I don't find it all that shocking..
by dwjm3 (2024-04-08 00:25:55)

In reply to: Some very interesting smoke on Calipari to Arkansas  posted by mocopdx

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He is basically engineering an exit before getting fired. He was definitely going to be on the hotseat at Kentucky this coming season. We have seen coaches do it before.

Except
by mocopdx  (2024-04-08 00:36:45)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

He reportedly fought for his job at Kentucky just a couple weeks ago. An odd turn of events.
It doesn't seem all that strange.
by John@Indy  (2024-04-08 08:56:19)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

The Arkansas job wasn't on the table when he fought for his job a couple of weeks ago. Arkansas isn't UK, but it's probably the second-best basketball job in the richest conference. It's one of the few SEC schools where fans and alumni view basketball as more than a diversion until spring football practice.

Also, Cal has a won a national championship so he doesn't really have any more boxes to check. I can see the appeal of a fresh start. That's not to say it will work for either the coach or the school.

Yeah these guys aren't complicated. They want their job
by Carlos Huerta  (2024-04-08 09:38:23)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

until they can get a job they want more. Calipari knew there was a chance next season could be very unpleasant for him at Kentucky so he found a place to start fresh that apparently was willing to make a very big financial commitment to trying to win. Him pushing to keep the Kentucky job a few weeks ago didn't mean he was content there, he just wanted to keep that option.

I think the school not wanting to pay him $33 million
by ndzippy  (2024-04-08 11:28:57)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

for firing him also played a role in the announcement that he'd be back.

You have to believe UK is THRILLED with this outcome, as it saves them a ton of money and will bring the boosters that were turned off by Coach Cal back to the table.

Yeah it seems from what people were saying there was very
by Carlos Huerta  (2024-04-08 12:55:16)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

little chance Kentucky would have planned to bring him back if not for the large money owed. I'll be interested to see how far (if at all) Kentucky has to go down their wish list before getting someone to say yes. I'd be very surprised if Hurley or Jay Wright would take the job. I don't know if guys like Few or Drew or Oats would make the move. After that I'm not sure what the pecking order would be. Donovan, Pearl, Pitino, Otzenberger, Lloyd, Underwood- basically anyone with some accomplishments could possibly be in play.