News is mostly bad in Dogs’ search for coach

Athens —- Dominoes are starting to fall in several schools’ searches for basketball coaches. By all indications, they are not falling Georgia’s way.

Kentucky’s late entry into the competition for candidates —- it fired Billy Gillispie on Friday —- appears to have cast a Big Blue shadow on the proceedings. Numerous reports Monday had the Wildcats zeroing in on Memphis coach John Calipari. If that happens, that creates another formidable competitor for Georgia in the marketplace. The Tigers reportedly were paying Calipari about $3 million per season.

The Bulldogs are believed to have narrowed their focus to Missouri’s Mike Anderson and Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel. But neither Georgia nor those coaches’ current employers will say whether the parties have met or even gotten permission to do so.

“My philosophy for years has been to refrain from comment on any of those questions that you have to ask,” said Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione, considered one of the top ADs in America. “We just don’t get into any of it.”

Missouri issued a similar reply.

“If a school contacts us, it’s not our place to discuss whether or not we’ve granted permission,” sports information director Chad Moller said. “We understand Georgia has an opening, and we’ll respectfully refer you to them.”

But Georgia isn’t talking.

“I’m not going to be able to tell you that one way or another,” UGA President Michael Adams said when asked if they’d gotten permission to interview either Anderson or Capel. “I haven’t commented on any person or location, and I’m not going to until we announce somebody. All I can give you is a polite no comment.”

Athletics director Damon Evans did not return messages seeking comment.

Media reports out of Memphis that Evans was meeting with Anderson’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, in Atlanta appear untrue. Evans was in Athens all day Monday.

If Anderson is indeed Georgia’s top target, Memphis’ opening could be a problem. Anderson’s agent lives there, and Anderson recruited the area extensively while working as Nolan Richardson’s top assistant at Arkansas.

Anderson’s contract would appear to make him more attainable than Capel. Anderson has two years remaining on a deal that pays him $850,000 annually. But Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton said talks are under way for an extension and pay increase. Published reports said Anderson’s new deal would be worth about $1.3 million a year.

The only good news for the Bulldogs on Monday was at least one of their competitors has left the field. Virginia, thought to be interested in Capel, agreed to terms with Washington State’s Tony Bennett.

Capel has five years remaining on a six-year contract worth $1.05 million annually. The deal includes a $100,000 per year “stay bonus.” Castiglione vowed to remain “proactive” about keeping Capel in Norman.