Anyone but Kentucky, or "The Field", if you prefer. I don't care who swings the sword to fell the giant - Duke, UNC, ND, UVA. Anyone will do. I don't want to see them rewarded for what Calipari is doing (read: cheating). It's no more complicated than that, for me. And, despite my oft-stated and self-admitted ignorance of the game of basketball, here's my bold prediction: someone is going to beat Kentucky. My reasons for such belief are as follows: 1. While they've essentially got an NBA starting 5, I think that they've largely coasted in a god-awful SEC, and even then, they had a couple nights where they could have lost. I think they believe the hype. I wonder what happens when the heat is turned up, and if things start slipping a bit, if Kentucky starts reverting to the playing of pick-up games, leaning too far on individuals, as opposed to teams. That might work against LSU, but it's usually a great way to be sent home in March. 2. I don't know that they've really been challenged for some time, or maybe even at all, by stepping on the court with a team that they thought could actually beat them. The "lose-and-go-home" format of the tourney is an inopportune time to learn to survive and advance. If they find themselves in a tight game, or god forbid down 4-5, with several minutes to play, what happens? Who knows...but I believe that they are more likely to implode, than not. 3. They are still young. Very young. And they've yet to play in the brightest lights on the biggest stage, much less against more formidable - and increasingly difficult - opponents. You don't know how you'll handle that until it happens, and by then, it's usually too late. Worse, you can't prepare for it, but have to experimence it. 4. I choose to believe that Calipari - his faux superstar ego management powers, aside - is just as mediocre of a basketball coach as so many allege him to be. Coaching matters, moreso in the tourney than at any other time, and I think that there are numerous teams who can - and will - overcome Kentucky's admittedly sizable advantage in talent, with superior coaching. This is undoubtedly a prediction being made with a healthy, heaping dose of wishful thinking - but I really don't see Kentucky winning it all.
I don't see Kentucky losing but I would love for it to happen. I actually don't dislike Calipari and my only dislike is simply them being a rival to Tennessee. I'm not saying Cal is clean, I have no idea but I think at this point, he has the machine rolling and wouldn't have to cheat anymore. He has a record of putting players in the NBA, more line up to play for him than he can take.
I have no reason to believe Calipari does anything that many other coaches do. He's just better at it. And don't read that as me saying he cheats. I have no way of knowing if he does or not. My tournament team is UVA. My GF is an alumnus.
I also want someone to knock Kentucky down a few pegs, although I'd prefer it not to be Duke. My tournament team is UNC, on the grounds that I'm a student there.
I've been thinking about #1 for awhile, too. They've been in a really shitty league for most of the year and have feasted on terrible teams or terribly coached teams. Unfortunately, I don't see this being a great year for other teams around the country. I really don't think Wisconsin gets out of their region, they just have too many flaws, and Duke plays horrible defense. The one to watch, in my opinion, may be Arizona. Otherwise, the other opportunity might only be Virginia, as I know the design of the pack line defense is catered to athletic teams who drive the ball. Otherwise, I just don't think there are many good teams out there this year.
no reason to cheat being an nba pipeline and the recent success. that isn't to say he hasn't authorized some bagmen in the past.
I have my doubts about Arizona. if only because the pac-12 is complete garbage once again, so who the hell knows what you are getting?
And Kentucky is certainly beatable, but I don't think it's going to happen. Wisconsin could do it and Duke could do it. I don't see any other team beating them.
The "cheating" that Cal does is "cheating" that everybody does. Like IP said, he's just better at it.
Agreed. I'm sure he isn't the only coach who may have done that, though. Hell, until folks stop holding up UCLA as the Dynasty and model, the whole "cheating" rhetoric is stupid. We all know UCLA cheated. It is fact. And yet no one cares, so why should we act like it is awful when it happens now? No consistency.
ucla cheated egregiously too. no way anyone could get away with that today. yet wooden is still hailed as a saint.
I think you're wrong on UCLA. Basketball folks well know and care. Guys like Bill Walton want the issue to go away, but it isn't. UCLA cheated better than everyone trying. KY does today because Cal's bagman is better than everyone else's and he's a better salesman. Cal is flat out a world class salesman.
3. But they really aren't that young anymore. The twins are sophomores, and WCS is a junior (right?). The experience level is on par with the 2012 Anthony Davis team. 4. It's tough for me to go along with this. I'll call Mark Richt a bad coach because he clearly squanders talent. Same deal for Rick Barnes. Definitely same deal for Dale Brown years ago. We could go on and on with examples, but Calipari isn't one of them. His results are really really good.
he's hailed as a saint because the larger media simply doesn't want to open the can of worms. Wooden was fielding NBA teams, much like Cal is today.
