People close to the decision makers say it is a done deal with terms(money/years) already agreed to. Will be announced as soon as Kentucky is eliminated.
I bring it up because the SEC becomes a way less competitive basketball conference without him and you know A&M is interested in someone's coach.
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Will be announced as soon as Kentucky is eliminated.
So we will know something this weekend after Wofford knocks them off?
Don't sleep on The Fighting Terriers! Or maybe it's the Biting Terriers. Either way, they'll get after ya.
Well, this ruins my Tony Bennett to UCLA fantasy.
TB to Kentucky tho.....
*thinking emoji*
Kentucky fans would love switching from one-and-dones to kids who play "defense."
Seriously, how has nobody (college or pros) backed the money truck up to Tony Bennett's door yet?
What he's done at UVA is WAY more impressive that what Buzz has done at VT. And I mean that with absolutely zero disrespect towards Buzz.
Big buyout combined with no blue blood openings that want him, and I don't see him ever trying to coach in the NBA with his system. Funny enough there actually is more traffic over Bennett to UCLA than Cal, but I don't think either will come to pass.
Here's the scoop I've gotten from my UVA friends:
The Bennett's are very happy in Charlottesville, Tony is a very religious guy and has found a church that he loves. There's very little chance that he's going to get pried out of there and I'm 100% joking about UCLA, that really doesn't seem their speed.
Unfortunately, I don't see them leaving any time soon...if ever.
Yeah, I believe that.
You're not going to dislodge him out of there too easily. More reason I'd like to see Buzz stick around and compete with UNC, Duke, and UVa.
Can confirm. He goes to my church. He Is unassuming and nice and introduces himself as Tony.
My wife came home from church one day and said she met someone who looked familiar, but she couldn't place him. Maybe he's a newscaster? I laughed and showed her a picture of him and it was him. He is there there most weeks unless the team is traveling or he is recruiting.
Must be hard sitting in church trying to be pious while staring at Bennett like "man, fuck you Tony, fuck you and UVA, fuck you to hell!"
Dude, its church, he probably says heck.
Is this something you're stating, or did I miss a report?
I used to live in LA for a period of time. Got a friend out there. Here's what he said:
Is... is this implying he'd throw a game to leave UK?
If he does, then he will definitely fit in at UCLA.
So is this the only proof that he *might* leave?
lol
Well now the state of Kentucky can go back to all of the other things they are good at, such as....
Bourbon
One of the biggest backfires I've ever seen around these Internet streets
blue grass?
...the use of triple negatives in a sentence (although this is primarily an eastern KY thing).
Jennifer Lawrence & Ashley Judd
Horse stuff.
No offense HOATM
I'll believe it when I see it. Calipari worked very hard to finally coach at a Blue Blood school and has it REALLLLYYYY good at Kentucky. I doubt UK just lets him walk
You seem to be implying that UCLA isn't a basketball blue-blood.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCLA_Bruins_men%27s_basketball
I wasn't implying UCLA isn't a blue blood. Just saying Calipari always wanted to coach at one and he finally is at Kentucky. I just don't see him leaving UK for UCLA
No, people are literally blue in Kentucky.
Thats just the meth.
Like I expected, no way UK was going to let Calipari go
James Johnson to Kentucky confirmed.
After a "nationwide search".
We could probably get him over Kentucky...he's got a history with VT you know.
Que the Buzz to Kentucky links cause hes SEC bound like people seem to think
Sorry to be 'that guy', but I can't tell if you misspelled 'Cue' or 'Queue'....
I was hungry and was waiting to go to Q barbecue i apologize for my mind wandering as it does when foods on the mind
If you've got that source, you should blast it all over right now. Because I just did a (lazy) scan of the internet and no one has that out there right now. It's a huge story. You could be famous. You could be the "random internet fan" that ESPN refuses to site but places like Reddit will love you
Great point, however...
Sorry to be that guy, but the word is "cite".
Doesn't anyone here speak English?
(Sorry, just seemed two perfekt wit dee rest of the tread...)
LOL
I did the same scan and I saw Tony B and Cal as wants or top of the list but nothing where anything was a done deal
I @ a friend of mine on Twitter.
Feel free to reshare.
https://twitter.com/vtfootballgrad/status/1108103523315666944?s=21
I'd rather have Calipari but I'm a little shocked that it's not Luke Walton given he's a
UCLA gradCalifornia native, has multiple NBA rings (as a player and coach), ties to Bob Myers and the son of a UCLA legend.Luke's dad, Bill, is the UCLA grad. Luke went to Arizona. FWIW, his name has been brought up for both schools since it seems like Miller might get the axe at Arizona
I find it funny that the UCLA fans think they don't have the money to do pull this off.
I get their Atheltic Department has been run really tight.
I'm sure that if they wanted to pay Calipari they could get it done. They aren't poor like they think they are.
Right?! They have short memories out there considering they have the most lucrative apparel deal in the NCAA.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-0525-ucla-under-armour-2016052...
While they might not be poor, I wouldn't call them flush with cash either...
UK 2017 reported budget: #17 at $130mil
UCLA 2017 reported budget: #29 at $104mil
VT 2017 reported budget: #44 at $87mil
I got numbers now 5 years $40 Million
Matching his current salary at UK...
This rumor seems to be picking up some steam. I was watching The Herd today during lunch and they hinted at Calipari possibly leaving for UCLA.
YES, I MADE IT TO THE HERD. LOL
"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach"- Nick Saban
Oh yeah... he's gone for sure!
"I don't give a shit about North Carolina" - Roy Williams about 2 weeks before being hired by UNC
FTFHim
So Cal is retiring now?
Kentucky offers LIFETIME deal for Calipari.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26417804/kentucky-offers-calipari-life-deal
The Athletic Article is Titled: Kentucky has offered John Calipari a lifetime contract in order to fend of interest from UCLA.
My source was right, I haven't heard from him since that time, but they are reporting it heavily now.
I would be in favor of doing the same for Buzz, if there was an inkling that it would work.
This is one of the best seasons Buzz has had. He won more games one season at Marquette, and another season he made an elite eight. This doesn't compare 1 national title, and at least 6 final fours l, an undefeated regular season and like 20 some tourney appearances. There is no way Buzz is worth a lifetime contract and I highly doubt Cal isnworth it too. That needs to be lawyered up to hell and back.
??Source was right? The title says he's the next coach at UCLA, not just offered or interested...
Your source appears to be wrong.
The only part about this that worries me is that I was hoping we'd get a chance to find our guy before UCLA made their move.
The longer this situation played out, the easier it would have been for us to move in the shadows. Now? Ehh, a little tougher.
We prob aren't competing w UCLA, since we aren't on the same level as them basketball wise.
Probably not, no.
But that doesn't mean we couldn't have made a power move while they were busy playing footsie with Cal. This probably takes one of our targets completely off the board unless UCLA decides to pass.
In one of the 50 Buzz threads I believe UCLA was reportedly targeting Cronin. I'm okay with this as I'd rather not have Cronin but at this point I have no idea what real news is on TKP everyone's an expert now.
So, Kentucky is going to pay Calipari 10 million dollars per year?
Coach Cal is a WAY, WAY better negotiator than he is a basketball coach. He should reincarnate as a sports agent, or a rock band manager in his next life.
There is not a human being on this planet that I would give 10 mil/year to coach a college basketball team. How do you recoup that investment in a non-football sport?
This is a few years old, and given L'ville is surely no longer #1 on the list for reasons...some of that money might be flowing to UK. Either way, a 3 year average of nearly $27 mill a year revenue with profit numbers very similar.
https://www.businessinsider.com/louisville-was-college-basketballs-biggest-money-maker-in-2016-2018-2#2-duke-university-34398285-24
Still doesn't make as much money as football.
Nick Saban makes around 10-12 mil per year? The Tide is putting 100k rears in seats and winning national titles on the reg.
It's all in what you value.
Kentucky is a basketball state/school.
In Texas, pigskin is king. #1 and #2 in revenue are Texas and aTm in football.
Soon to be down to about 96K in seats but changing about 3500 to premium seats to include 10 founders suites which have an initial donation requirement of $5M a piece. They have already received commitments on eight of the ten. All part of their $600M renovation of the football and basketball arena. Was more surprised to read that basketball was being reduced to 10K in seats from 15K.