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Chat Reel: John Calipari

Memphis coach likes the Tigers' prospects

John Calipari: I think every player has improved, from the best player to the worst player, from the No.1 guy to the No. 12 player. Al Bello/Allsport

CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's C-USA chat with Memphis coach John Calipari. Welcome, Coach. Thanks for spending some time with us.
John Calipari: Thank you very much.

From Andrew Watson in Cordova, Tenn.: How much has Paris London improved, and is he worthy of a starting position?
John Calipari: Well, he has lost 30 pounds, which is the biggest thing because now he can play with some intensity and endurance. His post play is maybe the best on the team right now but mainly because we said if you want to play you have to improve yourself and he has.

From Refuse_to_Lose: Coach, can you compare where Memphis is today versus where UMass was in terms of players, program resources, etc.
John Calipari: Well, when we took over UMass they had not won in 10 years. Memphis has not won in two years. UMass was in the bottom 10 in the country and had none of the facilities we have here -- the Pyramid, the student center, offices, student housing and the level of the players was not really close. The good players I had at UMass were the freshmen, Jim McCoy and Antoine Brown. Here we're left with a few seniors, juniors and sophomores that are pretty good and we have supplemented them with a few freshmen. We are farther ahead now, but we are not to the level of where I left UMass though because we were No. 1 in the country for two years running.

From shane: How do you think the Tigers will stack up this year against perennial C-USA powerhouses Cincinnati and Louisville?
John Calipari: To be honest, I have no idea. I have coached against both Bob Huggins and Denny Crum and I know their teams will play hard and are well-coached, but I truly don't know the talent level of the league because it is my first year. So I have no idea whether we are good or bad right now.

From Paul Dougherty in Bronx, N.Y.: Coach, in the Bronx we have very fond memories of your 1991 NIT team. Will we see your Memphis team at Madison Square Garden in the near future?
John Calipari: Well I hope it is at the pre season NIT or we're playing an event in the Garden or in the Meadowlands on national television.

From Mark in Atlanta: Coach, I know you were an assistant under Larry Brown at Kansas from 1983-85. My question is, had Roy Williams left for UNC, and had Bob Fredricks offered you the job, would you have come back to Kansas? Also, how shocked were you to hear Coach Williams was staying?
John Calipari: The scenario would have played out that I would have already been the coach here at Memphis. So, NO, I would not have taken that job since I have this job. That being said, I'm not sure if there are three or four better jobs than the University of Kansas. It's a great place to raise kids. My wife worked at the University of Kansas. But the timing would not have been appropriate for that to happen. Being that I coached at Kansas under Larry Brown, I was not surprised that he stayed because it is a great place -- nothing against North Carolina -- but he felt that was his home and it is an unbelievable place to coach college basketball.

From Jarman: Being a fellow Memphian, after a great offseason by the upperclassmen, who is the most improved since you've arrived?
John Calipari: I think every player has improved, from the best player to the worst player, from the number one guy to the number 12 player. They have all gotten better. Because Paris has lost weight, it looks like he has improved the most.

From BIP: Hey John. I was wondering who you think is the greatest college-level basketball coach of all time?
John Calipari: It's hard to say because I haven't coached against a lot of the guys. I was never there with Frank McGwire, Adolph Rupp, Henry Iba, Phog Allen -- I could go on. I never coached against them or saw their teams play. When you talk about the modern era, you have to say Dean Smith was one of the best. He did it at high level. I was in sessions with him at age 67 and was stunned at how good he was so I can't imagine how good he was in his 40s. Also Larry Brown... I coached with him... I can't imagine how there are any coaches better than him. I may be missing on some others, but I have to mention those two.

From Scott King in Eden Prairie, Minn.: Coach Calipari, It's great to have you back in the college game. What do you think of the new rules that cut down on physical play? It seems to me to be an overreaction to a half of basketball (MSU 19, Wis. 17) played in the Final Four. In this day and age of style over substance, Michigan State and Wisconsin should be lauded for their attention to defense.
John Calipari: I'm gonna disagree with you. Back in '96, when we went to the Final Four, it wasn't really basketball. It was a cross between field hockey and lacrosse. The game of basketball is about synergy and movement of people. It is about five guys playing off of one another. It's not about stopping movement; it's not about mush mouth basketball. In '96 I made a statement that if we are gonna play football in the NCAA tournament, please let us know so I can teach that way. Now my problem is if we are teaching the right way that they want it to be taught, which we are doing at Memphis right now, we are going to be at a disadvantage if they don't follow through and call the fouls that are committed. Lastly, I believe it was '91 or '92 or earlier, the Big East was riding high, there was not a better league, more watched... wasn't close. They instituted the six-foul rule where a player could get up to six fouls before ejection. The game became more physical more rough and the ratings on TV plummeted and I'm not sure they have recovered since people don't wanna see it. They have done it in the NBA and I hope they follow through and do it in the NCAA.

From Casey Spears in Nokomis, Ill.: What are your team goals for this year?
John Calipari: Well we haven't talked about it or gotten to that level yet. I wanted them to practice for a month or so before we put roles together and before we decided what are the goals of this team. We don't know enough about each other yet right now. Our goal is a winning effort every day in practice and in games.

CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Memphis coach John Calipari. Thanks again for your time, Coach.
John Calipari: Bye Bye

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