Familiar visitor to UMass hoop practice today

That guy on the right in the light blue shirt is in fact John Calipari.

I feel like I should work for TMZ using my cell phone as a media camera.

A look at the two vacated Final Fours

Louisville Courier Journal takes a closer look at both of Calipari's vacated Final Fours.

Included is the following:

UMASS: There are two pieces of information that bolster
Calipari in this case. First, the 1997 NCAA report itself on Marcus
Camby’s transgressions explicitly states the NCAA’s conclusion that
Calipari had no knowledge of the violations. Further, a letter dated
June 8, 2004, from Tom Yeager, chairman of the NCAA infractions
committee at the time of the Camby case, to Calipari, stated explicitly,
in part, "The committee fully recognizes you had nothing to
do with the violations of Marcus Camby during the 1995-96 season. In a
sense, you were an innocent victim." A portion of that
letter was published by The New York Daily News. I’m not sure how much
more plain it can be. I don’t see how it can be spelled out any more
plainly. When it comes to the Camby case, the NCAA did not find Calipari
at fault.

Calipari takes a subtle shot at Pitino

Calipari takes a poke a Pitino's fashion sense.

West Virginia Calipari and Leaman

Here's a UMass connection to the Final Four courtesy of Rita Leaman:

"Here's an interesting twist on the NCAA tourney -- the last time West Virginia made it to the Final Four was in 1959.  That West Virginia team was led by Jerry West and it was the BU team led by Jack Leaman that they beat to advance.  Now, all these years later, West Virginia wins over a Kentucky team led by one of Jack's best friends, John Calipari, to advance to the Final Four for only the second time."

Bob Knight slams Calipari

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bob Knight said integrity is lacking in college basketball and cited Kentucky coach John Calipari as an example.
During a fundraiser for the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, Knight said he doesn’t understand why Calipari is still coaching.
“We’ve gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that’s why I’m glad I’m not coaching,” he said. “You see we’ve got a coach at Kentucky who put two schools on probation and he’s still coaching. I really don’t understand that.”
Massachusetts and Memphis were both sanctioned by the NCAA for violations committed during Calipari’s tenure.
Knight, who won a record 902 games as coach of Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, did not elaborate or take questions from reporters.

Calipari is taking the high road or at least trying to look like he is.

In the Sporting News, Calipari encourages Kentucky fans to treat Rick Pitino with respect:

"He said he plans to instruct UK fans in the same manner as he did UMass
fans when Rhode Island's campus experienced a gambling scandal in 1992.
He warned the people who followed the Minutemen that if they did
anything to embarrass the school, he would leave the floor and refuse to coach the game."

I'll take "Things nobody actually believes" for $1000 Alex.

This whole story still sounds like deleted scenes from Goodfellas.

...three months til UMass-CFU...

Cal's new digs.

Who says the real estate market is off?

...three days til UMass-Syracuse...

Calipari to Kentucky

CBS Sportsline and the Memphis Commercial Appeal both are reporting Calipari has accepted the Kentucky job.

Calipari to Kentucky appears almost done

From everything I'm hearing and reading it appears that Calipari is headed to Kentucky for a contract that will make history.

CBS Sportsline's Gary Parrish, who covered Memphis before going national, already has Calipari pushing Tony Barbee as his replacement.

If it's not Barbee, who will it be? It's an odd job to predict. Memphis is a great job because Cal made it a great job. Is it still a great gig without him?

It's fair to wonder how this will affect UMass much-ballyhooed game with Memphis at the TD Banknorth Garden next year. Would Cal bring Kentucky there in the future?

...?? hours til its official...

Sons of John Calipari

Bruiser Flint, Drexel -was an assistant coach under Calipari at UMass and then succeeded him as the coach of the Minutemen. He's now at Drexel.

Bill Bayno, Loyola Marymount - Coached with Calipari until 1995 when he became the head coach of UNLV. After being fired in Vegas, he bounced around minor pro leagues and overseas before getting a second chance this season.

Steve Roccaforte, Lamar -Coached one season with Calipari in Memphis before getting the job at Lamar.

Tony Barbee, UTEP -  Barbee played for Calipari at UMass and coached with him at Memphis. He'll start his third season with the Miners this year.

Jose "Chuck" Martin, Marist -Was an assistant with Flint at UMass and Drexel and with Calipari at Memphis. Was hired at Marist this spring. Former Minuteman Tyrone Weeks is on his staff.

Brian Gorman, Becker College - A staff assistant under Calipari and Flintat UMass and Flint at Drexel is starting his second year at Becker.

* * *

Calipari will face Kellogg, Martin and Barbee this season.

...One month til UMass-Memphis...