Vitale on Calapari, unsigned recruits

[OldHoyafan]

Vital gave the usual "great move for Calapari and Kentucky,...and "Rick Pitino all over again" etc,etc. But he made some interesting comments about the unsigned Memphis recruits which I agree with. He said that that all the new recruits for Memphis both signed and verballed should be allowed to open their recruitment with any team except Kentucky. He said it makes the move look like Calipari used the recruits as a package deal. This to me is very obvious, but I have heard none of the other commentators saying it, instead Duke lapboy Jay Williams said he thought all the Memphis recruits should be allowed to follow Calapari. He makes the usual arguments about father figure(laughable) etc. ,but fails to address what Vital said "it does not look right", It does not pass the smell test. These kids may love Calapari and only want to go to school where he is head coach, but the appearance of impropriety is what the NCAA always say they are trying to avoid. Vital had a solution for those recruits who truly only wanted Calapari as a coach, he suggested that they be required to sit out one year then sign with Kentucky.
A coach gets $4 million a year contract and brings 4 McDonald All Americans with him ,who are not suppose to make one cent from move, but know this will guarantee millions in future tv revenue for school. Yet school is giving these athletes only an academic scholarship. What a farce if allowed to happen.

[jagtrader]

I think Calipari should have to sit out a year.

[RDF]

Vitale is an ignorant moron. He spews the SAME line over and over and if he actually took the time to do some research--or at ESPN he could just call someone who actually talks to coaches outside of Coach K, he'd know that:

DeMarcus Cousiins is a VERBAL commit--free to go wherever.

Nolan Dennis and Xavier Henry have signed agreements that if Calipari left-they are free of LOI and can sign anywhere.

No word on Will Coleman and Darnell Dodson-but would guess they would be given same chance to do what they like.

I've yet to see a school NOT give a release if the player wants out. Happens all of the time---Scottie Reynolds, Ashanti Cook are two examples you would know about firsthand.

Next will be Vitale talking about the great "class Coach K has coming in......." and how he'll be at the Jimmy V Classic with such "Great people who are out to cure the awful disease" and while they are at that--grease him for free publicity on the air which means more to them then anything Cancer fundraising related.

[lichoya68]

hmm it DOES smell to me wonder if tyree evans personal trainer will also be an assistant trainer at kentucky next year curious and SMELLY all around??how do we compete with stuff like this .. ive no clue

[Big Dog]

"Vital" without an "e" also does not pass the smell test.

[GUJook97]

No offense, but I am with RDF. If anyone is "commodifying" players, it is Vitale and his ignorance. Does he even know what players he is talking about? He personally decided that they are just Calipari's lap dogs? Huh? It's these guys entire livelihood, and Vitale woke up one day, thought he had a good idea, and then decides to spout off on it on national tv. I bet he did zero research. What a maroon.

[kchoya]

The real problem for UK is they had one player graduating and three players coming in - and that was before Calipari and his posse came to town.

[derhoya]

What do the rules allow current Memphis players to do?

I heard witherspoon and sallee (sp?) are possibly heading with Cal which leaves memphis with a whole lot of nothing.

[tjm62]

Sure, the players are likely free to go where they like (or will be released by Memphis, in any event). At the same time, I don't love the idea that coaches can leverage their recruits to get more money for themselves. It is normal for players to recruit because of specific coaches, but I hate seeing the specific school so marginalized.

[SFHoya99]

Apr 1, 2009 10:43:02 GMT -5 derhoya said:

What do the rules allow current Memphis players to do?

I heard witherspoon and sallee (sp?) are possibly heading with Cal which leaves memphis with a whole lot of nothing.

Current players would have to sit out a year unless they get the same exemption Vaughn got -- which seems kind of unlikely given the circumstances.

Kentucky also doesn't have enough scholarships for all these guys.

[vcjack]

Ironically we were all so happy that the Memphis series would be off next season because of all of their scary recruits. Hopefully we will both be back at a respectable level by 2010-11

[FromTheBeginning]

First, Kentucky doesn't have enough scholarships -------- until they run some guys off.
Second, if the Memphis recruits leave, do they have to return their "stimulus package" $$$$?

[Filo]

Lots of dads, uncles, former AAU coaches, etc. looking for jobs away from the Memphis area...

[SirSaxa]

Demarcus Cousins and John Wall are unsigned and can go anywhere they choose. If Calipari has schollies available at UK, they are highly likely to join him there. And if there are not schollies available? Well.. after UK committed over $30 million to get a new HC and turn around the program, does anyone think there would be any complaints about running a couple of kids off to make room for two top 5 recruits?

The kids who signed with Memphis are in a different situation. Can they get out? probably, but they may not be allowed to go to UK.
But first they might want to see who Memphis brings in to replace Coach Cal.

Whatever happens, I don't see it having any impact on Hoya recruiting.

[NCHoya]

I am pretty sure that if these guys are signed recruits or existing players at Memphis, MU is within its rights to release them from scholarship under certain restrictions, such as, you cannot go to UK.

I think it is a good rule. I do not like the fact a coach can use his incoming class as some sort of asset he can buy and sell, I mean, the players do not see any of the benefits. Also, if you are committed, not verbally, but signed without exemptions, I see no reason why you should be allowed to break your contract to follow a coach without at least sitting out a year. Chances are the school will release you just not to where the new coach is going. That seems fair.

Finally, what a sad day it will be when a few of these current UK players get run off the team to make room for this incoming class. Hopefully it will just be organic if Meeks and Patterson decide to declare for the draft. Calipari really finds a way to encapsulate everything that is wrong with college basketball.

[RDF]

While this is "Vitale on Calipari"--let's also point out one thing about Worldwide Wes's "pal Cal". This will be his first BIG TIME job in a real league. He can't monopolize the league like he did at UMass and UMess--I mean Memphis. For $30 million+ he's going to be expected to put up seasons like he did the past 4 at Memphis in the YMCA Rec league better known as C-USA. Slimy as he is--he's even scared about the expectations if you heard his comments today. "Not a miracle worker......" "I'm not capable of anything more then anyone else....." well I'm sure UK fans were jumping with joy hearing that and even more--the Boosters/Administration has to love the idea of the $30 million dollar man being such a "modest" guy.

Reality is--he's a good coach who cheats on recruiting trail, has no expectations of his kids outside of basketball, will get your school on probation, and will move at first word that he's going to get caught. Kentucky went to NCAA's 2 years ago and won 22 games this year. It's not like they were when Eddie Sutton had them in depths of NCAA hell and Pitino rallied them back to elite. He's just set an unrealistic expectation based on being in that awful league and now he realizes the reality is he wont' do that--no matter how much talent he brings in--other teams can play. He's just hoping that at Kentucky-when they get word of what he's done at NCAA-they'll put Rich Brooks FB program on probation instead. Of course Rich has a successor in place--Joker Phillips so your FB coach in Lexington is a Joker and the basketball coach is a "CLOWN" or "ACE-hole" if you prefer.

Worldwide being the funder of Cal's "horses" will be interesting because Pitino has been most outspoken about Wes--and being that Louisville/Kentucky aren't "friendly"--this could set up some legendary stuff. Of course, idiots like Vitale will focus on the heritage of the coaches and not the game and then trot out the tired "I think every natural rivalry should play....." and cue the Maryland-Georgetown cries we get all of the time.

Going to be fun to see if greasy John and his worldwide express can keep the mojo going or if the UK Fans will be steamed they got ripped off by a scumball who is part mouth, part coach, and all dirt.

[hoya9797]

Apr 1, 2009 14:24:48 GMT -5 NCHoya said:

I am pretty sure that if these guys are signed recruits or existing players at Memphis, MU is within its rights to release them from scholarship under certain restrictions, such as, you cannot go to UK.

I think it is a good rule. I do not like the fact a coach can use his incoming class as some sort of asset he can buy and sell, I mean, the players do not see any of the benefits. Also, if you are committed, not verbally, but signed without exemptions, I see no reason why you should be allowed to break your contract to follow a coach without at least sitting out a year. Chances are the school will release you just not to where the new coach is going. That seems fair.

Finally, what a sad day it will be when a few of these current UK players get run off the team to make room for this incoming class. Hopefully it will just be organic if Meeks and Patterson decide to declare for the draft. Calipari really finds a way to encapsulate everything that is wrong with college basketball.

I know that one of the signed Memphis recruits (maybe X Henry) has said that he signed an LOI that had a clause which let him out 100% if Cal left Memphis. If this is true, all of these Memphis recruits are back on the market free and clear and likely heading to Kentucky.

[757hoyafan]

The athletic director planned to meet with current players later Wednesday to convince them to stay. Calipari had the top-rated recruiting class for next fall according to Rivals.com and Scout.com. Johnson said each recruit has a clause freeing them to go elsewhere if Calipari left for any reason, so they will try to re-recruit those players too.

They are all free to go....

[FromTheBeginning]

I aleways thought the NCAA LOI was a standard document - when did "escape clauses" become part of the document instead of the school having to grant a release? And isn't it a bit fishy that these "escape clauses" just happened to come into vogue this year for Cal's players - a little planning ahead, maybe???

[hoyarooter]

Apr 1, 2009 14:32:37 GMT -5 RDF said:

While this is "Vitale on Calipari"--let's also point out one thing about Worldwide Wes's "pal Cal". This will be his first BIG TIME job in a real league. He can't monopolize the league like he did at UMass and UMess--I mean Memphis. For $30 million+ he's going to be expected to put up seasons like he did the past 4 at Memphis in the YMCA Rec league better known as C-USA. Slimy as he is--he's even scared about the expectations if you heard his comments today. "Not a miracle worker......" "I'm not capable of anything more then anyone else....." well I'm sure UK fans were jumping with joy hearing that and even more--the Boosters/Administration has to love the idea of the $30 million dollar man being such a "modest" guy.

Reality is--he's a good coach who cheats on recruiting trail, has no expectations of his kids outside of basketball, will get your school on probation, and will move at first word that he's going to get caught. Kentucky went to NCAA's 2 years ago and won 22 games this year. It's not like they were when Eddie Sutton had them in depths of NCAA hell and Pitino rallied them back to elite. He's just set an unrealistic expectation based on being in that awful league and now he realizes the reality is he wont' do that--no matter how much talent he brings in--other teams can play. He's just hoping that at Kentucky-when they get word of what he's done at NCAA-they'll put Rich Brooks FB program on probation instead. Of course Rich has a successor in place--Joker Phillips so your FB coach in Lexington is a Joker and the basketball coach is a "CLOWN" or "ACE-hole" if you prefer.

Worldwide being the funder of Cal's "horses" will be interesting because Pitino has been most outspoken about Wes--and being that Louisville/Kentucky aren't "friendly"--this could set up some legendary stuff. Of course, idiots like Vitale will focus on the heritage of the coaches and not the game and then trot out the tired "I think every natural rivalry should play....." and cue the Maryland-Georgetown cries we get all of the time.

Going to be fun to see if greasy John and his worldwide express can keep the mojo going or if the UK Fans will be steamed they got ripped off by a scumball who is part mouth, part coach, and all dirt.

At least based on this year's performance, it's not as though Calipari will be coaching in a top league. Yes, Florida had its national titles, but the SEC stunk this year. I really don't know what the league's outlook is for the immediate future, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Kentucky be dominant very quickly.