MEMPHIS - University of Memphis super donor Alan Graf, who is helping spearhead the search for a new basketball coach, said today the school is intent on making a “wow hire.”
Toward that goal, it is believed that representatives of the school contacted Louisville coach Rick Pitino to gauge his interest in the position. Also believed to be high on the list is Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
“We’ve asked for a lot of permissions (to speak with coaches) and we’ve gotten them,” Graf said. “I think we certainly have a capability of making a wow hire.
“Some of the names (being considered), if people heard them, they’d say, ‘Wow.’”
The pitch to Pitino could involve a succession plan for his son, Richard Pitino, to take the position when he was ready to retire. Richard Pitino, 26, has been an assistant at College of Charleston, Northeastern, Duquesne and Louisville.
Rick Pitino, 56, would likely want such a plan in place to consider any opening. Pitino took Louisville to the Elite Eight this season, his eighth year at the school. Pitino also coached eight years at Kentucky.
It was unclear whether Pitino expressed interest in the position.
Louisville’s sports information director, Kenny Klein, said Memphis had not contacted Louisville about speaking with Pitino.
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Comments » 108
PaulTheVol writes:
Hiring Pearl would be a WOW in Tennessee but hardly a WOW outside of the southeast.
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Who would want that job now. Calipari just gutted the program. Oh yea, there also in CUSA.
CrankE writes:
I wonder if there's any NCAA baggage Cal leaves behind? Remember Dennis Franchione at Alabama? He no sooner showed up than Alabama got hit with more probation.
Who wants to chance dealing with that bathtub ring?
born2ride writes:
Memphis has a ton of money to spend to replace Cal. They matched the offer Kentucky made to Cal and are willing to go even higher. They could make their next coach the highest paid coach in the country. Money talks!
Pearl is on the top of their list. It seems crazy at first but it does makes sense. Pearl would bring excitement and could keep the present players and recruits from leaving. It would also be a blow to the Vols, their big in-state rivals.
I think some Vol fans are selling Bruce Pearl short. This year was down but he has turned around the program and made a name for himself nationwide.
I wonder if UT is prepared to match if the Tigers come calling?
huntined#565710 writes:
Pitino could get 4 mil a year right now as they just lost their coach and don't want the program to go down..Pearl will be high on the list also as they have seen him in action in that gym last year.. 4 mil a year will get a big WOW out of me..
Volunatic writes:
I'd hate it if Bruce left for Memphis.
If Tiger High is prepared to offer $4M/yr, I'm not sure UT would try to match that (even though UT probably COULD match it), given the recent uproar over Athletic Dept salaries in the current budget crunch.
Ironcity writes:
Totally disregard this losers comments they are made with nothing but the worst intentions in mind for UT.
mattucket#231689 writes:
Your right... He wants to stay in the SEC East so he can beat Florida twice per year. If he went to Memphis might only be able to play and beat them every 3 or 4 years.
checkerboards writes:
Re-read you comment and try again. The SEC just picked up a high profile coach in Cal, hired a young energetic coach at alabama and even though he isn't well liked in these parts has a coach with b2b national championships. The SEC is on an up swing. Plus Memphis is NEVER on TV during conference play cause there conference blows. Look at the number of SEC games that are on CBS on the weekends and ESPN during the week, not to mention all of the non con's UT had this year on TV.
You're right Pearl isn't a dummy, that's why he isn't leaving.
born2ride writes:
Your both wrong. Pearl is on the Memphis list and very high on it. The article talks mostly about Pitino but I doubt he leaves Louisville. That leaves Pearl and Memphis is going after him. Also forget about CUSA - if Memphis can pay a coach $4 to $6 million per year the conference does not matter.
Ironcity writes:
Could it happen? Absolutely. Our fan base has done its best to act like a bunch of idiots all season long complaining about everything our young team did. We really showed our lack of understanding of our talent level, the effort that our kids gave. the quality of the product and the quality of the coaching.
As a group we acted as if we deserved to have at minimum a 25 win team and that anything short of an elite 8 was a failure of our coach and players. That attitude can grow old real fast for a coach so it is a possibility. Is it likely? I really doubt it.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
damn, dude, for once you are absolutely dead on the money.
Bruce has his faults, but stupidity isn't one of them. Pay the man what he is worth on the market.
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
my prediciton for Memphis:
the black dude tht coaches at Mizzou. Mizzou plays great, exciting basketball. This ooach is in the Bruce Pearl 'mold', but he's proabably a better fit at Memphis.
Memphis' hot spots for recruiting are urban Chicago and urban Memphis. To me, it's a no-brainer. No offense to Bruce, but the Mizzou guy makes more sense.
Volumni writes:
Bruce is on everyone's list, but isn't going anywhere while he's being given a chance to build the program.
We'll see if that continues to be the case. Our fans don't know s^!t about basketball, so anything's possible.
born2ride writes:
From Gary Parrish at CBS Sports
On the surface, it seems unlikely that Pearl would consider leaving Tennessee for Memphis, but a contract worth $3 million per year would make him think about it, I'm certain.
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/vi...
memphis_vol_fan writes:
Mizzou coach just signed a contract extension so he's out.
tailgate2k#204921 writes:
that 'black dude that coaches at Mizzou' just signed a new contract this week. After he turned down GA for more money, I don't see him suddenly change his mind and come to memphis
CHS52VOL writes:
If the money is there, I am concerned that Memphis could get Coach Pearl's attention. He's tough, but all the negative comments about his coaching, recruiting and personal life this year had to take a toll. There is no "Alimony" shop in Memphis, and that is a scary plus. He needs a raise to the 3.0 mil range very soon. If not he will soon be gone.. if not to Memphis then to..? GO VOLS!
smokyredbone writes:
Amen! Complaining about a 9 seed in the tournament(THE TOURNAMENT TENNESSEE HAD TO ASK PERMISSION TO WATCH BEFORE PEARL)! We will be back to the stone age without him! And the way this fanbase has become so critical of our coaches it would probably deserve us right!!!GO VOLS AND HOPEFULLY NOT CBP!!!!
PaulTheVol writes:
Hey Clown, my point is that Pitano is a WOW hire. Pearl is a good, glib coach but has never gotten past the sweet 16. Since when is hiring a guy who works a day or two on national TV considered a WOW? By the way, save your personal attacke, based on your posts I couldn't care less what you think of me.
Major_Magilicutty writes:
bollocks! Pearl aint going nowheres.
AllVol2008#1353998 writes:
Gee whiz, you sound stupid.
PaulTheVol writes:
Want a real laugh...go to the Commercial-Appeal version of this article and read the Memphis comments. Hilarious!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I hope you're right, but it would still be a problem for UT if UM comes after CBP. By all accounts, UM is prepared to double CBP's present salary for a new coach, and who wouldn't consider a new job at twice his present salary? If they offered that, UT would probably have to match it.
Given all the uproar over the combined pay for CLK and staff with the university itself facing cuts left and right, I don't see how UT could go that high right now. I know that coaches' salaries don't come from state funds, but the politics are against ANOTHER big outlay these days. I was critical of CBP's coaching at times this year, but I would regard losing him to Memphis(!) as an unmitigated disaster.
Waldorf writes:
He's on the list.
Apparently some people have said he would listen.
This is about to become a "which boosters' pee pee is bigger contest".
In the end, Pearl stays, but for the first time the bball coach will be the highest paid coach at UT.
Amazing....a 21-13 season at Tennessee will have people calling for your head.
BlakeyWakey writes:
Thats what all the memphis fans said about coach cal.
crappieking writes:
Don't kid yourself, I live in Memphis and there is a lot of pro and con talk. Pitino seems to be on the top of the list with Pearl in 2nd. They have a lot of money flashing around here. Their take is if they can get a high profile coach, then most of that #1 recruiting class might stay. It's on the news also. Stay BP! GO VOLS!!!!
Vol23304 writes:
Memphis is a piece of junk. They will not get a "wow".
GreerVol22 writes:
BigVol, There are probably 2 million reason$ for Pearl to leave Tennessee for Memphis.
BlakeyWakey writes:
Yea your right... pearl isnt a "wow" coach!
UKblue02 writes:
If for some reason CBP did leave for any other other coaching job, who would be a good replacement at your school? (serious question)
volfan8 writes:
Id expect by tomorrow that we will see a statement from Pearl and possibly some type of raise/extension from UT. UGA offered Mizzous coach 2 mil a year, next day Mizzou signed him to a 7 yr extension worth much....much less.
PaulTheVol writes:
It's hard to see Pearl going to Memphis unless its for a LOT of money. The next coach there will be constantly compared to Calapari for the next few years and that will be tough on any coach. Also, Pearl is generally despised by the fan base there. Other than making a lot of (FedEx) money it's hard to see why Pearl would walk away from here and into that situation. But when a lot of money is involved, you never know. Despite his "love" for the Kentucky job I doubt Calapari would be there for $2 million a year.
rbhobbs73#226545 writes:
I believe that Memphis will end up with Tim Floyd. He is thought to be at the top of their list. He is an excellent recruiter of top caliber talent, he is a Mississippi native who would love to return south, and he could escape the shadow of USC football and UCLA basketball in Los Angeles.
He is also has NBA experience. He is a lot like Calipari from what I understand.
I believe that they will throw enough money at him to bring him back to the south.
volfan8 writes:
Your right, they sure do think a lot of there high school program.
There top three coaches are Pitino, bring Bob Knight out of retirement, and Coack k from Duke.....wow
UKblue02 writes:
I like him and the coach at Pittsburg, I would have been happy to have either one at UK.
cliffjumper50#205931 writes:
Before all is said and done, Bruce Pearl will put the basketball Vols on the round ball map for all to see. A street named for him. More than one first team all American players. He will be recognized just as he recognized Ray Mears. But only if he stays the course. He could be one of many at a big name school or the best at this football school turned basketball school.
OrangeMan_86 writes:
I don't think Pearl will leave but you do realize Memphis had Fed Ex to dish out cash for them right? They offered Calipari way more money than Kentucky. It was something along the lines of 7 million dollars a year. If Pearl only cares about money, we can only go so high in matching Memphis. Like 3.5-4million maybe. Tennessee will not match 5 million if Memphis is willing to pay that much for him.
bluetiger writes:
Calipari and his family loved living in Memphis. They lived in one of the many upscale neighborhoods in East Memphis. And I can assure you they were nowhere near gang territory, that's South Memphis -- kind of like the gang area in East Knoxville, just bigger.
He left simply because he could not turn down the opportunity to coach for one of the greatest basketball programs in the country.
Believe me, if Kentucky had come after Pearl and offered him that kind of money, he'd be out of Knoxvillle before you could tell him goodbye.
As for Pearl in Memphis, he would have a tough time being accepted at first because of the rivalry. However, if he kept the program a winning one and got great recruits, the fans would soon forget the history.
Ask Calipari about the fan support in Memphis. Our players become like family. You will rarely hear a Memphis fan badmouth any of our players, even after they've had a bad game. There's a group called the Highland 100 that charters a bus or plane for every away game.
Memphis sold out of its allotment of tickets for the tournament games this year in Glendale. North Carolina, the granddaddy of basketball, didn't even sell out all of their allotment when they came to Memphis.
orangevolz writes:
You're kidding me....deserves a couple more years before he is canned. Are you really a Vol fan? Pearl is the best coach UT has ever had. The fans like you need to give him a break or we might get another Buzz or J. Green.
asleep#212036 writes:
I lived in Memphis for 5 years in the late 80's and it stinks. Other than the money, there is no way anyone would move from Knoxville to there, believe me. Bruce may (and probably should) use any interest from them to get a nice pay raise but he would absolutely be taking a step backward, coaching-wise, if he took that job. Now if we won't pay, he would be crazy not to go there. It's really that simple. If we pay, he stays. Of course, if all the rumors about his being on a "list" are false, none of this matters. At least for this off-season, I'd say Memphis is the only job opening he would even consider. What he absolutely should do is start recruiting Memphis harder than ever in all of the uproar. Who knows, we might just steal a couple of stars. So pay up Hammy, and let's move on to 2010. Go Vols!!!
bluetiger writes:
Wrong buddy. A lot of people want to live in Memphis, including me.
I lived in Knoxville for five years and couldn't wait to get back home to live in a city that had something going for it other than its college sports teams.
OrangeMan_86 writes:
Also, Tennessee dishing out money for a football coach isn't comparable to dishing out money for a basketball coach. It's a football school. Memphis is a basketball school which could be a reason for Pearl to leave. That and money of course. Also, he is not only playing second second fiddle to the football team but to a womans basketball coach. I don't believe he'll leave but it's possible if he wants to take the money and run. I am pretty sure he wants to stay here and finish what he started though. He passed up Indiana and Iowa. If he left, it would be a huge slap in the face to Mears after asking him to don the orange suit.
VolFanNC writes:
Sure hope BP doesn't leave, but don't sell the memphis opportunity too short. Even though the Memphis lopers are among the worst on here, their program will not be down for too long if they make the right hire.
Here are some of the things that make Memphis compelling.
1) Local recruiting where you don't really have to get on a plane to land a top 10 class every year.
2) Basketball school. School really highlights BBall above everything else.
3) Money. With FedEx, can pay $2Million-4Million per year. Would TN or other schools match it?
4) Guaranteed 1-3 seed in NCAA tournament every year. No having to worry as much about scrapping every other year to get to the tournament.
So while it may be a step down in conferences, a $1-1.5 million pay raise is nothing to sneeze at. They would probably land the USC guys first, but for an extra $1 million how could anyone not think about it.
BP's son plays for the the team and he is really building a program here. The challenge is greater with the ability to say you play and beat Cal and donovan every year, so if he is as ultra-competitive as he seems, he has no reason to go.
OrangeMan_86 writes:
Shell casings, blood and yellow tape?
Sorry :)
volfan8 writes:
I think the only thing Memphis has going for it is that it is ranked 38 in total murders in 2008.
volfan8 writes:
#8, my bad
Waldorf writes:
Murders, crime, drugs, general city filth, corrupt government.....
So do you really like BBQ or do you frequent Tunica a lot? That's about the only two positives I can come up with for living in that wretched city.
pammyvol1000 writes:
Money Talks!! Even Pearl would be interested in that kind of a raise..
memphis_vol_fan writes:
I think we're making too much out of this. Yea money talks, but would Pearl go to a place where NOBODY wants or likes him?
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