A Ride Along on the Coaching Carousel

By: Matt Zuchowski Posted: April 9, 2009

A Ride along the Coaching Carousel

Part One - The Hires at Kentucky, Virginia, and Alabama

Calipari to Kentucky

Memphis’s second most popular man (next to Elvis) has now become the leader of Big Blue Nation. Needing a home run hire, Kentucky hit a hanging curve 500 feet by procuring the services of John Calipari, one of the top coaches in the game.

I thought that Kentucky had gotten it right two years ago, hiring a talented young coach in Billy Gillispie that had turned around struggling programs at UTEP and Texas A&M. It turns out that they needed a mulligan after Gillispie cracked under the immense pressure that comes with coaching at Kentucky.

Give Kentucky and previously embattled AD Mitch Barnhart credit for making good use of the mulligan, as they now have a man that can feasibly lead Kentucky to a dominant run similar to the one they had at the end of the Pitino era in the mid 1990’s. College basketball’s most passionate fan base now has someone to be the boisterous leader for a program that needs to win big each and every year.

Already on the path towards a Hall of Fame career, Calipari now has the opportunity he has sought for years to put himself among the annals of college basketball’s legendary coaches. While the era of the one-and-done player makes it hard to sustain a dynasty, Calipari may be one of the few to keep his team (along with Roy Williams at UNC and Ben Howland at UCLA) in national championship contention annually.

After a disappointing finish to the season kept Kentucky out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991, Kentucky has a real chance to make a Final Four run next season with the likely return of Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson possibly combining with Calipari recruits DeMarcus Cousins, Xavier Henry, and potentially John Wall (not to mention an already strong recruiting class with Daniel Orton and Jon Hood).

Like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Lakers, a full-throttled Kentucky program will be good for the sport of college basketball and the polarizing reactions that come along with their domination. Having an outspoken leader like John Calipari as the coach of the program makes it that much better.

Virginia with a Puzzling Hire

As much as I laud Kentucky’s bold move to hire Calipari, I question Virginia’s hiring of Tony Bennett to replace Dave Leitao as head coach. Aptly described to me by a Virginia fan I have ties with, Bennett is a square peg in a round hole there.

Take nothing away from Bennett’s coaching ability and the exemplary job he did at three years with Washington State. However, his slow paced style of play commonly referred to as “Bennett Ball” will have a tough time transitioning into a conference known for its offensive skill and athleticism.

Also, Bennett has yet to develop real recruiting ties into the fertile Washington D.C. and Baltimore regions, and may not have the dynamic personality needed to compete with the established presences there like John Thompson III, Coach K, and Frank Martin (who has another area star in Wally Judge headed to Kansas State next year). This fact combined with his style not exactly being player friendly to most of the players in that region could make it a tough hill to climb for Bennett in Charlottesville.

With the dynamic new John Paul Jones Arena ready to rock, Virginia had a real chance to make a splash with his hire (with a talented young coach in Anthony Grant right in their backyard at VCU). Instead, they have a coach that unfortunately may be out of his element and not produce like he may be capable of in a different situation.

Speaking of Mr. Grant

An awful season for the SEC will be quickly forgotten with the hire of Calipari at Kentucky and the aforementioned Anthony Grant coming to Alabama. One of the best coaching prospects in the country the past three seasons, Grant made his move after a lucrative offer ($2 million per year+) from a football school now serious about making its presence known on the hardwood.

A key presence in helping build the back-to-back national championship teams at Florida, Grant took VCU to two NCAA Tournaments (with a win over Duke and close losses to Duke and UCLA) and an NIT in his three seasons in Richmond. A strong recruiter with Southern ties, Grant should make Alabama the team to beat in the SEC West and a perennial top 25 program.

Tags: Marquette Golden Eagles Mens Basketball UWGB Phoenix Men's Basketball UWM Panthers Mens Basketball Wisconsin Badgers Mens Basketball

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A Ride Along on the Coaching Carousel