You Thought We Were Done With Realignment...??? Conference USA/Big East Have Their Say

Maybe, maybe not...

WKMG-TV in Orlando is now saying that Central Florida and Memphis will be leaving Conference USA and heading into the Big East Conference next week.

Dave Pingalore says so...

This would give the Big East another top-20 media market in Orlando and the off-chance that Memphis could buy its way into the BCS... Love that...

This would make the basketball conference 18 teams strong... or, maybe just 18 teams... This would certainly give the East some wiggle room on the off chance that some of their current squads leave to go to the Big Ten-12...

Wonder what Tommy West thinks about all this...
((HT: MyFoxMemphis.com))


More when we know more...

The Fed-Ex BCS? Smith wants to buy Memphis an invite....

((ht: cbssports.com/gary parrish))

Never say that you've think that you've heard it all. If a report on cbssports.com is true, then Fed-Ex CEO Fred Smith is going to try and buy the University of Memphis a spot in a BCS Conference for up to $10-million a year.

You should read Gary Parrish's story RIGHT HERE

If this were to happen, it would reinforce everything we've said about the misplaced priorities in College Sports.

Never mind that with all of the conference switcharoo's going on that there are going to be about 100 or so Division 1 schools who will no longer have the opportunity to "EVER" play in a BCS bowl. If Smith buys Memphis' way in, it just proves that there is no "College" involved with this. There is no amateur-ness involved.

Allowing Smith to foot a bill for $10-million a year so that Memphis can be in the Big Ten or the Big East or whatever's left of the BCS conferences is a joke. A bad joke. Though we suppose that it is no more of a joke than the changing landscape of College Football, where if you aren't one of the school's in the "Power Conference's" you might as well play in 1-AA

Conference USA And Expansion...???

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Why not, right...???

Memphis AD RC Johnson addresses the topic just before heading to the Conference USA meetings- set for this week.

Greg Gaston has the sit-down in all its glory...

Larry Porter Is Your New Memphis Coach

Porter is currently the assistant coach at LSU, and has been one of the top contenders for the position along with Jerry Gray, secondary coach for the Washington Redskins.

An announcement by the University of Memphis Athletic Department is expected on Sunday.

MyFoxMemphis' Greg Gaston caught up with Memphis HOF'er Danton Barto about the Porter hiring...they played together on campus...

Kansas Survives Against Memphis

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Survive and advance already...???
First, Cal State-Fullerton takes out UCLA. Miami of Ohio almost got Kentucky.
Now, it takes a contested shot at the buzzer for Kansas to leave a game with the Tigers with a win...

See what happens when you play hoops around the clock...???
Here's your highlights...

Tommy West Still Fired, Players React

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Matt Stark and Greg Gaston double-teamed coverage on the player's reaction.
Only three players would speak on camera, and they were ones who are leaving the program after this season...

Coach West's presser is still golden...and, probably, always will be...

Memphis Fires Tommy West, Goes Off In Presser

((HT: MyFoxMemphis/WHBQ radio))

Radio talk show host George Lapides made the announcement on Sports 56 WHBQ Monday morning, citing the website footballscoop.com

From The Scoop:
FedEx CEO Fred Smith and CFO Dave Bronczek will strongly consider Gunter Brewer and Trooper Taylor for the head coaching position. Brewer serves as the OC / wide receivers coach at Oklahoma State. Taylor coaches the wide receivers at Auburn.

Tommy West, who is 2-7 this season, lost to the Tennessee Vols 56-28 in Knoxville Saturday. Here's the lowlights for West and Memphis againsat the Vols...
WVLT-TV's Daryl Hobby has the video for you...
((HT: WVLT-TV))


Those of us at OSG HQ have our money on Lambuth University Head Coach Hugh Freeze. He runs that spread option offense nonsense, but he's proven he can get athletes to stay in western Tennessee to play football and has had success on the NAIA level.

As proof, here's highlights from the Lambuth-Shorter game from a while back where the Eagles completely had the officials give the game to them...
((HT: Lambuth University/Youtube))


UPDATE: West went off in his farewell presser demanding fans stand up to give the team an equal playing field...and take the negatives out of the program.

"Put something in it, or do away with it..." quoting West...
((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Memphis Boosters Chapped At Ruling... Is NCAA Playing Faves...???

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Tealy Deveraux tracked down one of the high-falootin' boosters for the Tigers and got his take on the ruling handed down from the NCAA.

See if you can guess what OSG researchers went after post-posting...???


Okay... for those of you who guessed the reference to Corey Maggette, give yourself a gold star.

Retreating to a Dan Wetzel piece from Yahoo!Sports in 2004, we revisit Wetzel's question...

Two days after the piece was published, the NCAA came out and said there would be no sanctions against Duke in the case. This is after Maggette admitted taking $2,000 from Myron Piggie. He, initially, said that he had not...

The NCAA's decision claimed that Duke was "unaware Maggette should have been ineligible." They were not aware of any payments between Maggette and Piggie.

Quoting David Price, NCAA Vice President of Enforcement, in April of 2004:

"After a lengthy investigation, we came to the conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to determine Maggette knew or should have known, and we believe firmly that the institution did not know and should not have known."

If we take the last half of the paragraph and apply it to Memphis' situation, there may be investigative precedent for the university- and this is regardless of what happened in the Duke case, truth or otherwise... that Maggette "knew or should have known" what he did was wrong.

From Dan Wolken's work in the Memphis Commercial Appeal...

Memphis claims Rose’s academic transcript was certified by the NCAA clearinghouse and came into question only after the 2007-08 season had been completed.

Memphis also claims it took all reasonable steps to ensure Rose’s eligibility after questions about his high school transcript arose in October 2007. Athletic director R.C. Johnson said Rose was questioned by four school officials about the SAT and that the school was comfortable with its investigation, which found no evidence that he cheated.

Taking that at its face value, this would fall equal to the Duke assertions in the Maggette investigation. Duke didn't know. Memphis thought they had done their due diligence in the case.

Is there a difference in one case to the other...???

The NCAA's retroactive investigation with Duke came up with a student-athlete who took money from a middle-man before he was enrolled at the university where he played basketball.

The investigation around Memphis has followed a test taken so a player COULD enroll at a university to play basketball. The university, technically, "was unaware" Rose should not have been eligible if they wrap themselves in their cloak of "due diligence."

Duke's investigation took the better part of four years to conclude no wrong-doing.
John Calipari's UMass investigation took seven weeks.
Missouri's 1996 case took about a month.
The Memphis case took about seven months...

Should Memphis have any leg to stand on here...?
Or, when the NCAA finds something, are you screwed...???
Regardless of the "when" and regardless of your own detective work in the matter in question... and even if your info and recon eventually falls one way or the other...

Those of us at OSG HQ think it's the latter, and Coach Cal's past at UMass didn't help matters.

Memphis Vacates, Gets 3-Years Probation, Appeals Instantly...

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

Here's the full report from the NCAA...

From the Dan Wolken article in the Commercial Appeal...

The report states that the infractions committee “did not need to make a determination as to whether (Rose) engaged in unethical conduct” because the subsequent cancellation of his test score by the Educational Testing Service was a “strict liability” situation.

During the NCAA teleconference, questions about the time and place of Rose's SAT were asked multiple times and in each case, Dee said that once the NCAA's testing arm determined that the score had been canceled, the time and place of the test became irrelevant.

The penalties for Memphis include a reduction of scholarships for the women’s golf program, whose former coach was found guilty of providing extra benefits to players.

The report states that Memphis must return its 2008 Final Four trophy to the NCAA and that all school records must reflect the vacating of wins, meaning that former coach John Calipari is no longer the winningest coach in school history and the record is returned to Larry Finch.

Dr. Shirley Raines, the President of the university, has already announced that there will be an appeal of the decision. RC Johnson, the Athletic Director at Memphis, has already said that the banners that represent the wins of the program and its successes will remain in the rafters at the FedEx Forum while the appeal goes on.

Here's your highlights from the press conference with RC Johnson, President Raines, and University Chief Legal Counsel Sheri Lipman:

The three years probation covers all sports within the university's athletic department.

RC Johnson would argue that John Calipari did not have "unlimited control" as head coach. Johnson is also confident of the way the University is handling things currently. He would hire Calipari again if the situation were revisited. Johnson is not sure the university is taking a hit nationally- he feels "some people are in our corner nationally."

President Raines believes that, going forward, the university will be as diligent as "we believe we have." There will be a system of checks and balances that will ensure proper responsibility within the university. Raines feels the penalty was "unfair" as the university did its proper due diligence. The reputation of the school, while it may come to wins and losses, the university will be viewed by "how we play by the rules."

Coach Calipari's bonuses are part of the appeals proces as well. Coach Cal got $300,000 for performance, but if the appeal fails that money will have to be paid back.

The university also would have to pay back $85,000 immediately for performances in the post-season tournament and $530,000 in future disbursements.

Johnson admitted, that if the appeal fails, the banners would come down from the rafters at the Forum and the 61-game conference win streak would be wiped from all record books and publications.

The university will have their initial appeal done within 15 days, and their written appeal will be in the hands of the NCAA within 30 days.

Here's coverage of the presser from our friends at MyFoxMemphis/WHBQ-TV

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted... Vacation, Have To Get Away...Memphis Catches Hell From NCAA...

((HT: Memphis Commercial Appeal/Wolken))

The University of Memphis is expecting the release of a report from the NCAA Committee on Infractions on Thursday in which it will be forced to forfeit its record 38 victories and 2008 Final Four appearance, a source close to the situation confirmed to The Commercial Appeal on Wednesday.

ESPN.com first reported the story Wednesday, citing several unnamed sources.

Memphis' basketball program was accused in January of major violations, the most serious of which was that former Tiger point guard Derrick Rose ((pictured, thanks Mike Brown/Commercial Appeal)) had a stand-in take his SAT for him. Memphis also was cited for failure to monitor its charter travel system, as investigators found $2,260 in unpaid expenses by Rose's brother, Reggie Rose.

Memphis appeared before the Committee on Infractions on June 6.

This will mark the second Final Four appearance that Memphis has been forced to vacate, joining Dana Kirk's 1985 squad. Only the 1973 team's trip to the NCAA title game under coach Gene Bartow will stand in the official NCAA record book.

It will also be the second vacated Final Four for former coach John Calipari, whose 1996 trip with UMass was expunged after it was revealed that former star Marcus Camby had taken money from an agent.

Penalties that would impact the program going forward, such as scholarship losses, are not included in the report, according to a source.

Geoff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal tries to remind us all that the ruling is less about Memphis, and more about who they had running the team at the time...

Here's coverage at the time everything initially hit the fan from our friends at MyFoxMemphis/WHBQ-TV. Earle Farrell had your standard reaction from fans...


Those of us at OSG HQ think Kentucky got just what they deserved...

The University of Memphis came out of their investigation not finding anything wrong-Naturally...

The joke now being that Calipari took two teams to the "Final Three..."
Nice...

NCAA Finished Talking With Memphis

((HT: Memphis Commercial Appeal/Wolken))

The University of Memphis’ meeting with the NCAA committee on infractions lasted less than four hours here today -- a surprisingly short time for a hearing of this magnitude -- and wrapped up before 11:20 a.m. ((One of the hot button issues in the investigation, former head coach John Calipari is pictured, thanks Commercial Appeal file))

University president Dr. Shirley Raines issued the following written statement as Memphis’ representatives at the hearing left the Sheraton Indianapolis hotel:

“Today, the University of Memphis responded to the NCAA allegations concerning our men’s basketball and women’s golf teams. Although we cannot comment on the specifics of what occurred during the hearing, I can say that, as President, I reiterated the University’s commitment to NCAA rules compliance.

As a member institution with several of our staff participating in NCAA leadership positions, I expect the University to live up to its commitment. We believe we were able to fully answer the Committee’s questions and present the actions that we have already taken based upon our internal investigations. Throughout this process, we have had a cooperative relationship with the NCAA Enforcement Staff, and we want to thank the NCAA for that.

“We are hopeful that we will receive a favorable decision on behalf of the University in this matter. We appreciate your interest and we look forward to having more to say after the committee has released its decision.”

Memphis officials, including Raines, athletic director R.C. Johnson and university counsel Sheri Lipman all declined comment before leaving quickly in a black Ford Expedition.

Former Tigers React To Memphis Scandal

((HT: MyFoxMemphis))

On the heels of a student-athlete SAT scandal, controversy surrounds another former Memphis tiger. ESPN is reporting a stand-in may have taken Robert Dozier's first SAT test. The NCAA will meet with University officials Saturday regarding the test of another tiger, Derrick Rose.

Former Tiger Basketball players and local celebrities hit the hardwood to support the Larry Finch Scholarship Fund, although the lines in the Elma Roan Fieldhouse these days resemble the sometimes blurry lines between right and wrong.

"I hope that everybody gets it behind us and continues on," former player Jeremy Hunt said.

Robert Dozier is the second tiger name involved in testing controversy. ESPN reports the former forward may have had a stand-in for his first SAT. Dozier scored 540 fewer points the second time he took the test.

All this comes to light right before the University's meeting with the NCAA Saturday regarding another former Tiger's SAT score. The investigation points to Derrick Rose as the player. The U of M's internal investigation revealed no proof that he cheated.

Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton tipped-off Friday night's charity game, still thinking highly of the Tigers.

"I hope we are in a real positive situation, such that our program is not negatively impacted, so I wish the Tigers all the best and I think there's a lot of honesty and integrity in the program and I hope there are no NCAA violations," Herenton said.

The NCAA could take away Memphis' victories from the 2007-08 season, when Rose played. Anything regarding Dozier is still in limbo while it finishes the first investigation. Until then, former Tigers are looking forward.

"More than anything, Josh Pastner has a job in front of him and hopefully he can start afresh, have an opportunity to recruit locally and continuing to recruit nationally," former player Elliot Perry said.

"I'm an optimist. I hope things turn out for the better. I just wish the University the best possible outcome through it all," former player Andre Turner said.

Coach Pastner will not be attending Saturday's meeting. Former Tiger's head coach, John Calipari, will listen via phone from China.

FoxMemphis' Melissa Scheffler caught up with them Friday...

Smelling Like A Rose? Memphis Can't Find Proof Of SAT Cheating

[HT/WREG.com]
A 500 page report was released today, outlining the University of Memphis' response to an NCAA investigation into the basketball and women's golf programs.

The NCAA report alleges a former Tiger player (believed to be Derrick Rose) had someone else take his SAT.

The University's report indicates there is not enough information or evidence to determine if there were any violations regarding Rose.

Here's one excerpt from the report:"The University does not have sufficient information to conclude that (redacted) engaged in unethical conduct in regard to a (redacted) taking of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Specifically, the University has no knowledge that (redacted) did not complete the SAT entrance examination. Accordingly, the University does not know whether the information included in the allegation is substantially correct and is unable to conclude whether a violation of the cited NCAA regulations has occurred."

University officials will go before an NCAA committee Saturday. Former coach John Calipari is expected to take part via telephone.

Click here to read the University of Memphis’ response.

Here's coverage from WREG's April Thompson and Sports Director Glenn Carver

Source: Memphis Knew About Ineligible Player

((HT: ESPN/Andy Katz))

One month after Memphis lost to Kansas in overtime on April 7, 2008, in one of the most thrilling national championship games in recent memory, the Tigers were rocked by an e-mail from the NCAA.

It was then that Memphis was first notified that star freshman point guard Derrick Rose, who helped the Tigers to an NCAA-record 38 wins and was soon going to become the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft by his hometown Bulls, had an invalidated standardized test score the previous year at Chicago's Simeon High School, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the e-mail.

The University of Memphis' legal counsel, Sheri Lipman, would not identify the student-athlete as Rose, but said Monday, "for the student-athlete, whoever that was, the first indication that we got was in early May [2008] that his score was being invalidated."

Memphis' administration knew that if this were indeed true, then coach John Calipari's ((pictured, thanks Memphis Commercial Appeal file)) team rode the superstar exploits of an ineligible player to an extraordinary season that was stopped just short of the program's first national title.

"It certainly came as a surprise," Lipman said of the e-mail.

Was it odd to be notified of a test score after the "student-athlete" played his freshman season?

"Absolutely," Lipman said. "That's when we started with the NCAA, looking into the case."

Details of Memphis' investigation into the alleged fraudulent SAT are in the school's response to the NCAA's notice of allegations received January 16, Lipman said. Memphis' response, which was requested by various Tennessee media outlets through a Freedom of Information Act request, could be forthcoming as early as Monday night or Tuesday morning, according to Lipman. The NCAA committee on infractions has a hearing in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Lipman said the response would add more depth to the Rose report and "put more paint on this canvas."

Rose's attorney, Daniel E. Reidy, issued a statement last week that said, "Mr. Rose is aware of the allegations recently reported in the press. Mr. Rose cooperated fully with the University of Memphis athletic and legal departments' investigation of this issue when he was a student and that investigation uncovered no wrongdoing on his part. At this time, Mr. Rose sees no reason to engage in further discussion regarding this matter and will instead focus on his career as a professional basketball player."

According to multiple sources, Rose's camp did tell Memphis that he took the SAT in question.

The NCAA's notice of allegations states that "it is alleged that [redacted] prospective men's basketball student-athlete failed to deport himself in accordance with the generally recognized high standards of honesty and sportsmanship normally associated with the conduct and administration of intercollegiate athletics for his knowing fraudulence or misconduct and administration of intercollegiate examination. Specifically, on [redacted] an unknown individual completed [redacted] SAT, with [redacted] knowledge, which was used to obtain his admission into the institution and to certify his NCAA eligibility. [Redacted] subsequently competed for the men's basketball team through the 2007-08 season, which included his participation in the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship."

On Monday, Bulls executive vice president for business operations Steve Schanwald said the team stood by Rose.

"Where the truth lies, who knows?" Schanwald told Comcast SportsNet Chicago. "But Derrick says it didn't happen, and I take him at his word."

According to a source, Calipari was floored that Rose could have been ineligible as a freshman.

So, too, was the university's legal counsel, which is fighting the NCAA over finding out about the "student-athlete's" invalid test score, after the season concluded and after he had been cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse to compete the previous fall.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson has said throughout the past week he doesn't anticipate the case will affect new coach Josh Pastner's program, either in scholarship reduction or any kind of postseason ban. There is a possibility that Memphis' 38 wins and its national championship appearance could be vacated by the committee on infractions if Memphis is not able to provide enough evidence to refute the charge that Rose was ineligible during the 2007-08 season.

Here's Katz explaining himself to Robert Flores...

Raines Remains Quiet At Memphis

((HT: WHBQ-TV))

She is the genteel, yet academically driven, woman who historically broke through the "glass ceiling" as the first female President of the University of Memphis. For nearly eight years, Shirley Raines ((pictured, thanks Memphis Commercial Appeal)) has committed to elevating the educational standards at U of M to her highest priority.

In 2005, when her name was mentioned as a possible candidate for the then vacant UT Presidency, Raines told FOX13 News, her decision to stay here was based on "I think it takes a while to build the kinds of accomplishments we want to see for the University."

But, Commercial Appeal columnist, Geoff Caulkins, is among those who note when it comes to providing direction or assuming responsibility for the oft-times troubled U of M Athletic Department, Raines often silently demures to the "good ole boy system."

Caulkins says, "I can't judge what sort of University President Shirley has been. I don't know. I don't think as a sports presence. The athletic department. That she's been particularly effective. Your images of Shirley Raines, for good or ill, or Shirley Raines singing I'm so glad I go to U of M."

On Thursday, President Raines turned down a request from FOX13 News to respond to allegations contained in a previously withheld notification of an NCAA investigation, which contained charges that former Tiger basketball star, Derrick Rose, may have had someone else take his college entrance exam.

Since the official letter came directly to Raines, nearly four months ago.....and the fact she's been requested to appear before an NCAA inquiry board in Indianapolis next week....her failure to directly comment on the allegations is frustrating as the person on the top rung of school's hierarchy.

Caulkins asserts, "She's obviously embarrassed. I would imagine she would have to be by this. And yet, I think the silence is unfortunate. So, you have R.C. (Johnson) not saying much. Shirley saying nothing at all. You have Kentucky issuing press releases saying this is a Memphis problem. But, no one from Memphis is really addressing it."

However, an absence of comment from Raines, other than occasional printed statements over the years, has become a pattern when it comes to problems especially related to decisions on issues arising in the Tiger basketball program.

Under former head coach, John Calipari, the list of troubled players, arrests for assaults, drugs and questions over a perceived lack of disciplinary recourse was never formally addressed by Raines except to say, those were coaches responsibilities. Caulkins says the grim reality for Tiger fans might be that Coach Cal's departure has left a bigger void than Raines or embattled Athletic Director, R.C. Johnson, might want to admit.

Caulkins concludes, "I have this overwhelming sense that for the last five years, everyone has essentially turned the athletic department over to John. And now they're trying to figure out what to do with it."

Here's Les Smith's piece on Raines from our friends at WHBQ-TV

RC And Josh Can't Get Facts Straight

((HT: WHBQ-TV))

Former Memphis Tiger Derrick Rose appears to be the key player in the NCAA investigation into the Tigers Basketball Program, and it turns out, this isn't the first time Rose's academic transcript has come under scrutiny.

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that someone with access to Rose's records back at Simeon High School changed a "D" to a "C" on his transcript, and then changed the grade back after his transcript had been sent out to the schools rose was interested in, including the University of Memphis.

There's no telling how that news may influence the NCAA investigation, and whether it could turn out to be good news for the University of Memphis.

Kansas had a similar situation with Darrell Arthur's high school transcript last summer, and walked away clean-- maybe the Tigers will as well.

Also, there are some conflicting statements from Tigers Athletic Director R.C. Johnson and Tigers head coach Josh Pastner.

While Pastner told FOX13 he had no prior knowledge of the NCAA allegations, Johnson stated "we talked some about it."

Regardless of who told who, who told what, and when anything was said, the fate of the Tigers' 2007-2008 record and title could all be determined at the NCAA hearing June 6.

Here's the story from our friends at MyFoxMemphis with Matt Stark and Greg Gaston leading the way...


Here's the entire interviews with RC Johnson and Coach Pastner
In the biz, we call them "raw tape..."

Gaston then followed up his early piece with some talk from high-falootin' booster types...

Memphis Tigers Tailed By NCAA

Big time props to Dan Wolken of the Memphis Commercial Appeal for breaking the story of major allegations against the University of Memphis men's basketball program.

Back on January 16, 2009 the NCAA sent Memphis a notice of allegations charging the men's basketball program with major violations during the 2007-08 season. That team was coached by John Calipari and went to the NCAA title game losing to Kansas.

The NCAA is alleging that a prospective player became eligible after an "unknown individual" completed his SAT. That player played during the 1007-08 season and participated in the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

That players name was redacted in the NCAA report, You can read the NCAA notice of allegations here. According to the university spokesman that player has denied the charge.

The only Memphis player that fits that profile from the NCAA notice was Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls.

By the way, you won't see John Calipari's name on this report, he appears to be in the clear.

You can read Wolken's story in the Memphis Commercial Appeal right here.

Here's more from WHBQ-TV in Memphis.

And here are comments from Memphis Athletic Director R.C. Johnson. (Thanks WHBQ-TV)

Pastner Is The Present In Memphis

((HT: CBSSports))

Gary Parrish is reporting that former John Calipari assistant Josh Pastner is the new head coach at the University of Memphis.

The 31-year-old gets the top seat over Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton.

From Parrish:

A news conference is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday.

Pastner is known as an elite recruiter from his time at Arizona, where he played for and assisted Lute Olson before joining John Calipari's staff last offseason. This is his first head coaching job.

From Dan Wolken at the Commercial Appeal:

Two sources said that athletic director R.C. Johnson has sent an e-mail to members of the Ambassadors Club, telling them the process is nearing an end. The Ambassadors Club is for boosters who have donated $500,000.

Known as one of the rising stars in the business, Pastner would be one of the youngest head coaches in the country and his selection would be a surprise, given his age and the fact he has no head coaching experience.

It could also be a brilliant hire, given that Pastner has a deep network of connections on the AAU circuit, especially in the Houston area where his father, Hal Pastner, is a legendary youth basketball coach.

No Scott Drew For Memphis: Now What...?

((HT: Memphis Commercial Appeal/Dan Wolken))
Dan Wolken got to spend his weekend sorting through what's left of the early stages of the Memphis coaching search- just as successful as Arizona's.

"There will be no comment until this is over," athletic director R.C. Johnson said on Sunday night. This as it's widely believed that current FSU coach Leonard Hamilton is the leading candidate for the job.

The "Seven Deadly Myths of The Search" were also addressed by Wolken:
1) Scott Drew was not a smoke screen.
2) RC Johnson and his crew are not working on a "Wow" hire anymore...
3) Hiring Billy Gillispie would be a bad idea.
4) Hiring Reggie Theus might be a good hire, but also a risky one.
5) Hiring an NBA guy would be a bad idea.
6) Andy Kennedy's problems in Cincinnati will, probably, keep him from consideration.
7) Derek Kellogg would, probably, not come after only one year at UMass.

Which leaves Memphis open-handed...
For now...

In Memphis Who's Next On The List

Let's see, the University of Memphis was promoting a "wow" hire after John Calipari took the money and headed to Lexington, Kentucky. Well it's become a "wow" situation for Memphis like "wow, no big name wants the job." Reality bites sometimes.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson is producing his own economic stimulus plan with college hoop coaches and it's not effecting his bottom line. Mention Bruce Pearl and he gets a raise, Mike Anderson, gets a raise. If you're a coach on Memphis' list, your getting a bump in pay.

Which leads me to the latest list of names that Memphis seems to be targeting. One is Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy. Kennedy is popular with the media and is doing a heck of a job at Ole Miss. At Memphis Kennedy would have the resources he doesn't enjoy at Oxford, Mississippi.

Kennedy's judgement day for his arrest in Cincinnati is coming up. Depending on the outcome of that, he might be looking for work.

The next name that's reportedly emerging is Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton. FSU had a breakout season in the ACC this year making it to the tournament title game. The timing might be right because the Seminoles lost their best player, Toney Douglas.

Those of us at the OSG HQ saw this coming. It's the case of another program talking big and finding out their not so big. By the way, we won't endorse anyone for this gig.

Photos Courtesy: Getty Images