New York native Doron Lamb says Kentucky is his leader, which is good news for the Wildcats.
The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Lamb told Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com that he’s “still open”, but that Kentucky “is at the top.”
He recently took an unofficial to Lexington.
“It was a great experience,” Lamb, the No. 5 point guard in the Class of 2010, said at the Paul Pierce Skills Academy in Boston. “The fans go crazy. I hung out with the coaching staff, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and got to see the practice facility.”
Lamb has also visited Louisville and told Jeff he’s also considering Kansas, Oklahoma, Marquette and UConn.
MCFADDEN TO IONA
Mike McFadden, a 6-8, 225-pound four man from Newark Technology, has verbally committed to Iona.
Iona beat out Penn State, New Orleans, Robert Morris, Quinnipiac, Cleveland State, Tulane and Rhode Island.
“Yeah,” McFadden said. “I wanted to stay close to home and that was a good fit for me. They have a good education and I like the way their program is.”
McFadden is fully qualified.
“I should be able to play,” he said.
He becomes the fourth player in Iona’s recruiting class, joining Chris Pelcher, Rashard McGill and Ben Mockford.
Oh poor pitiful Pasta, it isn’t legal if he doesn’t reimburse the school for the flight. And of course, John Calipari, should have no part of this investigation since he was only the one in charge of the men’s basketball program. And he didn’t pay for two flights. But Calipari, denies any involvement in the matter. As usual, same thing at UMASS.
I never said that the players didn’t want to follow Calipari. They obviously did. A coach with some ethics (and the fact that the school paid for the recruitment) shouldn’t have signed any of them to his new school. Or, at the very least, call each one of them and try to convince them to come with him to his new school when he was “thinking about going to Kentucky.” It was still legal for him to contact those recruits at time since he was still the head coach of Memphis. Legal, but ethical?
Winning is a great thing. But winning right is more important. Calipari will win at Kentucky. I won’t deny that, but if winning is more important than ethical behavior, you got the right man. Memphis will probably vacate 2007-2008. Big deal, I was there and enjoyed the season. Has any other coach had two final four seasons vacated? Do you think that if someone questions his ethics that it is just innuendo or bad luck? Get your head out of your ass. It’s OK for you to like him. If he would have left Memphis with some class, I wouldn’t have a problem with him. On the contrary, I would have good things to say about him and would be grateful for the years of good basketball. I guess you heard the one about the ‘bridge builder’. Well, he built a million bridges in Memphis in the end but sucked one giant #### in the end. That’s how I will remember him. No sour grapes. I think people are more into Tiger basketball under Pastner than I have ever seen. Donations are at a record pace and the program is looking great.
So don’t go around here talking like you are a Memphis fan. You are a Calipari fan, and I have to say, that is very gay!
There was talk of Wesley Witherspoon and Sallie going to Kentucky. But both thought otherwise, probably because they didn’t want to sit a year. And besides, with the players that Cal brought in, he had no use for them anyway. He isn’t a hero, he would have raided the current roster if he thought he could use them. He also needs to win immediately, so it wouldn’t help him to tie up any scholarships for guys that can’t play next year.
Also, rumor had it that John Wall was going to sign with Memphis. He went with Calipari as well. I won’t give him any slack over this one since he neve signed with Memphis.
Please provide quotes on other blogs from yourself about Cal being unethical ….. oh say …prior to April , 2009 . LOL …That’s right you didn’t say anyting then did you? You loved Cal in March didn’t you . He was winning and winning the right way wasn’t he? No Memtiger …its sour grapes …. its pettiness …its that small time Memphis attitude …. and in 5 years …if Pastner leaves and goes to Arizona ..little people like you will find something wrong about his exit ..and the process will begin again ….. its going to be a very long season for the little people like you ……Memphis will do well ….but it won’t be Cal like …they won’t win 30 ….they won’t be a number 1 or 2 seed ….and guess what …ain’t gonna happen in 2010 or 2011 either ….. sit there and suck your thumb and mumble Joe Jackson , Joe Jackson with all the other losers …..but while Cal is winning NC;s and dominating college basketball …..Memphis will be stewing in their hatred and watching 22 and 12 CUSA N.I.T. teams ….. it’ll really suck to be you then .
there was no rumor about Wall LOL …wall made a public comment about wanting to play with Cousins …and for Cal
sour grapes
btw …. the gay comment shows what a real redneck you are ….. I’m not gay …but if I was I’d go after Pastner …..now there’s rump ranger if I ever saw one
If Memphis goes 22-12 and goes to the NIT, I will be just fine. I hope they do much better, but unlike you, I won’t be whining about it. I won’t sit here and say it was a fluke that Kansas beat us. If we had a coach with some good sense, there would have never been a 3 point shot attempted. Which, by the way, was no fluke. Should have been a solid foul on the floor, but the Memphis players weren’t sure what to do. It was a clean three point, which I watched in person. What’s that? Couldn’t afford tickets? Houston? Were you in Phoenix this year to see Calipari get out coached by Mike Anderson? I was there too. I think it probably sucks to be you!
I wasn’t bad mouthing Calipari this March (I was after the 2008 NC game though). Get this: I’ll bet 95% of Memphis fans don’t like Calipari because of the way he left.
I guess I always knew Cal was a scumbag. But when he is your scumbag, you overlook these things. He held the university hostage year after year for better salaries (NC State, Alabama, remember). If he left Memphis with dignity, we would be big Calipari fans. Memphis helped him when he needed a lift and he returned the favor. He sure wasn’t in demand like he is now. It was mutually beneficial until he bit the hand that fed him.
If Pastner leaves and does to us what Calipari did, I’ll say the same things about him. If he works his contract and wants to leave, I’m OK with that. Just don’t pillage the program when you leave.
You keep bring up Joe Jackson. He won’t make or break the Memphis program. We’ve already land your boys’ prize recruit who is a higher ranked player. 2010 lineup is looking excellent; definitely top 10 preseason….
I’d say you are definitely gay. I can’t understand a guy worshipping another man like you do. It is pretty scary. Do you stalk him too?
Why would I be sour grapes when our program just got an upgrade?
If you were a true Tiger fan you would think that Collins …WAS ,….fouled …….he did after Rose pushed him for 20 feet . ” “I think i was fouled , actually, but I ain’t arguing” Sherron Collins . The entire play was a fluke …..the non call on the foul …..Collins falling and the ball landing in Mario’s lap ….and the shot …… a true Tiger fan would never criticize his or her coach in that situation to score points in some blog thread . No memtiger …. you are a small timer …. btw …I live in Florida not the hell hole of the South .. …. but when I did live in Memphis I had seats a little to the right of center court in the Pyramid …..about 8 rows up …behind Harold Byrd’s seats …..the donation I paid for those puppies will equal all the airline tickets you buy the rest of your pathetic life . LOL ….
So men who worship Jesus are gay according to you
Talking about sour grapes!
WTF? “a true Tiger fan would never criticize his or her coach in that situation to score points in some blog thread” You’ve been butchering the Tigers for weeks for no other reason than you were pissed we didn’t get Stephenson. Not sure why you cared since you are only a Calipari fan, not a Memphis fan. Do I need to rehash your statements of Memphis? Just for points on a blog thread?
Sure, I’ll criticize Calipari. There was contact but not a hard, real foul. Look, this happens all the time. Get a good solid hack, but no technical. Rose was just trying to play defense and body up. He had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. Not his fault, just poor coaching. Everyone but you agrees with that. Bruce Pearl used the same tactic against us that year. They should have never got off a 3 point shot unless it was at half court. It was a botched coaching job and some poor free throw shooting. Either one would have done the job. Man, you’ll even defend him when everyone in the country knew he blew it. The players showed have known exactly what to do in that situation. They didn’t, Memphis lost.
Go ahead and get in the last word. You are obviously an idiot that just wants attention. Go ahead and worship Calipari, whatever. It’s still definitely gay. Go seek mental health help and take care of your issues. I can’t waste any more of my time talking to a complete dumb a$$.
Jesus isn’t a basketball coach, dumb a$$.
1st of all ….with 10.3 seconds left …..a hard foul would have to occur almost on the inbounds pass ….. that would have put Collins on the line at about the 8 second mark . He cuts in to 1 …then they foul … now we’re on the line with maybe 5.5 left ….not a good scenario the way Memphis was shooting ……. the play was …for Rose to foul Collins around half court ..after 4 or 5 seconds had ticked off .. Rose knew the play ….Cal knew the play ….Collins knew the play …he puts a move on Rose and Rose rides him looking for the call …. if he grabs him from the side or from behind its an intentional …. thats the rule …he literally knocked Collins to the floor looking for the call …then put his hands up not wanting the intentional …… if you knew anything about basketball you would realize this ….. Collins knew he was fouled LOL ..he admitted it . But to his credit …even cal admitted he probably should have called a time out ….. true Memphis fans supported him for his honesty ….. little people like you …. homophobia redneck types give Memphis a bad name ….
No , but he was a shortstop wasn’t he?
“And get Cali nut’s out of your mouth you look like a fag”
And you said one reason you didnt like Cal is because he made a racist comment. Tell me something, would you rather be a F****** mexican or a fag?
……cant really decide?
i dont know if you did pasta, but i played competitive basketball for many years and in those situations, your instincts are to not foul someone. he would have to be thinking “i need to foul once he crosses half court.” which he may have been had Cal called a timeout.
even so, do you really think that they would call an intentional, when just seconds earlier CDR slams the ball on the ground in frustration and no T was called? everyone knows thats supposed to be a T, every youth coach in america tells there team of 7 year olds that you cant do that. the refs were not going to call a intentional. that is a cop out excuse.
even so, all rose or any memphis tiger has to do is go up to the ref and tell him hey, we are going to foul when he crosses midcourt. but since Cal didnt call timeout… they couldnt do that.
the same thing happened in the Denver-Dallas playoff series this year, and dallas lost a game because the refs didnt call a foul on anthony wright trying to foul carmelo. the league said it was wrong later, but i had to sit and listen to every NBA analyst talk about how you have to make those fouls at the end of games obvious or else the refs wont call them.
the morale of the story is refs swallow there whistles at the end of games, they want the players to decide the outcome. every basketball coach should know that. even Cal said after the game that it was his fault.
sorry, i meant Antoine Wright, not anthony.
As I stated earlier …. tell the ref we’re going to foul … he expects a quick rap up …the only viable fouling strategy for Memphis was a foul after 4 or 5 seconds had run off …. Collins lost Rose … he couldn’t grab him ..it would have been whistled an intentional ….guaranteed ….. Rose rode him into the floor and the ref didn’t make the call …Cal admitted he should have called time out …that’s true ….. but the play was there without the time out ….. you can tell a ref you’re going to foul immediately …but to tell him a strategy of fouling at half court he can’t listen to …every ref I know …and believe me I know more than you …will tell you after the inbounds pass if there’s no quick rap up … its game on …callem like it is .
i disagree.
a ref would never call an intentional foul with 4 seconds left in the national title game unless rose strait up tackles collins. rose was perfectly capable of hacking collins on the arm or something that wouldnt warrant an intentional.
I don’t know I just replayed the tape and I think Collins was ahead of Rose ….with Rose chasing …if he hacks from behind it could be an intentional ….”I didn’t want to slap him like on his arm or something obvious that they’d call intentional,” Rose said, “so I hipped him a little bit and he fell a little bit. That’s why I thought they were going to call it, but they didn’t call it.” ………..from the horses mouth .
……….”I think I got fouled, actually, but I ain’t complaining,” Collins said.
from the other horse’s mouth .
I think… I think…
When you are committing an intentional foul, you make sure you make the foul. These guys were not sure what they were supposed to do. If Rose wasn’t in position to make a foul somebody should have been. Don’t even worry about a 2. Guard the 3. It’s very simple. A strategy used almost on a daily basis. I can’t remember someone being called on an intentional foul in this position (all though I am sure it has happened).
I said this about Calipari right after this game. He couldn’t shoot free throws for them, but good coaching would have won it too. I think if the tides were turned, Kansas would have known what to do and fouled.
Take up for him if you want, but good coaching in the last 10 seconds would have won that NC.
It probably would have been vacated anyway, but it would have made for a great night on the river walk.
Do I have to print it in crayon for you ? Its easy to wrap a guy up right after the inbounds pass …..that was not the right play for Memphis because it would not take enough time off the clock …..duh ….. the play was to foul at half court ….a much dicier situation ….I don’t care if you call a time out and discussed it for 30 minutes …fouling a guy like Collins at half court ain’t easy …he’s fast …. fast enough to put a move on Rose who may be the fastest basketball player on earth . You read the quotes form Rose and Collins …..the ref didn’t blow the whistle …end of story ….btw …you’re starting to look silly in here disputing every post I make …. its obvious you don’t know the game …..why don’t you take your sour grapes elsewhere .
If the final 4 gets vacated …it won’t be Calipari’s fault ..he’s not the subject of the investigation …according to the NCAA …..
small time …petty …sour grapes ….etc etc
Most of us here watched that game. You must have been watching another. I am a Memphis fan, we lost. The timeout that wasn’t called would be to get people in position and make sure everyone knows the plan. I never said to foul on the inbound pass, did I? They weren’t in position and they weren’t sure what to do.
This stategy has been used countless times and works almost every time.
Am I the only one that saw it that way? Is it possible Calipari botched the game? I’ll bet Bill Self would have had his kids coached up at that time. Not sure how you could call Chalmers jumper a fluke, he was good from the 3 point line and had a very good look at the basket. It never should have come to that. Too bad we didn’t have a good game coach.
The refs don’t want to make questionable calls at the end of the game. It isn’t difficult to make a solid hack at half court. Ask Bruce Pearl who used this same tactic versus the Tigers for our only other loss that year.
Of course it wouldn’t be Calipari’s fault. It would be his second fluke vacated final four. This happens all the time!
….”I didn’t want to slap him like on his arm or something obvious that they’d call intentional,” Rose said, “so I hipped him a little bit and he fell a little bit. That’s why I thought they were going to call it, but they didn’t call it.” ……… ……….”I think I got fouled, actually, but I ain’t complaining,” Collins said. No offense Mem …but I’ll take these guys opinion over yours …..I think they know the game just a wee bit more than you or your friends do …..and I think Calipari does too. But you continue to trash the Memphis Tigers to score points against a coach who led your team to a 139 and 13 record in 4 years ….. makes you look petty and small …which obviously you are ……
You don’t get the point. I THINK I fouled him, I THINK I was fouled. Lille Jayhawk said, make a solid hack. The refs never call an intentional foul at this point of the game. The team was confused and did did not know what they were doing.
I’m not making Memphis look bad by admitting that we blew it. Blew it on the line and coaches error at the end of the game. I can deal with it. To win that game, Kansas had to do everything right and Memphis had to everything wrong. That’s pretty much what happened.
I could be sour grapes like you and say it was a fluke. Or that we were better than Kansas. We lost and that’s that. As your hero says “it is what it is.”
Derrick Rose makes millions playing basketball …..I’ll take him at his word that he felt if he hacked it would be an intentional …besides …calling time out there only gives the other team a chance to set up a play ….its a 2 sided coin …. Rose knocked Collins down ..it wasn’t called …the ball landed in Mario’s lap …he makes a three …fluke play …. always will be …. you should defend your team instead of allowing your pettiness at Cal cause you to trash the Memphis players…unless of course you hate Rose too now …..who knows with losers like you .
Rose never said he thought he fouled …he said he thought they were going to call it ….”it” means he knew he fouled …nice try scumbag …..
Rose make millions. He didn’t make a solid foul and he missed free throws at the end of the game. He has the potential to be one of the best in NBA history. Even Michael Jordan didn’t succeed 100% of the time.
This was a total team collapse. CDR and Rose missed free throws, Antonio Anderson threw a bone head inbound pass, Dorsey fouled out (which really wasn’t a bad play at the time). Calipari did not have his team set at the end of the game. They all contributed. Anyone of them could have bailed Memphis out and none of them did.
That said, they are probably my favorite team ever. They gave 100% and they did it against Kansas but came up short. Rose and CDR were exhausted and if you’ve played competitive basketball you know it ain’t easy to hit free throws when you are sucking wind. Maybe if Andre Allen hadn’t gotten thrown of the team he could have spelled Rose for a few minutes. It’s a game of “what ifs” and a chain of events that could have been broken by almost any person. You are right about this, a timeout would have given Kansas an opportunity to set up a play. But since you are planning on a half court foul, they could have set up a play and still never got off a shot. Calipari could have gotten lucky and Chalmers missed the shot, probably 60-40 in his favor, but there is no need to play the odds when you don’t need to.
Defending your team has nothing to do with accepting defeat. In the end, Kansas won and Memphis lost.
OK, say what you want. I think it makes us look small when we talk bad about other programs and say teams are lucky when they beat us. Kansas beat us, and as a whole, I think they were pretty gracious winners.
Like Lee Trevino said before you choke …ya gotta be good enough to put yourself in a postition to choke …..I never said Memphis didn’t choke at the line ..they did …. but the play at the end was a fluke …and you are a petty person for hating on the man who was good enough to put himself and putting his team in a position to choke ….Cal was gracious and honest enough to say he should have called a time out …..but that wasn’t the reason Memphis lost the game ….. you and your band of Cal haters on these blogs represent probably only 5 % of the Memphis fanbase …thank God …and its you guys making Memphis look bad with your small time pettiness and sour grapes .
Calipari honest? What was about that statement about staying in Memphis? Now that’s funny!
He said “Memphis is where I want to be” and at the time he said that I think he meant it . After reflection of the enormity of getting an offer from a storied program like Ky. he obviously changed his mind . And after watching the pettiness and smallnes of some of the Memphis fans it looks like he made the right decision.
He did make the right decision. Good riddance! Don’t let the door hit your a$$ on the way out! We like Pastner better anyway!
Cal wouldn’t have lost Lance to Cincinnati LOL …..rookie mistake ….but all in all Pastner looks pretty good ….Memphis will do well under him as a prototype mid major team in a mid major conference ….. kinda like where our football team is …but I think the glory days of being a national power are gone for now
Cal lost Will Barton to Pastner LOL….Old Cal got beat to the punch by a rookie!
I think we will be very good. We still have an NCAA tourney team. 2010 recruiting is starting off outstanding. Rated #1 SG in 2010, 7th best player. It is just beginning. The kids love this guy, he will bring us some great players. Think what you will, but I am as optimistic as ever….
139 and 13 …. will Josh have that recoed in 2013? ….checkmate
I would certainly take Calipari’s first four years and compare them to Pastners. Wouldn’t that be more fair? He is taking over a team that lost four starters (Doneal Mack is by far the weakest of the starting five) and only had one recruit (Will Coleman). Not exactly alot to work from.
By the way, you can dog Pastner some more. It looks like Pilgrim signed with OK State. If Lat Williams doesn’t qualify (your guess is age 40), Memphis is extremely weak up front. Pilgrim would have been a good insurance policy and added some toughness. But I won’t say bad things about him for not choosing Memphis, he wanted to go elsewhere. I wish him luck….
Even though the program was in a shambles after Tic Price …Cal went 93 and 39 his 1st 4 years …… you think Pastner can beat that ? I don’t ……..Face facts …Cal is a HOF coach ….70% to him is the norm ….. Pilgrim wants PT after sitting out a year …Ok St. probably can give him more than Memphis imo. Besides alot of these guys are visiting here because of Cyprien ….. they just don’t want to risk committing to Doogie Howser who has never coached a game . ( laughs to self …..I crack me up )
Just did a little checking on OK St……Travis Ford 1st year coach there has already assembed the 11th ranked class …..with PF Karron Johnson leading the way ….hard to imagine Pastner couldn’t sell Pilgrim on Memphis ….Matt will ride the pine there too.
I think having an NCAA investigation hanging over their head makes it tough to recruit. I’d be cautious too right now. Getting quality guys at Memphis will be easier when this thing is done, if it doesn’t effect the present or future of the program.
OK State is a very good program. Maryland is too. I think Pilgrim was an insurance policy, and he only was going to be on property for two years. I liked him better than signing Derrick Williams who would have tied up a scholarship for four years. He would have been a good pick up, if he will be cleared to play this year by the NCAA. Since neither one signed, it is a moot point. I don’t think anyone decent is left unless someone else bails. I think you can put an end to 2009 recruits….
Now I’m hearing that monster PF Karron Johnson may go Juco which would open up a spot for Matt …. Memphis <———– 19 and 14 N.I.T
You are definitely bipolar. One day, Pastner is OK. The next he is a loser. Pilgrim would have been a decent stopgap, but he signed elsewhere. I am not sweating it either way. It’s hard to recruit when you are under a dark cloud from the NCAA, which is why I find it amazing that we signed Will Barton. I am not sure why they need 6-8 weeks to decide our fate, but such is life in the NCAA.
We may go 19-14 and the NIT. I think we will be a NCAA tourney team, but not much more. I wouldn’t blame it on Pastner, since he had one recruit in 2009 and inherited an NCAA investigation under Calipari. I’ll bet we do better then USC which faced similar turmoil. Your boy didn’t do us any favors when he left. He left a bare cupboard and an investigation, and we should be grateful…..
Once again you allow your bitterness to cloud the true facts . Calipari is not under investigation according to the NCAA …and their opinion matters most here . If you want to blame someone blame Derrick Rose …he’s the cheater …he’s the liar …he’s the one who refuses to be introduced at NBA games as a former Memphis player . Its not Cal’s fault Pastner couldn’t keep Nolan Dennis from going to Baylor …or the Henry’s from going to Kansas . Its not Cal’s fault Pastner couldn’t land Lance , or Derrick Williams , or Matt Pilgrim , or Nolan Johnson . The cupboard is bare because Fed Ex botched the coaching search by jacking up expectations …annoucing a wow hire …. then picking an asst. with no coaching experience as their 5th option …..that’s why the cupboard is bare .Most of these kids don’t want to play for a 1st year guy . Pastner has said numerous times the investigation has no effect on the program going forward , I guess you don’t believe him when he says that because you think it affects recruiting . You must not trust Josh .
This mindset of the fanbase in here that 2009 is a write off season , poor Josh , bare cupboard , that mean ole Cal stole our team , bwah bwhahhahhhhaahh …… can you imagine what the sucking sound will be like if Joe Jackson goes to Ky next year? Then all you whack jobs can berate him on these blogs …… can’t wait ….it’ll be great entertainment .
I trust Pastner. I was an 18 year old top recruit with multiple opportunities, I would most likely go elsewhere right now. The real good recruits have been played multiple times by now. Why should they trust anyone? And frankly, no one really knows the outcome of the investigation. Most people in the know believe that there will be no present or future sanctions against Memphis. But like anything else decided by other people and totally out of your control, anything can happen.
Also, the name is Nolan Dennis. He and his mom decided to go elsewhere before a coach was named. Cousins and Dodson had already been contacted by Calipari when he was going through his incredibly difficult decision. They were gone. Xavier Henry still can’t make up his mind, and his dad controls them anyway. He is one and done and Kansas was a good place to be. They have the best shot at a championship run, and there is no doubt what a good tournament can do for your stock. Just ask Tyreke Evans, and particularly Derrick Rose.
Memphis did over reach when they mentioned their “wow” hire. They couldn’t get anyone to come into this situation. No recruits, lost four starter. You are coming into a team that had been winning and had to start over. Even with the huge sums of money offered, they couldn’t get their hire. In my opinion, Mike Anderson would have been the man. With Calipari stalling so he can line up his new team, we lost our shot at him. I think the would have gone to Memphis with an annual 1.5 million dollar raise. They did have to settle with someone other than a wow hire, and it was Josh Pastner.
I had my doubts and was disappointed. But his optimism, enthusiasm, and work ethic sold me. I am very excited about our program and I see very good things for us. You don’t and that’s OK, it is your opinion.
Why the big deal on Joe Jackson. He is a very good player, but he isn’t a Derrick Rose or Tyreke Evans. He is smaller and will be a very good point guard, but will not control games. Will Barton can take over games and we have him signed. The number one SG in the country! Not a bad pick up! I think Jackson will sign with us, but you are right, he may in Kentucky. I won’t say a bad thing about him just like every other possible recruit that signed elsewhere. If he likes the opportunity elsewhere, I wish him luck.
My expectations for next year are limited. I see us as an NCAA tourney team and not much more. Anything else would be incredible overachieving. I’m not happy with those expectations, but if you think this team can win the NCAA tourney, I’d say you are high. And, yes I am saying poor Josh. He came in late in the game, had to find players to fill a team and deal with the dark cloud of an NCAA investigation that made national news. While Calipari isn’t “under investigation”, he was in charge of the program. It may be his vacated second final four. If you don’t see a trend here, you are blind. Calipari is old news. Pastner is the new head coach. He has picked up an elite recruit for 2010, one that Calipari wanted very badly. No excuses for 2010, he has a full year to recruit and we’ll just have to see how he does. It looks like a good start to me….
I heard the Ncaa meeting lasted a couple of hours rather than the expected 8 hours ….and that the Ncaa guys spent most of the time apologizing to Cal and R.C. There will be no vacating of anything ….. then what will you blame Cal for ? …. Personally I think the recruits were used to seeing Josh as that young recruiter who does all the bizarre stuff like calling at 7:00 am etc…..every program has a cheerleader type recruiter …..that was Josh’s job . They couldn’t make the switch mentally to seeing him as the head coach . Its like going to your grocery store and seeing that the bag boy has been promoted to store manager ….its off setting to say the least. If Cal had refused to sign Dodson or Cousins or even Wall ….do you honestly think they would have gone to Memphis this year? Not a chance ….. now how is that Cal’s fault ? The sooner you guys forget Cal and quit whining the better off Memphis basketball will be .
I’ve already forgot Calipari, he is yesterday’s news. And, as I have said, I wouldn’t trade him for Pastner. No sour grapes, but I like the direction we are heading.
Unfortunately, I do agree with you on one point. Many marquee players don’t want to play for a new coach. He is unproven and they don’t want to risk their potential NBA careers with an unproven coach. Pastner needs to get a season under his belt which demonstrates that he plays a style they desire and that he is able to get them to the next level. And we both know that most of the guys getting division 1 scholarships think they will be pros. We also know that this isn’t the case, but you could never tell these guys that. He’ll have to prove he is a winner and that he is a guy worth playing for.
About the investigations: I think we will have no sanctions. I don’t know that and cannot say as a fact that we won’t. A young recruit thinks the same way. Why risk signing with Memphis when you might have sanctions when you can go to another top program that isn’t having these problems. These guys watch Sportscenter.
Calipari’s gone. I don’t have good things to say about him due to the way he left Memphis. He is irrelevant anyway. The past is the past. The future is Josh Pastner. I think he will do very well. He’s locked down one huge recruit (Barton) and a top 20 in Lat Williams. I don’t know if he’ll qualify or not. Memphis really needs him to qualify or they are very weak in the PF and C positions. Whether he qualifies or not, they have what they have and will have to make the best of the situation at hand. I’m a realist. This isn’t a NC caliber team. Being a realist doesn’t mean you aren’t a fan. I’ll be a fan if they are 19-14 and NIT bound. I see them as better than that, but neither of us know until the season is played. They could gel into a very good team, but with last year’s four best players gone, it certainly will be a mystery.
I think Lw will qualify ……. and I think we’ll see somone step up . My prediction has been Witherspoon to step into a role like CDR did as a 2nd year guy . He’s got the physical talent …. don’t know about his mental ability to dedicate himself to the game yet. Also Sallie could be ready to play some top caliber ball ….we’ll see . Ew ….Sallie …Lw ….. Coleman ……and Witherspoon ….. not bad …….also If Pastner runs alot of the Arizona 1/4 offense ….which he has indicated he would …remember the 1st outlet in that fast break is a big man down low or on the wing ….Garcia could really thrive in this offense . Now wasn’t that nice …you quit harping on Cal so I can quit defending him and we can talk Tiger ball .