Did we ever get the story on Drew’s family’s visit to Lexington?

[FiveStarCat]

Prefacing this with I’m now beyond excited for the Pope era so I’m in no way asking this as wishing we’d locked up Drew instead but…

With the reports that Drew’s family flew into Lexington to check the place out, clearly it was very close to happening. Did they see something specific that turned them off? Or were they looking to be blown away and it just didn’t happen?

Not looking to trash them because I think both families/fanbases will be happy with the decision but just curious what actually happened there lol

 

[Kybluedude]

Do you really care?

 

[Smashcat]

Prefacing this with I’m now beyond excited for the Pope era so I’m in no way asking this as wishing we’d locked up Drew instead but…

With the reports that Drew’s family flew into Lexington to check the place out, clearly it was very close to happening. Did they see something specific that turned them off? Or were they looking to be blown away and it just didn’t happen?

Not looking to trash them because I think both families/fanbases will be happy with the decision but just curious what actually happened there lol

 

[Imafan4evr_]

My best guess: this particular spotlight was honestly just way too big for that family and Drew himself. I’m okay with that, as they should be.

 

[SoCaliCat]

They just didn't want to leave Waco. I turned down two outstanding opportunities because we didn't want to relo. It happens.

 

[Cats192]

They just didn't want to leave Waco. I turned down two outstanding opportunities because we didn't want to relo. It happens.

This.

I can make a lot more doing my job in rural Montana. I like where I'm at.

 

[trueblujr2]

Well, no story or no knowledge, but my guess is they left the only home they knew for 22 years that morning. The kids, the only home they've known their whole lives, and flew into Lexington for whirlwind 3 hour tour then asked, "Think you can live here? need to know now".

 

[qwesley]

I would say for a reserved family having the plane diverted because there were news trucks at the Lex airport freaked them out.

 

[jeffky]

After that Sunday service at Rupp no one could have gotten that kind of crowd but THE POPE the prodigal son has returned home glory to God

 

[DrH. Lecter]

Certainly inquiring minds want to know. On a Lexington Chamber of Commerce level it is good information to have IF that was a factor. I doubt that Lexington itself hurt, though Lex traffic is textbook for the worst example of bad civic planning that I could ever imagine.

Mom is reportedly very introverted. Getting a whiff of our bananas fanbase may have just hit them. We freaking fact check an episode on TV at a local Waco restaurant. I personally LOVE that story but Mom may have been scared off. Happy wife....

 

[NociHTTP]

After that Sunday service at Rupp no one could have gotten that kind of crowd but THE POPE the prodigal son has returned home glory to God

I do wonder what Calipari, Drew, Hurley, Donovan, what THEY think of what we experienced on Sunday.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

They had a religious calling to Waco.

 

[SoCaliCat]

I do wonder what Calipari, Drew, Hurley, Donovan, what THEY think of what we experienced on Sunday.

The thought "you people are crazy."

 

[UKWildcats1987]

They had a religious calling to Waco.

Dude is set for life there anyways and already won a national title so do not blame him.

 

[midnightrocker]

Apparently his wife is an introvert I heard on a show so I imagine the intense spotlight during the search didn’t do us any favors. Also he’s extremely religious and believes God called him to be at Baylor. So I don’t think there really is a story to tell. Probably for the best though, if he took the job I don think he or his family would be happy here.

 

[billoliver40]

In short....hard to say goodbye to a place you've raised family in for 22 years. Comes a point if you are making (more than good) money and you are happy, why change? Same as Hurley.

 

[Ugoff]

They went to Local Taco and got 49 phone calls.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

Someone yelled woooo and moma grabbed her pearls and said let's get out of here. It's so obscene.

 

[FiveStarCat]

Do you really care?

I’m just a naturally curious person I guess?

 

[TFCats11]

Who?

 

[WildcatFan60]

Pilgrim (I think) said going into it, that Drew was 99% expected to take it... but the family became too big of an issue. That night, it was reported that the Baylor AD had already had a call with the TTU coach, and was planning an in person the next day. So Baylor must have felt pretty strongly he was leaving.

 

[DraftCat]

I think we got the coach we were always destined to get. There's been quite a few times in UK history where our 1st, 2nd and even 3rd choices at HC didn't come.

Time to move forward men.

 

[Stan the caddy]

Certainly inquiring minds want to know. On a Lexington Chamber of Commerce level it is good information to have IF that was a factor. I doubt that Lexington itself hurt, though Lex traffic is textbook for the worst example of bad civic planning that I could ever imagine.

Mom is reportedly very introverted. Getting a whiff of our bananas fanbase may have just hit them. We freaking fact check an episode on TV at a local Waco restaurant. I personally LOVE that story but Mom may have been scared off. Happy wife....

Pretty spot on here. Agree with all of this.

 

[UK90]

Not looking to trash them because I think both families/fanbases will be happy with the decision but just curious what actually happened there lol

You make it sound like there’s some juicy salacious inside story, when I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

It seems pretty straightforward. UK brought them in to see Lexington to help them decide if they wanted to leave their home and life in Waco. At the end of the day, they decided that they’d rather stay put.

That doesn’t mean they disliked Lexington/UK. They just knew that they were happy in Waco, and it can be really really hard to leave behind a place where you’ve built up a good happy life.

 

[sambowieshin]

 

[Bluegrassking]

Maybe someone can do one of those animation putting UK as Neo and Drew as the agent shooting at him.

Dodged a bullet. We'd just be trading the NBA for preaching.

 

[FiveStarCat]

You make it sound like there’s some juicy salacious inside story, when I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

It seems pretty straightforward. UK brought them in to see Lexington to help them decide if they wanted to leave their home and life in Waco. At the end of the day, they decided that they’d rather stay put.

That doesn’t mean they disliked Lexington/UK. They just knew that they were happy in Waco, and it can be really really hard to leave behind a place where you’ve built up a good happy life.

I’m not saying there is a salacious story, just very interesting that it got all the way to the level that we are flying his family members out to Lexington, which to me means it was very close to a done deal. Obviously they didn’t like Lexington so I’m just curious if there was an actual list of items they disliked. Maybe it was just as simple as, “it’s not home” but they obviously knew that before they even boarded the flight so guessing there were specifics.

 

[rick64]

Didn't see any horse farms they liked enough to buy so Drew passed on the job. 😉

 

[UK90]

Obviously they didn’t like Lexington so I’m just curious if there was an actual list of items they disliked. Maybe it was just as simple as, “it’s not home” but they obviously knew that before they even boarded the flight so guessing there were specifics.

No, that is not “obvious.” it doesn’t mean they didn’t like Lexington, it might just me they didn’t like it “quite” enough to leave their home.

Drew ain’t like other coaches who are always looking to move up. He’s been there for like 22 years without ever showing any interest in leaving …until last week. He basically built that program from scratch after it had been razed to the ground. And it’s the only home his kids have ever known.

That’s a tough thing to leave behind.

 

[Aike]

They only flew in to visit the Hustonville haunted house, and when they found out it was closed they realized that the state of Kentucky is a joke. Allegedly.

 

[flacat22]

Do you really care?

It’s a valid question, I’d be interested to hear the story.

 

[UKUGA]

Should have taken them to Burke’s Bakery.

 

[FiveStarCat]

No, that is not “obvious.” it doesn’t mean they didn’t like Lexington, it might just me they didn’t like it “quite” enough to leave their home.

Drew ain’t like other coaches who are always looking to move up. He’s been there for like 22 years without ever showing any interest in leaving …until last week. He basically built that program from scratch after it had been razed to the ground. And it’s the only home his kids have ever known.

That’s a tough thing to leave behind.

Agree to disagree I guess. If I’m about to take a huge promotion that comes with a massive pay bump and I send my family to take a look, anything at or above the bare minimum of “it’s not home, it’s just okay” is a green light to me. Not “quite” enough to meet their expectations is not enough to nix it, but maybe Drew is just built different like you said. I would need specifics if I were him, not “it’s okay I guess, but it’s not home” since we already established that before the flight.

 

[Fox2monk]

My best guess: this particular spotlight was honestly just way too big for that family and Drew himself. I’m okay with that, as they should be.

I did hear that the family was freaked out someone here tracked the plane. So between it being the best University possible for their belief system and the fact he built them up over 20 years it’s easy to see why he stayed. If they couldn’t handle something fairly small like tracking the plane then they wouldn’t have been built for anything the job entailed honestly. I could see even worse problems for the family on social media if they are active on it too. Erin Calipari and the other Cal daughter Megan had enough clashes themselves and Cal could handle the spot light. I can see Drew’s family wanting to stay in the backround and they fit in well at Baylor.

 

[Fox2monk]

Agree to disagree I guess. If I’m about to take a huge promotion that comes with a massive pay bump and I send my family to take a look, anything at or above the bare minimum of “it’s not home, it’s just okay” is a green light to me. Not “quite” enough to meet their expectations is not enough to nix it, but maybe Drew is just built different like you said. I would need specifics if I were him, not “it’s okay I guess, but it’s not home” since we already established that before the flight.

Today I think it’s easier when you already have multiple millions in the bank to turn down a great offer. Personal happiness is worth more than a couple extra million at that point.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

They looked down their noses at us because we didn’t have a Branch Davidian compound like they once did. It’s Lexington. You can’t have everything!