John Calipari to Coach the 'Cats

And just like that, the Kentucky Wildcats are relevant again. After missing big time with the hiring of Billy Gillispie, the decision makers in Lexington hit a home run with this hire. Coach Cal brings instant credibility to a program in need of a big-time personality. No offense to Gillispie, he was a terrific coach at Texas A&M, but he just isn't the guy for a traditional powerhouse such as the University of Kentucky. Calipari is that guy.

I am incredibly intrigued to see how this pairing works. Coach Cal was incredibly successful at UMASS racking up a 193-71 record in eight seasons before jumping to the NBA to coach the New Jersey Nets. After an unsuccessful stint in the NBA, Calipari took over the job in Memphis and has since turned them into one of the best programs in the country. He is a great recruiter that plays a up-tempo style that makes kids want to play in his system. One of my favorite quotes comes from Calipari in which he says that "I don't recruit role players". Bringing Cal to the SEC will do wonders in restoring the conference.

Now the real intriguing issue comes from the fact that Calipari has never coached at a major school in a major conference. He dominanted the Atlantic-10 while at Massachusetts and obliterated the Conference-USA while at Memphis, however, neither of these conferences offer the competition that Coach Cal will face at Kentucky. I have no doubts that he will turn the program into a perennial powerhouse. However, it will probably take a couple of years. So Kentucky will need to be patient with him. If the team struggles next year, boosters and alumni might be angry, but perspective is needed. Calipari is the right guy. Give him time and Kentucky will be successful.

I thought the decision makers at Kentucky were out of their mind when they mentioned their list of candidates and it included Rick Pitino, Jamie Dixon, Tom Izzo and others. None of these coaches would be bettering their careers by taking the job as the risk was just not worth the reward. But it is worth it for Calipari. There are two major knocks on Cal.. One is that he has never won a national championship. Number two is that he has never coached in a major conference. Accepting the job at Kentucky eliminates knock number two, and I have a feeling knock number one will be eliminated in a few years. This job doesn't come without risks for Calipari. Memphis could very well be better than Kentucky for the next few years and might even win a title without him. But if he can restore Kentucky to national prominence then he will have done something he never could have done at Memphis... become a legend at one of (if not the most) prestigious basketball institutions in America. For that, the risk is well worth it. I, for one, am excited to see the results of this marriage.