I don’t think Wright leaves, he is at his dream job (Philly area native, was a long time assistant there before his Hofstra job) gets paid well and will get paid even better if Kentucky shows interest. Wright has built Villanova into something special and has a ridiculous recruiting class coming in next season.
I think it is Donovan or Calipari. Donovan won back to back titles at Florida, but has not been to the NCAAs since. That won’t happen at Kentucky. Also remember Florida is a football school first and foremost.
Travis Ford is a frontrunner if the aforementioned and Pitino say no.
I can’t see Pitino taking the job, he’s got UL back to being a powerhouse and they will likely be in the hunt every year that he is there. PLus he is in a BCS conference and the Big East has image on its side.
Still can’t believe Tubby Smith got the rude exit he did. Especially when Gillespie was the person they brought in after him. I could see Calimari wanting to go there, but he strikes me as a guy who likes being at a non BCS school. I think the ego stroke of making Mempiss a national power is something he loves.
I could also see Donovan leaving for UK, but I think he would be an idiot to do it. He’s never gonna be shown the door there, especially while Urban Meyer is winning titles in Football. And if he ever does build another title team, he’s gonna have a lifetime contract. If Donovan goes to UK and wins back to back titles and then goes to back to back NITs, he might be fired.
[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;396298]I don’t think Wright leaves, he is at his dream job (Philly area native, was a long time assistant there before his Hofstra job) gets paid well and will get paid even better if Kentucky shows interest. Wright has built Villanova into something special and has a ridiculous recruiting class coming in next season.
I think it is Donovan or Calipari. Donovan won back to back titles at Florida, but has not been to the NCAAs since. That won’t happen at Kentucky. Also remember Florida is a football school first and foremost.
Travis Ford is a frontrunner if the aforementioned and Pitino say no.[/QUOTE]
I can’t see Calipari leaving with the recruiting class headed to Memphis that may include John Wall and CJ Leslie when all is said and done.
Ford would be a very good choice – Kentucky native, UK player and alum, and began his heading coaching career in the Bluegrass State at Campbellsville (NAIA) and Eastern Kentucky prior to moving up to UMass and Oklahoma State.
Looks like Bama has offered VCU’s Grant somewhere around $2million/year. I imagine Grant will wait to see what happens with UK/UF before making a decision. If Donovan goes to UK Grant is gone to UF, at least IMHO.
I don't think Wright leaves, he is at his dream job (Philly area native, was a long time assistant there before his Hofstra job) gets paid well and will get paid even better if Kentucky shows interest. Wright has built Villanova into something special and has a ridiculous recruiting class coming in next season.
I think it is Donovan or Calipari. Donovan won back to back titles at Florida, but has not been to the NCAAs since. That won’t happen at Kentucky. Also remember Florida is a football school first and foremost.
Travis Ford is a frontrunner if the aforementioned and Pitino say no.
I’ve got to believe it’s Wright too. Bigger program with an easier road. It will be easier for him at Kentucky than Nova, while getting paid more and getting better players.
I also agree with PB, that Donovan would be dumb to leave UF. He’s already won 2 NCs there. How many other coaches can say that regardless of what school they are at?
Unless Wirght stays put, and UK gets Donovan, then I agree with VA - Grant to UF. No idea who goes to Bama.
And can I just say that while Grant’s time at VCU has been impressive, it’d be nice to see what he can do without Maynor before he gets hired. That kid is really, really good.
I've got to believe it's Wright too. Bigger program with an easier road. It will be easier for him at Kentucky than Nova, while getting paid more and getting better players.
I also agree with PB, that Donovan would be dumb to leave UF. He’s already won 2 NCs there. How many other coaches can say that regardless of what school they are at?
I don’t agree that it is easier at Kentucky. There is entirely too much pressure and ridiculous expectations. Since Pitino left they have been on a steady decline to a regular good program, nothing more nothing less.
If Wright has his eyes set on the NBA, which is the big rumor, then he rides his wave of success at Nova until an NBA job comes calling. If he goes to Kentucky and has any lapses in success, like Gillepsie, then his NBA dreams could be out the window.
If he had some sort of connection to the SEC or that region I would think differently, but from what I have read and what he has shown in his career, I just don’t see him making the jump.
from a rivals board from a Kentucky poster named CatsnRoses
"[SIZE=2]Wow. Don’t know where to begin. Disagree with a lot of your takes on our program, but I’ll try and summate all my disagreeance into one post. Here goes nothing:
First of all- Kentucky is still the top job in college basketball, at least in my estimation. It’s the only school to have more than 2 coaches win a NC (we’ve had 4) , the head coach at Kentucky is more powerful than the Governor, best facilities, best fan base, etc… Essentially, you have to be an idiot not to win BIG here. To say that we’d have no shot at pulling Jay Wright or that he’d gain no advantage by coming here is naive… The amount of resources, support, and national notoriety he would get here would be exponentially greater than he gets at Villanova. That’s just a fact. I don’t care if you say the SEC sucks. The SEC is historically a very good conference, which had a historically bad year. That does not = “THE SEC SUCKS!!!11111.” Sorry.
Second, the only reason Gillispie is on the proverbial hot seat is “behind the scenes” stuff. Apparently, the UK AD was furious when Gillispie stated in an interview that being the ambassador of the UK program was “not in the job description.” He’s also been boorish with media - mainly nationally, which has accentuated the problem. Wins and losses have nothing to do with it - at least they shouldn’t, as he was handed a pile of ish by Tubby Smith.
Third, IF Gillispie decides not to come back next year due to the problems with the AD and the pressure cooker that is KY basketball, Jay Wright would be 3rd - at best - on a list on candidates. Not saying that’s where I’d rank him, but I can tell you that Billy Donovan and John Calipari will almost certainly be the guys who get the longest look from the UK AD.
That’s the gist of what I wanted to say after just scanning over a few of the above posts. TIFWIW."
[/SIZE]Wow, is that an inflated sense of self worth or what?[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
I don't agree that it is easier at Kentucky. There is entirely too much pressure and ridiculous expectations. Since Pitino left they have been on a steady decline to a regular good program, nothing more nothing less.
If Wright has his eyes set on the NBA, which is the big rumor, then he rides his wave of success at Nova until an NBA job comes calling. If he goes to Kentucky and has any lapses in success, like Gillepsie, then his NBA dreams could be out the window.
If he had some sort of connection to the SEC or that region I would think differently, but from what I have read and what he has shown in his career, I just don’t see him making the jump.
? Not sure about that. Tubby wasn’t terrible. He won a NC. I’d say Kentucky was a better program than Nova over the same time frame while he was there.
In the SEC he has to face UF, USC, Tenn, UGA and Vandy twice a year. At Nova you have Syr, UL, UConn, Georgetown, Marq, Pitt, ND, WVU. To me, the Big East is a much tougher road. They’ve still got 5 teams alive this season. The SEC has 0.
? Not sure about that. Tubby wasn't terrible. He won a NC. I'd say Kentucky was a better program than Nova over the same time frame while he was there.
In the SEC he has to face UF, USC, Tenn, UGA and Vandy twice a year. At Nova you have Syr, UL, UConn, Georgetown, Marq, Pitt, ND, WVU. To me, the Big East is a much tougher road. They’ve still got 5 teams alive this season. The SEC has 0.
What Wright has built at Villanova is better than what Tubby had built at Kentucky, his title was won with Pitino’s players.
Remember of those 5 Big East teams left, Villanova is one of them and they have the best recruiting class in the Big East coming in next season.
I can't see Calipari leaving with the recruiting class headed to Memphis that may include John Wall and CJ Leslie when all is said and done.
I agree. I don’t see what motivation Cal has to leave Memphis. His class next year could be Fab 5 good. Don’t think money will be an issue. Great facilities…big man on campus. He has it made.
I agree. I don't see what motivation Cal has to leave Memphis. His class next year could be Fab 5 good. Don't think money will be an issue. Great facilities...big man on campus. He has it made.
I agree with that too, I think they end up with Donovan or Ford…the sleeper is Pelfrey, but no chance in hell Ford passes up Kentucky.
Yeah, I think Ford would jump at the chance, Donovan might but he would be stupid, stupid, stupid.
The one thing you can’t discount is the challenge. If Wright had won a title at Nova already I could see a stronger consideration for Kentucky. Donovan has done all he can do at Florida, so what else is there to accomplish professionally other than rebuilt an elite historical program or coach in the NBA?
I agree with that too, I think they end up with Donovan or Ford...the sleeper is Pelfrey, but no chance in hell Ford passes up Kentucky.
I think its Donovan.
I don’t think they’d let Gillespie go now without having a back up plan. And with Nova still playing and Cal not going anywhere…I bet its Donovan (that poor schmuck)
[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;396365]The one thing you can’t discount is the challenge. If Wright had won a title at Nova already I could see a stronger consideration for Kentucky. Donovan has done all he can do at Florida, so what else is there to accomplish professionally other than rebuilt an elite historical program or coach in the NBA?[/QUOTE]
I understand that and that is the only reason he would take the job. If he wins another title at UF, he’s gonna be a legendary coach. I mean, he’s already a HOF’er at UF but I can see the appeal of making a football school an elite b-ball program. Sort of like what Calamari is doing at Mempiss, make a school that shouldn’t be an elite program an elite program. I mean Donovan has 3 ffs and 2 titles, there’s no reason he can’t get 1-2 more titles at UF.
Apparently there are rumors (I think BS, of Pitino to Arizona), in any case the Arizona job is basically Cal’s for the taking, with Reggie Theus making a big push and possibly Mark Few if he decides to leaves Gonzaga.
Thought is Cal won’t throw his name into the Kentucky consideration again since he felt “embarrassed” from the last go around. Jay Wright actually turned down the Kentucky job in 2007. Either way Gillepsie won’t be fired until they have a replacement set.