You have to feel for Josh Pastner.
The guy just gets the Memphis job and within the span of a few weeks he loses one signed player (Darnell Dodson) and two Memphis leans (DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall) to Kentucky coach John Calipari.
Then NCAA allegations surface that while Calipari was head coach at Memphis, major NCAA violations occurred. Derrick Rose is alleged to have had someone else take his SAT and Rose’s brother, Reggie, allegedly rode the team charter without paying.
Yet through it all, Pastner is keeping a stiff upper lip and spreading the word that the penalties likely won’t impact the current team or the future of the program. It seems, though, that the Tigers’ 38-win season and Final Four appearance in 2008 could be vacated.
Pastner says in this interview with MyFoxMemphis that he was informed of the allegations right before they became public. Dan Wolken of the Memphis Commercial Appeal informed Pastner of the allegations while he was reporting the initial story.
Pastner also says Memphis still needs to land “a few more” players for next season, and also focus on landing recruits in the Classes of 2010, 11 and 12.
DiamondbackRuss / May 30, 2009
The Memphis AD is a real weasel if he didn’t tell Pastner about the NCAA allegations before he accepted the job. Yeesh, Pastner was already on the staff as an assistant you could at least disclose the info to him so he could make an informed decision. It may not have changed his mind about the head coaching opportunity but still.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
The more I see and hear this guy the more I realize the Memphis program will continue its recent success …… this story will go away after the June 6 hearing …. typically the NCAA will render a decision in several months ….my guess is the investigation into Rose will prove fruitless unless someone finds the smoking no. 2 pencil ( he he )
/
ronald.burgandy / May 30, 2009
“The guy just gets the Memphis job and within the span of a few weeks he loses one signed player (Darnell Dodson) and two Memphis leans (DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall) to Kentucky coach John Calipari.”
He lost Xavier Henry (signed), CJ Henry (current player), DeMarcus Cousins (verballed to Memphis), Darnell Dodson (signed), Nolan Dennis (Signed), and John Wall (lean).
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Pastner spent a year telling these guys they need to play for Cal ….what’s he supposed to do …tell them he’d been lying to them all that time?
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
True Pasta, the only way to avoid it would to not take the job with the snake in the first place. I don’t think the media made a big enough deal about how unethical (and unprecedented) what Calipari did actually is. In the corporate world he would be sued.
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Remember that Bob Huggins, who basically stole Michael Beasley from his only friend in coaching by hiring DC AAU coach (and former Charlotte assistant) Delonte Hill, even said it was unethical to allow his recruited players at Kansas State to follow him to West Virginia. Huggins wouldn’t exactly be in my Parthenon of ethics either.
/
InfinityDividedByZero / May 30, 2009
Even in an industry known for exploitation and sleaziness, Pastner chose to associate with John Calipari.
He’s making a very comfortable living in a city with a rampant crime, corruption, and bankruptcy problem. It would be a waste of false emotions to pass along sympathy to Pastner…unless one is a writer in need of maintaining a long distance contact.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Pastner was hired basically to bring Negedu into Memphis …but Tennessee got him anyway ……no asst. at Pastner’s level could turn down a job which moves him forward …. and let’s face it …. despite the thread’s obvious bias against Cal …he’s not thought of that way nationally within the coaching community ….so Pastner did the right thing .
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
He is thought of exactly that way nationally, especially after what he pulled leaving Memphis. Recruiting is 80% of the game and he is obviously well respected for making that work (WWW), but don’t kid yourself and think coaches respect his Xs and Os ability.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
I’ve heard Pastner was the money man for Calipari. Seems like a pretty absurd allegation until you realize what Pastner allowed Calipari to take from Memphis. Calipari made sure Pastner squealing would be mutual assured destruction. Cal has plenty of money to retire to, Pastner doesn’t.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
The real question is why the Memphis AD would hire one of Calipari’s cronies after the shape he left them in. I can’t imagine the AD retaining his job after this debacle.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Coaches always cry when one guy beats you …..and when one guy gets all the elite recruits …… look at coach K …obviously a great X’s and O’s guy but he can’t recruit top kids anymore …. so he’s finished …same with Gary what’s his name at Maryland …he’s done ….Cal , Williams , Donovan , these guys are the top 3 ….alot of has been hangers on and never were ‘s dot the landscape .
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
Joining Cal’s staff after what was basically a failed coup on Kevin O’Neil’s watch was a brilliant move for Pastner. Few coaches were going to take a chance on a guy with that sort of scruples.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
You guys really don’t comprehend what’s about to happen in college basketball …….think about it …..John Wall ….Eric Bledsoe ….Jodie Meeks …..Darnell Dodson ( who may start ) Patterson ….. Cousins ….Orton …..this team will roll over the opposition next year ….and Cal will schedule alot of tough non conference games like he always does …..this team will be historic …get your Cusa remarks in before the deadline folks ….. 5 months to go .
/
Lord2FLI / May 30, 2009
I heard that Coach Cal took the test for Rose!
See how stupid making up your own rumors sounds? Please STFU, for the record Pastner was not at the school in any form or fashion when the violations are said to occur.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
Wow, you don’t follow college basketball too much, do you? Any ‘recruiting list’ that includes Donovan but doesn’t include Howland, Self, Matta, Floyd, and Jay Wright is just ignorant. K is still recruiting FAR better than Donovan.
For my money the recruiters are, in order: Self, Roy, Matta, Cal, Floyd, Howland, K, Wright. Bill Self gets the edge over Roy Williams because Roy wasn’t the recruiter he was today when he was at Kansas- Hard to seperate UNC and the coach as far as what’s drawing recruits. Cal’s inability to develop the talent he gets may weigh him down in my mind more than he should be on this list. I’d have to look up the recruiting #s to reorder these guys more objectively but that’s how it feels just by following it through the media.
I could see arguments about the order of the top 5 probably, but I’d have to go through a lot more names before I added Donovan.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
Glad you’re excited, kid. Do some research on college basketball history and you’ll see that other teams with similar incoming classes fizzled. Maybe yours will be the exception though (Syracuse was the last exception). Good luck.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
The Tyreke Evans violations or the Derrick Rose violations?
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Chris …. my top 3 wasn’t related to just recruiting …the overall package …. Cal , Williams , and Donovan …top 3 …end of discussion ….. ramble on …I’m going to go hit balls
/
InfinityDividedByZero / May 30, 2009
-Krzyzewski is “finished.” He’s returning a top ten team and is poised to have his strongest recruiting class in years in 2010.
-Donovan has been to consecutive NITs and just lost his top two players in Calathes and Tyrus because they couldn’t stand him.
-Calipari is a national joke. He’s on pace to become the first head coach to have led two universities to vacatements of their Final Fours.
The Italian-American joining the desperate legions of Kentucky supporters was simply liking tossing oil on a fire. They wanted to remind people of all of the great days of Eddie Sutton and his payoffs.
/
ChrisMullin / May 30, 2009
Cal #1 in overall package? That’s nothing short of laughable. My AAU coach was a far better in-game coach. We enjoyed watching Memphis games over the last few years simply to figure out how Cal was going to screw up his talent advantage THIS time. Seriously, a guy with 1 final four (apparently soon to be forfeited) over guys with championships, multiple final fours, etc? I mean, it’s great that you like your guy but remember he was Kentuckys 3rd or 4th choice for a reason.
/
Lord2FLI / May 30, 2009
Did Pastner sleep with Tyreke’s mom? What violations are you speaking of?
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Don’t you mean “end of discussion… dribble on”?
Cal as a top 3 coach. Ha, he wasn’t even a top 3 choice at Kentucky!
/
Lord2FLI / May 30, 2009
Say what you will about Cal, there’s no denying he’s the top paid coach in college basketball.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
139 and 13 ….. yeah …. a real X’s and O guy would have probably gone 147 and 5 ROFL……..the last 4 years …greatest 4 year run in history …. and its going to get better ….. and all the whining you guys can muster won’t stop Cal and Ky. ….you may as well step out in front of a freight train …… Michael ….we’re bigger than U.S, Steel …..now have some cake …enjoy ….enjoy .
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
True, but there’s also no denying that Carolina, Kansas, UCLA and Indiana wouldn’t come anywhere near him when they were looking for coaches. Kentucky was desperate and got turned down multiple times before hiring a guy that is a worse coach than Gillispie (though a better recruiter). Probably won’t end well…
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Dribble on my friend, dribble on.
/
terps85 / May 30, 2009
Memphis and Kentucky fans need something to hold their hats on. Since either school is ranked in the top 50 Public National Universities. So, they have to cheat in order to be nationally ranked at something. This is the case to make up for the shortcomming of their Universities..
/
blueberry / May 30, 2009
terp i see you like to run your mouth like your guard Vasquez did before the Memphis game in the tournament. I feel another beat down coming. Memphis didn’t cheat – D Rose may have cheated – don’t know yet.
/
DiamondbackRuss / May 30, 2009
I dunno, UCLA going 117-3 from 1970-73 with four national championships seems like a better four year run that the four Memphis/Calipari years you reference.
/
DiamondbackRuss / May 30, 2009
there’s also the charter flight and hotel stay allegations and whatever the women’s golf team did. The AD at Memphis doesn’t seem to have his department too buttoned up.
/
jhawk4 / May 30, 2009
its hard for me to say that memphis 4 year run was the greatest in history when they made 1 final four and 0 national championships. they won a million regular season games but as big ben pointed out the other day, 16 of those against the top 40…
/
terps85 / May 30, 2009
Last time i checked, Derrick Rose play for who in college?? Yes, we did knocked out the tourney by Memphis. Yes, Vasquez did run his mouth, but if he does return his senior season, he will obtain a degree from one of the top public Universities in the Nation. I’ll take that over any tainted victory. This is what is achieved through hard work, perserverance, and honesty. This is the example of a true student athlete. I can rest tonight knowing my program is not in turmoil. Can You? Yes, you might have won that game, but you’re in a battle you might loose. And you can hang your hat on that! Go Terps!
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Well that and Memphis only beat 16 tournament-type teams.
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Surely Kentucky is one of the top 50 PUBLIC universities. I mean, it’s not Princeton or anything but top 50 PUBLIC, I gotta believe it’s in that group.
/
blueberry / May 30, 2009
Your memory from that top university is not too strong. Didn’t Maryland just get in hot water regarding possible recruiting violations with Lance Stephenson? Looks like Gary might be feeling the pressure and recruiting in the gray area doesn’t it. Or did you already forget that? No the Memphis program is not in turmoil because the made an excellent choice for their new coach Josh Pastner. And I can hang my hat on that.
/
terps85 / May 30, 2009
Sorry Big Ben. The ACC is not only the best basketball conference..
Top Public National Universities*
Rank
INSTITUTION STATE
Overall US News Ranking Tuition and Fees (in-state/out of state
1 University of California–Berkeley California 21 $5,754/ $22,710
2 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Michigan 22 $8,868 / $26,854
3 University of Virginia Virginia 22 $6,600 / $22,700
4 Univ. of California–Los Angeles California 25 $6,585 / $23,541
5 U. of North Carolina–Chapel Hill North Caroline 29 $3,205 / $16,303
6 College of William and Mary (VA) Virginia 31 $7,096 /$21,796
7 Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison Wisconsin 32 $5,860 / $19,860
8 Univ. of California–San Diego California 35 $6,851 / $23,807
9 U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign Illinois 37 $7,476 / $19,504
10 Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia 41 $4,278 / $17,558
11 University of California–Davis California 42 $6,351/ $23,307
12 University of California–Irvine California 43 $6,895 / $23,851
13 Univ. of California–Santa Barbara California 45 $6,137 / $23,093
14 University of Texas–Austin Texas 46 $5,735 / $14,435
15 University of Washington Washington 46 $5,380 / $18,010
16 Pennsylvania State U.–University Park Pennsylvania 50 $10,408 / $20,336
17 University of Florida Florida 50 $2,780 / $13,283
18 Univ. of Maryland–College Park Maryland 56 $7,410 / $18,710
19 Rutgers–New Brunswick (NJ) New Jersey 58 $8,564 / $15,599
20 University of Georgia Georgia 58 $4,272 / $15,588
21 University of Iowa Iowa 58 $5,396 / $16,048
22 Miami University–Oxford (OH) Ohio 62 $19,642 / $19,662
23 Ohio State University–Columbus Ohio 62 $7,446 / $18,033
24 Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN) Indiana 62 $6,092 / $18,700
25 Texas A&M Univ.–College Station Texas 62 $5,964 / $13,704
26 University of Connecticut Connecticut 66 $7,308 / $19,036
27 University of Delaware Delaware 66 $6,954 / $16,640
28 Univ. of Minnesota–Twin Cities Minnesota 66 $8,029 / $19,659
29 University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 66 $9,830 / $19,700
30 Indiana University–Bloomington Indiana 71 $6,777 / $18,590
31 Michigan State University Michigan 71 $7,396/ $18,192
32 Clemson University (SC) South Carolina 74 $8,012 / $15,610
33 SUNY–Binghamton New York 74 $5,756 / $11,706
34 Univ. of California–Santa Cruz California 74 $6,660 / $23,613
35 University of Colorado–Boulder Colorado 74 $4,341 instate, $21,453
36 Virginia Tech Virginia 74 $5,838 / $16,531
37 Univ. of California–Riverside California 81 $5,931 / $24,095
38 Iowa State University Iowa 84 $5,426 / $15,128
39 North Carolina State U.–Raleigh North Carolina 86 $4,294 / $16,192
40 University of Alabama Alabama 86 $4,630 / $12,664
41 Univ. of Missouri–Columbia Missouri 86 $7,100 / $16,547
42 Auburn University (AL) Alabama 90 $4,828 / $14,048
43 University of Kansas Kansas 90 $4,737 / $12,691
44 University of Tennessee Tennessee 90 $4,748 / $14,528
45 University of Vermont Vermont 90 $10,226 / $23,866
46 Ohio University Ohio 98 $7,404 / $15,396
47 SUNY College Environmental Science and Forestry New York 98 $4,991 / $10,941
48 University of Arizona Arizona 98 $4,098 / $13,078
49 Univ. of Massachusetts–Amherst Massachusetts 98 $9,008 / $17,861
50 Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska 98 $5,340 / $13,830
51 University of New Hampshire New Hampshire 98 $9,226 / $20,256
52 SUNY–Stony Brook New York 106 $5,336 / $11,286
53 University of Missouri–Rolla Missouri 106 $7,299 / $16,746
54 Florida State University Florida 111 $3,038 / $15,544
55 University of Utah Utah 111 $4,000 / $12,410
56 Colorado State University Colorado 117 $3,790 / $14,377
57 University of Oregon Oregon 117 $5,484 / $16,914
58 Univ. of South Carolina–Columbia South Carolina 117 $6,356 / $16,724
59 Michigan Technological University Michigan 120 $7,610 / $18,782
60 University at Buffalo–SUNY New York 120 $5,861 / $11,811
* Ranking from US News and World 2005
.
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Memphis rolled over Migh.St…..Texas…Ucla …all blowouts ….name one team in history that had a Tom Izzo team down by 30 at the half ….LOL ….Playing in a weak conference they did what they could only do …win every frigging game ….. Maryland is living in the past ….our players were laughing at Vasquez before the game ….in private they were making fun of Maryland …they knew what was coming
/
pastaboy / May 30, 2009
Graduation rate …the last argument of sports programs in trouble ……who frigging cares?
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
Kind of old, but if still true that’s pretty sorry for both Kentucky schools… Guess the stereotypes aren’t so far off after all huh?
/
terps85 / May 30, 2009
Hey pastasboy..like i said before, you won that game..but who is laughing now..Oh, one last thing. Yes Memphis has tons of great victories, but you just can’t win the big one..Tons of wins, no National Championships. Come talk to me when you win the big one!
/
Big Ben / May 30, 2009
I know you’re trying to be nice, but Cal really doesn’t have tons of great victories. Only 16 decent ones in fact.
/
terps85 / May 30, 2009
I stand corrected Big Ben..Kentucky has made the cut..You’ll never see Memphis ranked academically..Maybe thats the reason for a ranked baskeball program.
Best Colleges 2009
Home > Education > Best Colleges Best Colleges: Top Public Schools: National Universities
University of California–Berkeley Berkeley, CA Rank 1
University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA Rank 2
University of California–Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Rank 3
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Rank 4
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Rank 5
College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA Rank 6
University of California–San Diego La Jolla, CA Rank 7
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA Rank 7
University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, WI Rank 7
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL Rank 10
University of Washington Seattle, WA Rank 11
University of California–Davis Davis, CA Rank 12
University of California–Irvine Irvine, CA Rank 12
University of California–Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Rank 12
University of Texas–Austin Austin, TX Rank 15
Pennsylvania State University–University Park University Park, PA Rank 15
University of Florida Gainesville, FL Rank 17
University of Maryland–College Park College Park, MD Rank 18
Ohio State University–Columbus Columbus, OH Rank 19
University of Georgia Athens, GA Rank 20
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA Rank 20
Clemson University Clemson, SC Rank 22
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Rank 22
Texas A&M University–College Station College Station, TX Rank 24
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick Piscataway, NJ Rank 24
Purdue University–West Lafayette West Lafayette, IN Rank 26
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Rank 26
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Rank 26
Miami University–Oxford Oxford, OH Rank 26
University of Delaware Newark, DE Rank 30
Indiana University–Bloomington Bloomington, IN Rank 30
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Rank 30
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA Rank 30
University of Colorado–Boulder Boulder, CO Rank 34
SUNY–Binghamton Binghamton, NY Rank 34
Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO Rank 36
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Rank 37
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, NY Rank 37
North Carolina State University–Raleigh Raleigh, NC Rank 37
University of California–Riverside Riverside, CA Rank 40
Iowa State University Ames, IA Rank 40
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Rank 40
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, NE Rank 40
University of Vermont Burlington, VT Rank 40
Auburn University Auburn University, AL Rank 45
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Rank 45
University of California–Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Rank 45
University of Missouri–Columbia Columbia, MO Rank 45
SUNY–Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY Rank 45
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Rank 50
University of Massachusetts–Amherst Amherst, MA Rank 50
University of Oklahoma Norman, OK Rank 52
University of Oregon Eugene, OR Rank 52
University of South Carolina–Columbia Columbia, SC Rank 52
University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN Rank 52
University of New Hampshire Durham, NH Rank 56
University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Rank 57
Ohio University Athens, OH Rank 57
Washington State University Pullman, WA Rank 57
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ Rank 60
Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Rank 60
University at Buffalo–SUNY Buffalo, NY Rank 60
University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR Rank 63
Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO Rank 63
New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ Rank 65
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Rank 65
Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Rank 67
Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA Rank 67
Gain Access to the Premium Online Edition.
Buy Now!
Log in Learn More
/
mpd1690 / May 31, 2009
Who cares? If you are applying to a public university then great and I am glad you found this information, but this is a website were basketball is discussed, not academic ranks of a colleges. I do not believe that being in the top 40 in academics has any effect on being in the top 40 in basketball. I am a fan of a basketball team; I am not a fan of their academics. Not many people wear team colors and cheer loud for their top notch professors as they walk out of their class.
/
blueberry / May 31, 2009
This is a normal action of a fan of a team that is not doing well. Like a little kid they will tell you what they are better at even though it does not involve the current discussion. Although he threw mud at Memphis for its current problem he had no response when I brought up the fact Maryland was involved in current recruiting violations. This is when he began to really push the academic side of things. And by the way my take on public universities is that they are just about the same. One may have a better business school and another a better law school etc. Its like when you were young you told people you made a B+ instead of a B what the hell is the difference. If you want to boast about academics it better be a private instutution – vanderbilt, duke etc. Take your argument to an academic forum and see how far you get Terp. This is a sports forum and I’m still waiting on that response regarding the recruiting violations at Maryland. Hang your hat on that.
/
Tiger4life / May 31, 2009
Jack Murphy, film scout and a very talented conditioner for the Denver Nuggets has just been added to the Memphis staff. Also Memphis will have a 3 day visit from a french player by the name of Martin Ngaloro 6″9 210 22 ppg 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
From the way Ngaloro is talking it’s a done deal as far as playing for the tigers this coming up season. Things in Memphis aren’t as bad as the media make them out to be. Jack Murphy will attract more players and with The addition of Coleman, Williams, and Ngaloro, the tigers are looking really strong next season.
/
terps85 / May 31, 2009
If i’m not mistaken, this all has to do with the allegations swirling around Memphis and Kentucky. You have to be stupid to think that Cal didn’t know about Rose cheating on the SAT, and whatever perk his brother recieved. Its in his character! Why would he leave Memphis suddenly, especially when you had a record season (no national championship though), and that recruiting class comming in? Sure, Cal told Kentucky of the inpending allegations. Kentucky was so hard-up for a coach, so they were willing to sell their soul to the devil, and Cal knew he could hide in the bluegrass. Everyone knew about this since Jan., and it’s just comming to light. Even worse, you didn’t inform the recruits, their parent, or Josh. It was business as usual. I knew it was more the the dribble drive offense that was so appealing. If im a 5 star recruit with no grades, why not go to Memphis or Kentucky. It winning at any price. Still, half of Kentucky’s recuriting class isn’t cleared though the clearinghouse. Hopefully, the womens golf team won’t recieve the death penalty. Now to answer you questions about Maryland’s recruiting violations, THERE ARE NONE! Under Armor, is a Maryland based company that was founded by a former Maryland football player Kevin Plank. On Lance’s visit, he toured the plant. Under armor wanted to build a relationship if he reached the NBA. Since Kevin Plank was on the school’s Board of Trustee’s, the NCAA considers him a representative of the institution with athletic interest commonly know as a booster. However, there were no gifts and no sanctions. Next time you put on your UA gear, just think about the Terp!
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Gary Williamson is one of the most over-rated coaches in history
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
Says the guy that names Calipari one of the best 3 coaches in the game despite him never winning anything worth noting. Classic.
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
Well you’re still right that they’re not top 50. Looks like the list is just longer (and some of the top 50 moved around).
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Actually Calipari at this time is the best coach in the game …not merely one of the top 3 ….. best record …best recruiter …. its difficult to take a mid major team all the way due to BCS bias ….now that he’s joined the BCS brotherhood …. he’ll probably 2 or 3 NC’s at KY.
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Naismith College Coach of the Year (1996, 2008)
NABC Coach of the Year (1996, 2009)
Basketball Times Coach of the Year (1996)
Sports Illustrated Coach of the Year (2009)
A-10 Coach of the Year (1993, 1994, 1996)
C-USA Coach of the Year (2006, 2008, 2009)
John Phelan National Coach of the Year (2009
/
DiamondbackRuss / May 31, 2009
Who is Gary Williamson?
/
DiamondbackRuss / May 31, 2009
And to be clear, the trip to the UA plant wasn’t part of Lance’s visit to the University of Maryland. Lance and his dad went to the plant before they even set foot on the Maryland campus.
/
terps85 / May 31, 2009
That’s all well and good. His trophy case is empty because has has no National Championships. However, his trash can is full because thats where both of his final 4 banner have been deposited. Come check out the trophy case at the Comcast Center.
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
Simply pathetic accomplishments for the ‘best coach in the game’.
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
I’m not sure who the best coach in the game is, but it’s certainly not Cal. Here’s one candidate to compare (stats based on your ‘last 4 years’ criteria’):
Coach A
122-24 Overall (.836)
54-10 in Big 12 (.844)
28 Ws vs top 40
4 Big 12 Championships
1 Final Four
1 National Championship
.786 Win% in NCAA Tournament
10 Top 25 Recruits signed in last 4 classes
Coach B
137-14 Overall (.907)
61-1 in Conf USA (.984)
16 Ws vs top 40
4 CUSA Championships
1 Final Four
0 National Championships
.765 Win % in NCAA Tournament
5 Top 25 Recruits signed in last 4 classes
Sorry, but I think most people (including the Kentucky administration) would be taking Coach A all day long.
/
Michael / May 31, 2009
Why is pastaboy defending Calipari anyway? Seems odd to me. Hey pastaboy, there are a lot of programs and coaches out there with no titles- why is yours so special?
I hope Lance goes to Maryland and I am a UofA grad. I have always liked Williams a great deal and respect his program. I don’t think Arizona is very interested and probably vice versa. Much more interested in Famous.
Cal top three in the game? I guess you mean in terms of corrupt coaches.
/
Michael / May 31, 2009
Boy, are you a UK fan or a Memphis fan? Why are you bragging about UK?
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Lets see Ben …coach B has 1. a better overall record 2.better conference record 3.a better record in the Ncaa. 4. same # of conference championships 5. same number of trips to the final 4 ………. and evidently according to your recruiting stats coach B did this with less talent …….. it would appear coach A has a 30 foot prayer that went in at the buzzer …..LOL ….next
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
OK, let’s slow down for Bubba here.
Coach A has far more wins against tournament-bound teams, a better record in the tournament, 4 conference titles in a legitimate conference, and is a considerably better recruiter. His final four is also not likely to be vacated any time soon.
I’m not even saying Coach A is the best in the nation, just that he’s light years ahead of Coach B and you can’t expect Coach B to reproduce his stats when he plays teams outside of the Sisters of the Blind.
To illustrate, let’s get rid of the ‘gimmes’ and compare records against the top 25 and top 100 teams.
Coach B has 78 wins in the past 4 years against teams ranked below 100. Coach A has 49 wins in the past 4 years against teams ranked below 100.
So again:
Coach A:
28 wins vs top 25
73 wins vs top 100
Coach B:
16 wins vs top 25
59 wins vs top 100
Coach A also has a ring of course, in one of the best displays of outcoaching ever witnessed in the NCAA tournament. That is obviously the trump card for anyone who doesn’t want to dig deeper, though there was plenty of evidence that Coach A was superior before.
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
Another coach that is clearly superior to Calipari
Coach A
122-24 Overall (.836)
54-10 in Big 12 (.844)
28 wins vs top 40
73 wins vs top 100
4 Big 12 Championships
1 Final Four
1 National Championship
.786 Win% in NCAA Tournament
10 Top 25 Recruits signed (3 in 2009)
Coach B
137-14 Overall (.907)
61-1 in Conf USA (.984)
16 wins vs top 40
59 wins vs top 100
4 CUSA Championships
1 Final Four
0 National Championships
.765 Win % in NCAA Tournament
5 Top 25 Recruits signed in last 4 classes (3 in 2009)
Coach C
124-22 overall
50-14 in the ACC
25 Ws vs top 40
84 Ws vs top 100
.824 in the NCAA Tournament
2 Final Fours
1 National Championship
9 Top 25 Recruits (3 in 2009)
/
ChrisMullin / May 31, 2009
Sweet jeez make it end.
There are at least 20 coaches with more accomplishments and better reputations than Calipari. None of them wanted anything to do with Kentucky. Kentucky had a choice to go with Calipari, an established but obviously flawed candidate, or a candidate with much less of a name that would be a bit of a gamble to the fan base. They went with the ‘safer’ of the two choices.
The real safe choice was probably to give Gillispie another year or two and see if one of the up-and-coming coaches proved themselves ready, but the knee-jerk in Lexington stroke again and there they are, pretending to forget the countless times Calipari has been simply outcoached on the national stage (hard to forget the one that occurred just 2 months ago or on the biggest stage a little over a year ago, but they have). Great recruiter, sub-standard coach.
BB- you’re going to be here a while if you want to list every coach with better credentials than Calipari and let’s be honest, pastaman is never going to admit he’s wrong. He’s a fan, short for fanatic, so reason doesn’t have much place in his mind.
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Anyone can step into a Kansas , N.Car , type program and do well ……to have a better record at a mid major school indicates better coaching …the Memphis team of 07/08 was probably the best team in the history of college basketball …at least in the top 5 …..Self could never do that with a program like Memphis ….. my cat could coach Kansas .
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
Big Blue is back ….with the top coach in the game …… must suck to be a hater trying to tear down the best coach in basketball
/
ChrisMullin / May 31, 2009
Perhaps Calipari could replicate his Memphis success at Carolina or Kansas (Doubtful but anything is possible). Of course we’ll never know because neither of those programs would go within 15 miles of him. When Roy Williams left Kansas they didn’t even consider Calipari, despite the fact that he’s from there. That tells you something…
Also, Self was 32-5 once he got his players into Tulsa (and made the Elite 8, which is as far as Calipari has been once you eliminate the Rose debacle). Roy has never replicated that at a smaller school, but hasn’t had to.
Ask anyone but a Kentucky fan and you’ll never get one of them claiming Calipari is in the same league as K, Self, Williams, Howland, Gary Williams, etc.
Anyway, I suppose I should heed my own advice. Good luck pasta, I’m glad you’re happy with your coach and I hope he doesn’t disappoint you both on and off the court like everyone thinks he will. Prove those haters wrong brotha!
/
ChrisMullin / May 31, 2009
“to have a better record at a mid major school indicates better coaching”
Hmm, I think the facts were clearly shown that his better record was a product of far worse competition…
/
pastaboy / May 31, 2009
“far worse competition ” ……………oh you mean like Mich. St ? ( down 30 at the half ) ……Ben Howland ? ( loses by 18 ) …………LOL ….Cal beats the big boys and thats what drives everyone nuts …..his mid major all stars were the most exciting team in college basketball …the BCS blue bloods were getting tired of him crashing the party …so they allowed Missouri to play rugby and take him out …..Cal saw the handwriting and got himself invited to the party …… at Ky. …with the talent just the program can bring in and with Cal’s recruiting he’s going to dominate college basketball for the next 10 years …..
/
Michael / May 31, 2009
Pastaboy, what little credibility you had was surely squandered when you called the 2007-2008 Memphis team the best ever.
NEWSFLASH: Calipari is gone, Pastner is your coach. How about tooting your current coach’s horn as opposed to your past coach?!
Best team ever…seriously that was really funny. Thanks.
/
Big Ben / May 31, 2009
Impressive, Jim Larranaga also beat a few teams better than his team. That doesn’t mean he’s one of the best coaches in the game.
/
OldTerp / May 31, 2009
Gents ..
This is great stuff … not only do you all throw some great trash talk but you all are pretty good with your arguments. I noticed that USC.Trojan didn’t offer his insights – must be why I enjoyed this chain.
Oh – about Gary Williams being the most overrated coach in History: Surely you can come up with somebody else.
Gary’s a good coach – Maryland fans like him and I know other college coaches respect him. He doesn’t pull the 4/5-star recruits very often, but he does run a good program.
/
Big Ben / June 1, 2009
More from the Kentucky debacle this morning:
http://www.kentucky.com/827/story/811108.html
/
pastaboy / June 1, 2009
There is no Ky. debacle . Unless yoou consider the top recruiting class and pre-season #1 ranking a debacle. The open letter on your link loses credibility in the 1st paragraph when the writer refers to “major allegations against the basketball program ” . We now know that’s not true and the major allegations are against the women’s golf team …nice try …..
/
Big Ben / June 1, 2009
Shockingly, you’re wrong again. The basketball fraud is considered “major” by the NCAA.
It is quite shocking how quickly Kentucky fans are realizing their mistake.
/
bball purist / June 1, 2009
Kentucky has many national championships to its credit, but its history is also rich in bigotry and payoffs going back to before most of us were born. The thread has not even touched on the many dirty ways to run a program.
Facts on UK basketball’s criminal traditions:
1) The warning signs of gambling were there in the mid-40’s, particularly in the New York area. The Illustrated History of Basketball mentioned that “Out in Kansas, Phog Allen warned of additional skullduggery at the Garden, and he even sent Ned Irish (the Madison Square Garden promoter) the name of a player he felt was doing business with gamblers. But he was ignored.” 1
Allegations of point-shaving and game-dumping came to light when a Manhatten player, Junious Kellogg, reported having been contacted by gamblers and the New York District Attorney’s office was called in to investigate. While the investigation started with those associated with and around Madison Square Garden, the investigation eventually spread to Kentucky, where it was proven that former players, All-Americans Alex Groza and Ralph Beard, had been given money to shave points in the 1948-49 season. Originally the players agreed, for $100 each, to beat their upcoming opponent by more than the point spread. They beat the spread and the dye was cast.
“Those guys were smooth talkers. They should have been salesmen. They took us out for a stroll, treated us to a meal, and before we knew anything, we were right in the middle of it. They said we didn’t have to dump the game. They said nobody would get hurt except other gamblers. They said everybody was doing it. And they asked what was wrong with winning a game by as many points as we could. We just didn’t think.” 2
After successfully doing it again, they then agreed to play under the point spread. They won that game, under the spread, and entered the NIT Tournament 29-1. The heavily-favored Wildcats then took a dive, losing to Loyola of Chicago, the lowest seeded team. Rupp was devastated after the loss. “I don’t know….Lordy. but I think there’s something wrong with this team.” The players were paid $1500 for their work. The team then went on to the NCAA Tournament where they beat the Oklahoma Aggies for Kentucky’s second national title.
The scandal publicly broke early in 1951, when the New York District Attorney’s office indicted CCNY and several other New York colleges for fixing games. Kentucky’s involvement in the point-shaving mess was still to be uncovered when the #1 ranked Wildcats arrived in Minneapolis in search of their third NCAA championship in four years. There they met No.4 Kansas State, champion of the Big Seven. Led by 7-foot junior All-America Bill Spivey and sophomore Cliff Hagan, the Kentucky Cats won, 68-58, and coach Rupp had his third title.
In response to media questions during the tourney, UK coach Adolph Rupp boasted “The gamblers couldn’t touch my boys with a 10-foot pole.” The victory celebration didn’t last long, however. Shortly after winning the title, the scandal overtook the Cats. Obviously some gambler had found an eleven-foot pole, as five Kentucky players, over three season, were implicated. An Assistant DA said that practically every game Kentucky played in the 1951 season involved gambling. Groza and Beard, stars of the 1948 U.S. Olympic basketball team and now professionals, were thrown out of the NBA. Spivey fought the charges, but never played another game in college, was banned from the NBA, and his dreams of a rich pro career ended.
Source – hoopzone.net
It went on and on up until this current time – they should have never gotten rid of Tubby – big mistake
/
Big Ben / June 1, 2009
Anyone that isn’t following the Calipari women completely losing it trying to defend pops on this needs to check it out. When the women-folk start to flip out, it’s a pretty good sign that the armor’s starting to crack. Could Kentucky be looking for ways to cancel his contract on a morals clause?
http://deadspin.com/5272807/the-caliparis-continue-to-use-social-networking-tools-to-bash-pat-forde?skyline=true&s=x
/
bball purist / June 1, 2009
“Kentucky’s basketball history is as much about NCAA investigations and allegations of payoffs and being shut down for an entire season for point shaving as it is about winning championships.”
—> A March to Madness, by John Feinstein, Little Brown and Company, 1998, pg. 420.
I made an error on the credited website: hoopszone.net
/
Big Ben / June 1, 2009
Cue Kentucky fans talking trash on Feinstein now just like they do on all the reporters (even hometown ones) that dare to question the decisions they’ve made that started the Kentucky Debacle of 2009.
/
bball purist / June 1, 2009
Your clock strikes right on BigBen.
Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
They never learn – very ironic since they’re supposedly an institution of “higher learning.” Maybe an institution of higher level underhanded schemes.
/
pastaboy / June 1, 2009
This has really turned into a Calipari and Ky. bashing blog …must suck to be a hater
/
bball purist / June 1, 2009
No Calipari bashing – John is the best thing to happen to the corruption happening with UK basketball for the past 60 years. He will be cleaner than Rupp, Sutton (who was thrown under the UK bus), etc. and anyone else involved with UK’s corrupt boosters and fans.
So it’s just UK bashing and all their BTDs – Booster Transmitted Diseases
/