Calipari Using Bulls?
by Dan Bernstein
The tantalizing story from Yahoo Sports (you know, the national outlet that has reported circles around the local papers' Bulls-beat writers) says that Memphis coach John Calipari is "intrigued" by the chance to coach the Bulls.
Calipari has taken a team to the NBA playoffs before, is understandably tight with Derrick Rose and maintains a close relationship with LeBron James. He is a client of CAA, which also represents Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. So start connecting the dots if you want, but here's betting a freshly-gilded contract extension with Kentucky is announced forthwith.
Unless, of course, Calipari needs to flee ahead of the NCAA posse, considering his history of hanging temporary banners and writing schools' hoops history in disappearing ink.
And it is here that we need to be clear about something: a reputation of "corruption" relative to the arcane rules of the NCAA means nothing in regard to the NBA. If it did, Bulls fans would wonder about, say, a former New Mexico State assistant implicated in a 1992 scandal that saw potential transfers pipelined through bogus correspondence courses.
That assistant is Gar Forman, the Bulls nominal GM. He received a three-year "show cause" penalty from the NCAA, that was eventually appealed on a technicality in 1996.
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The Sox followed up Jake Peavy's sterling outing by collapsing against the Royals last night. Gavin Floyd seems like a mental mess, and he'd better find his curveball soon if he wants to return to some level of effectiveness.
Lou Piniella considers dropping Aramis Ramirez in the order until he starts to hit. Ramirez is batting .149, but his BABIP is an insanely-low .162: that tells us he has been disproportionately unlucky and is due to correct.
Hope the Hawks got in a nice evening of shirtless limo-riding before tonight's game three. Encouraging to hear Joel Quenneville and several players talking about staying out of the penalty box.
We will do "Who You Crappin?" tomorrow at 5:00, and we will be on the town on Friday. The Bud Light "Who Needs Two?" Tavern Tour stops at Rockit Bar (3700 N. Clark St.), and we will have Cubs tickets to give away.
