Calipari Should Make Sweet Music in the Bluegrass State

A seismic shift has just occurred in the world of college basketball. Aftershocks can be felt by every major college basketball program in the country.

Faster than DeMarcus Cousins could sign a letter of intent or Xavier Henry could utter the words “open” and “recruitment” in the same sentence and definitely faster than Billy Gillespie expected, John Calipari has been hired as the new Kentucky men’s head basketball coach.

It’s not exactly a surprise that Calipari, who has been known to make news around this time of year, normally for taking his teams deep into the NCAA tournament, was tapped as Gillespie’s successor.

He is one of only a handful of coaches plausible for the job, as he is cut from a similar mold of past Kentucky coaching legends Rick Pitino and UK alum Pat Riley who played under Adolph Rupp. Calipari is a masterful rebuilder having lead both UMass and Memphis from obscurity to the Final Four. 

Aside from the University of Florida head coach Billy Donovan, who won back to back NCAA titles in 2006 & 2007, who else would have made a better a choice?

Still coach Cal will have his work cut out for him. At his press conference today, he said himself that “they don’t put banners up [at the University of Kentucky] for anything else except national champions.” And though Calipari is an accomplished coach, he has yet to win a (NCAA or NBA) title outright.

Add the fact that Wildcat basketball is by far the biggest draw in the bluegrass state and that Calipari is now the highest paid employee of the state. For that matter, the highest paid coach in NCAA history on a reported deal worth $31.65 million over eight years–the stakes become pretty high.

Even Kentucky University president Lee Todd says, “this job [The University of Kentucky's head basketball coach] is a complete job that requires a lot more than just coaching and recruiting. It’s kind of like the president’s job; nobody ever writes out exactly what you have to do, but there is a lot to it.”

Yet if anyone can do it, it’s John Calipari. With an infinite amount of resources at his finger tips and the backing of the entire state, coach Cal has more than enough to get the job done.

I mean, consider his recent accomplishments in Memphis. Last year the Tigers got to the final game, and if not for an unfortunate series of events including a miraculous three point shot by current Miami Heat starting point guard Mario Chalmers, Calipari would already have one title under his belt.

Furthermore, he recruited and coached three NBA draft picks from last June’s draft including the No. 1 overall pick and current rookie of the year front runner Derrick Rose. Not to mention, he was able to lure last years number one high school prospect, Tyreke Evans, away from perennial powerhouse leagues like the SEC or ACC to play in the relatively dim lights of Conference USA. 

What’s more is that he was able to do it again with Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins, this year's No. 1 and No. 4 prospects respectively.

Yes, the future looks bright for John Calipari who classifies himself as, “a regular guy” who does not “walk on water or carry a magic wand.” But we all know if done right, Calipari will most assuredly win a plethora of championships and assume his position on the college basketball Mount Rushmore with names like Adolph Rupp, John Wooden, and Dean Smith.

Or at the very least win his first title (and we all expect him to win at least one, especially in Big Blue fans in Kentucky) and star in the next Guitar Hero commercial, playing bluegrass on the tambourine, with Mike Krzyzewski, Rick Pitino, and Roy Williams.