This page is dedicated to supporting Coach John Calipari.
FIRST let me thank our Memphis Tigers Basketball Team for a GREAT 2007-2008 season. We are all proud of your work ethic, your dedication and most of all your trip to the national finals. NOTHING can diminish the SUPER year you had, and we ALL enjoyed the ride very much. THANK YOU From the bottom of our hearts! We are PROUD of you all - FOREVER!
Second, let me thank John Calipari for his undying support for our entire community and his dedication to improving every aspect of life in Memphis. With out Coach Cal, Memphis would be a little bit less enjoyable. Thank you Coach Cal from the bottom of our hearts. We DO appreciate you. 
How much is Coach Cal Worth to Memphis? A LOT! I believe there is no other coach who could have done what Calipari has done in Memphis. He has had to work with kids in which other major programs were not seriously interested. He has had to work with kids who have had tough backgrounds and tough lives. He has not had the luxury of being able to easily recruit the Tyler Hansbroughs of the world. But, Calipari does have the ability to recruit very talented boys and turn them into very excellent basketball players who can work together.
Is he worth more than Bill Self? YES - A lot more! He is worth at least as much as the top 5 coaches in this country and probably more. John is more than a basketball coach for the Tigers. He is absolutely the best Memphis representative and cheerleader this city has had in a several decades. It is true - Memphis Tigers Coach John Calipari Is worth a lot More than Bill Self and deserved to be paid at the very top of the college coach pay scale.
We need John Calipari and I believe John wants to stay in Memphis. However, when a person is as driven as John is, NO ONE can fault him for moving to a program that offers him both the opportunity to prove he is one of the best college coaches ever, and earn more security for his family at the same time.
We have an opportunity to create a program on par with Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas or any of the other top 10 programs in the US with John Calipari at the helm. We should make it attractive for Calipari to retire from the University of Memphis; there would be NO Losers and Memphis would be a GREAT Winner.
I urge you to contact Dr. Shirley C. Raines, U of M President, R. C. Johnson, U of M Athletic Director, Steve Cohen & Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee congressional representatives, and Mayor Herrington and and the University of Memphis Leadership Executives to urge them to do what ever it takes to keep John Calipari here with us. The money we spend to keep John here will be paid back at least 10 fold financially, and even more in GREAT Memphis public relations, good will and recognition which will help the University of Memphis in many many ways.
• Dr. Shirley Rains, President - sraines@memphis.edu
• R. C. Johnson, Athletic Director - rjohnson@memphis.edu
• Steve Cohen, congressman -
- - - http://cohen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_email_form&Itemid=113
• Marsha Blackburn, congressman- https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
• Ralph Faudree, Provost - rfaudree@memphis.edu
• Rosie Bingham, Vice President for Student Affairs - rbingham@memphis.edu
• Charles Lee, Vice President for Business and Finance - chaslee@memphis.edu
• Doug Hurley - Vice President for Information Technology - dhurley@memphis.edu
• Julie Johnson, Vice President for Advancement - juljohn@memphis.edu
• Mayor Herenton - mayor@memphistn.gov
• University of Memphis leadership team - http://www.memphis.edu/presweb/vps.html
Respectfully,
Bob Metz
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• The Heart & Soul of Rock & Roll... and a strong, proud supporter of Coach John Calipari.
