Kentucky Basketball: John Calipari Uncertain Whether He Will Coach D.R. National Team in 2012

That’s why I said, “As long as Cal can still meet the stratospheric expectations of the BBN while coaching the Dominican team, I don’t care if he moves to Santo Domingo.”

The concern is that taking large chunks of time out during crucial periods will undercut the primacy of UK’s interests. If it does, then no amount of “I needed a break” will suffice to absolve him for the failure to meet/produce the expectations/results for which he was hired/paid.

The President is in control of his schedule and clears his calendar of obligations that require his physical presence. But if the country goes to hell because he didn’t have his hand on the tiller, no claim of a need for a vacation absolves him from the failure, e.g., President Bush was on vacation when the hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and was loudly castigated for not returning immediately. Electronic communications was deemed totally inadequate and his physical presence in Washington was seen to have been paramount.

Cal, on the other hand, is at the mercy of NCAA recruiting windows he can’t control. It’s a calculated risk that any break/vacation taken during those timeframes won’t significantly impact the recruitment of Kentucky’s demanding high profile prospects. Like the President, Cal attempted to mitigate the issues associated with his coaching the Dominican team using electronic communication solutions. Hopefully it will prove to have been sufficient, but we won’t know until those recruits begin to make their decisions. And if it isn’t, like with President Bush, no amount of concern for his state of emotional health or mental fatigue will forestall the heart felt criticism for his failure to take care of Kentucky’s business above all else.

I could say that there is a distinct difference between Krzyzewski coaching the US Olympic Team and Cal coaching the Dominicans, but the reality is that distinction is the irrelevant one. Only results count. If K’s coaching the Olympic Team doesn’t affect his recruiting results then it doesn’t matter. Coaching the Dominicans might not affect Cal’s recruiting results and, if not, then start the music and break out the Brugal. But, imo, such a break definitely affected Tubby’s 2000 recruiting results. I’m hopeful that Cal has it covered.

You are right, “Whether someone ‘deserves’ breaks or not IS irrelevant.” (emphasis added) Again, you are correct when you say, “People simply can’t work 100% of the time and remain effective and no amount of money can change that.” Rather, it’s the ‘Responsibility For Results’ they take that is overriding – the ‘No Excuses’ perspective. CEOs take vacations all the time but if cruel things happened in the corporation back home while they were sunning in the south of France, the wrath of shareholders is frequently swift and lethal and there is ‘No Excuse.’

You may say such a perspective is unfair or stupid or irrational or whatever, but it is what it is and in many sports, business, military, government contexts we often speak of the merits of not offering up excuses for failure to attain the necessary results and, imo, that is clearly applicable here.

Fans, shareholders, constituents, citizens, etc. might overlook failure if you are present giving it your best shot yet still come up short, but even then we often recognize the need for those responsible to offer up no excuses in the face of dismal results. And, if you are absent, at your own discretion, it is clear you weren’t where you needed to be shouldering your responsibilities, looking after their interests, insuring success and forestalling failure as they pay you so handsomely to do – and under that indictment there is no excuse to be raised.

Plus, it sounds as if his exposure to a different brand of basketball has given him some ideas and insight that will make him a better college coach. Last I checked that’s a good thing.

I agree, I think it’s a good thing, but no tweak to the DDMO can mitigate a poor recruiting class result, imo.