Memphis & OSU wait on Calipari

John Calipari has Kentucky and Memphis on hold, sleeping on an offer to jump from Blues City to Big Blue. And he’s keeping Oklahoma State waiting, too.

The Cowboys wait with crossed fingers and baited breath that Kentucky will hire someone not named Travis Ford, who in his first season in Stillwater brought the Cowboys back to not just the NCAA Tournament, but success once they get there.

Ford is from Madisonville, Ky., and a beloved player on Rick Pitino’s 1993 Final Four team at Kentucky. He would be a natural selection if UK’s efforts to land a major name (Pitino, Billy Donovan, Calipari) fail, and no one could blame Ford for taking the job. UK is one of those destination jobs, plus Ford is a grad.

Losing Ford would be a major blow to the Cowboys. Another coaching change would give OSU four head coaches in a 38-month span: Eddie Sutton, Sean Sutton, Travis Ford and the new guy, all since February 2006.

There’s no way that can be good. Ford appears to be instilling and installing a system in which the Cowboys can thrive. The loss of Byron Eaton and Terrel Harris will be difficult enough, but the loss of Ford, too, would set back the Cowboys who knows how far?