TSN – Calipari is the Focus

See this link to DeCourcy’s thoughts. I don’t know about you – and this is just my personal speculation – but that certainly sounds like “one or two days needed to finalize a contract, or negotiate the last few hurdles to a deal.” John Calipari sure as hell isn’t going to “interview” here and be turned down. That’s not to say Calipari still couldn’t turn us down, and pull out before the “interview.”

Let’s hope good news is around the corner!

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

General NCS Basketball

67 Responses to TSN – Calipari is the Focus

  1. 98st8 04/09/2006 at 9:01 AM #

    Kinda interesting that the log did not have a flight to Austin

  2. Chip 04/09/2006 at 9:05 AM #

    ^I think he has multiple planes. But I don’t know if any went to Austin this week. I saw where one went to Augusta earlier.

  3. Tired in Florida 04/09/2006 at 9:06 AM #

    …it never got to that point…..also I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out later that Calapari was the #1 target all along and a lot of the Barnes stuff was a smokescreen…..my gut tells me we’re in the end game….

  4. Cardiff Giant 04/09/2006 at 9:07 AM #

    RAWFS, well said.

  5. Tired in Florida 04/09/2006 at 9:21 AM #

    …what’s interesting to me is that a return flight plan hasn’t been filed yet…..IMHO this trip isn’t to just pick something (or somebody) up and return but is probably for a meeting of unknown length…..or it all could be a smokescreen 🙂

  6. 155mm 04/09/2006 at 9:29 AM #

    Sunday Memphis Paper web site. No registration needed, but once stiff hits the acrchives you might.

    Tiger AD cuts trip for Calipari talks

    N.C. State focused on U of M coach, reports say
    By Gary Parrish
    Contact
    April 9, 2006
    While John Calipari reportedly surged to the top of North Carolina State’s coaching wish list, University of Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson canceled a trip Saturday to remain in town and focus on reworking the contract of his most-visible employee.

    “I have a NCAA Management Council meeting (this) morning (in Savannah, Ga.,), but I have called (C-USA commissioner) Britton (Banowsky) and told him I am not going to make it,” said Johnson, who is simultaneously working on a new deal for football coach Tommy West. “I’m going to work diligently to get both contracts reworked. That is my focus right now.”

    Johnson’s change of plans came as multiple media outlets reported that N.C. State’s attention will now turn toward Calipari following Texas coach Rick Barnes reportedly declining an offer of more than $2 million per year. It’s unclear whether N.C. State will make an official offer to Calipari, and if so whether it would be similar to what it offered Barnes. But, Johnson said Saturday no school has requested permission to speak with Calipari, which is a common courtesy in coaching searches, though not a prerequisite to engaging in talks.

    continued…

  7. 155mm 04/09/2006 at 9:32 AM #

    Looks like the link is broke.. just go to the sports section of the Memphis paper if you care.

  8. packbackr04 04/09/2006 at 10:03 AM #

    this is crunch time for fowler, if he drops the ball here, he needs to look for a new job

  9. packbackr04 04/09/2006 at 10:04 AM #

    btw, anyone see the wolfpack on the masters? NC State alum Tim Clarke, leading the Masters!! Gotta love the head covers for his woods! GO PACK!

  10. Pedro 04/09/2006 at 10:50 AM #

    Folks, how can anyone blame Fowler for possibly “blowing this”?
    Either he accepts the offer, or not. It wouldn’t be Fowler’s fault if Calipari is using us as a way to get a raise, would it?

    I’m just getting tired of complaints that aren’t really based on logical thought. All Fowler can do is make a pitch and show him the money. The rest is up to Calipari. Why would it shock anyone that he choose to stay in a pretty good situation?

    I personally think we have more to offer long -term than Memphis, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he takes the bird in the hand.

    We’ve basically targeted the top 2 guys in the country that we had any chance of getting. I’d say we’ve done pretty good just to be at the table with them. I’m afraid that by shooting for the top, that many of us are going to get suicidal if we don’t convice one of the 2 (one’s out already) to leave their sweetheart situation. Don’t be surprised if we strike out, and please don’t whine like babies either. Every big-name coach was a nobody at one time. We’ll be fine…. Everyone stay calm.

    That said, come on down John Calipari…..

  11. StateFans 04/09/2006 at 11:30 AM #

    Either he accepts the offer, or not. It wouldn’t be Fowler’s fault if Calipari is using us as a way to get a raise, would it?

    * What if we don’t offer? Can you not blame Fowler for selling/pushing Calipari harder to anyone with hesitation?

    * What if Calipari pulls his name because news has now leaked into the media (as he said that he would)? If Fowler would have been speaking with him earlier in the week then that risk would not exist as we wouldn’t “just be starting talks” with him with all of this media glare that did not exist earlier in the week when the whole world was focusing on Rick Barnes.

    THAT is how Fowler COULD have blown it. I think that we will know soon.

  12. JTO 04/09/2006 at 12:03 PM #

    packbackr – I noticed the head covers at the Master this am, very nice. Clark’s the man – I’ll be cheering for him this afternoon.

  13. 98st8 04/09/2006 at 12:10 PM #

    uh guys… i don’t think we would be meeting with Cal if we didn’t have the blessing of Oblinger and comp. to give an offer…. IMHO

  14. 98st8 04/09/2006 at 12:14 PM #

    ok… that’s messed up. I was looking for my 12:15 crack fix. I mean SFN fix… now i have to wait 15 more minutes. I officially need to get a life

  15. highstick 04/09/2006 at 12:56 PM #

    “I officially need to get a life”!
    LOL

    I think that speaks for a lot of us!

    I really like the “plane tracking” though!

  16. 98st8 04/09/2006 at 1:19 PM #

    no kidding… the flight stuff is great info. Just makes me more addicted. I have to believe that a short time between flights would be a good thing

  17. wewon19741983 04/09/2006 at 4:48 PM #

    I have said for 3 years that we should look at 1) John Calipari and 2) Kelvin Sampson. I could not be more tjhrilled that we are pursuing the smart young exuberant John Calipari. Come to Raleigh John – we need you and WANT you!

    Regarding Micky McCarthy questions above, McCarthy was the most vitriolic basher of NCSU athletics the fishwrap News and Observer has ever employed and I always wanted to come face to fsace with him. I finally did – and boy was I disappointed and amused – at a pro tennis tournament on the veranda of the Raleigh Racquet Club. He was sitting in a rocking chair looking like an unshaven wino with a drink in his hand all alone and never did I see anyone talk to him in an hour’s time – he looked like an under-the-bridge unkempt bum. He was a caustic uninformed editorializer of hate against NCSU and was likely run off the paper (before retirement age – as his daughter had just graduated high school about the time he left) ) for his beyond the pale treatment of the hometown team.

    Go State! Go Calipari!

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