John Calipari Bails

TLOML and I were stunned when John Calipari the once beloved coach of the Memphis Tigers accepted a job coaching at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. After the disappointments of the past week ,when the Tigers did not get to the Elite Eight of the NCAA basketball finals, Memphis was confident that the Tigers would go all the way next year. After all we had wonderful players returning, and the top recruits in the country. The country might be in recession, and many of us facing unemployment , or under employment, but we had our Tigers. The Tigers were something that has united the city of Memphis ever since the racial tensions of the 70's. The Tigers were good for Memphis and Memphis was good to their coach. They overlooked inconsistencies between word and deeds, they gulped when Coach Cal let the Tigers lose a nine point lead in the last two minutes of the Final game last year without using his two remaining timeouts. But they supported him.

When the rumors flew that Cal was being courted by Kentucky the boosters scurried to pull together even more money! People held a candle light vigil outside his home. Which is a little scary, but so touching.

After the deed was done Coach John Calipari held a press conference in Memphis where he teared up, and had to excuse himself for a moment to collect himself. COME ON CAL! Crocodile tears. Apparently, he hated to leave Memphis. ( Especially since he believed he could take the team all the way next year with his great recruits) But, he needed a new challenge. And , Ky. is to basketball what Notre Dame is to football. ( He said it not I!)

Memphis is sooo over Calipari. He is dead to us. See how he likes it with those hyper critical Kentucks. The thing is will he take the assistant coaches with him? Will he take the players, and recruits? We pretty well think yes!

Who will want to come to such a decimated program in a minor conference? I don't know. But , my husband is available to school them on free throws. Think back to 1974 when Little Jimmy Liss of Crown Point Indiana won the Arkansas game for the Tigers by making a free throw in the final second. Memphis you need someone like that. I offer you his services!