Kentucky Basketball 2012-2013
Coaching
basketball is not rocket science; however, it is obviously a highly
valued endeavor. One needs only to check the salaries of the college
coaches. I credit Rick Pitino when he came to Kentucky for raising the
bar on all coaches salaries, including the best in the business, Coach
Cal- John Calipari, now at Kentucky.
Kentucky’s
2012-2013 season was a disaster and an internet poster says that Cal
may have inadvertently recruited four year players this past season
rather than anybody close to the “one and dones” he is jealously coveted
for by other college coaches.
This past season’s team was not very good with respect to past teams of the Kentucky basketball tradition. 21-12, I think.
The
loss to Robert Morris in their tiny gym was as attributable to a bad
Atheltic Administration decision as much as anything in my opinion.
Traditionally more highly respected teams get home court advantage in
the NIT tournament. UK’s administration claimed “not enough man-power
to host the NIT due to their hosting the NCAA”.
I
have great respect for UK’s Athletics Director, Mitch Barnhart, who
kindly considered to a wonderful interview story in my “Acquaintances
With Integrity II” book (2011).
I
wouldn’t trade him for Jurich in a NY minute. Mitch has great
integrity! A traditionally outstanding UK team would win anywhere, but
this team was not of that ilk. Could not one gym in the area, Rupp,
Memorial, The Chicken Coop, Eastern’s, Transylvania’s, whatever, have
been arranged?
Take
nothing away from Robert Morriss’ team or coach. They performed
exceedingly well like any Division I team in a small home town gym might
have. We should not have been there.
I
am only a spoiled old UK basketball fan, but that is my humble opinion
of this opening game NIT tourney loss. This UK team was young and
relatively inexperienced, but the adminstration, including the coaches,
could have thought a little harder about the venue.
I’m
eighty now and a UK alumnus in retirement. Like all UK fans I have
strong feelings about the Wildcats and have had a lifetime of great
entertainment, but watching that team go down last night, and not
believing they had “IT” to come back, was saddening for my old heart.
SamKat
Addendum:
Well
all, I just watched Cal's post game comments. I had in the back of my
small mind that he may have done this to get back home. Cal is honest
enough to know they could lose in that environment, but why not. If his
team can't cut the mustard, it would show and it did! Per a softball
philosophy, "It Don' Matta!" and it is gone now. The 2012-2013 season
was not the best for the best head basketball coach in the business.
So be it!
I HAD TO RANT!
SamKat
Addendum:
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12:39 PM (0 minutes ago)
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I HAD TO RANT!
SamKat
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