NCAA Basketball Tournament

FanHouse Talks to Coach John Wooden

Will Brinson — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big Ten, Tourney Coaches, Tourney Fans

John Wooden is, without question, one of the greatest college basketball coaches to ever set foot on the hardwood. A (seriously) spry 96 years old, Coach Wooden was kind of enough to take some time out of his Championship Monday to speak with FanHouse. From his upcoming Gatorade commercial (it debuts tonight, you can get a sneak preview of it here), to how he feels about the money and attention that college coaches receive, to who he has pegged to win Monday night's big game, Coach Wooden had plenty to say. Hit the jump to read the full interview.

Will Brinson: Good afternoon, Coach Wooden, this is Will Brinson, with FanHouse.com, how are you today?
Coach John Wooden: Fine, Will, good to talk to you.

WB: Well, Coach, first of all, I just wanted to ask about the inspiration behind the poem in your new commercial, "The Little Chap That Follows Me," and the background behind it.
JW: It was given to me when my son was born, and I liked it so much that I had it framed immediately and it's been on the wall where I will see it whenever I'm home every day since then. I just like the thought that is expressed. [Coach Wooden recites the entire poem by heart at his point.] But it represents, I think, what a parent should be thinking about as far as their children are concerned, and it made quite an impression on me.

WB: I know that Gatorade is trying to pinpoint - with the new commercial - kind of a one moment, a "G Moment," do you think that sums up your "G Moment" pretty well?
JW: Yes, I think it does, very much so. And certainly, that's extremely important.

WB: I was curious to know, Coach, what college coaches in the game today do you admire - there are a lot of good ones including Tom Izzo and Roy Williams in the championship game tonight ...
JW: This may surprise you, but this is the first year that I can remember - usually when the brackets are chosen I go all the way through and pick a winner. This year, I said, "I'm only going to pick a winner." And I picked North Carolina, and, now they certainly have a chance to do that. I like Roy Williams very much. I've known him when he coached other places, I've talked with him often. I like his approach to the game, I like the way he works with his players and he's the type of person I think we need working with our young people.

WB: Excellent. Does anyone strike you the same way as Coach Williams does?
JW: I've been very impressed with Michigan State, particularly their half-court play. They're well-disciplined, fundamentally sound and certainly they're a very tough team. You can't take them for granted. I still would go with North Carolina against them because I think they have a little better overall balance and outside shooting.

WB: Sure thing. How about in terms of when you were coaching: who are the best player and coach you ever went against?
JW: Well, there are certainly so many good coaches. I would say the most valuable player that we ever went up against - and I think he became the most valuable player that the NBA has ever had - is Bill Russell. Although I know we played against many other great players too ... I like particularly Jerry Lucas of Ohio State; he's one of the best we ever went up against. And I think I can name many others too. And there were so many outstanding coaches; to pick one over another would hardly be fair.

WB: That certainly seems reasonable. John Calipari recently signed on to coach Kentucky and he's getting a huge amount of money to do that; do you think the amount of money coaches make today has changed the way they do their job?
JW: I think so. I think they're doing it for money -- or the hopes of money -- a little more than they were in the past. And I think that takes a little away from the purpose that they're there to begin with. And I'm not pleased with it, but I don't blame the coaches for changing at all, but it seems out of line.

WB: Kind of along those same lines, do you think the media makes too much out of coaching searches these days?
JW: Oh, I definitely think so. There's just much more emphasis put on it, and it makes it more difficult to live up to it, and I think too much is ... It's still a game. It's not education, it's a game.

WB: Right, exactly. I'd also be curious, when you picked your winner this year, to know how far you had Purdue going?
JW: I had Purdue going the exact amount of time going as they did ... in my own mind. But as I told you, I didn't pick at all, I just had North Carolina going all the way. My daughter, she picked Purdue going all the way. [Mutual laughter]

WB: That's okay, coach, I picked Wake Forest going all the way ...
JW: Oh well, they were good. Wake Forest, they certainly showed it throughout the year.

WB: Speaking of Wake, they have several young players who might be leaving after this year. Do you think the one-year rule is good for college or do you think more college should be required?
JW: I personally think it should be more time. I personally think it should be all the way, for four years. It's not going to be that, I know, but I don't think one year is nearly enough and I'd like to see them extend that.

WB: Well, Coach, I wanted to find out who your pick tonight was, but since you've got Carolina winning, is there anything you're expecting to see out of tonight's game?
JW: I don't think I can expect anything different from the style of play of both. I like the style of Michigan State -- their soundness, their half-court offense and defense I think is outstanding and they're extremely fundamentally sound. But I also feel that North Carolina and Roy Williams' teams have shown that they fast break a little better and they also are sound fundamentally. I believe they have a little better shooting than Michigan State, but we'll find out tonight.

WB: We definitely will ... Coach Wooden, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to talk to FanHouse and for working up a great commercial with Gatorade. Thanks for talking to us.
JW: Well, thank you, Will, and take care.

FanHouse Talks to Coach John Wooden originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Miller Accepts Arizona Job

Shane Bacon — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: A-10, Pac-10, Tourney Coaches

A day ago, folks in Tucson thought yet another coach had turned down the offer to be the next head coach of the Arizona Wildcats.

A day changes a lot of minds. Xavier coach Sean Miller originally declined the offer from Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood, but asked for a day to sleep on the decision. After waking up, Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Miller took the job, letting Xavier officials know on Monday he would not be returning.

Miller and (Xavier athletic director Mike) Bobinski met at the coach's Cincinnati area home Monday morning when, according to a source, Miller informed Bobinski he was taking the UA job. Miller has also informed UA athletic director Jim Livengood, who was under immense pressure to hire a replacement for Hall of Famer Lute Olson.

Miller's deal is for seven years, $18 million, which includes a $1 million signing bonus, according to the source.

This is quite a step up for Miller, who had serious success in the Atlantic-10, but will be moving to a much more competitive conference and making a lot more money.

Miller will be taking over a fragile Arizona program that most likely will struggle in his first season, but bringing on a guy that made two Elite Eights and one Sweet 16 is probably the best choice possible.

Sean Miller Accepts Arizona Job originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sean Miller Joins List of Coaches Not Taking the Arizona Job

Chas Rich — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:17:00 EST

Filed under: A-10, Pac-10, Tourney Coaches

Now, this is just getting silly. Both Jeff Goodman at FOX Sports and Gary Parrish at CBS Sports are reporting that Xavier head coach Sean Miller has turned down an offer to be the Arizona head coach.

Miller, apparently took a charter flight to New Mexico on Sunday morning to meet with Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood along with the Arizona president and a booster about the job. The offer was rumored to be as much as $15 million over seven years. He then flew back to Cincinnati that same day.
He met with family and members of his coaching staff upon his return, and decided to reject an offer that would have more than doubled his salary at Xavier. While Miller is sure to get another raise and extension from Xavier after this, it still will not come close to what Arizona was offering.

Arizona's coaching search has gone from strange, to frustratingly embarrassing, to farce. No one seems to want to take the job of having to follow Lute Olson and his success at Arizona. While at the same time, having to rebuild from nearly three years of recruiting neglect stemming from the insanity that has Arizona basketball during that time.

The Wildcats can't find any coach with any sort of national reputation to take their money. Arizona has gone from targeting top-tier coaches, to top coaches at major programs, to rising coaches, to just plain desperate. At this point, they are going to have to either go with an assistant from another program or hire a coach with some success from a mid-major.

NCAA Tournament Action

GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 21: Wayne Ellington #22 of the North Carolina Tar Heels drives against Garrett Temple #14 of the Louisiana State University Tigers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 21, 2009 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wayne Ellington;Garrett Temple

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: A Washington Huskies cheerleader performs during a break in the action against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Manny Harris #3 of the Michigan Wolverines jumps to the basket for a lay up against Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Manny Harris

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Zack Novan #0 and Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for the loose ball with Blake Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Gibson;Zack Novak;Blake Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Willie Warren #13 of the Oklahoma Sooners makes contact as he goes to the basket with Zack Gibson #32 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first hafl during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Willie Warren

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #32 of the Oklahoma Sooners goes up for the short jump shot against DeShawn Sims #34 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Taylor Griffin;DeShawn Sims

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a shot over Jon Brockman #40 of the Washington Huskies in the second half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaJuan Johnson;Jon Brockman

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Taylor Griffin #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners and Zack Novak #0 of the Michigan Wolverines vie for position to the loose ball in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Novak;Taylor Griffin

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 21: Head Coach Jeff Capel of the Michigan Wolverines yells from the sideline during their game against the Oklahoma Sooners in the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 21, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Capel

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PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 21: Lewis Jackson #23 of the Purdue Boilermakers goes up for a layup as Quincy Pondexter #20 of the Washington Huskies looks on during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at the Rose Garden on March 21, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lewis Jackson;Quincy Pondexter

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Sean Miller Joins List of Coaches Not Taking the Arizona Job originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tom Izzo Spins a Genuine Tale

Greg Couch — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:48:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big Ten, Tourney Coaches

DETROIT -- It's the phoniness of it all that usually is so annoying.

Teams rally around their trumped-up idea that they don't get respect.

They live for respect. They've got to have their respect.

It's the most shallow of motivational tools, as if winning for winning's sake, or for reaching potential, isn't enough. What matters is that others think you're good?

Please. So I've been studying Tom Izzo the past few weeks, trying to figure out why his naked plea for respect isn't bothering me. Somehow in this case, it seems like something worth cheering for.

Maybe it's this: For Michigan State and for Izzo, it's something real.

The Spartans have been to five Final Fours in the past 11 years, and yet they're the little guy in Monday night's national championship game against North Carolina. They stand for the little guy, too. They represent him in a way that North Carolina just can't in this economy and this time.

Michigan State is coming off as Team Grit, arriving at the mountaintop by work ethic more than skill. Also, it is playing as a home team here in one of America's most depressed cities, and has come to symbolize hard work and survival.

"I do realize they have a cause,'' North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "Well, we also have a cause. We want to win a national championship, period , the end.''

Sorry Roy. Not good enough.

"I said yesterday I love what they're doing, the positive feelings they're putting across this state,'' Williams said. "I love the people of North Carolina, and the positive feelings we can put across that state, too.''

Nope. That doesn't make it either, not here, against this team. North Carolina is here because it is North Carolina's birthright, a program and coach that come closer to perfection than any other. Tyler Hansbrough needs a title to truly be one of North Carolina's all-time greats.

In normal times, that's a fine tale. But Tom Izzo is telling a very real story here, and not just about a team's social symbolism. It's about Izzo himself.

Izzo is just now moving to the top line of the coaching hierarchy.

He'll never realize he's here.

Last week at the NCAA regional in Indianapolis, Michigan State was about to face Louisville and Rick Pitino, and it was clear how much this tournament meant to Izzo. It was a game about his own perceived shortcomings against maybe the biggest name coach. It was about the champ of the Big East, the best and most-promoted conference, against the champ of the Big Ten, which no one considers an athletic conference.

It was about Izzo's hard-feelings toward Dick Vitale and toward Digger Phelps, who he felt, rightly so, had pushed an East Coast bias for ESPN at the expense of the Midwest. They had all but ridiculed Michigan State, giving it no chance. Vitale had said that if Michigan State got a No. 1 seed, he would grow hair.

But Michigan State does not fit its Big Ten image of a hulking, slogging team. These guys are athletes and are tough, too.

"I think sometimes we anoint a league... '' Izzo said. "I'm giving my normal hurrah for the Big Ten because I think too many people, especially some on TV, have abused it.''

Well, Izzo won that game, then beat another Big East No. 1, Connecticut, to get to the title game. Imagine what it would mean to Izzo to take down North Carolina, maybe the biggest college basketball icon of all.

"I've known Roy for quite a while now, since he was an assistant for Dean (Smith) at Carolina,'' Izzo said. "When he got the Kansas job, I kind of watched his career, saw him.

"I was dreaming of, 'Could I ever get a big job?' He was going to Kansas. I was thinking of going to Northern Michigan. It was a little different because he had that pedigree behind him and everything.''

NCAA Tournament Action

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The pedigree. I don't want to play amateur psychologist here, but I wonder how long he has been trying to measure up. I mean, he claims to be 5-9, which can be true only if he's standing on a phone book. He talks about starting his career years ago at the bottom at Michigan State, with one responsibility being to unlock the gym door for Magic Johnson. They became friends. That seems like a fine pedigree, really.

But apparently, it doesn't to him.

"What keeps me at Michigan State?'' he said. "They gave me a chance.

"I have so much more to build. I love the Dukes, Carolinas, Kentuckys, Kansas. I'm not going to see that (level at Michigan State) in my lifetime because they've done it for so many years, but I love aspiring to be those.''

Each team takes on its coach's personality, and what Izzo has brought to Michigan State is a toughness, a team that seems more real world, somehow. It's a dirt-under-your-fingernails type of team playing here in a town that matches.

Izzo is known in the Midwest for his War Drill, a grueling rebounding drill that sees everyone crash the boards without rules, and sometimes with football pads.

So that's the guts of this story. When this party leaves this city, the empty storefronts will emerge again. But for a few days, Michigan State gives hurting people something to cheer for. Izzo has taken his players to see some of the downtrodden area and people, to let his players know they're real.

"We're not carrying them on our shoulders like we're trying to save the world,'' Izzo said.

"We're carrying them on our shoulders because we care, and it's our state...

"But I think it's a cause. Every coach is going to use every single motivational tool you can use. And yet, this is one cause that isn't manufactured.''

No, nothing fake here.

Tom Izzo Spins a Genuine Tale originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Court Setup Concerns Roy Williams

Kevin B. Blackistone — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:49:00 EST

Filed under: Tourney Coaches

DETROIT -- There are few places -- the golf course, maybe -- where Roy Williams would rather be than where he was Saturday night and will be again on Monday night: the biggest stage in college basketball. He'd just prefer it not be raised like it is at Ford Field.

"I don't like the safety [of it]," Williams said Sunday afternoon of the floor the NCAA is using for this tournament championship round, which is waist high off the ground and has everyone around it, the benches included, seated around it in a moat.

"When we played Michigan State here before, we had a guy go off the court, one of Michigan State's players, I don't know if it was Raymar [Morgan] or who, but that scared me," Williams said. "That kind of thing -- I almost fell off the stupid court -- that scared me."

I haven't heard anyone endorse the Vanderbilt-ization of the Final Four court (Vanderbilt's basketball court is famously built above the floor). An assistant coach from Villanova sitting next to me during the Connecticut-Michigan State game groaned about the configuration.

"As a coach," Williams continued, "it is not comfortable 'cause when you're sitting down, and I like to sit on the bench more than I like to kneel in front or stand, I like to have my assistant coaches give me input. I like to talk to the players. But you cannot see down below that court.

"It's better now, I think, than it was when we were here [early in the season]," Williams said. "I think they've raised the benches a little bit. But it is really difficult to see the far corner over there and see what's going on sitting in that seat."

NCAA Tournament Action

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The floor wasn't built, of course, with the players and coaches, who everyone came out to see and tuned into watch, in mind. It was done for the sake of the 72,000-plus fans, especially the ones way up there where the game must be little more than a rumor, that the NCAA sold tickets to in Ford Field, which was built for football. It was done for television, which helps make the NCAA a multi-billion dollar concern.

Like Williams, I like it a lot better when the only thing elevated about the Final Four are the expectations for three great games.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, and a former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Court Setup Concerns Roy Williams originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Griffin, Self Take Home Hardware

Matt Snyder — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:44:00 EST

Filed under: Big 12, Tourney Coaches

During halftime of the thrilling Michigan State vs. Connecticut national semifinal, Chevrolet and CBS presented their awards for player of the year and coach of the year. To no one's surprise, Blake Griffin of Oklahoma took the honors from the player side, while Kansas' Bill Self won the coaching award.

Griffin, only a sophomore, was a monster for the Sooners this season. He averaged 22.7 points and 14.7 rebounds a game while shooting an unreal 65 percent from the field. He took the Sooners to the Elite Eight before losing to a much deeper North Carolina team.

Self won the national championship last season at Kansas, but he lost his entire starting lineup afterward. He still managed to improve the 2008-2009 version over the course of the season, garnering a three seed and taking the 27-8 Jayhawks to the Sweet 16.

Of note, Griffin appeared almost catatonic (either that or indifferent) though I guess that doesn't stray much from his on-court demeanor. He's a good guy, so I doubt he didn't care about the award. Then again, this wasn't a surprise, so maybe he's been more looking forward to accepting the Naismith and Wooden awards?

Another interesting note, both award winners came from the same conference. Congratulations Big 12, Oklahoma, Kansas, Griffin and Self. A very deserving duo.

NCAA Tournament Action

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Griffin, Self Take Home Hardware originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruce Pearl Uses Memphis Interest for a Nice Bump From Tennessee

Chas Rich — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:33:00 EST

Filed under: C-USA, SEC, Tourney Coaches

Nothing like the threat of having a bitter in-state rival possibly poaching your coach to force another contract extension, even after a somewhat disappointing season. Memphis was hoping to land Bruce Pearl from Tennessee, with a whopping seven-year, $21 million contract according to some reports.

Memphis was reportedly looking to make a big splash after losing John Calipari to Kentucky. Rick Pitino was not going to be walking through that door. Neither was Tim Floyd coming from USC -- despite apparently listening. Bruce Pearl may or may not have been interested, but Tennessee was not going to let Pearl even appear to be considering an offer from Memphis.

The Tennessee athletic department issued a statement announcing the new deal for Pearl, with details of the renegotiated six-year deal coming soon. The press release came complete with statements from Pearl announcing his fealty to the Volunteers.

"I want to ensure the University of Tennessee and its fans that I'm 100 percent committed to this school, this program and our student-athletes.

"I truly love my job, and I want it to be clear that I'm not interested in any other job. There's no place in the country I'd rather be than the University of Tennessee. My children are happy here in the Knoxville community--one is in high school, one is in middle school and two are currently attending the university.

"My staff and I are building a consistent top-25 program and I'm honored and privileged to serve the greatest fans in the country. Tennessee has all the resources necessary to win championships, from our recently upgraded facilities to our ability to schedule.

"It's great to be a Tennessee Vol!"

It really is great. Especially when the salary keeps rising to stay one. Last year, Pearl got an extension that raised his average salary over the life of the contract to around $2.3 million.

Not bad after a season where the Volunteers were picked to be a preseason top-15 team, struggled in a very weak SEC, and were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 9 seed.

Bruce Pearl Uses Memphis Interest for a Nice Bump From Tennessee originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgia Finally Hires a Coach

Chas Rich — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:52:00 EST

Filed under: SEC, WAC, Tourney Coaches

Georgia fired Dennis Felton in mid-season appeared to be thoroughly botching their coaching search. They targeted Missouri coach Mike Anderson, and had to wait until he finished a strong run to the Elite Eight. In doing so, Georgia missed out on other coaches like Anthony Grant. If not for the farce of a coaching search in Arizona overshadowing things, Georgia would have been receiving plenty of ridicule.

Anderson rebuffed Georgia and the reported $2 million plus offer to stay at Missouri for a nice raise, but not what Georgia was offering. Georgia's coaching search appeared to be in disarray. As if the program did not expect to be rejected by their first choice if they overwhelmed him with cash.
It was rumored that the Bulldogs were trying to get Jeff Capel from Oklahoma next, and failing that Frank Haith from Miami. Yet, nothing appeared to be happening. It got to the point where there was speculation that Georgia was considering Ed DeChellis at Penn State or Scott Drew at Baylor, and was waiting for the conclusion of the NIT.

Well the Bulldogs finally made their pick, and it is a bit of a surprise. Nevada coach Mark Fox will be the next coach at Georgia.

Fox is an excellent young coach who has been very successful with the Wolf Pack after succeeding Trent Johnson. He has recruited well at Nevada and developed players. He's been considered a hot, young coach for a couple years.

It was expected, though, that if a major conference came calling, it would be one in the Pac-10 or Big 12. He does not have any ties to the south or the east. The native of Kansas, went to school at Eastern New Mexico and got a graduate degree at Kansas. He has been an assistant at Kansas State and Washington.

Naturally, the lack of any connections to anywhere east of the Mississippi has created some immediate doubts.The doubters are probably going to outnumber the believers for a while.

Georgia Finally Hires a Coach originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Floyd Reportedly Rejects Arizona

Shane Bacon — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:11:00 EST

Filed under: Pac-10, Tourney Coaches

In what can only be described as a coaching search that is rivaling on a drunken, drug-induced trip while wearing roller skates and a blindfold, the University of Arizona has not found its next head coach at Southern California.

Multiple news sources, including ESPN, who first reported Tim Floyd on his way to Tucson, is now saying that USC plans to hold a press conference sometime Thursday afternoon to announce its head coach will stay put, putting the Wildcats' insane coaching spree back to full speed.

As a Wildcat fan, the last few days of coaching rumors and broken deals has been, interestingly enough, as insane as the last two years of their basketball team. No structure, no foundation -- just a lot of large expectations that have fallen to the wayside.

That is all for now. When the next coaching rumor hits the presses, we will be the first on it. For now, go back to your message boards and whiskey bottles.

Tim Floyd Reportedly Rejects Arizona originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Floyd Reportedly Takes Arizona Job

Shane Bacon — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:32:00 EST

Filed under: Pac-10, WCC, Tourney Coaches

Third Update: ESPN is reporting that USC coach Tim Floyd will be Arizona's next coach. ESPN's radio affiliate in Phoenix reports that the Trojan coach and Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood are finalizing a deal and an announcement is expected Thursday. Floyd coached USC for four seasons, including three NCAA tournaments and proved to be a highly effective recruiter. The Tuscon Citizen is reporting that Floyd flew in to discuss the job, but citing an unnamed source, says it is unclear if the coach was offered the job or even visited the campus. The paper reports that no press conference is yet scheduled for Thursday.

Second Update: ESPN SportsCenter just reported that Jeff Capel is now the leading candidate. Rumors are swirling, but we will sit on this and keep it updated throughout the day.

In less than 24 hours, the University of Arizona basketball coaching search has gone from frantic to favorable.

GoAzCats.com is reporting that Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood has locked down the next head coach. Speculation by media close to the situation is that it will be Gonzaga coach Mark Few.

Without revealing any names, the Rivals Web site had this to say about the search.

A press conference has yet to be scheduled, although it's believed that one could come as soon as Wednesday, although Thursday appears to be much more likely and it could even stretch to Friday.

From what we were told, details of the contract have yet to be completed, but that a verbal agreement has occurred and that there is heavy confidence coming from both sides on the deal getting done.

Arizona had backed itself into a corner when news hit the Internet that John Calipari was interested and eventually took the vacant coaching job at Kentucky. With Calipari gone and Rick Pitino uncertain, the coaching board was moving towards lesser known guys that wouldn't do what the Tucson faithful were hoping from their first secure coach since Lute Olson.

Tim Floyd Reportedly Takes Arizona Job originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calhoun's Time

Ray Holloman — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Big East, Tourney Coaches, West Region

For all Jim Calhoun is, Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut's seemingly two-story tall center, needs just one marvelously apt word to size up what the coach means to this Final Four team.

"We call him teacher," Thabeet said. "He's taught us a lot. When you watch us in practice, it's always hard and we used to hate it, but now we know why the practice was hard. He's prepared us so well for his postseason play and all we can right now is thank him."

Generally speaking, one word covers Calhoun's impact about as well as a tube top would cover your average offensive lineman. Calhoun is a New England institution, somewhere between Bickford's and Bird. He built a basketball dynasty out of snowy ruins and joined the exclusive fraternity of coaches with two national titles. On the sideline, his expressions run as foul and unpredictable as the region's weather. And when he speaks in that Boston-drenched accent, you half expect the man to belch out those old tokens for the T.

But Thabeet is right.

Teacher should be on the man's business card, or Calhoun should be on the front of the team's jerseys, one way or the other. Because these Huskies are a team built tough and taught tough in the image of a coach whose father died when he was 15, who worked as a grave digger to support his family before climbing his way up the coaching ladder.

This is his team. Maybe in a way none before it ever has.

And this should be his last.

For Calhoun, all the lessons are taught to this club. It will never get better than this.

Even the coach must know it, beneath the dour expressions and the business-first, last and only, demeanor. After his win over Purdue in the Sweet 16, the eighth of his career in that round, Calhoun admitted he got goose bumps. Needless to say, cast-iron guys like Calhoun typically get loose bolts or missing rivets, not goosebumps.

"When I said it to them, we are playing Saturday in the regional finals, I get goose bumps and I did," Calhoun said after the win. "There is only one or two better feelings."

Calhoun, of course, has earned the right to stay so long as he can find his way to the bench. Entering his third Final Four, he remains as gifted on the sideline as he is on the recruiting trail. But his 67th birthday will come little more than a month from championship Monday and building title teams isn't something that can be completed like a fantasy sports roster. This team he now leads into the Final Four took three years to build and is an all out ground-up job. Connecticut missed the postseason altogether in 2007 and hadn't won a single postseason game, conference or otherwise, until its opening round win over Chattanooga.

All along, the coaching veteran of 37 years understood just how precarious a path the road to the Final Four can be and how likely it was that he may have cut his final net.

"Did it cross my mind?" Calhoun asked after his Elite Eight win. "Did I leave the season with my head down a little bit? Yeah. A tad bit. Just like had we made the right judgments on some of the young kids we had."

Add another three years onto Calhoun to season another Final Four quality team and the coach will be brushing 70 before he has a chance to return to this level, no young age for any coach this side of Joe Paterno, particularly one who has suffered through as much medical misfortune as Calhoun. Even then, there are no guarantees. In 2006, Calhoun led a team that produced five draft picks that June, only to watch a group plagued by distraction fall to Cinderella George Mason.

"They probably had a lot of other agenda going on with so many pros on that team," said senior A.J. Price.

There are no great records for Calhoun to break that he doesn't already own. He may join the group of coaches with three national titles, a club that includes Mike Krzyzewski and Bob Knight, but he likely won't catch Adolph Rupp (four) and certainly not John Wooden (10). And should he win three national titles in three Final Four appearances, Calhoun would encase his reputation as the premiere big game coach of his era in lucite. Krzyzewski, by comparison, has 10 Final Fours for three national titles; North Carolina's Roy Williams has completed six Final Fours with a single title.

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The all-time wins record, 902 by Knight, could be attainable, but by the time Calhoun reaches the mark, it will likely have been eclipsed by Krzyzewski, who is 28 wins ahead and nearly five years his junior, assuming Knight himself doesn't come out of retirement and move the bar higher. Nor will he catch Krzyzewski, Wooden or North Carolina's Dean Smith in Final Four appearances.

And Calhoun has the opportunity, for the moment at least, to go out to applause, something few coaches of his success and longevity have the fortune to do. Among coaches with 780 or more wins, only Smith retired still at the pinnacle of the program he built, saying farewell months after eclipsing Rupp's win record on the way to his 11th Final Four. Arizona's Lute Olson left the Wildcats in an unfortunate mess, far removed from his 1997 national championship while Kentucky's Baron of the Bluegrass was sidelined by the state's mandatory retirement age six years removed from his last Final Four. Meanwhile, coaches like Knight, Lou Henson, Lefty Driesell and Eddie Sutton all ended coaching in relative basketball backwaters. Imagining Calhoun on San Francisco's bench, as Sutton was to win his 800th game, is like thinking about Superman wearing green.

Meanwhile, the distant thunder can already be heard from the recruiting scandal unearthed by Yahoo! last week. Should trouble spread beyond former assistant Tom Moore, the school could be forced to part ways with the coach anyway. And if NCAA sanctions don't strike the Huskies, then Calhoun can leave the cupboard stocked with another talented recruiting class, much like Smith did for longtime assistant Bill Guthridge.

And will a Connecticut institution like Calhoun ever really leave the school anymore than Smith left North Carolina?

But above all, there is this team, a 17-player testament to Calhoun's coaching and the bred-in-Boston toughness of its coach. Does anyone even remember Pitt's DeJuan Blair flipping Thabeet over his back? Could that soft label Connecticut began with seem further away when Stanley Robinson, who spent the first semester suspended and working in a scrap metal yard, bounces another post player off with his double-wide frame like they were a tennis ball in basketball jersey?

This team is unquestionably tough, fitting of the best remaining team from a mixed martial basketball league that plays hoops like they've got shoulderpads under their jerseys. And like his previous championship teams, when the coach is at his toughest, so are the Huskies. Calhoun has missed NCAA tournament games three times in his career, in 1999, 2004 and this year. That's two national titles and this intimidator of team now.

"We are just mentally tough," Jeff Adrien said. "It starts with our coach. ... We have been through a lot of ups and downs in our lives and everything. We just know how to block it off."

And that could well be the first paragraph of Calhoun's biography or the first paragraph of his farewell address.

It's hard to imagine that sideline without Calhoun, like it is to imagine Duke without Krzyzewski or the Yankees deciding pinstripes are passe. It's hard to think what the Huskies will be like without the coach and those famous perplexed looks, hands up in the air and face suggesting that he just asked his players to add two and two only to get back a chant of five. Calhoun is his program. Yet should he leave now, he'll leave a program crafted perfectly in his image.

But everyone ages, Hall of Famers and teams alike. As this Husky team goes, so should its coach.

Tough and triumphant. Just the way Calhoun taught.

Calhoun's Time originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will The Next Coach at Memphis Have Anyone to Coach?

Chas Rich — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:25:00 EST

Filed under: C-USA, Tourney Coaches

The fallout of John Calipari leaving Memphis looks to be immediate and swift. John Wall is obviously not going to Memphis without John Calipari. The disintegration of one of the best recruiting classes ever is the first and obvious casualty.

DeMarcus Cousins has not signed his Letter of Intent (LOI), so he is free to sign with another program with no encumbrance. All of the other recruits that have signed LOIs -- Xavier Henry, Will Coleman, Nolan Dennis and Darnell Dodson -- they apparently have an additional clause to their LOIs. Specifically, if Calipari is not the coach at Memphis, they will be released from their LOIs without restrictions.

Carol Dennis, the mother of University of Memphis recruit Nolan Dennis, told The Commercial Appeal Monday that the letter-of-intent her son signed last fall contains an addendum that would allow him to follow Calipari to another school.

All four players who signed with Memphis in the fall have the same unconditional release in their letters.

Carol Dennis said it was not fair to say that her son would definitely ask out of his letter if Calipari were to go to Kentucky.

It actually gets worse.

The same article notes that present members of the Memphis team -- Wesley Witherspoon, Roburt Sallie and Angel Garcia -- are already considering transfers without Calipari in charge. That would be in addition to seniors Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson graduating.

To say nothing of Tyreke Evans not wasting any time in declaring for the NBA Draft after his freshman year. It is not exactly a shock, that Evans was one-and-done. That was expected from the talented guard, but he essentially declared as soon as he found out Calipari was leaving.

The only players that appear certain to return are the juniors Shawn Taggart, Robert Dozier, Pierre Henderson-Niles and Doneal Mack. Players that would have no eligibility left to transfer.

Memphis has money, a vibrant fanbase, excellent facilities and expectations to offer any coach they pursue. The one thing they may not have for a couple years are players.

Will The Next Coach at Memphis Have Anyone to Coach? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Calipari Says He's Kentucky Bound

Chas Rich — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:18:00 EST

Filed under: C-USA, SEC, Tourney Coaches

The Kentucky press conference to announce the hiring will not be until tomorrow. John Calipari, though, texted ESPN college basketball reporter, Andy Katz, to let him know that he would leave Memphis for the Kentucky job.

That Calipari is taking the job surprises no one. Despite Memphis reportedly offering him a more lucrative financial package to stay, it is not like Kentucky low-balled him.

The contract with Kentucky is worth $35 million over eight years. The richest in college basketball. Calipari will be getting a $2.5 million signing bonus, $3 million per year for the first 4 years, and then $4.5 million for the 4 years after that. The other $2.5 million would come from meeting incentives.

Kentucky needed a home run hire, and this is just that hire. The best guy for the job. A solid coach, and one of the best (if not the best) recruiters in college basketball. A natural charmer, schmoozer and salesman. A guy who enjoys the spotlight and wants to be the face of a program. A man that could sell Milton Friedman on socialism.

In short, it looks like a good fit.

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John Calipari Says He's Kentucky Bound originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Calipari Accepts Kentucky Job

FanHouse Newswire — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:58:00 EST

Filed under: C-USA, Tourney Coaches

John Calipari's courtship with Kentucky is over and the Memphis coach is heading to Lexington.

According to ESPN's Andy Katz, Calipari agreed to terms with the Wildcats on a eight-year, $35 million deal.

John Calipari Accepts Kentucky Job originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saving Kentucky From Itself

Jay Mariotti — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:53:00 EST

Filed under: Tourney Coaches

It's a marriage of mutual necessity. He needs them -- and, oh, do they need him, as sure as Ashley Judd can fill a "Go 'Cats'' t-shirt. The anguished looms at Kentucky need John Calipari because he'll hustle, sell the program, recruit stud players, kiss babies and embrace the psychotic romance that is Big Blue Nation. And John Calipari needs Kentucky because, well, he still isn't roundly accepted as an elite coach, a perception he'll change if he resurrects a fallen dynasty.
Hell, if Calipari takes Kentucky to a Final Four anytime soon, they just might put him in a "Guitar Hero'' commercial. And hopefully, he'll be asked to keep his pants on, because no one wants to see Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight and Rick Pitino in their underwear.

He couldn't possibly have stayed at Memphis, where he has maximized an above-average program and fought a stigma of playing cupcake schedules in the inferior Conference USA. In the national discussion, it's time for him to stop playing defense with an overachiever and give himself every built-in chance to win a championship with a resource-rich powerhouse. Kentucky still has the haughtiest tradition in the sport, plays in a cathedral in Lexington and practices in a $30 million building far grander than most arenas at other programs. The problem, of course, is the tradeoff: the intense scrutiny of a state that draws its identity and esteem from the Wildcats. For coaches who can't handle the borderline insanity, it becomes a bad job, as Billy Gillispie would say as he ran away from a TV camera crew on his firing day and Tubby Smith would say as he fled to Minnesota.

My assumption is Calipari will handle the deep fryer better than those men. His outgoing personality is well suited to glad-handing boosters and hugging grandmas, job requirements unique to Kentucky basketball. Yes, it's silly and almost disturbing to think the coach at UK has to be the most important person in the state, particularly in troubled times. But we saw Calipari stroll into Memphis, a depressed city with its share of problems, and turn the Tigers into the predominant source of civic pride. Did you notice the 48-hour vigil outside his home, when a fan placed a sign with two messages -- "NOT FOR SALE BY OWNER" and "STAY CAL" -- in the front yard? Five police cars had to block off part of the street, positioned to fend off TV camera crews. Speaking of TV, one station set up a Cal Cam outside an entrance at the school's basketball headquarters. Then there was the scene at a doughnut shop, where Calipari stopped by, told some friends that Kentucky would happen and that Arizona had offered him a blank check over the weekend. No one knows Calipari better than his nomadic mentor, Larry Brown, who told the Associated Press that he had no choice but leave Memphis for the huge job.

"That community, that town, just adores John and respects what he's done. But it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Brown, allegedly coaching the Charlotte Bobcats. "I think all along, he's always been thinking in the back of his head, 'I'd love to be (on a big stage).' And how can anybody fault him? If he leaves, they're going to be upset, but it's because he's done such a phenomenal job."

He came within a couple of mental lapses and missed free throws of winning a national championship last year. He had the best incoming recruiting class in the country, too. So just think of what Calipari might accomplish at Kentucky, where he'll command the national spotlight, appear on ESPN regularly and try to live up to that checkerboard of squares on the lobby floor in the Craft Center facility.

Checkerboard, you ask? Yep, the squares that feature each of Kentucky's national title years -- 48, 49, 51, 58, 78, 96, 98 -- followed by a blank square for the next championship, whenever that may happen. Gillispie, a self-described workaholic bachelor, was too aloof as he attacked the ultimate challenge in college hoops.

Calipari has more balance in his life, as a family man with a sense of humor, and he won't back down from what Gillispie called unfair expectations. "If they don't win every game, I think they ought to be on the coach all the time," the deposed coach said with a smile over the weekend. "I think they need to turn the heat up on that a bit any time they lose a game."

The Kentucky family believes Calipari will thrash through the pressure, to the tune of a reported $35 million over eight years. He becomes the highest-paid coach, in total pay, in collegiate sports. Too much in a crippling economy? Not when you consider the pressures, the demands. "We understand the challenge and importance of finding our next caretaker for this very special basketball program," athletic director Mitch Barnhart said. ``We desire for Kentucky basketball to be a part of the championship picture every year; that is our goal.''

No one should be shocked if Calipari makes immediate impact in the suddenly limp Southeastern Conference. His glittering recruiting class at Memphis includes two blue-chippers, 6-11 center DeMarcus Cousins and 6-6 wing Xavier Henry, who could leave for Kentucky.

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Calipari also has a strong relationship with John Wall, the nation's top prep point guard. And while it's possible the best two players from Kentucky's team, explosive scorer Jodie Meeks and big man Patrick Patterson, will declare for the NBA draft, what if Calipari talks one or both into staying?

That's why Kentucky needs Calipari. He brings immediate cred and results. And why does he need them? Because if he pulls this off in a blueblood program reduced to utter joylesness, he'll finally win universal respect as a gold-standard coach of his era. When Calipari gathered his Memphis players the other day and described Kentucky as the Notre Dame of college basketball, he nailed it. Just as the Fighting Irish brand has faded, so has the UK brand. The problem is that Gillispie was Charlie Weis and unable to awaken the echoes.
Calipari will.

And he'll do so in a heated in-state environment with Pitino, who doesn't get along with Calipari and will conduct recruiting warfare down I-64 in Louisville. In that sense, Calipari will be trying to repeat what Pitino already has accomplished in returning Kentucky to glory. There are unsubstantiated rumors that Pitino, who absorbed a bitter loss Sunday to Michigan State and has suffered two straight defeats in the Elite Eight, will leave for Arizona. Assuming he stays, look for some serious scorched earth across the 75-mile expanse between Louisville and Lexington. It hardly was coincidence that Pitino, when asked last weekend at the Midwest Regional, endorsed two of his former Kentucky players for the job: Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford and Arkansas coach John Pelphrey. Think he wants any part of the Calipari Storm?

"Kentucky's a very unique job. I'm sure it's very similar to Notre Dame football and Alabama football,'' Pitino said. "I'm not naming the coach, but I'll stick my two cents in. For me, last time around -- Billy Gillispie is a terrific coach -- but I would have immediately hired either John Pelphrey or Travis Ford last time around. It's such a unique job that you need to win over the fans. You need to win the press conference right away. Pelphrey and Travis are brilliant young coaches. On top of that, they're beloved by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and all their fans, what they call Big Blue Nation. So for anybody, it's a big adjustment. For those guys, it's not. Those two guys, you cut them open and it spells UK. That's what I would do."

And why not a big name -- such as, hmmm, Calipari? "Everybody looks for these marquee names, big names. I think football got really smart,'' Pitino said. "Instead of looking for the marquee names, they went after guys that can really coach and really recruit. It takes a little bit of homework.''

Come on, Rick. Stop snowballing us. Tuesday, he finally did in lauding --grudgingly? -- the Calipari hire. "He's done a great job at UMass. He's done a great job at Memphis, and he would do a great job at Kentucky," he said. Pitino was a New Yorker who didn't know Kentucky from Mississippi when he took over a scandal-ridden mess from Eddie Sutton in 1989. He quickly won over the fans with pressure defense, homegrown kids sprinkled with major recruits and plenty of success, with a national title coming in 1996. He left to run the Boston Celtics, then returned to Louisville. Calipari is Pitino 20 years later.

Convinced that Gillispie was the problem, and that the sociology of Kentucky basketball is perfectly sane, university president Lee Todd is holding Calipari to even higher standards. "You have to be an ambassador to this program,'' he said. "[Gillispie] had a lack of understanding that this job is a complete job that requires a lot more than just coaching and recruiting. It's kind of like the president's job; nobody ever writes out exactly what you have to do, but there is a lot to it. And philosophically, I think we need someone who nurtures the entire Big Blue Nation, has the philosophy that this is a very unique opportunity, a very unique job and it's one that is a lot broader.''

By the way, he was referring to the President of the United States.

But I think Calipari is up to it. Years ago, he was something of a punk, engaging rival coach John Chaney in an embarrassing press-conference screaming match and running a program, Massachusetts, that was forced to vacate a Final Four berth when Marcus Camby took gifts from an agent. A failed experience in the NBA humbled him, cleansed him and led him to Memphis, where he stayed out of trouble, created his own baby and damn near won it all.

In Lexington, I think he will. And then, maybe he and all those crazy people in the Commonwealth will find peace for once in their basketball lives.

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Michigan State's Kalin Lucas is interviewed Tuesday, March 31, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State faces Connecticut in an NCAA men's college basketball tournament Final Four semifinal on Saturday. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Baylor's Curtis Jerrells (0) drives past San Diego State's Billy White (32) during the first half of the NIT semifinal college basketball game on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

San Diego State's Kyle Spain (15) fights for control of the ball with Baylor's Darren Kent (45) during the first half of the NIT semifinal college basketball game on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Michigan State's Chris Allen, left, passes the time by shooting as other players are interviewed Tuesday, March 31, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State faces Connecticut in an NCAA men's college basketball tournament Final Four semifinal on Saturday. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Baylor's Denis Clemente (5) shoots over San Diego State's D.J. Gray (23) during the first half of the NIT semifinal college basketball game on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, talks with assistant coach Mike Garland on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State faces Connecticut in an NCAA men's college basketball tournament Final Four semifinal on Saturday. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Michigan State senior Goran Suton is surrounded by reporters and photographers as he is interviewed Tuesday, March 31, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State faces Connecticut in an NCAA men's college basketball tournament Final Four semifinal on Saturday. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Michigan State's Travis Walton, left, speaks with the media after practice at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, Tuesday, March 31, 2009. The team was getting ready for this weekend's Final Four in Detroit. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Michigan State's Goran Suton does a one-on-one interview during player availability after practice at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, Tuesday, March 31, 2009. The team was getting ready for this weekend's Final Four in Detroit. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Michigan State's Draymond Green sits for an interview after practice at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, Tuesday, March 31, 2009. The team was getting ready for this weekend's Final Four in Detroit. (Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Saving Kentucky From Itself originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Has Arizona Ruined Its Coaching Search?

Shane Bacon — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:52:00 EST

Filed under: Pac-10, Tourney Coaches

Everyone knew Russ Pennell had no chance to stay in Tucson as the head coach once Louisville finished off the Wildcats. It was an incredible run to the Sweet 16, seeing as though nobody even wanted the name "Arizona" in the tournament to begin with.

As the buzzer sounded on that 39-point rout, the coaching search became official. The Wildcats needed a high-profile coach to fill the shoes, and the legacy, of Lute Olson. That was easy in theory, but couldn't have gone worse thus far in the recruiting game.

GoAzCats.com posted an article on Tuesday focusing on the tribulations of the Tucson search, noting that the "John Calipari to Kentucky" rumors not only basically diminishes their chances of landing Calipari, but might influence Rick Pitino to stay at Louisville and try and beat his long-time coaching foe.

But consider this; Pitino and Calipari don't like each other at all. If Calipari takes Kentucky, Pitino knows that people will say he left Louisville because he's scared to go up against the rival coach. That alone could keep him at Louisville. Or maybe he hates Calipari so much he'll refuse to coach at the rival school of his.

One way or the other, what we do know is that Kentucky possibly making Calipari the highest paid coach in college basketball - if not college athletics - has to drive up the price for Pitino.

The problem Arizona faces is more than just a battle for Pitino. Now the Wildcats must face the realization that they might not land Tom Izzo, who was on their mind before this incredible run with Michigan State to the Final Four. Izzo has said he wants to win two National Championships with the Spartans, so if he can't get past Connecticut and then Villanova or North Carolina, is the recent success enough to keep him in East Lansing?

That leaves Jamie Dixon, Mark Few and a handful of lesser named coaches that probably won't go over well at a school that is in desperate need of a face-lift. One name being tossed around is Jeff Capel of Oklahoma. Capel had some success at VCU before taking over as the Sooners head coach, and went to the Elite Eight this season, but it's hard to figure if that run was more coaching or just sheer talent.

Capel could bring a face and youthful exuberance to Tucson, but is that what the school needs at this point? It's been battling the last two years with guys on the bench that some have never heard of.

It's disappointing that the same day the McDonald's All-American game will be taking place, a school once known to pull recruits from the game like petals off a flower will not watch players like Abdul Gaddy tear it up on the court as he heads to Washington instead of Arizona.

This team needs a name, and it needs one soon. If it can't land Pitino, people won't be happy. Thing is, who else can Jim Livengood bring in to add another banner?

Has Arizona Ruined Its Coaching Search? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Calipari Reportedly Agrees to Coach Kentucky Wildcats

Matt Snyder — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: C-USA, SEC, Tourney Coaches

UPDATE: USA Today reports Calipari contacted former Wildcat coach Joe B. Hall to inform him he has taken the job. It appears as though Calipari intends to embrace the UK tradition from the get-go.

Earlier: According to Fox13 Memphis and Memphis' News Channel 3, John Calipari has officially accepted a very lucrative offer to become the head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky. More details to come on the amount and length of the contract, not to mention the expected roster turnover at both Memphis and Kentucky.

For now, though, the anticipation appears to be over. John Calipari seems to be the Kentucky Wildcats' basketball coach. He'll join up with one of the most hallowed basketball programs in the nation, as Kentucky has won more national championships than anyone but UCLA. "Coach Cal" sports a resume that fits the bill, though.

In 17 seasons, he's compiled a ridiculous 446-110 record. He's been to seven Sweet 16s, five Elite 8s, and two Final Fours -- and this was from the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA. Speaking of which, Calipari hasn't lost a conference game since the 2006 season, when his Tigers went 13-1 against Conference USA foes. Now, Calipari will be taking this resume to the hallowed halls of Lexington's Rupp Arena.

There are plenty of storylines to follow -- assuming these reports are true. The aforementioned roster turnover will likely include departures from both Kentucky and Memphis. Hanging in limbo is the already top-ranked Memphis recruiting class, not to mention the most talented prep point guard in the nation, John Wall.

Once the dust settles on all that, Calipari will enter into a fierce in-state rivalry with Louisville and Rick Pitino.

Stay tuned.

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John Calipari Reportedly Agrees to Coach Kentucky Wildcats originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calipari and Kentucky Pause the Coaching Carousel

Chas Rich — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:44:00 EST

Filed under: A-10, Big 12, C-USA, Pac-10, SEC, Tourney Coaches

Everyone keeps tuned to sports sites and ESPNews for the latest plumes of smoke from Memphis and/or Lexington regarding John Calipari and whether he stays at Memphis or goes to Kentucky. The flip side is that the move has paralyzed nearly every other coaching search as programs and coaches in-demand wait to see what happens.

Oh, sure some little things have happened. Viginia Commonwealth has apparently hired Shaka Smart to be their next head coach. As with the last hire of VCU's former coach, Shaka Smart is a Florida assistant.

Everything else, though, appears to be on hold, if only for a moment.

Georgia may be offering up to $2 million per year to Mizzou head coach Mike Anderson. A number that trumps the reported $1.3 million bump in salary that Mizzou put forth. Or Georgia could be going after Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel, who reportedly makes around $1 million per year in Norman. Either way, both will be getting big raises even if they stay.

Yet Anderson and Capel are wise to wait since Memphis or even Kentucky might come calling. Even if the Wildcats do not, the money reportedly involved to get ($35 million for 8 years) or keep Calipari will surely push the pricetag up for other coaches.

Xavier head coach Sean Miller may have rejected overtures from Virginia out-of-hand, but what if a program like Memphis comes calling with over $2 million per year? Coaches in comfortable positions like Pitt's Jamie Dixon and Villanova's Jay Wright, will find themselves having to at least listen and consider the possibility of a new job if the money gets much higher. What had seemed like a realtively quiet year in the coaching carousel could turn into one of the most tumultuous.

Then there is Arizona, a program with allure, but not nearly the money. Their athletic director Jim Livengood, spoke before of winning the press conference with the hire. That means paying big money, and the big money has only increased in the months since that quote.

At the moment, there is lots of watching and waiting. When Calipari makes his decision, expect the coaching carousel to spin rapidly.

Calipari and Kentucky Pause the Coaching Carousel originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Calipari Recruiting Ripple Possible, Where Will John Wall Go?

Matt Snyder — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:53:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, C-USA, SEC, Tourney Coaches

With the seemingly inevitable move of John Calipari from Memphis to Kentucky, there promises to be a scramble of young talent in the wake. Not only will there be obvious upheaval at both Kentucky and Memphis -- again, assuming Calipari takes the job -- but the move has the potential to reverberate throughout the nation.

John Wall, the top-rated point guard in the nation, has previously expressed plans to attend Memphis and play for Calipari. With the coaching status of Memphis currently a bit in limbo, however, Mike Krzyzewski of Duke has swooped right in.

"He told me the program had not had a point guard in a while that could penetrate and create," Wall said. "Duke has lots of great players and players who can really score. I would be surrounded by great players there."

For the record, Wall's list of potential teams has never changed. Duke was always in the running, but Memphis had been the leader in the clubhouse for quite some time. Wall, however, needs to know who the coach is going to be.

"I talked to Memphis [Sunday], and they said it was too early to know what will happen," Wall said. "I'm waiting."

As are all of us, John. This possible coaching move would send a ripple effect through college basketball's balance of power. Memphis already has the top-ranked recruiting class without Wall. Keeping Calipari and adding Wall would make them the most talented team in the nation in 2010. If Calipari goes, though, they could be left clinging to some scraps.

John Calipari Recruiting Ripple Possible, Where Will John Wall Go? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Final Debate

Matt Snyder — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Tourney Coaches, Midwest Region, West Region, South Region, East Region

All eyes are on Detroit as we're less than one week away from crowning the national champion and moving on to 2010. So with only four teams still standing in the Big Dance, NCAA Basketball FanHouse got together for a FanHouse Roundtable to discuss what we can expect. Find out why the only thing we love more than the Heels are the head coaches.

Matt Snyder: I don't think anyone can handle North Carolina right now. They didn't even need a decent game from Tyler Hansbrough to stomp a very tough Oklahoma team. Ty Lawson appears to be healthy, and he'll get some additional rest this week. They are easily the team to beat, and it would appear Roy Williams is going to do something for the second time that he couldn't do once at Kansas.

I do think Michigan State will take down UConn in the semifinals -- obvious Big Ten bias plays a role. They can adapt their game to win at any tempo, as they showed against Kansas and Louisville. Plus, they have a dude named Idong Ibok. That alone gives them an advantage at something.

If the Spartans and Tar Heels do advance, we'll get to see a rematch of the 35-point massacre from the ACC/Big Ten Challenge -- in the same venue. This time, though, Goran Suton will suit up for Michigan State. He can't make a 35-point difference, but perhaps the Spartans have improved enough over the course of the season to close the gap a bit and give us an exciting championship.

Dan Graziano: I have a Big East bias, and a memory of a really good-looking North Carolina team that showed up at last year's Final Four and got obliterated by Kansas. So I'm thinking Carolina's next game is no pushover. Villanova may not win, but I think they'll do more than anybody else has so far to make UNC earn it, and the result may be a worn-out bunch of Tar Heels two nights later.

Biases aside, though, my pick before this tournament started was Michigan State, and I see no reason to go off of it now. I agree with Matt's assessment that they can adjust their game to win in any style. The reason is rebounding. They're better at it than anybody in the country, and it's one of the few consistents in this game. Hasheem Thabeet's banged up, and on top of that MSU is the kind of team that will probably frustrate and annoy him -- and he doesn't play well when annoyed; he kind of gets moody and disappears a little, like in the last game, when Stanley Robinson had to take over inside on defense.

I give Michigan State the rebounding and coaching edge over everybody left in this tournament, and that's why I think they'll beat UNC in the title game. Suton is playing like a guy who won't accept losing, and I think MSU has the toughness edge over UNC too.

Plus, as Snyder mentioned, they have Ibok, who's bound to make an impact before it's all said and done.

Chris Burke: I've been reluctant to give Tom Izzo heaps of praise in the past because MSU went through a longer-than-it-should-have-been conference title drought, but it's pretty clear that he's right up there in terms of the best tournament coaches in the country. Still, to assume that the Spartans have a coaching advantage now is kind of a disservice to Jim Calhoun, Roy Williams and even Jay Wright. I don't know that Rick Pitino got outcoached, so much as his team got out-toughed, and those are two different things.

Michigan State's probably not going to go in and bully Connecticut, and it certainly won't push around North Carolina or Villanova. At least the Tar Heels and Wildcats are as mentally tough as MSU, though it is fair to debate if UConn can match State in that regard. Certainly, playing in Detroit will play to State's advantage.

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Thabeet can go into one of his shells, sure, but he could also completely force Suton and Michigan State's guards to the perimeter. Suton's been red hot, but UConn will take its chances with him shooting from the the outside all day. In the other semi, I just think Carolina's going to have way too much for Villanova. I thought Pitt would be a difficult matchup for Carolina because of how Pitt can get after it on defense sometimes, but I'm just not sure that 'Nova can slow UNC down enough to win that game. They might match the Heels basket-for-basket for a long time, but not over 40 minutes.

I personally think UConn and Carolina are going to the finals, with Carolina taking that one by 7-10 points. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan State in there, though I can't imagine the Spartans being good enough to beat UNC -- Villanova, maybe, but not North Carolina. So the Tar Heels are the pick here.

Ray Holloman: I still like North Carolina, but I think Villanova will give them one heck of a test in the Final Four. The big question about the Tar Heels all year has been how well can they hold together their perimeter defense without Marcus Ginyard available, and thus far in the tournament they've done pretty well. They did a great job against Jeremy Pargo and Matt Bouldin (albeit Pargo had three fouls midway through the first half) with Gonzaga and they sealed up Oklahoma, after a few consecutive lapses against Willie Warren after the Heels initial burst in the first half anyway. Oklahoma helped by missing a lot of open shots in the second half, but North Carolina did a good job in the first 20 minutes. Almost every look was contested in the first half.

But Villanova doesn't just have one guy that can penetrate and hurt you, they've got four on the court at any given time. And they've got Dante Cunningham, who can work inside or outside and will be a tough matchup problem. If you've got both Deon Thompson and Hansbrough in the game, one of those guys will be getting driven by. Villanova is also a much better rebounding team than they're given credit for. The Wildcats are a better team on the offensive glass than the Heels are on the defensive glass, so don't expect to see Jay Wright's team be one-and-done every possession. They're also a great free throw shooting team and really get to the line. (In fact, Villanova gets there more than North Carolina as a percentage of field goals attempted). They shoot 76.5 percent from the charity stripe and against both Duke and Pitt those free throws were a killer.

But the Heels just have so much going for them. Ed Davis may be the best big man NBA prospect left in the tournament and he's third in the rotation behind Hansbrough and Thompson (and gives up minutes to Tyler Zeller, too). And yeah, they got staggered last year, and I suppose it's valid to question why Roy Williams does what he does at times, but I don't think its necessarily fair to hold the sins of last year's team against this one. They really talk about that collapse against Georgetown two years ago and Kansas last year as learning experiences. Williams talked about it going into the Sweet 16, Ty Lawson and Danny Green talked about Kansas after beating Oklahoma. But that transition offense is just so unstoppable. How many times Sunday did Oklahoma score what felt like a pivotal bucket in the first half only to have Ty Lawson dart down court before the scorer's name was announced and draw a foul or find Danny Green for a dunk? I think Villanova will break out that 1-2-2 press to disrupt the timing of the Heels offense, but I just don't know that the Wildcats will be able to do it.

Michigan State and UConn, I like the Huskies, but I'm buying stock in Johnson & Johnson before that game starts. One team is going to have to bleed to win that game. And I like North Carolina to run from Connecticut in the final, but those are going to be two dog-tired teams by the time Monday night wraps up.

Adam Papagiorgio: I had Michigan State winning the tournament in all of my pools. Mainly because of Izzo and what he brings to the table. I agree that maybe Izzo didn't necessarily out-coach Pitino, but Michigan State is certainly playing some of its best hoop.

That being said, I don't know what more can be said about North Carolina. I didn't realize that the Heels were that good. Make no mistake, Gonzaga is a really good team. And that butt-whooping was more about how good Carolina is, and not an idictment on the Bulldogs. I was actually relieved that the Heels punked the Sooners so soundly because that helped to take away some of the sting of the Gonzaga game.

So right now, I have to figure that North Carolina wins this thing going away.

Jacob Wheatley-Schaller: I'm normally more of a stats-based guy, but man, whenever I watch this UNC team play with Lawson in there, and I'm rooting against them (almost always), it's just such a helpless feeling. It's really come full circle from the preseason, where they were clearly the best team, to the second half of the season where that title changed from week to week, to now where it's pretty obvious that you'd have to expect them to win a game on a neutral floor against any team in the country. That offense ... well, it's as good as you would've expected when everyone announced they were coming back, and that's really saying something.

They could lose, of course. Really, if Oklahoma had shot even competently from three (they finished 2-for-19, and I believe they were 0-for-14 at one point), that could've been a game on Sunday. I think I figured if they were shooting 33 percent from deep at halftime, the game probably would've been tied, or at least within one possession. I think if 'Nova is going to have a chance, they'll need Stokes to get hot, and Scottie Reynolds to be hitting his shots. And they'd better hope that Lawson and the rest of the perimeter guys go cold, because when they're shooting like they were on Friday night it's game over. Gonzaga is pretty good. They obliterated Gonzaga.

I like UConn in the other game, although not nearly as much. That's a great defense, obviously because of Thabeet, but they never turn you over. And there's always the chance you get Thabeet out of the game with fouls, which really changes the whole dynamic; it actually didn't in the Mizzou game, since the Tigers never bothered to go to the rim even with him out of the game (they much preferred shooting 15-footers, always a good strategy), but in general it makes a big difference. Anyway, I think UConn probably takes it, Walker really adds a whole new dimension to their offense.

Shane Bacon: I just can't see North Carolina losing this Final Four. They are hitting their stride at the most opportune time, playing some incredible basketball against a really tough run through their bracket. Gonzaga was sneaky tough, Oklahoma might have been able to take down any of the other three teams heading to Detroit and UNC wiped the floor with them.

It's all about who is playing the best basketball at the end of March and right now the Heels are (get ready for it) head over heels better than the rest of the field.

Chas Rich: I'm very torn on the MSU-UConn game, beyond any obvious Big East bias. There is no question that Tom Izzo is a fantastic coach who finally has this team healthy and contributions going deep into the bench.

But I like the starting talent on UConn better and the Huskies don't play a pace too differently from what MSU plays, so that won't be an issue of frustration. Plus, Jim Calhoun is not exactly a slouch in preparing his team for big games.

On the other side, it will be closer than expected (I think UNC is favored by eight right now), but Villanova will just not be able to beat UNC. Again, as important as depth can be, in games at this point, it's about the starting five and only a couple players off the bench. That is so clearly in favor of UNC.

The Final Debate originally appeared on NCAA Basketball Tournament on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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