Geoff Calkins seems to suggest today that if John Calipari bails on the U of M for North Carolina State, it's RC Johnson's fault for lowballing him on a raise. Maybe.
Then again, maybe this is just a ploy to ENSURE that he gets what he wants, and that he really has no intention of going to NCSU. Maybe.
Let's look at this realistically. On the one hand, the Tigers are losing Rodney Carney and Waki Williams to graduation, while Darius Washington Jr is considering leaving early for the NBA, and Shawne Williams has all but announced his departure. Next year won't be the great year a lot of UM fans think it will, and he might want to get out of town while the getting's good.
On the other hand, does he want to leave a situation where he is going to dominate an entire conference (not to mention the city of Memphis) for a situation where he will have two DYNASTIES in Duke and UNC within 20 MILES of the campus? Think Best Damn Sports Show will want you when you're fighting for the 7th seed in the ACC Tournament, John?
I just don't believe this man's ego can take being THIRD banana in a market smaller than Memphis. Nothing against NCSU, but they haven't been a real power since Norm Sloan deserted them for Florida, the fluke national championship in 1983 notwithstanding.
I could be as wrong as wrong gets, but I suspect RC Johnson, Harold Byrd and company will give him a package that keeps him here.
2 comments:
I'm not a big fan of Calipari. I never thought he was a great coach but rather a great recruiter. I'm orginally from North Carolina and I'm a big fan of UNC, mostly because I though Dean Smith was a decent human being and fine Democrat as opposed to that asshole, right wing, Boby Knight disciple Coach K at elitist Duke. When I was a kid I got to meet Jim Valvano after he won the NCAA Championship and last year I got to meet Roy Williams. I'm not sure NCSU will be much stronger a program than it is now if Calipari goes there. Didn't Calipari sign an extension through 2009? Perhaps, people should fulfill their contracts. If Calipari tries to bolt, sue his ass and make him stay. F him. He was working in the front office of Sixer's before he came here and resurrected his coaching career.
I've partied with this guy around, and I'm here to tell you, the attention he was getting from the women ought to be enough to cinch the deal. I was sitting at a table across from his perch at the bar, and the girls were practically fighting over who could dance in the spot right in front of him. And that was after a loss.
I happen to know for a fact that at least one of the girls giving him a free sideshow was from Ole Miss. Forget the BBQ, I'd set an Ole Miss girl against an NC State girl any day of the week. Calipari ain't going anywhere, this is just a money manouver.
I share polar donkey's reservations about Calipari, but unlike politics, I have absolutely zero idealism when it comes to sports. Calipari may have resurrected his careeer here, but he also resurrected this program, and RC Johnson, if he's smart, is going to do whatever Calipari says he should.
Johnson is just playing it safe, and the lowball offer is a car salesman's attempt at a barter. Calipari is treating it like the insult that it is.
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