John Calipari has Ruined my Last 48 Hours

All of Memphis is in an uproar. Why? John Calipari[img source], University of Memphis basketball coach, has decided to leave the team. I really don't understand it though because people have been leaving positions at Memphis for over a year now taking severance packages and early retirement deals since Governor Bredeson refuses to invest in post-secondary education. But, because the famous basketball coach is leaving....there's a ruckus?! I'm sure I am not the only person that feels this way...but, I really don't care. People are really starting to work my nerves.

It started when I was at work yesterday. Nick, the guy that delivers supplies walked up to me with my daily paperwork and asked, "Well Ronald, what are y'all gonna do?" And, since I don't pay attention to sports I had NO clue what he was talking about.

After seeing the clueless expression on my face, he added, "You know Calipari leaving y'all for Kentucky don't you?"

Since, I believe the money wasted on sports should be invested in education, I was elated! Our FAMED Calipari has decided to leave for an eight-year, $31.65 million contract with Kentucky State University. First, the basketball team lost the championship and now they lose their coach!?

Nick, stared at me while I did my mini-victory dance. DOUBLE WHAMMY!

As a student at the UofM [img source]I see first hand EVERY day this pedestal our team sits on. I feel like they walk around as if they are God's second best creation and everybody treats them that way. People say I'm silly. But, for the first time ever, somebody else noticed it. The day after the team lost the Elite 8, my cashier at the Tiger Den spoke greatness: "they could have won if they didn't have those bad attitudes." Her exact words. I wish I remembered her name, wish I had it on film!

Back on subject though...
Later yesterday evening after work, my friend who I ride home with (who's a little older and doesn't go to the school) decided to share with me as SOON as I got in the car that the UofM would be facing a deficit, enrollment would go down the tubes, and tuition would face a drastic increase due to Calipari's leaving.

You should have heard my laughter. It was very therauputic. Memphians are so phased by this man. It's like they are hypnotized. The school has been in a deficit for years now, enrollment has actually been steady, and tuition was already facing a double digit increase before this whole thing came about.

Anyway...I get home to the dorm and there are at least 20 people in the lobby at 11 p.m. discussing how crazy his decision was and that how the players are doomed without him. My theory on that is as I've heard time and time again. 'You can lead a horse to the water. But you can't make it drink.' Calipari is the the leader but it's up to the players (or horses) to decide if they wanna drink or not.

All of what you just read means nothing compared to this...the front page of our school paper the next day:



shock value to the maximum.

Now, everybody feels like the paper was inappropriate for putting a bold statement like that on the front cover. Well, our jobs as reporters are to report what we see and hear in society. That statement is a blunt, direct interpretation of how our most of our school, and Memphis, feels about Calipari's departure.

In class today, we discussed the ethical and unethical things about the front page of the cover. I say the cover did exactly what it was supposed to do. It represents how the majority of students and memphians feel as well as get the attention of innocent people who run across the paper. But, some say it was too mean because it uses the word "DEAD" and the play on words didn't work. Others say the cover should have represented the years calipari was involved with the University instead of the years of his whole life.

I can already tell that this is gonna be a hot topic until this semester end...

But, if I've already grown sick of it....how am I ever going to survive?

comments? questions?