UK Fans

I previously wrote another article concerning fans versus Cal, but never published it.  However, after today’s article in the local paper I decided to write an article addressing what I feel have been condescending attitudes toward us UK fans.

It is true that we UK fans are difficult to please.  We are contrary, demand discipline  and perfection that we ourselves can’t and haven’t obtained.  I think some of us drink acid for breakfast and chase it down with day old cold coffee. We know our basketball better than most any fan base and perhaps better than any simply because we eat and breathe basketball more than any other fan base not to mention there are seemingly more of us.

From the ending of the college basketball season until the start of the new basketball season we scour every avenue available for one morsel of information about the latest recruit(s) or for information that will help our team during the next season.  That devotion has earned us the scorn and envy of coaches, announcers, prognosticators and certainly competing fan bases (all of whom have their own agendas) for perhaps 70 or 80 years.  We teach our young about UK basketball as much as any preacher tries to teach us about their particular firebrand of religion.  In the event of conflict between that religion and a UK basketball game well……uh…u….know!  Let me put it this way church coffers lose anytime UK is playing basketball.

We work hard and deserve our billing as a fan base and to that end coaches want to coach at UK, players want to play at UK, but they also dread the scorn of the tongue if they don’t “bring it” every game.  That can be a good thing or a bad thing.  If I remember correctly one coach called it Camelot, another left town in the middle of the night on big bird, another wanted to go back to Texas as soon as he ran into expectations head on while another wanted to come here.  All that is because of tradition.  Tradition of what?  Tradition of winning, but more than anything else because fans care and they care a lot.  We are willing to place coach and players (even announcers) alike on a pedestal for their accomplishments.  All that comes with a price much like a young lady being wined and dined by a rich man until she says she will wear his ring.  Biscuits and gravy won’t do folks for that young lady and mediocrity won’t do for the UK fan either.

Cal, I felt you talked down to us for two games in a row and even after the latest win made a quick reference to the play of Mr. Teague.  Well, coach you were right he did play better, but he did have some turnovers early on in the game.  I know, I know, he is only a freshmen and will improve so much that we will forget the growing pains of playing at UK and for you.  In the long run if he is the player all of us thinks he can be, especially character wise,  the love relationship will put him back on a pedestal.

Cal, I feel that we have been upfront all along with whom and what we are so I rest my case in that regard.

Now to Mr. John Clay…..John, sometimes I like your writing, but often I don’t.  I like directness for the most part and I do agree with you that fans should yell and scream all game long every game, but it isn’t going to happen.  Older fans simply won’t and many can’t yell that much.  They definitely won’t stand very often, but I am telling you right now it is their right to be the fan they want to be the way they want to be.  If old ladies want to knit and talk about everything other than basketball let them knit and talk.  If they don’t want to stand then let them sit.  They paid for their tickets not you or me.  If you want to stand and yell then YOU stand and yell all game long.  Go ahead and make the person behind you angry because they can’t see around you.

Certainly, there is protocol for every fan to observe.  Sitting is absolute and standing part time is optional unless you are in the student section.  Now as for crowd noise that comes when the team plays well.  We, as noted, are spoiled and after a time of superlative play become immune to ordinary play and yesterday was ordinary play in the first half.  I know, I know, they won and the game was physical, but shooting was poor no matter how you cut it during the first half aside from a few 3′s tickling the nets so why scream at the top of your lungs.

Made baskets, made free throws, blocked shots, etc.  cause noise and we had few of those to yell about during the first half.  Therefore, your article is a little off base in my opinion.  Yes we are who we are!  We know where to go for the “it” thing and that is UK basketball.  We decide what to do when we get there and not some sports writer trying to fill space.

Just my not so humble opinion!

catfan4life

 

 

 

 

Now, what is in store for an encore?

What a finish to a year, athletically speaking of course! The only thing that would have made the finish to the year better was to have put a beat down on IU, but that loss wasn’t all bad (more on that later)!

The last week to the football schedule was going to be a bummer. I mean (admit it) all of us thought UT was going to win the game especially when we found out our quarterback was hurt and Newton wasn’t back yet either. We thought things couldn’t get much worse than the season we had going than to lose at home against a lowly UT team with a dispirited fan base like ours. Think about it for a moment will you….here we sat thinking we can’t even get a break in a year that should be the year we break the string. Woe is me (us), but how things changed! Matt Roark (you know I always liked him, because he came to UK as a quarterback, but never had an opportunity to play as one and yet switched gears and stayed) played the game of his life in directing the unlikely win against the boys in yellow (er, orange). Yep they left town while Rocky Top was playing off key and totally out of tune. What a day it was in the bluegrass.

Next up was UNC. This truly was a great, great game full of expectations for the highly heralded and highly regarded boys dressed in baby blue. They deserved the billing they received. Let us face it they are a good team with almost unheard of talent at every position yet UK won the battle with our highly talented and youthful players.

Battle it was, volley after volley, block and block, knock for knock, plan for plan, inspire and perspire from both teams, coaches and benches until the final second was gone from the game clock. When the clock stopped UK had won. Fans could hold their collective heads high, but the players had the satisfaction of a game well played. Theirs would be a memory nobody could erase from their minds when they tell their grandchildren in the yet to come years of memory. They will be able to look back at some of the great NBA players and say they played against that guy.

The only burp to the fantastic finish of 2011 was a last second shot for a loss at hated IU. Yes, I feel UK should have won the game and I just hope they get the opportunity in the tourney, but for now it is a little bitter pill to swallow.

However, in the end of it all if I had to choose which game to win all year against any other single loss (during the season not tourney) it would be the Louisville game. I don’t care where it is played I want that game in the win column come New Years day.

Little Brother tries to usurp his authority all year long until a smack down happens and it happened yesterday on December 31st. I am told that after the game Rick wouldn’t even come to the press conference. Perhaps somebody should have offered him a lollipop if he would come out, but perhaps he was too upset even for a lollipop. Folks, I don’t know about you, but if you turn down a lollipop you are upset. Perhaps ashamed is a better word, or maybe embarrassed that you got your lunch eaten again and this time it had your best marbles in it. Shame for shame Ricky, you should have have taken your medicine. I know, I know, your soft question buddies from Loserville wouldn’t get all the questions, but perhaps that UK hating guy from the local Lexington paper would have asked a couple of questions to let you take shots at UK. I mean, come on Rick that should have been lollipop enough for you (maybe a pacifier would work better).

I hate it that I feel that way for and about Rick, but he shouldn’t have taken that job with little brother. He knew it too, but somehow convinced himself (for whatever reason) it would be OK.

Rick found out something 9 years ago that he should have already known. UK fans hate UL! It hasn’t always been that way. We used to live in a little harmony knowing they were there as long as they kept their mouth shut, but like little brothers often do they started running their collective mouths. Rick knew that as well. He had talked to the powers that be so Rick even though I feel sorry that you have come to this end in my mind you made your own bed. One day Rick (and I hope it is next season) you will have left UL and given me the opportunity to begin the forgiveness stage. I want to really bad because of #6. I don’t want to hate you forever because of that, but until you leave that job you are on my list.

I digressed didn’t I, but it was worth it, ha!

Now the question has to be asked again….we received a great belated present as UK fans so now what Cal? Yes we are incessant aren’t we Cal, but you knew that when you took the job, didn’t you!? Great expectations lie ahead for all of us giddy fans.

All of us went to bed last evening dreaming of #8 all night long. Seems fitting somehow after the finish to the year just ended. Insatiable fans we are, but that is what makes UK so special.

Fans teaching their children, great-grandchildren about the folklore of UK and living vicariously through the fine, talented young men keep UK #1 in the hearts of the Big Blue Nation.  I feel safe in saying that as long as Cal is coach at UK the school will be well represented in the big dance in March which only adds to the mystique of UK basketball.

Yes sir #8 is possible as early as this year! These young Cat’s are a joy to watch.  Thanks guys and Cal for the ride!  Go Cat’s!

UK vs IU

I remember Rick Pitino saying if UK doesn’t lose to Vanderbilt in 96 the Cat’s wouldn’t have won the NCAA tourney that year.  I feel that statement was appropriate then and also now for the present team.

I do want to give credit to a good IU team.  I am surprised how good they are and that Zeller kid is the best of the Zeller kids.  I just hope he will be gone after this year, ha!

Having said that, IU had some extra friends in the game especially in the first half.  Pundits say bad officiating doesn’t win games for the other team, but that is a farce.  First of all every no call or bad call gives the other team a chance to score more points, but the larger thing is that it gives a club impetus to impose their will on the opponent.  Those same calls or lack of them allows the surging team to be loose.  They feel they can do no wrong and can’t miss shots.  That scene unfolded before our eyes today.  During the entire game especially in the first half officials allowed IU to mug UK on both ends of the court.  The lack of calls in UK’s favor were basically absent and IU got loose real loose so they win.  During the 2nd half the calls were better, but IU pushed the UK players with their free hand on every drive and were never called for it.

Now to tell the truth Jones forgot to show up for this game.  For some reason he just wasn’t there.  Miller was tentative and passed up some open shots to drive and miss.  During the 2nd half he improved and I feel if he makes the three with 2 minutes left UK wins that game.  It was obvious Wiltjer was really nervous and unsure of himself.  He passed up shots that he should have been ready to take.  He definitely will not be a one-and-done.  I like him and he will be a good player at UK.  Davis absence for most of the game was probably the deciding factor in the loss, but that will change.  I know that Teague will improve greatly and I was proud of the way he picked himself up and played a heady 2nd half.  If we have that same player in the 1st half UK wins the game.  Finally, if Doron Lamb doesn’t show up and play a hard game UK loses by 20.  Gillie-the-Kidd played well as usual and it is unreal how he plays so mature at his young age.

The good part is all of those things that went wrong today can make the team even better so like Ricky said in ’96 perhaps the loss will propel this team to a championship.  They won’t be #1 next week and don’t deserve it yet anyway, but I feel they will be there again.

My reasoning is that they will not face a more hostile crowd that they faced today.  They now know they have to listen to coach and that every shot won’t always go in for them.  I think UK may not lose another game this year.  I mean that because they will improve so much from that loss.  Let us understand those are young players starting for the Cat’s.  Three freshmen and two sophomores take the floor.  They have so much to learn and they will.  By the time March rolls around this team will be awesome.

Don’t get me wrong, because I am severely disappointed in the loss.  I never want UK lose, but sometimes every team loses a game they should win (yes UK should have won) and goes on to greatness.

Will this be one of those teams that rise from defeat determined to be the very best or will they fall into mediocrity?  They will become great, because of their youth, their drive to be better, their individual superb talent level, their learning how to win as a team and finally because of one of the best coaches in the land.

Revel in the win IU while you can.  You deserve the win, but in the end you are going to get run over by a superior team in March.  Hope to see you there in our bracket.

Instant Classic

Yesterday’s game, UK vs UNC is an instant classic.  Two great teams not giving an inch to the other and battling to the end in a game decided by one point is one for the ages.  That is doubly so with perennial powerhouses going at each other at high noon on Saturday.

The game was marked by every real basketball fan as a must watch.  Games like that have even the most seasoned writers and prognosticators scratching their head and stuttering a few unintelligible words trying to pick a winner.

Even though UNC lost to UNLV most people still picked them to beat the  talented youthful Cat’s.  Most people thought the home court win streak was going to end yesterday for the Cat’s.  All of the elements were there for an upset at the hands of the hated baby blue uniforms with a hated coach at the helm.

UNC has great, great talent with youth mixed into an already seasoned talented team with veterans running the show.  UNC had a revenge motive from the NCAA loss to UK last season.  They had a bounce back motive from the loss at UNLV.  They needed to beat UK to gain a game in the overall all time win column which I believe burns in Old Roy’s belly.  Two blue bloods going after each other, but UK was going down because of their youth and the talented front court from UNC.

However, don’t tell that to the precocious youth at UK.  Don’t tell Gillie-the Kidd he can’t get the job done who played like a man possessed all game long while rebounding from the foul plagued game against the quick St. John’s team.  Don’t tell that to Terrence Jones who put his game face on and brought his lunch with him.  Don’t tell the senior Darius Miller they were going to lose.  No sir, Darius does what a super talented senior does best, put the team on his shoulders and do something to steady the team be it a rebound, deflection or some points by willing the ball in the basket.

Don’t tell that to anyone off the bench.  Losing was not an option to the young UK team with 4 freshmen.   Don’t tell it to Davis who played a heady game.  He played like a veteran against a bigger older 7 foot opponent in the middle without fouling out.  He was tired, but with the game on the line he had the quickness and energy to block a 6′ 11” guy with long arms shooting from the side.   Henson wasn’t his man, but he did it anyway.

Those guys are coachable and they like each other.  They are becoming a feared team already in early December with a yet huge upside to them.  Coach drives them to be the best and is the reason they came to play for Cal. They know what he is going to do to and for them.  They know he is going to drive them to limits they never dreamed they could do, but in the end they will have a shot at the NBA.  They know he drives a hard bargain, but they also know he cares about them so they play together and win.

In the end, however, the question is how did UK win the game, really!

The answer has already been posted in another post or two so it shouldn’t be any surprise.  It was also spoken by Cal in the early part of practice.  The answer is speed.  The cartoon character Road-Runner can out run, out quick anybody that is until this brand of cat pastes him all over the floor and in the end gets stuffed into the basket along with the ball by one mister Davis.  Yesterday John Henson was the Road-Runner.

No team is ready for the length and quickness of this brand of Cat, nobody.  UNC found out yesterday and they are good, real good.

Instant Classic, you bet!

Cat’s beat determined Portland

UK beat a very determined Portland team that refused to just wilt, but in the end they had no choice in the matter.  UK had superior talent and superior quickness for the 3 point barrage from Portland to equal a win for the visitors.

The season will become decidedly more difficult this week with two good teams coming to town.  UNC has been the #1 ranked team from the last of the previous campaign and rightly so in my opinion.  They lost last evening to a supposedly inferior team and if they played 10 times UNC would probably win 9 of them.

That loss by UNC can’t be good news for UK.  Roy and company will now have the proverbial monkey off of their backs and it is squarely on UK right now.  I would normally welcome the #1 ranking, but I would have preferred it to come after the UNC game if UK would be lucky or good enough to win.  I say lucky because I feel UNLV was more lucky than good, because UNC has everything a coach could want for a college team except 5 starting seniors with the same talent.  On the other hand, UK doesn’t have that.  Sure UK is extremely talented and extremely quick which saved them last night, but UNC has more depth and experience and now they also have a wounded ego to bring with them.

UK will have their work cut out for them and they had better not be overlooking Steve Lavin’s boys from the City.  Steve’s boys are young but very talented.  If UK brings their A game they should win that game, but it is a trap game.  I wish that game was on Wednesday instead of Thursday because of the youth on Cal’s team.

I like what I have been seeing in the growth of the team.  They are getting better and better each game.  They are becoming a team of extremely talented young men rather than just being extremely talented individuals.  The athleticism and length of the team disrupts every team they play and should (barring injuries) all year.

UK could lose 2 games this week split the games or win two.  I feel they can get two, but they need to grow even more this week before facing two good teams.   Don’t worry about Harrison Barnes not being in the lineup, because he will be there at full strength and I want it that way.  Even if he wasn’t there UNC has great talent to fill the spot.

One great sign from the Portland game was Darius Miller once again brought a great game with him.

We have been waiting for almost 8 months for this week.  I know I am excited so bring it on!

 

 

Renovating Rupp Arena

A lot of time has been spent on the topic of a new arena or renovating Rupp Arena to make it more modern. The topic has been at the forefront or in the background for perhaps ten years. There are certainly as many ideas as there are people it seems, but the topic is front and center again and this time it looks like something just might happen.

I say bring it on. I mean I have been waiting for years to see it happen so I hope this time it isn’t another disappointment for those like myself.

There are basically three schools of thought.

1. Do nothing right now. Stall for time, Rupp is OK the way it is some say. OK, if nothing is done does it benefit UK? I say no it doesn’t and the reason is that other schools are renovating or building a new facility. I am not talking about the SEC, but rather the entire country. UK has already been left in the dust in that regard. Recruiting will be affected if it isn’t already. Sure UK is a huge draw to top notch recruits because of the basketball tradition we enjoy. Calipari is a draw all by himself, but let us look ahead to when he leaves or retires from coaching. When that happens we have to ask ourselves will the new coach be able to make an impression even close to what Calipari has done. He is a special talent and knows how to make things happen is so many special ways which means a new coach will be hard pressed to even come close to what he can do. Keep in mind it will take time to renovate or build a new arena.

With that said how about Rupp then if it hasn’t been changed. The new coach will need a draw and a special one-of-a-kind venue would be a great draw for the recruit. Yeah we could keep Rupp the way it is, but to me it is the least desirable choice available to us.

2. Renovate Rupp and keep the memories we all share a little longer. That is a nostalgic idea for sure, but in my view has our hearts firmly replacing our minds. Every venue we have had or will have will have special memories to them. To me if we are going to have those special memories and never move UK should add onto Memorial. There is where even more memories have been made and it is on campus. On campus, uh, yeah, on campus. In my view they should build on campus. That way they control everything about the facility. They could still work out something with the city about their renting the facility from UK for large audiences rather than the other way around. The players would be able to be more familiar with the facility and many other small things come to mind, but it would really be UK whereas it isn’t now. Yeah, it is owned by the city and UK calls it home, but it isn’t home. Just look at the times the city says no to UK about the use of the arena and that tells the story.

3. Build a new facility. Yeah, that is the idea that I like. True it may cost more money, but I bet it won’t be that much more and if UK would build it on campus the land wouldn’t be such a problem cost wise. They could build a state of the art facility where everyone else would once again be looking at UK.

Now some have brought up the cost and they should, but in today’s marketing times have changed. Businesses pay dearly for naming rights and advertisement space so there is a good avenue to alleviate some of the cost. Either way it will be very expensive to renovate or build anew. Building anew will give them more leeway to add more luxury suites and all the pizzaz one can add in a facility. Renovating will limit that ability. One last thought about building another facility is parking space. An on campus site would automatically have much better parking than is now available downtown. We have to pay to park now so why not at UK to defray some of the cost of building.

After finishing a renovation I guarantee you that the powers that be would say it looks nice, but I really wish we could have done more. With that I rest my case.

catfan4life

UK’s Underclassmen

Brandon Knight, Terrence Jones and DeAndre Liggins all have/had a decision to make concerning their futures and so far I think the right decision has been made by each of them. I still haven’t heard what Liggins has decided, but from reports he should return for his senior season.

‘Dre is a very talented basketball player and in my view deserves to be in the league, but a senior year under coach Cal can only reap dividends for Dre’. The one area that he needs to work on is his shooting. If that aspect of his game improves very much he will be drafted next season and I wish him the best .

Brandon Knight made the right decision by staying in the draft. His stock improved because of who he is and how he approaches the game. It didn’t hurt his draft status that others pulled out, but even if they hadn’t he was still a lottery pick. I am sure he will continue his education and get his degree. With the money he will make playing professional basketball he won’t necessarily need a diploma for financial success, but it won’t hurt either.

Terrence Jones also made the right decision by deciding to stay at UK for another season. I don’t feel that he would have been a lottery pick this year, but with a productive season he will be a high pick providing he stays healthy. Jones has so much talent so the upside to his staying is off the charts. Next season they won’t be able to double team his as much as the past season because of the raw talent surrounding him. That isn’t to mention Miller as a senior and ‘Dre (if he comes back) for other coaches to worry about.

Whether others agree with me or not they had to make the best decision for their future not ours and I wish them the best.

Good fortune to you guys!

catfan4life

What Would You Do?

I have read or heard many comments concerning coach Calipari about his recruiting/coaching methods.  Unfortunately, most of them are negative comments about him.  Writers and coaches have axes to grind and they grind away at Cal.  I am convinced that every one of them and I mean every one of them are just jealous of the man.  They are jealous of UK for the success they have had for many, many years.  However, even more importantly to them is the recent success of coach Cal, because UK had been relegated to an  afterthought until he came to UK.

Try as they might they can only come up with innuendo concerning his past.  They have no proof of misdeeds by him, because if they did where do you think he would be today?  There has been more trash thrown his way than at guys that have actually been caught making mistakes.

Backing up just a bit, I want to say that it is difficult and almost impossible to not do something wrong according to the hypocrites handbook (NCAA).  In my view a coach is a human being with his profession on the line if he doesn’t perform to expectations by his athletic director and fans alike.  They are under intense pressure to work in the “gray area” of recruiting, whatever that is!

It seems Calipari is one of the few that isn’t allowed (by the media) to work in that area.  Well there is no such thing as a gray area!  A violation has either been or hasn’t been committed every time they contact a potential recruit. As an example, recruiting is like a posted speed limit in that you don’t get a ticket unless you drive too slow or too fast.  Everything you do within your automobile while driving within that posted speed limit that isn’t specifically legislated against is legal, pure and simple.  Now, if coach is doing something different than other coaches and if it isn’t legislated against it is legal, period!

If he wants to work harder than other coaches or treat his players differently than they would it is his decision, and theirs.  If his success is better than theirs because of what he does that is their problem.  If they complain they are just eating sour grapes.  When they spit those seeds into the wind they get hit in the face with them.

Cal takes the high road and doesn’t respond very often to negative remarks and why should he?  He doesn’t need to give them any reason to latch on to a remark that would divert attention from their hypocrisy and jealousy.  Those same “sharks” (writers and coaches) hate each other, but they team up hoping to “share” in the kill.  After a kill they go back to looking for an opportunity to eat one of their own rather than improve their profession.

Having said all that, what would you do if you were Cal?  Would you respond to them, would you change your philosophy just because they are throwing darts your way.  Those darts don’t seem to be hitting the target because Cal keeps on going just like the Energizer Bunny.  He keeps banging the drum of successful recruiting year after year.  He keeps telling the recruits that he will look out for their best interests and he proves it year after year.

This year is no different  than the rest of them, because he has told his players what they needed to hear and now three of them are testing the waters of the NBA.  UK may lose all three of them and maybe not.  What if they do leave, what will happen next?  Recruits are listening and watching his every move.  Players now want to come to UK and the major part of it is because of coach Cal and his “gray area” of success.  Perhaps, that “gray area” is that he tells them the truth and watches over them like a father!

What would you do if you were in his shoes?  Would you be selfish and tell those young men that they aren’t ready and they should stay another year knowing they could move on to the NBA?  Other coaches are doing that very thing this year, in my opinion, and they are being watched by the recruits.  Oh yeah, they will get recruits going forward simply because Cal can’t take all of them and because the recruits have biases as well.  However, Cal will get the cream of the crop next year too.

Perhaps, just perhaps, the secret of his success isn’t all that “gray” after all, but just doing what is right for the young man and his future?  What would you do or perhaps I should ask what should you do under the same circumstances as Cal?

In my view,  UK will be a contender for the NCAA championship every year as long as he is coach.  UK may never get championship #8 while he is here, but perhaps #’s 9, 10 or 11!   What a ride we will have every year during that time.  UK basketball is fun again, period!  The young men that are “chosen” to come be a part of it receive an opportunity to see if  they can hear Cal tell them they need to test the waters of the NBA!

Those recruits were watching Cal and now what would you do if you were Cal?

catfan4life!

 

Coach Calapari and UK

Recruiting at UK isn’t necessarily finished for the 2010/11 class just yet, but I think it is time we took a look at what has transpired in the last year and perhaps a little before that.

Coach accepted the position at UK just over a year ago now with much fanfare and “hoopla” if you will allow that word. Every time a new coach is hired there is a measure of all that along with great expectation at the #1 school for basketball in America or I should say the world. No don’t give me an argument about that statement because it is true. It is going to be that way for some time too so get used to it, but the post isn’t about that. I just inserted that to set the stage for the expectations that surround the next god at UK until they take themselves down from the throne. They do take themselves down from the throne in various ways and it is never pretty. It may happen to coach Cal as well, but so far he hasn’t. He is the only coach that has kept the momentum going at a pace that has far exceeded expectations.

He has just sent 5 guys to the NBA. I know that none have been picked yet, but it is going to happen if they all stay healthy and out of trouble. The amazing part is that only two of them were expected to make the jump this year and one of them only came back because of the love for the university and the possibility of going deep into the tourney. That, of course, wouldn’t have been possible without with coach Cal. Let us just call him Super Cal, because he has been just that. It took kyrptonite to bring him/team down from title #8 this past season. Everything he touched seemingly turned to gold and none of it fools gold either.

A quick re-cap looks something like this: He inherited a team practically devoid of talent at the level to which the fans have been accustomed and were about to lose Patrick Patterson to the pros. Within only a few weeks coach together the #1 recruiting class in the land and not only that, but they were/are super talented. Fans were ecstatic and amazed at the same time. He never wavered in his beliefs or delivery of the expectations that were thrust upon the team even though they were such a young team.

The end result at the years end was a climb back into the elite status of college basketball and with it more expectations. He delivered again with a great recruiting class that may not be finished as I stated at the beginning of the post.

What gives with the man? What makes it all possible? How could someone deliver so much to such hungry fans as we without flinching or wavering?

He is a maestro and it is that simple! He is just the best at managing time and people. Just think he took 5 freshmen and kept them happy for the most part. Not only that, but they enjoyed playing together and kept getting better all year which made not only possible, but probable 4 of them would jump to the NBA.

Super talented John Wall was expected to make the move, but even he with all the speed, moves and magic became a much better player. Demarcus Cousins came to campus a man-child, but needing a lot of work mentally as well as honing his outrageous talents and he was made into something formidable and unstoppable at the college level. Eric Bledsoe was expected to be here for at least two but most likely three years, but he too advanced far beyond expectations. Eric was one of my favorite players because of his outward passion, but I never thought he would be going to the NBA as a 1st round pick and he may not yet, but I think he will. Good for him and that brings us to Daniel Orton. Daniel was one that needed a lot of work and it was very obvious from the start of the season. Daniel is a very serious and proud person and I could tell that he wasn’t happy being 2nd to Cousins, but he was there because of what he needed to learn early on and bring his offensive game up to par with Cousins. It was great to see him develop his game and now even though he wasn’t a starter is projected to be a high 1st round pick and good for him.

What then is the secret with Calapari? How could all that happen where others have failed and miserably so for the last coach. First of all he is a great recruiter, but the reason he is that is because he tells the players what he will do and then he does just that. He is hard on them and can be snippy and tough, but they like him because he tells them the truth rather than what they want to hear. He isn’t afraid to tell a #1 lottery pick what he needs to hear, but when it is over he lets them know he loves them. He isn’t just talk either, because he proves he loves and appreciates them. He is the epitome of the phrase, “he is just like a father to me”.

However, there is something more to his madness! His style is fun to play. That in itself may say more than all the other things to a player, because he promises them they can shoot if they will play defense and if they don’t play defense they can’t play.

Imagine what Rajon Rondo would have been able to do under coach Cal or imagine what Randolph Morris would have turned into under Cal’s tutelage. He would have either picked up his game and been a lottery pick or he would have been a bench warmer, but I think he would have been a super star. True he became a very good player, but the sky was the limit for him and he never reached it.

That is why the players want to play for Cal. They develop and develop well and now they have even more reason to play for Cal. Why is that, well it is because he is coaching at the #1 school for basketball! He has the facilities, money and fan base to make it all happen.

Sounds like a recipe for success to me and not to mention the fun and pleasure to fans and players. Now if we can just get rid of the kryptonite!