Calipari vs. Pitino: Who Was "First?"
by Glenn Logan on Oct 18, 2011 8:17 AM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
Email
PrintThe Card Chronicle has this piece yesterday discussing a Gary Parrish article in which Parrish finds it telling that Calipari used the term, "players first" over and over again during his speech the other night at Big Blue Madness. First, Parrish:
So I was walking around Louisville's practice facility Saturday, and I kept seeing shirts that read "Louisville First." Apparently, that's this season's slogan for the Cardinals. Team first. Nothing else matters. Check your ego at the door. Louisville First.
No big deal, right?
Coaches do stuff like this all the time.
But then I started thinking about John Calipari's Media Day on Thursday and the speech he gave at Friday's Big Blue Madness, and I couldn't help but make a connection between Louisville's new slogan and Calipari's favorite new phrase -- Players First. "This is a players-first program," he said over and over again, and it really is classic Calipari. [my emphasis]
So then I asked myself, "Self, when did Coach Cal start using the term 'players first?' Was it just recently? Is he really trying to tweak Pitino again, as Parrish is claiming?"
The answer is found in this article from WYMT back in June of 2010, where Calipari defends his contention that the five UK players drafted in the 2010 NBA draft was "the biggest moment in the history of Kentucky basketball."
"Well, it depends on your frame of reference and what you're thinking about. When I took this job, I said this will be a players-first program. And I said we want to graduate players. We graduated four. We want to win national titles. And it's to help players realize their dreams and we had five -- FIVE-- players that are now realizing their dreams." [my emphasis]
Also, consider this article at A Sea of Blue in April of this year, where we talk about Calipari's use of the term, "players first" on CoachCal.com.
John Calipari wrote an article yesterday on CoachCal.com describing what a "players-first" program means to him. It is a short piece, but it goes a long way to explain his philosophy about college basketball in the era of "one and done," and even though there is nothing really surprising in the article, there is a lot more meat there than some may realize.[my emphasis]
With all that in mind, consider Mike Rutherford's comments at the Card Chronicle:
The rivalry is back in the news tonight as CBS' Garry Parrish looks at how John Calipari has suspiciously been using the phrase "players first" more and more. It's not a coincidence, Parrish believes, that Rick Pitino has made his theme for U of L's 2011-2012 season "Louisville First."[my emphasis]
Okay, so what we have here is "suspicious" on the part of Calipari? Really? I guess these folks don't remember (Mike gets a pass -- he's a Louisville fan after all, but Parrish should have known) that Calipari has been using that phrase in the news for the last year or longer. Pitino unveiled the "Louisville first" slogan circa July of this year.
So who's tweaking who? Seriously, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
27 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Egad! Calipari used it first?
Calipari didn’t use it first, I used it first. CALIPARI IS THE DEVIL!!!
Dayman, Fighter of the Nightman, Champion of the Sun
by btcoop71 on Oct 18, 2011 8:28 AM EDT reply actions 4 recs
The next thing that these two are going to fight over is the shape of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky……..lol
This is reaching epic proportions of nonsense.
CC needs something to hold onto, considering both their flagship programs are flailing in the wind……
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 18, 2011 9:35 AM EDT reply actions
Cal would win that also - in his mind Jefferson County has been removed from the state's boundary outline
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
Somebody needs
to grow up, and I think it’s Gary Parrish…
that would leave him without a job......lol
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 18, 2011 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't care who said it first...
and I think it’s all getting a little annoying….and stupid. I would even disagree a little about the whole “players first” program thing. With UK I think it’s fans first. Just my opinion.
I think you missed the point.
It isn’t about who said it first. It’s about the idea that Calipari was trying to annoy Pitino.
That’s what “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar” means.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Unless your last name is Clinton........
oops, did I say that???
sorrryyyyy
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 18, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I know.....it came out before I realized it
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 18, 2011 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
lol......
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 18, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
It's according to what your definition for a cigar is
I always thought it was a smoke – Bill thought it was a toy
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
I think most fans
are pretty darn happy that Cal is getting us the players and as long as he is doing it legally he can say it anyway he wants.
I woke up feeling BLUE this morning. It's gonna be a great day.
I'm with the majority of you guys, that who cares who said what first,
but
Pitino unveiled the “Louisville first” slogan circa July of this year.
Isn’t the whole story. For what it’s worth, as far as making “Louisville First” the official team motto, then July 2011 is correct. However, Pitino first used the phrase during a press conference during non-conference play last season just before the Kentucky game, so December 2010. He was using it to describe our team from last year, that they “play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back. They put Louisville First.” He also used it in April of this year when he announced the hiring of Kevin Keats and Wyking Jones in discussion of the types of players the new coaching staff would be recruiting.
All in all, the who said it first game is pretty dumb. Point is that both parties know that their in-state opposition has a similar, yet different motto and both coaches want a little of both mottos on their team. UofL wants big time NBA-bound talent and is getting it with this crop of incoming recruits. UK wants team play and team wins and they are getting it with Jones and Lamb returning to provide more experience along with the upper echelon of talent UK is bringing in.
by Remote Cardinal on Oct 18, 2011 2:52 PM EDT reply actions
All very good points.
Nothing to really add. Thanks for the excellent comment that adds to the discussion.
Well done.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
I say this without knowing anything more ---
but I understand that each and every school uses its own accounting methods for these things – i.e., there is GAAP for athletic revenue reporting for universities. There is no such thing as a collection of reliable numbers on the subject.
That said, UL’s new stadium might be a great source of revenue – w/o a doubt.
RE: GAAP
If you think GAAP standards provide a collection of reliable numbers to calculate revenue, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. You can account for it however you wish.
You point is well made.
In the end, the luxury boxes probably do provide a good bit of additional revenue for Louisville, but at a cost, namely the fan experience. I have been to the highest levels of Rupp, and the highest levels of the Yum! Center, and in my opinion, Rupp wins hands down.
Mandatory disclaimer: I am a Kentucky partisan and nothing I say should ever be construed as “objective.” :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Why is it so easy to rewrite history?
And recent history at that? It’s maddening in politics; here it’s just inane.
In the quote above, Calipari tells us when he said Kentucky would be a “players first” program. It was on April 1, 2009, the day he was introduced as the new coach. Here’s the video, thanks to the Kentucky Kernel. His “players first” comments begin at the 4:07 mark. I’m guessing he said something similar at Memphis.
Thanks to RemoteCardinal (welcome!), we can place Pitino’s use of the “Louisville First” slogan as early as December 2010. So can we at least put the whole “who said it first” issue to rest? As to Glenn’s point (title notwithstanding), Parrish must like the sniping; he’s beginning to see it in places it doesn’t exist.
Thanks for that.
Your point is a good one, which was, as you say, my point.
The title is little more than an attention-getter. :-)
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Community Guidelines
[UPDATED 01/18/2012]
Related FanPosts on A Sea Of Blue
Related FanShots on A Sea Of Blue
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
