and you have to understand, I left alot behind. But to come here and have an opportunity and add to the wall. Can you imagine? They don't put banners up here for anything else except national champions. That's why you want to coach here. We want to compete every year, and hopefully add to this wall."
John Calipari left because of a wall. Not just any wall, the Joe Craft Center wall, a wall with banners, with colors. Memphis' wall wasn't good enough. Was it the colors, or the shapes, buddy?
One more thing to add/ask. Why hasn't Cal publicly addressed the University of Memphis, or the city, or the crazy but not as crazy as the ones UK has fans? You owe us, Cal. We believed in you, we supported you, and we never questioned you. You brought in players who slapped their girlfriends around, who smacked fans upside the head, and who thought that in some sort of historical revision Goliath could beat David. We didn't care, we loved them, and we loved you. Apparently your ego doesn't care that we're all angry that you've destroyed our program, that you've gutted us so deep. Good luck at Kentucky. We may have just become Pitino's biggest fans.
-DG
11 comments:
Subject
Calipari is suppose to have an interview at 1:30 today from his house. There's a memphis press conference at noon. not sure if he'll be there or not.
regardless, i agree with you. the whole press conf. gave me the feeling he really didn't care about memphis as much as he thought. the fact he skirted around his "i want to coach in memphis" was proof enough.
As for becoming Pitino fans... I'm a Tiger fan living in Louisville. I've pulled for UK (not fanatically) because of the historical UL/MSU rivalry. I'm still a Tiger fan and I'm saying as vociferously as I can... GO CARDS!!!!!!!
Yea, the whole "This is where I want to be" quote just got cannonballed out the window. It's amazing how he can change your mind about something so huge in a matter of days. Maybe after coaching he can follow in the steps of Bill Bradley.
He's a human being, who doesn't want to move up to big and better things. Kentucky is the most storied program in college basketball history. He did great things at Memphis but your program back on the map. But UK is a Fillet and Memphis is a delicious Rib-eye. What does winning conference USA every year mean? No competition, very weak conference besides memphis ever since louisville went to the big east. I know you are fanatic memphis fans but no one besides a memphis fan would question this move.
I actually watched 4 radio hosts from ESPN stations across the country all agree that for what Memphis offered and what he had built, it would have been better to stay at Memphis. Also if you had been told for 9 years that you were just a good of a program as anyone in the country then watch that same person bolt for a "better" program, you may feel a bit lied to as well.
Yes, we are bitter here in Memphis and we have every right to be. I could understand his position, however, after all the words spoken and promises made, his cowardly way of leaving was bullshit! Someone said "memphis owed Cal b/c he built the program", well we don't owe him anything, he may have helped to build a program only to destroy it in a matter of days so to all you KY fans, I don't wish you a bit of good luck & you can look for me in the stands when you play Louisville at home, I will be in my Tiger Blue cheering LOUDLY for the Cardinals and Pitino!!
F_ck John Calipari!
F_ck him for raping our program of all the new recruits and for the other players that are likely to leave.
I hope folks realize that we're likely to be barely able to field a team next year. Sure, I guess we can get a hold of a few crappy 1 and 2 star players and have a glorified high school team. WTF? Can you imagine...we won't even compete in C-USA much less win it. That winning streak of ours will be OVER, game #1.
Calipari committed the cardinal sin of coaching--he's leaving the program in worse shape than he received it. BTW: How's UMASS doing these days, John?
Our only hope is to hire a big-time coach SOON and pay him a rock-solid salary and hope the hell he can keep some of the players we have and perhaps talk a few of the recruits into staying. The new coach wil be key.
Short of that, next season is lost. We'll be lucky to win 15 games and the program will lose money--we have to be honest, Memphis fans will NOT pack the stands like Indiana fans do even when their team sucks.
All the major players have committed for 2009-2010--very few are left to sign in April, so next year is our next legitimate shot, provided we get a Top Tier coach who can recruit or hire assistants who can get it done.
I'm so pissed. If that piece of sh_t Gillespie would have fulfilled his obligations to the Kentucky program (and it was not just about wins/losses), we wouldn't even be having this conversation.
Think about it: The undisputed #1 recruiting class in the nation, probably pre-season #1, and you fill in the rest...a more than legitimate shot at the National Championship. And now?
Lucky to go 15-20.
F_ck John Calipari.
And R.C. Johnson better pull a fucking rabbit out of his hat. Moron.
So you've said, my friend. It's still hard to take.
Just responding to a few comments.
While it is true that Rupp Arena has many banners in the rafters (the picture is true), the 'wall' Calipari was referring too, was the walls inside the Joe Craft Center, Kentucky's practice facility. They only have championship banners on display there.
Secondly, on his 'cowardly' way of leaving Memphis...are you serious. I know you folks are disappointed right now, but how many other coaches, after their introduction to a new job, go back and conduct a press conference in the place he is leaving? Why would he do that if we did not have great feeling for Memphis and the community?
I stand corrected about the Joe Craft Center.
Post a Comment
Throw something down...