Zarzour: Today is the Day

This is a short one…so, while you are here take a look around and have some fun.

I don’t live in the Triangle anymore, so I don’t have the opportunity to listen to a lot of local sports radio. But, from what I can gather, Taylor Zarzour of 1090AM has done a very commendable job of covering the NC State coaching search.

Evidently, this morning Zarzour reported the following:

* Confirmed the obvious that Calipari was in Raleigh last night to visit facilities.

* Discussed Cal’s strained relations with Memphis’ AD and frustration with not being paid market value without so much prodding.

* Shared that NC State refused to offer Calipari a contract in Memphis. Told Cal that if he came to visit that he would be offered a contract.

* NC State offered the contract that pays $1.7 million a year with incentives that can get him to $2.0 million. The incentives were not ridiculous to achieve.

* I did not hear Zarzour, but my friend told me that Zarzour shared that he would guess/predict that Calipari would accept and be NC State’s next coach. That is not the same as the people on the idiot boards saying that Zarzour reported that Calipari was going to be our next coach.

* The answer will come today.

Hold on tight.

General NCS Basketball

255 Responses to Zarzour: Today is the Day

  1. Jeremy Hyatt 04/11/2006 at 1:03 PM #

    Calipari’s `no’ to Tech leaves Memphians smiling
    Sporting News, The, Feb 28, 2000 by Mike DeCourcy

    There were more than a few hushed celebrations in the city of Memphis after Bobby Cremins announced his resignation. Not that anyone there wished to see him leave Georgia Tech.

    Who, aside from Yellow Jackets fans weary of empty Selection Sundays, really wanted that? Memphians simply hoped Tech would not be welcoming John Calipari as his replacement.

    Calipari put that possibility to rest immediately. Asked whether he would consider the coaching job at Georgia Tech, he said no. He never said such a thing about Memphis. This is as close to a significant victory as the Tigers have come since reaching the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1995.

    Although he has not seen the campus nor officially been offered the job, and though Johnny Jones is in place as interim coach for at least another four games, it appears more likely than ever that Calipari–formerly head coach of the University of Massachusetts and the New Jersey Nets–will become the next coach at Memphis.

    He insists he will make no move while there is a coach in place, and he has not ruled out the possibility of remaining in the NBA, where he is an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers under Larry Brown. Jones has won supporters with his charm and enthusiasm, but with a 9-15 record through Saturday he hasn’t won enough games to make a difference. The season will end soon, and the search can become official.

    It’s hard for a lot of folks blinded by the lure and lore of the Atlantic Coast Conference to recognize why any coach might prefer Memphis to Georgia Tech. The troth? Memphis is a better job.

  2. Jeremy Hyatt 04/11/2006 at 1:04 PM #

    ACC is a upgrade but he is wary of the challenge of competing with UNC an Duke… it can cost a coach their career, like Cremins.

  3. nav 04/11/2006 at 1:05 PM #

    Is everyone else’s optimism starting to dewindle down like mine? If a press conference was to be held at 4pm then you would think they would start to announce it soon.

  4. BladenWolf 04/11/2006 at 1:05 PM #

    An Omen:

    My brother-in-law, who is a HUGE UNX fan is emailing me all kinds of garbage about all the top prospects the tarholes have coming in next year….

    This is a sure sign that the folks fond of Chapel Hole are very nervous this week…

  5. tractor57 04/11/2006 at 1:06 PM #

    I remember watching “the event” with Rome. I’ve not watched him since. What am egotistical ***. I don’t care at all what he thinks or does. I don’t expect Herb to take his bait but if he does decide to clean his clock I’m with him all the way.

  6. J-wolf 04/11/2006 at 1:09 PM #

    The Roller-coaster emotional ride is on another downswing for me, as well. I have faith it’ll escalate again soon, though.

  7. Steven_1974 04/11/2006 at 1:12 PM #

    Just because Memphis has some FedEx money doesn’t mean they can pony up. FedEx certainly isn’t going to boost any money they might give since they are a publicly traded company. There isn’t enough Memphis fans to justify spending that kind of money. So I wouldn’t worry about it from that standpoint.

  8. monte kiffin 04/11/2006 at 1:13 PM #

    I agree Steven…..FedEx wont do much if anything

  9. booman group 04/11/2006 at 1:14 PM #

    if anyone listens to what Herb says, please let SFN know please. I doubt Herb would bash State because he always takes the high road, but I’d love to know what he says about the Cal thing because you know Rome will ask him about it and how Herb wasn’t offered that kind of $$$ that State is doing now.

  10. RAWFS 04/11/2006 at 1:24 PM #

    Which one of you guys is a t-shirt guy again? I need two custom super-skintight Wolfpack Red jobs for the football-schedule poster 5/13.

  11. MikeMc_92 04/11/2006 at 1:26 PM #

    Herb say something provacative???

    It’s not that he takes the high road, it’s that he let’s bigger dogs beat on him without fighting back.

    The Pac 10 is soft, he’s a better fit there.

  12. Jeremy Hyatt 04/11/2006 at 1:27 PM #

    i hope he asks a question about chopping wood..

  13. Micky McCarthy 04/11/2006 at 1:29 PM #

    Here is what I know. Memphis is making a late push, and Calipari is listening, but the variables for a 4pm press conference are getting pressed. As of last night, the plan was for a lunch team meeting followed by a flight to Raleigh for a 4pm press conference. This is a fluid, still developing situation.

  14. booman group 04/11/2006 at 1:30 PM #

    maybe Herb will tell Rome the sun will come up tomorrow.

  15. MikeMc_92 04/11/2006 at 1:31 PM #

    I still optimistic about Cal. But no matter what, at least we don’t have to watch that crappy p’ton offense any more!

  16. Micky McCarthy 04/11/2006 at 1:31 PM #

    Also, it doesn’t look like a press conference will happen at 4pm (still no sign of a lunch team meeting –its 12:30 out here). However, there is still a possibility of an early evening press conference, if things pan out our way. Stay alert.

  17. Steven_1974 04/11/2006 at 1:36 PM #

    This is just as fluid as it was yesterday. So no need to read into it taking longer than some people expected.

  18. monte kiffin 04/11/2006 at 1:38 PM #

    everyone just calm down…no need to panick

  19. GAWolf 04/11/2006 at 1:46 PM #

    So has anyone heard/read/seen anything that discredits the statement made to me that Cal was at the Wolfpack Club today? As I said, it was just a statement made to me. I’m just as curious as you guys about its validity.

  20. Chaos & Disorder 04/11/2006 at 1:47 PM #

    I’d like to be calm and cool, but I can’t. I just have a very bad feeling that this guy is playing us for a fool to squeeze more money out of Memphis. I really hope that I’m wrong, but if he was REALLY so insulted by Memphis’ AD’s lack of action, why not take the offer from the school that’s ready to do you right from the start? It just doesn’t lay right.

  21. Wilmpack 04/11/2006 at 1:49 PM #

    My uneducated opinion on this is that when you are considering leaving your current employer for whatever reason, you don’t burn bridges on the way out. Cal may be giving the 24 hour extension (which has since expired) out of respect to his current and hopefully former employer.

  22. Chaos & Disorder 04/11/2006 at 1:58 PM #

    I can dig it, Wilmpack, and you’re right. I guess it’s the fact that the Memphis “insiders” are so damn sure that he never visited Raleigh and that he’s never been serious about leaving that’s unnerving. I do believe that he’s been here (I guess we’ll see tonight at 6 on WTVD – they claim to have footage of Fowler driving Calipari) .

  23. booman group 04/11/2006 at 2:01 PM #

    i checked out the official Memphis Athletics web site and nothing is mentioned about this story so I find that a little odd.

  24. Chaos & Disorder 04/11/2006 at 2:03 PM #

    What story?

  25. JimmyVguy 04/11/2006 at 2:05 PM #

    There isn’t anything mentioned on our site either.

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