Kentucky Basketball: The Great Experiment
by Glenn Logan on Jun 29, 2010 8:32 AM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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PrintKentucky coach John Calipari has made it official -- the Wildcats will be young from now on, and it is up to he and the coaching staff to solve the riddle of how to win national championships with multiple talented high-school freshmen in the starting lineup. No apologies, no equivocating, no coach-speak. Just straight talk. To wit:
Calipari said the NBA Draft represented "a two-hour infomercial for our league and the University of Kentucky and will speak volumes for the next five years, maybe longer."
Calipari again said that UK was a "players-first program." He suggested that the publicity of having players drafted can attract future players to the program. "Players will win national championships," he said, if the UK coaches learn how to neutralize the experience gap against equally talented opponents deep in the NCAA Tournament.
The conventional thinking among college basketball coaches and observers is that this is not a good strategy, and it is one that is likely to backfire. We have seen young teams go to Final Fours, and we have even seen freshmen led teams win NCAA championships. To this point in history, however, it has been extremely rare to see freshman dominated teams win the NCAA championship, or get to the Final Four.
But Calipari has laid down his marker here, and no mistake. He is accepting the challenge to do what many consider to be improbable, if not impossible. The challenge he is facing, and accepting, is this:
"How are we going to deal with those last three (NCAA Tournament) games -- the Elite Eight and the next two -- with a young team like we had last year?" Calipari said on the Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference. "Because it looks as though we're always going to have a young team. That's the issue."
Finishing strong is something that no UK team has done since 1998, experienced or otherwise. In the Tubby Smith years, most of his most successful teams were long on teamwork and experience and short on talent. That did not produce a Final Four after 1998 (although he did come very close in 2005). Calipari had arguably the most talented team in college basketball last year and was unable to do any better than his immediate predecessors post-1998 as far as the NCAA tournament is concerned.
So how does Calipari accomplish this daunting task? To be frank, I really don't know. Calipari has been an innovator in college basketball in the area of public relations and recruiting, and to some extent in coaching with his adoption of the Dribble Drive Motion offense. But that isn't the problem that Coach Cal has identified with last year's team:
"We were just too young and started breaking down defensively," Calipari said. "How do we finish it off? Because we did everything else. We did everything short of those last couple games."
Based on this comment, the DDM won't help him, because offensively, according to him, is where the 'Cats started "breaking down." I note for the record that it is very hard to reconcile that statement with the final game of the season versus the West Virginia Mountaineers in the national quarter-finals, where we see this partial box score:
| Team | PTS | FG% | 2PM | 2PA | 2PT% | 3PM | 3PA | 3PT% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
| WVU | 73 | 38.5 | 10 | 29 | 34.4 | 10 | 23 | 43.5 | 23 | 34 | 67.6 |
| UK | 66 | 34.3 | 19 | 35 | 54.2 | 4 | 32 | 12.5 | 16 | 29 | 55.2 |
Hmm. You hold a team to 38% defensively, you expect to win that game, n'est pas? Also, what, pray tell, does 4/32 3-point shooting have to do with the defense Kentucky played? Yes, a point can be made about allowing West Virginia to shoot 43% from the arc, but my recollection is that two more made three-pointers would have effectively erased that difference.
The bottom line here is that Calipari might be able to defend his comment based on the 3-point shooting, but little else. Kentucky's interior defense was stout as always, and WVU made a few unconscious bombs that distended the 3-point stat. I may not be a college coach, but I will take the position that it was our offense, not defense, that lost the WVU game. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Still, Calipari's point is not really wrong. Defensive mistakes cost the 'Cats plenty, and the debate about which was more important is largely subjective. Whether it is that the Wildcats defended the three poorly or they couldn't shoot straight, both failures have been attributed to their youth, and you would be hard pressed to make a compelling case against that argument. Experience shows that young players lack poise, especially in high-pressure situations.
So somehow, Coach Cal must overcome this tendency and transfuse his incoming freshman class with ice water on offense and never-say-die determination on defense, and he must do it in a 12-week span. Never let it be said that Calipari does not accept daunting challenges.
Strait Pinkie, writing for Opposing Views, had this observation:
I do worry a bit about how this conflict is going to play out. I have no concerns about it if Cal racks up the Final Fours and national titles quickly. If Cal goes two or three years with top recruiting classes but only Sweet 16’s and Elite Eight’s, I fear that his style will begin to frustrate ‘Cats fans.
Ironically, it was Tubby Smith’s inability or unwillingness to get top talent that disenchanted UK fans. It could be the exact opposite that does it for Calipari.
Indeed. As much as most Kentucky fans enjoyed last year, at some not-too-distant point, flame-outs in the Elite Eight will begin to cost Calipari, if they happen regularly. What sort of mix of success and failure will keep Kentucky fans happy? I don't know, but writing as one, I would not be happy at all if five years from now UK had not hung banner #8. At that point, the "Best Coach Never To Win A Championship" meme would become all there is out there, much as it was for Mike Krzyzewski back before he had his long run in the 1980's.
No matter how you look at it, Coach Cal is on the clock, and it is ticking.
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Sounds like what I've been saying the last few weeks.
I’m riding the Cal train, but I worry about repeating the pre-FF flame out year after year.
Naturally, I think this was well done tru.
Sixteen months ago losing in the regional finals would have seemed pretty good....
John Calipari turns UK’s basketball fortunes around on a dime and is already a victim of his success. Conventional wisdom says a team needs upperclassmen to win it all, but college basketball today isn’t remotely the same game that it was even five years ago. I think Calipari is adapting to that new reality better than any coach out there. Today’s athletes are developing at an earlier age and you better pick them while they’re ripe and before they go to the NBA. We may not like that state of affairs, but I think Cal has the right idea. He’ll get us to the promised land sooner than most of us would think.
Really - all I can say is DITTO
I just happen to think Cal is ahead of the curve with this strategy – the old school will catch up eventually.
Just got off the the phone with with Coach K
He said he’d rather have junior and senior 3 stars than one and done freshmen. It was a short call. He had to go get his finger fit for another ring.
No matter where you're at, there you are
Ha ha ha.
No way, really?!?
That’s pretty funny, ‘cause I just got off the phone with Brian Zoubek and John Scheyer and they are both kinda pissed at Coach K right now because they didn’t hear their names called on draft night and they feel they were ill prepared for what was obviously their desired next step in life, you know, because they entered the draft with genuine hopes of getting drafted and going on to play in the NBA. And while they think that national championship they won last year is nice and all, that championship sure isn’t going to pay their bills going forward.
/end sarcasm.
My main point being – you can’t have it all every year, you can expect it, certainly (and I actually think that high expectations are great, shooting for the moon instead of the gutter is a good philosophy in life, I say, and don’t settle), but you aren’t always going to get it all, that’s just life. Not Duke, not UK, no one in college basketball. I’ll take John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson and company and the memories from last year and Duke can keep their national championship, that’s no problem for me. It’s just fine and dandy. With Coach Cal we are in good shape going forward, I’m perfectly happy with his coaching viewpoint of “talent first, work on coaching next”, and I’m content.
BigSkyCat
‘Cat, I really love your philosophical comments. This one is right in line with your others. What I’m trying to say is I agree with you. NO ONE wins it all, all the time. Example: The Pittsburgh Steelers in the ‘70s had one of the greatest teams in NFL history, but they just
couldn’t win the Super Bowl every.
That’s life. And I don’t mean a magazine. LOL
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
would LA fans say the same thing about the Lakers
had the Celtics won?
No matter where you're at, there you are
Coach K just called me back
He apologized for the short phone call as he was going to lunch with some of his graduates. One picked up the tab… the guy said he was making a mint representing Antoine Walker.
No matter where you're at, there you are
Coach K has to win with 3 stars
Because the entrance requirements at Duke are pretty stringent. How many 5-stars would even have a chance to play at Duke? You can’t compare a private univ with a public state-sponsored school when it comes to academics. Duke is always going to get the kids that want that lofty degree from an academic high-flyer and also have some talent, but they will also miss out on some uber-talented 5-stars because the kid just isn’t a 5-star in the classroom. It’s sad that you have to make fun of Walker, who has made a mess of his life. I don’t think 4 years of college would have made a difference in how Walker wasted his money. There are alot of people out there right now with advanced degrees that are in foreclosure. I bet alot of them even have degrees from Duke.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah,
I thought that Walker comment was really kinda mean.
craFtyno1catfan – btw, sorry for misspelling your name the other day, my bad. And also, way to represent UK fans in such a classy way over there. I recognized several names and all the comments were so awesome. I was super proud. : )
cincy — I’m not trying to be rude here, but I can’t really comprehend the relevance of the Laker comment in this thread so I’m not going to bite on that one, sorry.
And, I really like the sarcasm angle actually, I think it’s really clever, but how about giving me an actual point about what you think in addition to the sarcasm?
Thanks BSC
I think they’re pretty excited in Sactown about Boogie. He seems to be having a good time already.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Walker
deserves no sympathy.. other than praise for his intelligence. I got my degree and I I swear I couldn’t think of quicker ways to blow 110 million dollars. He must be brilliant.
and dude, I’ve read your post over and over. I can’t disagree with any of it.
But
who has won more championships in the last twenty years? Last year, when Cal and UK were all over ESPN, which team quietly hovered at #6 and then walked away with the championship?
and , ironically, which coach made more money last year?
No matter where you're at, there you are
Gambling addicts do deserve sympathy
It appears that Walker has a gambling addiction and for that he does have my sympathy. I was worried that he would have problems handling his wealth when he left school, not because he left early, just his personality in general. He didn’t seem to have much maturity when he came in or when he left.
Which coach started with more the day Cal took the KY job? No comparison. Coach K wasn’t saddled with a demoralized NIT team that had been pushed beyond the breaking point. Which coach already had a team that knew the plays and just had to blend in new players and get better? Which coach had to rebuild a team that lacked talent, had never played for that coach, and didn’t know the plays, and got a late start on recruiting for his new team? If you consider everything I think you have to admit that what Cal did here in his first year was the greater coaching feat. Coach K is a great coach but I don’t think he could have taken what Cal was given and had a 35-3 season.
Don’t even get me started about the favorable seeding that Duke got in the tourn. They had by far the easiest road to the FF. Don’t think that I’m against Duke. I’m supposed to be distantly related to the brothers that began the university. I just think they get preferential treatment from the NCAA and that’s wrong.
Are you, obviously a Dukie troll, just upset because you know we’ll be taking home the trophy sooner than later?
By the way, I am not a dude.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, and by the way
I am not a Duke fan.
My worry is UK might be going in the wrong direction.
Hope? That a very rare knuckleheaded quote from Cal that he hopes for six first round drafts never comes true. Of course you recruit the best. Duh….
It might be good for next year that we get around 25 wins. That next year’s version of Orton, Bledsoe and even Cousins stick around. It won’t be as fun as last year.. but 2011?
No matter where you're at, there you are
I hope he gets the 6 draft choices just so he can stand back and say
“I Told You So” to a whole lot of people…….
Thank God the man didn’t mention that the school song might be a tad bit outdated and raises questions that some ethnic groups find very interesting…..
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
Sorry to accuse you
Of rooting for the other blue guys.
If the NBA has a block out it could be very interesting indeed. Can you imagine a team with Knight, Kanter, Johnson, Gilchrist and Teague! Wow!
Miller and Liggins would be seniors, Poole, Lamb, Vargas would have a year under their belt. Who knows when Hood will have his breakout year. Exciting things coming up.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
You'll take those guys, huh?
So would I. Unfortuneately, this strategy means you have to take Orton and ’the guard that will go unmentioned, too. You know, those two kids who had no interest in school and likely drove down the GPA and associated academic standing of the school. It may result in loss in scholarships.
So there lies the rub. Patterson is a rare breed and God bless him. Cal’s strategy will be hurt by the other kids on the spectrum that his strategy brings.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
Polson ... he's our designated GPA guy ... and team tutor .... :)
I think Knight has already earned 18 hours in AP classes … Every kid won’t come in with the intention of going to class and then pull an “ORTON” … Wall had a 3.5 in his last semester …..
I guess the point is – the NBA rule has its unintended consequences – kids will do what they will … UK kids will do it under the microscope …..
Orton and Co didnt hurt our scholarships.....it has already been noted that we still scored a 941 I believe.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
You mean ...
… Like Brandon Knight? :-) Just FYI, there will be no scholarship reductions because of Orton. That, of course, says nothing about the future.
Whether you are recruiting good players or ordinary ones, there are always going to be good students and poor ones. Part of Calipari’s challenge will be to make sure that the players he recruits do well enough in school. That is part of the deal.
If that fails, the strategy will fail.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
HozeKing
The comment about PPat was thoughtful. I wish I could say the same about how you attempt to open that GPA can of worms again. It’s academic now Hoze.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Your use of words is ironinc.
UK’s GPA is ‘academic’. Contradiction in terms, don’t ya think?
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
Hozy
“Much learning doth make thee mad.”
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
I think ASSOCIATED would be a better term .... "related to" perhaps
A contradiction is like saying…. put your hand in this here “square circle”. See … now that’s a contradiction ….
I like it when professional athletes (or others) make up new words by adding some unbefore tried suffix … like … Hoze, your comment was “dumbassical” … :)
Sorry .. I don’t think GPA and ‘academic’ are a contradiction ….
Duke and the 3 stars
Funny… because they seem to average almost 3 McDonald’s All Americans a year.
2006 Gerald Henderson
2006 Jon Scheyer
2006 Lance Thomas
2007 Taylor King
2007 Kyle Singler
2007 Nolan Smith
2008 Elliot Williams
2009 Mason Plumlee
2009 Ryan Kelly
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
This is a lie. Coach K's players are all 4 and 5 star athletes.
And his basketball players do not have to meet Duke’s academic standards. Some of them are smart, but many of them are just as stupid as other elite team players. I am so friggin’ tired of even UK fans acceptance of the Duke myths.
Anyone remember when the class fans at Duke chanted and held up signs that said “JR can’t Reid” ? It pissed that UNC coach off – what’s his name that won 800 something games — anyway he pointed out (b/c he knew b/c he recruited all of them) that UNC black front court of Reid and Williams had higher SAT scores than Duke white boys Parks and Laetner. Yep – they were white and had the same types of SAT scores as other elite basketball players.
Anyway, Coach K has not had one-n-dones, but he is not recruiting many 3 stars. He has several McDonalds all-americans and Top 100 players.
"Lie" is a strong word.
It was intended to be a bit of satire.
You are right about the players, though. Coach K rarely winds up with any 3-star players. Four and five are pretty much all you see recruited there. As it should be with Kentucky.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
2 things
First, he should be able to use last year’s “failure” as an example. The new guys now know (post draft) how talented that team was. He needs to convince them that they lost because they lost focus.
Second, I think he needs the Stacey Poole’s of the world to realize they can benefit from more than one year in college. One or two solid upperclassmen that know the system and will play D is the key.
i've been waiting for this moment all my life...but it's not quite right.
by small balls on Jun 29, 2010 11:06 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
sb
Sir, I am not being contentious, but how did Cal fail? If one shoots for Mars and can’t quite get there, but does hit the Moon, then take that and try again. Is this what you are saying?
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
notice the quotation marks
i said failure for two reasons. according to Coach, they failed to play they way he wanted them to in the game against WVU. second, the mainstream media seems to be saying this team failed to accomplish what it should have with 5 1st rounders.
so, Coach should use that as motivation. “the media says we can’t do it becuase you are too young. last year’s team was great, but proved them right by not playing defense the way the should and not hitting their shots. can you all be better?”
just my thoughts.
i've been waiting for this moment all my life...but it's not quite right.
sb
Thank you. I see where you’re coming from. I did notice the quotation marks. Just wasn’t sure if the quote was your’s or someone else’s. Thanks again.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
He's been on the job for about 15 months
I’m not ready to condemn or condone how he’s running the program. It just seem premature to judge how his style is going to pan out based on one season. I guess it is a great discussion and I like the comments made by chiblues and Tru but give me a couple more years to see how this pans out. In any case, it’ll be fun.
by hoboat33 on Jun 29, 2010 11:22 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd
I totally agree with your comment, but we gotta talk about something don’t we? :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Just a comment.
First, another good writeup Tru. I don’t say it enough. My comments are about the article
and not you personally.
When I began my apprenticeship in one of the best trades in 1959 I was encouraged to remember 2 things:
1. No one ever knows it all. This one deals with pride.
2. There is no substitute for experience. This one deals with accepting a challenge.
It is no less so for basketball. We lost the Regional Final because a group of wonderful
young freshman forgot from whence they had come and tried to pressure themselves
into getting where they wanted to go
They were the most talented class that UK has ever had and I love them and Coach Cal
for what they accomplished. There simply was no substitute for what they needed. I’ll
still take 35-3 and a Final Eight runner up though, for this class. I didn’t really think they would get that far. Not early in the season at least. But I became very hopeful as the season progressed.
Awfully lot of talented teams in this year’s NCAA. Many never got the credit that was due them.
Nevertheless, Go Big Bad Hungry Wildcats!
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Cal's Coaching
So many people these days seem hell bent on labeling Cal as a great recruiter but poor coach. After watching what he did with last year’s team, I completely disagree with the later assessment. I think he is also a fine coach, and I can’t believe anyone out there really wants him to stop recruiting the best high school players in the country simply because, in today’s instant gratification society, those players are more likely to bolt for NBA riches much sooner than the less highy-touted three star recruits. Let’s face it, the NBA draft is now all about potential rather than actual results. How else does a guy like Orton, who didn’t even start and averaged less than 4 points and 4 rebounds a game, get picked in the first round? The players all know this (and have plenty of “handlers” telling them how great they are every single day.) Therefore, unless the NBA raises its minimum age (or abolishes its age requirement altogether), I suspect we will continue to see more and more top HS players going to college for only one year and then declaring early for the draft, regardless of whether, in the eyes of the fans (and maybe even the coach) they are simply not ready. If that becomes the new reality in college basketball, count me among the fans who hope, want, and expect Coach Cal to continue recruiting the best of the best. After last year’s remarkable turnaround, I have complete faith in him.
Cal's Coaching
Ich auch.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Is this a running joke with some UK fans?
.
You know you are a pretty good if people are questioning if you can ever win a championship at UK after the “failure” of your one and only season (nice sample size, stats guys) went 35-3 and favorites role in the tournament after Kansas got knocked out. Our guys had a bad game in the tournament. It happens. Ask Kansas. And Syracuse.
And for all of the UK fans who want more 3-star recruits instead of 5-stars: Go on the record. Name the 5-stars that we have currently recruited for the next couple of years that you want OFF THE TEAM to make room for 3-stars.
Who do you want to get rid of? Knight? Kanter? Jones? Gilchrest? Teague? What if Lamb sneaks up? So we should just quit on Wroten, then?
And don’t worry, I won’t even ask specifically which 3-stars we should use to REPLACE those guys.
I back Coach Cal and the Talent Train 100%.
.
-- Tim . http://HomeSalesLexington.com/barn
The NCAA Championship Teams Usually Have A Mixture
5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3 Stars, even lower.
1978 UK teams had that. So did 1996 and 1998.
So do MOST recent NCAA champions.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 29, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Of course
.
(1) We thought we had a mixture on last year’s team as well, didn’t we? Who knew that Bledsoe and Orton were going to declare for the draft? Did you?
(2) Are you really so in love with the “High School Star Rating System” that you believe Coach Cal should treat it as some sort of Gospel Menu and choose one each from the different “star groups”?
(3) How many times in our past have we limited ourselves from getting top recruits because we were afraid of accumulating too much talent, as opposed to only having as much talent as we were able to attract? Is this not the reason for the limited number of 5-stars in our history?
(4) And more importantly, considering that we have at least 5 more one-and-done players (and possibly a few surprises more) coming up in the next 2 years, which of those guys would you like to see off the team?
.
-- Tim . http://HomeSalesLexington.com/barn
I Give A (Spit) About Star Ratings
Utterly worthless.
Bledsoe, no surprise at all. Orton, more but not a total shock.
UK had oodles of 5 Star Players from 1980 through 1989. How’d that turn out?
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 29, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I get your point.
At the same time, you never know you have an Anthony Epps until you got him. And then he wins and wins and wins against “better” point guards while keeping your own McDAA on the bench.
I don’t see any Anthony Epps on Cal’s teams. Maybe that’s Polson.
How many teams have won without ANY 5 Stars?
I’m guessing there is always a mixture. Maybe if we can get that down to an exact formula and pass it on to the right people, we can dominate the tourney. Though it might not be as much fun knowing we would win every year. ;-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
A great mixture is ideal
.
No doubt about that. I love a good mixture, as well. But how in the world is Coach Cal supposed to be able to predict all of that beforehand, and throttle down his recruiting efforts accordingly?
If I had been lost in a cave somewhere 3 years ago and emerged today to find someone telling me that our new coach should throttle down his recruiting and stop trying to get such talented players- I would have either fainted, or turned around and walked back into the cave.
.
-- Tim . http://HomeSalesLexington.com/barn
Even The Great UCLA Teams Of 1960's And 70's Had Mix Of Talent
No one is saying Calipari should change his recruiting.
Just that UK is more likely to WIN with a mixture of talent.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 29, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree completely, Forty
.
So we really are all on the same page, after all.
It just appeared to me that Coach Cal was being criticized for employing the EXACT SAME STRATEGY that most other coaches throughout history have tried:
Get the best talent you possibly can, and go from there.
The difference is that Coach Cal is simply the best at it right now. And that is making his classes lopsided towards the “talent” side.
I do agree with your statement, though. And I always appreciate your having cool stats available- I can never remember any of that!
.
-- Tim . http://HomeSalesLexington.com/barn
I have to disagree completely that it
takes a mixture of talent to win it all. It takes a balance of talent, with good players for every position and off the bench as well. But I cannot believe that if we went two deep with 5 star talent that we couldn’t win it all because we didn’t have lesser talent on the team as well. If the coach can handle all of the egos, a super team will be hard to beat.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
No One Has Dominated NCAA Since UCLA In 1960's And 1970's
So there is no formula.
UK has won 7 NC in 72 years. I’ll settle for winning 1 out of 10.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 29, 2010 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought if there was a stat you would have it Forty :-)
And, I trying to be a little humorous with the formula thing.
Top recruits might eventually pay off (best of the best), I guess is the thinking.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
FortyYearCatFan -
I think we’re inappropriately confusing unintended consequences with strategy. No coach, be he Rupp, K, or Wooden, intentionally sought to recruit a “mix of talent.” Remember, the NCAA instituted scholarship limits in order to stop coaches from stockpiling talent. All coaches seek to recruit the best talent they can. Recruits want playing time. The fact that it is a competitive process where the recruits self-select based on their own perceived best interest means, despite what a coach might want, the process spreads the talent. Coaches are forced to accept diminished talent to fill their roster on a best available basis. Any statements after the fact, to the effect that a class has a nice mix of talent levels, is just ‘coach speak’ putting a feel good spin on the recruiting harvest.
by TeamWeaver on Jun 29, 2010 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I think that's right.
Coaches don’t recruit 3 and 4 stars just to avoid the possibility of losing all their 5-stars to the NBA draft.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Perhaps Not
Every coach recruits talent to his needs.
But NO COACH recruits all 5 Star, HS A-A players.
Not Rupp, Wooden, or anybody else.
They ALL take stars and role players to make up a team.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 6:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Just curious
I wonder how many of the Kansas and Syracuse players were 3 and 4 stars and upper classmen and they still flamed out?
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Best UK Teams 1998 To 2007
1998 had 3 NBA draft picks. 2 others made NBA briefly.
1999 had 4 NBA draft picks. 1 other made NBA briefly.
2001 had 2 NBA draft picks. 2 others made NBA briefly.
2003 had 1 NBA draft pick. 4 others made NBA.
2005 had 2 NBA draft picks. 3 others made NBA.
So by THAT measure (NBA or not), those teams had TALENT and experience.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 29, 2010 12:51 PM EDT reply actions
And if they had a little
more talent they might have won it all.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
2003
Had plenty of talent to W it all.
And finished the season W-ing 26 of their last 27 games.
Reasonable people would consider that a strong finish.
J
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 6:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh, woe is me.
I love UK basketball and its fans, but sometimes we’re just too hard to please. Don’t get great players – bad. Get great players, but they leave too soon – bad. Lighten up on Cal, folks. If winning a championship was easy, we’d do it every year. Of course, every school in the country could say the same thing. Sometimes I’m reminded of a former neighbor that didn’t like weather. I’m not talking cold weather or hot weather or rainy weather or dry weather, just weather. I’m not that well traveled (I’ve only been to four foreign countries and one other continent), but I can honestly say that every place I’ve ever been has had weather.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
I would only add that perhaps Coach Cal
Should devote a little more attention this season to FT shooting. There will be bad nights from the 3 pt line from time to time, but hardly anyone can get to the FF shooting 55% from the charity stripe
I'm an old guy but
to me going by the shooting stats furnished above FT% and the number of 3’s shot seem to be a problem but I’m not certain their age or experience would account for these problems in particular the FT%. These guys were and are world class basketball players and still are unable to shoot from the foul line at as decent percent, WVU FT % was not outstanding but had the CATS had the same FT% that would have been at least 5 more points not including missing any front end foul shots. Does the coaching staff ignore the FT problems or do they need someone to coach foul shooting or does it just a couple of years to develop foul shooting confidence and if that’s the case we may be without a NC for a few more years? It’s seem FT% has been a problem for Coach Calipari in the past.
Just a suggestion
Kyle Macy to the rescue! Hire Macy as the FT consultant or assist coach.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Kyle is #1 in career percentages(89%) but
Darius is currently sitting at #23(80%). Maybe we can expand on that.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Yes, but
He definitely wasn’t hitting 3’s in the E8. Macy’s teams at Morehead were pretty good from the FT line if memory serves. Maybe he would be able to help them in that dept.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
No doubt Kyle might be able to "teach" FT's
but it was just a thought to see what Darius is doing right. Jodie is also at 89% and is taking summer classes at UK. (I have no idea if NBA players can contribute help or not). :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Just curious
But it almost sounds like you’ve got a little something against Macy? Maybe Jodie is playing in some of the pickup games and can offer some advice. By the way did anyone see Jorts tweet about Kanter? He said he was the best he’s ever gone against. Exciting!
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
No problemo
Just have to stand up for my generation. We oldies can still be goodies. Macy was my first fav cat when I moved to Lex in 1978.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
its good to hear
that Jodie is takin classes…hope he does well
Jodie knows a degree is important
He probably isn’t too far from graduating. What a great role model for all these incoming freshmen. They see that he’s in the NBA, he’s made it, but he’s still finishing his degree. Go Jodie! My husband and I were lucky enough to be in Freedom Hall when he hung 46 (?) on App St. Most fun I’ve ever had at a sporting event.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
He needs 18 credits. I linked this article about a month ago
Jodie promised his parents he would get his degree.
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
To me this is the proper response to the "they must get their degree" crowd
Nothing stops a rich guy from taking classes.
UK Or Butler?
Butler was a team of overachievers and perhaps one exceptional talent (we’ll see how Hayward fares in the league and then can make a more informed assessment), advanced to the national finals, will return their entire lineup sans Hayward and likely to be ranked higher than UK in pre-season polls. UK was, according to most evaluators, the nation’s most physically talented team, won 35 games, advanced to national quarter-finals, lost 5 players from their roster in the first round of NBA draft, three more to graduation and return only one player from last season’s starting lineup. The question is: Which team would you rather have going into 2010-11? There’s a new archetype for college basketball — especially for Calipari’s Cats — get used to it.
(So U.S. voters did) "The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder." - David Hume
Exactly my point...
Wish I had said it that well.
I'd take that Mack kid from Lexington over our one and done.
He reminds me of Epps. If he played for UK, he would force Cal to sit at least one of his one and done superstars.
Yeah
But BCG didn’t recruit him did he.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes
But Mack had committed to Butler by then.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 6:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Wow
So Tubby recruited kids who had already committed to other schools? That ain’t good.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
No
Mack committed to Butler between Jr and Sr years.
That’s when the coaching change took place.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions
How in the world
Did you ever come up with Tubby recruiting kids committed to other schools from this thread? Do you just make these things up as you go along?
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Hello????
But Mack had committed to Butler by then
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
Excuse me
But I still don’t see a mention of Tubby anywhere but in your line.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Gillispie, Not Tubby
Tubby left UK. Mack committed to Butler. Gillispie then tried to recruit him.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
This is correct
Mack did not commit before Tubby left.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
And BCG
Had no time to recruit him before he committed to Butler? I wasn’t on these blogues back then, my only info was from the HL so you know how little that was, but I do remember alot of people in Lex were upset that KY didn’t go after Shelvin hard.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Understandable
KY produces so few Div I caliber recruits that it’s a shame when one gets away.
2008 UK recruits were D Miller, D Liggins, J Harrellson, K Galloway, D Williams, and transfer M Pilgrim. Overall Top 20 rated class.
Mack is PG or SG. Liggins is better. Galloway wasn’t. Williams never played.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jun 30, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions
WW
Well, myself I’ll take UK. I don’t care if they were 35-3 or 3-35. I’ll take what comes and I’m sure you will too. I know from your comments that you’re a solid ’Cats fan.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
This time last year..
I would have been happy to just be competetive in every game in 2009-10. Now that we in fact were, I can say that I was happy with the result. Sure, a NC would have been great..but there are too many things that can go wrong in a single elimination tournament to make it the end all-be all. The style of play was exciting, the players were bigger than life, we could have easily gone all the way…so tell me what is there not to like??? If it is not broke, lets not fix it.
by BlueOrion on Jun 29, 2010 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Or let's not be so quick
to declare it is broken!
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
Many ways to win a championship, none easy
There is no single formula for winning a championship. We came close this year. Cal inherited a team without a great shooter that the team could count on consistently. We hoped that Darnell would be the answer but he was too streaky. Bledsoe could light it up one night and the next, nothing. Darius had some great games and he just disappeared in others. This was our achilles heel all season and in the end it bit us. The lack of outside shooting allowed WV to keep the ball out of the post too much and to spread their defense. No one can come into a job and recruit in a few months all the deficiencies a team has, especially considering the woeful recruiting in TS’s later years and the BCG years.
A NC winning team has to play together, be unselfish, put the team first, no matter how many stars the players came in with. That is probably going to be one of the hardest things trying to win one with one and dones. Calipari was masterful in his first year here in that regard. Hopefully it will continue. I think we will have a more balanced team next year. Who knows what that will translate into. It’s going to be fun to watch. I can hardly wait. How much more fun was it watching really really talented players? They almost made it last year. I believe Cal will take us all the way and it will be a fantastic ride.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 29, 2010 2:31 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I'm optimistic about next season
We probably don’t have another Wall or Cousins coming in, but we’ll have excellent replacements in Knight and Kanter. With the rest of the freshmen and the returning veterans, I believe our outside shooting will be more consistent. Our rebounding may or may not be as good, but I believe it will still be very good. Our returning players, few as there are, won’t have to learn a new system from scratch. I feel quite confident that Cal will again take a group that’s used to being the stars and mold them into a TEAM. 35-3? Maybe, maybe not. Final Four? With a little luck, yes. Anybody who thinks it doesn’t take a little luck is nuts. Sometimes you just don’t match up well. Sometimes someone tweaks an ankle. Sometimes the basket has a lid. Sometimes the other team can throw up their lunch and it will go in the basket. Etc., etc., etc. I feel more confident today about the 2010-11 team than I did a year ago about the 2009-10. Fasten your seat belts.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
FWIW
Josh Harrellson is quoted as saying Enes Kanter is the best player he’s ever played against. Perhaps that will relieve your anxiety a bit.
(So U.S. voters did) "The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder." - David Hume
I like our chances next year too .... dont forget ....
that Terrance Jones guy – he’s 6-9 and very talented … and the fact that Kanter was offered several 6 figure deals to play over seas … Don’t be surprised if we wind up with TWO “John Walls” one at center and another forward …. Knight and Lamb probably not Wall and Bledsoe but we may actually “improve” (overall) at guard through better outside shooting …. fingers crossed …… IS IT NOVEMBER YET??? :)
As many of us that are on here who know how to fix everything, makes me wonder
why are we not all coaching in Div I?? I mean we are obviously all experts on how to win championships, and make players NBA ready, and how to “blend” elite players with workhorses who only sit in the background and applaud until call upon to perform some superhuman feat, then sit down again.
We are paying this man near to 5 mil a year, and in the last 16 months he has, and this may not be all,or in any particular order, however:
1) Won the SEC Reg Season
2) Won the SEC Tournament
3) Signed the nation’s #1 recruiting class for 2009-2010
4) Signed what I believe is now the #1 recruiting class for 2010-2011
5) May have already signed the #1 recruiting class for 2011-2012
6) Returned UK to the Elite 8 of the NCAA tournament
7) Raised over 1M to help fund relief for the Haiti disaster.
8) Thumped NC, UT,Vandy,SC, and a few others that we owed a fair amount of payback.
9) Returned the program to a place of stature in collegiate basketball.
10) Brought back several former UK greats to help with the program, and has encouraged ALL former UK alums to return and have a hand in the rebuilding UK project.
11)Re-energized a fanbase that had lost most of, if not all faith in the ability of the program under the former coach.
12) Made himself the most accessible coach in the history of the program through the use of technology.
13) Is in the process of reinventing the qualities of what an elite program is.
And because he did not win it all last year, we are not sure if he will be successful here at UK???
To quote OchoCinco, “child please!!!”
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on Jun 29, 2010 3:31 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
His soapbox has reappeared
j/k ABC. Preach on, but watch the blood pressure. :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
ahhhh.....the BP is fine, my brain has gone into overdrive wondering what else the man has to do to earn some
people’s respect, but other than that, got vacation out of the way and am ready to go.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
Agree ABC ... It is awesome to be discussing a NC ... and Cal is going to be
a trail blazer in how to win with young players …. I think he’ll fine tune his approach this year ….. 35 W’s still an awesome feat though we can do better ….
Big Blue fans are HUNGRY for the 8th banner – its a good thing to see that possibility in front of us now – when it really wasn’t that long ago we wer jones just to be in the tournament at all.
I think he has spent a good majority of his time since that game doing exactly what you just mentioned
figuring out how to negate the “experience” factor in other schools. We will get our 8th……and I have a feeling that Cal will be at the helm when we do.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
ABC
I don’t really know how to say this but, Some of your posts look like the things left in the back of the Fridge too long! Green and fuzzy!
Happy Days are here again! Wildcat's have #1 recruiting class again!
I for one do not claim to be a Basketball Coach
just a fan and with the provided stats from the WVU game the one thing that stood out to me was the FT percentage that could improve and remain fairly consistent, 3 pointers come and go and the fact that FT percentage was a concern to his past teams I wondered if something could be done to address the problem!
well, the man got rid of all of those awful foul shooters and has
brought in 5 new ones…….guess he thought the FT’s were a problem too…..and since they shot all of the 3’s too, then maybe we dont have those problems next year……
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
Lamb ... has a reputation for being a lockdown defender ....
I hope this team will be known for its defense ……
We have a winner!
Best comment on this subject, by far.
All we Floridians need now is for Coach Cal to stop the oil leak and I will annoint him to Sainthood.
Amen, brother.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
ALLBLUCAT
Message recieved. Wilco, out.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
I'm not a coach, but I did hit two free throws to win a national championship.
Of course, it was in my mind and on my driveway. Oh, and the five lane violations helped too.
I may be paranoid, but that doesn't mean they're not out to get me.
by UKCat on Jun 29, 2010 5:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
ALLBLUCAT
“Oh for the days!” Cat, now that the season is over, I got so excited to see a BB game that would knot your gut, I got out the tape I made of U of L vs. UK in 1986. Man it was really nice
to watch.
UK got up by 16 in the first half only to watch U of L come back and lead by 1 with 11 seconds to go. Louie Davender missed with 2 seconds to go but big “Swoop” Jenkins got off two tips and the second one fell in.
Brent Mussberger had just mentioned that was why Sutton inserted him into the game.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
High school freshman?
Tru, I believe you mean college freshman (first paragraph).
FIBA U18
USA is rampaging through the tournament: Semifinals after 3Q — USA 100 Canada 61. Austin Rivers with 33. Follow along here. USA will play Brazil for championship.
(So U.S. voters did) "The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder." - David Hume
Final: USA 122 Canada 89
Scores to this point:
USA 131 Virgin Islands 63
USA 114 Mexico 38
USA 88 Argentina 67
(So U.S. voters did) "The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder." - David Hume
cal is doing a fine job at uk
anyone who says different needs to learn about coaching, recruiting, marketing, energizing the fans, and using the media and off the wall comments to get certain things in the players and future recruits heads.
Pretty well summed up my thoughts, Tru
As crafty mentions above, there are lots of ways to go about building a team that can win a NC. History suggests that building around freshmen is a good way to go deep in the tournament but not close the deal. Maybe that’s because no one has tried it quite the way Cal has though.
Still, it remains to be seen whether the results he achieved last year were indicative of the norm for this approach or if they represent an exception due to an exceptional class combined with a terrific upperclassman in Patterson.
One more thing: now that Cal is committed to this approach, I don’t want to hear him constantly whine about how young his team is every year. It was understandable last season when there were so many expectations (though it got to be old real quick), but those expectations aren’t going to change going forward and Calipari is going to have to find a different way to manage them.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
One more thing
If Cal wants this to work he is going to have to seriously step up his own game when it comes to his on-the-court coaching abilities. His teams will not have the experience necessary to recognize or handle all the situations they will encounter in games and Cal making better and more effective use of his own experience would be one way (maybe the best way) to counter this weakness.
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
I think that's right.
Winning it all with younger teams will require that he become a better coach. I think he showed flashes of how it could be done this season.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Now you have me curious.
Can you offer some examples of these ‘flashes’?
Granted, the strongest memories are the last ones, so (WARNING: Cal criticism) I remember the last game being caused by Cal’s coaching shortfalls. Such as sticking to man-to-man while players like Wall were being torched by lesser players driving the lane, insisting to play the same Wall nearly the entire game which contributed to his defensive exhaustion, not making defensive adjustments to a simple, grade school high post pick, ‘allowing’ the team to continue to jack up 3’s, etc.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
lol man i love your posts...they wreak of bitterness
first of all cal played man to man because we got torched behind the arc, second wall had to play the whole game because other players failed to show up, and third dont you think the guy who has won the most games the last 6 years knows about coaching just a lil bit more then you..everything you thought he could have done better probably crossed his mind but so did a million other things you have no clue about… uk lost because of one thing, shots snd ft not falling, all the coaching in the world wont help you win if your team is having the worst shooting night of the year, but please continue with your anti-calipari post, it feels me with joy to see a louisville fan obsessed with uk, by the way are you EVER going to comment on a louisville thread or do you enjoy being a “troll”
by kentuckywild on Jun 30, 2010 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions
i mean you act like
cal hasn’t been a miracle 3 away from a nc or look like he could win it all in 96 untill he ran into arguably the best college team ever assembled, or last year made a great run but was upset…if you dont like how he runs a program or recruits or his alleged actions is one thing but to say the man cant coached is just plain stupidity… man took a team who could barely beat stanford and miami-oh and who let shst score 92 and turned them into legit title contenders and sec champs.. but yea he sucks as a coach….lol
by kentuckywild on Jun 30, 2010 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions
1...2...3....breathe.
It will make you ‘fill’ a little better.
I am not saying Cal is the world’s worse coach. I’d give him an A+ as a recruiter, a B in strategy, and a C- as a bench coach (maybe a D, but I’m an optimistic grader). Certainly not a bad GPA….in fact that grade would elevate the team’s GPA.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
you mean,
the “world’s worst coach”, right? What’s good for the goose and all……. ; )
I don’t really want to rehash the WV game specifically, (wasn’t that great for me the first time around : )) but yeah, from what I personally feel I witnessed last season on the whole, I agree that actual in-game coaching is not the man’s strong suit. He needs to work on that and he apparently knows it as evidenced by what he said (and what is in Tru’s feature piece above):
“Players will win national championships,” he said, if the UK coaches learn how to neutralize the experience gap against equally talented opponents deep in the NCAA Tournament.
It seems to me that college coaches these days must be a master at a lot of different things in order to be at the top of their profession. They must be media savvy in order to make the program relevant to both local and national audiences, they must be excellent recruiters in order to lure the best players, they must show that they can help those players elevate their game to the next level, they must be good with the fans, and they must be personable, the list is endless. There aren’t many college coaches who are going to fit the bill on all that criteria. As a UK fan, and at present, I’m good with Cal fitting 5 out of the previously mentioned 6 criteria.
So I take it you agree.
So what’s your point? Just another opportunity to pick on my poor Kentucky grammar? :-)
My original question or point to Tru was in regards to him saying he saw ‘flashes’ of improvement. I didn’t see them (or is it ’hadn’t’?). I guess I challenged him to come up with examples. I find it illustrative that nobody including you, could come up with anything. I sure can’t.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
your comment about "fill" better.
That’s why I said what I said and what’s good for the goose. Not trying to pick on you or criticize your grammar really, just giving you a shot of your own medicine, that’s all. : )
Oh, and yeah, I didn’t come up with an example of “flashes”, because I agreed with you about the in-game strategist part and I personally don’t really recall any “flashes”. I mean, I’m sure there could have been some and I missed them, but I’m drawing a blank right now.
Additionally, however, I would like to add that while I don’t think that being an in-game tactician is Cal’s best coaching area right now, that doesn’t mean he can’t get there. Whether it is our professional or private lives we all have things we can work on in order to be our best, right? Why should coaches be any different?
Oh, yea....I get it.
I am use to nice, beautiful Kentucky girls being picky with me. One I’ve been ‘associated’ with for 28 years as of last Saturday.
Lastly, if a coach past 50 yrs old can’t improve a key skill set….I’m thinking he may not be capable. ‘May’ being a key word.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
First of all..
I remember about 35 “flashes” and yet only 3 situations where “bench coaching” actually cost us…!!! What are the equivalent numbers for your UL team???
Okay. Name one of those 35 'flashes'.
There certainly may be there, I can’t recall many. I can’t name one example.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
He's referring to the 35 wins
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
....and yet another day passes with zero examples.
I’ll just rest my case.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
....and yet
What are you talking about?
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
flashes
you want flashes of his good coaching then go back and watch uk vs uconn game, or uk vs louisville, or better yet uk vs tenn in sec tourney…oh wait i know uk vs vandy(both games) there are plenty of examples of his on court coaching, his bench coaching and his between games coaching but you have your red blinders on you want a specific example, how about the miss st game when big cuz was letting the crowd and vardo get to him, call pulled him, and spent time on the bench COACHING and bam cuz came back in the game fired up and was it big cuz who tied that game to force ot…lol cmon man give it up cal is an awesome coach who oike all coaches makes mistakes
Yeah right
And they give national coach of the year awards to such poor performers. Give me a break.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Hoze
I have to agree with kentuckywild. Man, you are getting pretty brazen.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Yep, kentuckywild nailed ya Hoze ....
He did man …. Cal’s a great coach … You can’t hang him after one season … especially last year when he should have been SEC COY … that is if it was based on accomplishments and not popularity
1...2...3...breathe
Still dangling them worms off the boat dock, huh?
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
I agree that the last loss was on Cal
But I think it was more his attempted adjustments in the second half that hurt him. The team held WVU without a 2 pt field goal until almost the end of the first half! I like my chances if we keep that up in the 2nd half. Instead, he switched the defense and allowed WVU to get into the lane while trying (unsuccessfully) to stop the three point barrage.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
if I'm not mistaken
WVU only hit 2 threes in the 2nd half, 8 in the 1st so that part was successful
I dont know if I would put that entire loss on Cal
The guys just werent hitting shots. Doesnt really matter what adjustments you make, if they guys on the floor cant hit the broadside of a barn.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on Jun 30, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Not exactly.
UK shot over 50% from the 2-pt range, but Cal ‘allowed’ them to continue to jack up 3-pt shots. They certainly could hit the broadside of the barn….if they weren’t shooting from the next county.
Cal panicked in that game and he went away from what made them successful last year. Doesn’t make him a devil, it just shows his current shortcomings. He may get better but I didn’t see a lot of ‘flashes’ last year that showed he was improving as a bench coach. Don’t see that at all…if fact there is plenty of examples that shows he is not improving as an ‘in-game coach’.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
Hoze
What I’m interested in finding out, is, who set you up to be the judge of BB coaches? Or anything else for that matter.
“For one who has not yet coached a single game, you are not very wise van HozeKing.” Dracula, 1931.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Experience and smarts...
That’s what wins national titles. Yes a team has to have talent but I think what we saw in last years tourney proves you can’t win a title with talent alone. There was no question before last years tourney that Kansas and Kentucky were by far the most talented. How many of us were griping about Duke getting a #1 seed? I know I was. But there was no question Duke played as a team and so did Butler. I hated to see Duke win but I admired the way they won it all and I was also jealous. I would take a team like that any year over a bench full of one and done’s. Now I don’t think Cal should just ignore all these talented players but I just don’t think he will win a title with one and done’s alone. I think Cal without a doubt is the best recruiter in the land. He just needs to be able to find those players who will stay 3-4 years to maybe mix with the occasional one and done.
I think the important thing is not too put too much emphasis on one year's results
For instance, there’s been a trend that the eventual NC each year had at least 3 players who went to the NBA immediately afterward. That run ended with Duke this year, though Singler probably would have been drafted had he decided to go pro. From that body of evidence it’s pretty clear how important it is to not just have talent, but have top talent when trying to win it all. It’s not a guarantee of course – nothing is – but not having it increases the difficulty.
Likewise, UK’s failure to reach the Final Four this year shouldn’t be taken as proof that Cal’s approach won’t work. It was a great, great team, but it’s just one season. We’ll need to see several more before any conclusions can reasonably be drawn.
Not that it will keep us from drawing conclusions of course, but it is something that should be kept in mind!
3 > 2, except for very large values of 2.
Again, I think that's right.
We have a tendency to draw too many conclusions from too little evidence. A couple of bounces of the basketball could have altered the landscape considerably. Duke could have lost to Ga. Tech in the ACC tournament, and if they had, likely would have slipped to a 2 seed. Kentucky could have lost in the SEC tourney and still been a 1.
One season does not make or break a trend. If you told me we would go 35-3 into the NCAA next year with a #1 seed, I would like our chances as well or better than this year.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Sounds like you are not going to be very happy with the teams for the next few years maysville....
because I don’t see Calipari changing his strategy for the forseeable future. And after only one year it is impossible to know how many kids are going to be “one and dones”…..impossible. Let’s see how this thing plays out over 5 years, then we have a trend to follow.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
Cal is likely gone in another 5 years, right?
I mean he said as much….that is if you can take him at his word.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
another case of someone putting words in his mouth.......
he said, he didnt know how long he could keep up this pace……he never said 5 years…..
He did hint at the possiblility of retiring in a few years, but never said how many
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
I can't put any words in Cal's mouth...
….there is no available room. Well to me a few years means less than five. I think most would agree.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
I thought he said that he wouldn't be here any longer than 10 years
That was right after he was hired, and the only time I’ve heard anything like that from him.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
bingo.....regardless of our feathered friend's inferrence concerning Cal's comments
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
HozeKing
Wow! What are drinking tonight?
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Don't know.
But it’s from the chalice of knowledge & virtue.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
Don't know
You been dipping your cup in Beargrass Creek again?
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
1 year..5 years...10 years..???
Does it really matter..our job is to enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts..and of course to give HozeKing as much grief as possible…
Anyone
Notice HK has only 1 comment on Card Chronical and over 2400 on a Sea of Blue? You would think if he was really a card fan he would spend more time there and less here wouldn’t you.
by craftyno1catfan on Jun 30, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
This is the gift that keeps on giving. Too funny.
'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'
I thought that was herpes...
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
HozeKing
What’s funny is you are trying to make a mark as a “Super Deluxe Troll” but can’t because you’re too obvious.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
While not an HK fan .... (tends to be an arss sometimes)
I do appreciate the opposing view … ever how flawed it may be ….
No doubt...
more “hyperbole” on his part.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
HozeKing is basically a nice guy...
His loyalties are just a little mis-guided. Somebody has to keep us honest…
I meant...
on Calipari’s part….
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
LOL is right.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
its ok you can come north
any time you like we ky men are like our basketball… great, world renowned, long lasting…oh and better then tennessee
"It could be worst, i could be a UL fan, but mama raised me right"
I would prefer we did it ourselves......lol.....
unfortunately we have a few “klingons”….hehehe
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
N'est ce pas?
It takes a lot of luck to win a championship. If it were a best of three series, I would say that UK would almost win them all. However, BBN has to be patient. We cannot win every year, but it sure would be nice to win every other year,
Experiment??
I wish Coach Cal would change his recruiting strategy to two and done. Or the NCAA would make two years a requirement. It would help the recruits mature more and be more prepared for the big life. This would solve the inexperience and playing with poise problem.
Fair enough.
But Coach Cal evidently does not want to do that. At least not yet.
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