Report: D-Rose & Calipari Paid $100,000 to Avoid Lawsuit

Following the NCAA’s infractions against Memphis in 2009 for major violations, where the Tigers were ordered to vacate their 2007-08 season, which included 38 wins and an appearance in the national championship game — ultimately losing to Kansas in overtime, three lawyers representing season ticket holders threatened to sue then-Memphis coach John Calipari and player Derrick Rose. But reports are that they settled before it reached the courtroom. From The Commercial Appeal: “The University of Memphis’ disgraced 2007-08 basketball season prompted three local attorneys who claimed to represent unnamed season ticket holders to threaten a lawsuit against former coach John Calipari, former guard Derrick Rose and current athletic director R.C. Johnson before reaching a lucrative out-of-court settlement. Calipari and Rose, according to the settlement agreement obtained Thursday by The Commercial Appeal, agreed on May 28, 2010, to pay a total of $100,000 to the three attorneys — Martin Zummach, Frank L. Watson III and William Burns — who were representing, in the agreement’s words, “certain ticket holders.” The amount was to be disbursed “as they agree among themselves.” Calipari, who left Memphis after the 2008-09 season for the University of Kentucky, also agreed to donate his bonus to the U of M scholarship fund. The agreement approximated the value of the bonus at $232,000. Rose, who has starred the last three seasons for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, was also to “consider … making a suitable donation” to the scholarship fund sometime before 2015. The agreement said the unnamed season ticket holders believed that Calipari, Johnson and Rose were responsible for making their 2009-10 season tickets and future season tickets “potentially” worth less than they had anticipated.”