Kentucky Basketball Recruiting

[mn78psu83]

The guy was strong. He shot a lot.

George is from from Riverside, NJ. His little brother, Austin, was pretty good.

I had written a story about another great shooter I knew (and you certainly know of) but I didn't post it -- thought better of it. That's why the above exchange was messed up.

Has Burroughs got you doing cut-ups yet? [/QUOTE]
Another fascinating interview. I love how he slips this in when asked about why he considered Mexico "sinister."
"And I had that terrible accident with Joan Vollmer, my wife. "

 

[artsandletters]

George is from from Riverside, NJ. His little brother, Austin, was pretty good.

I had written a story about another great shooter I knew (and you certainly know of) but I didn't post it -- thought better of it. That's why the above exchange was messed up.

Has Burroughs got you doing cut-ups yet?

Another fascinating interview. I love how he slips this in when asked about why he considered Mexico "sinister."
"And I had that terrible accident with Joan Vollmer, my wife. "[/QUOTE]
Playing William Tell. Missed the apple. Hit her. Some accident haha.

These posts are outta whack for some reason. I better take an obi with a brandy chaser.

 

[Ian]

Now the heat lamp is on. What else will they find...

Ex-Kentucky basketball director indicted on charges of defrauding athletes
Former Kentucky men's basketball director Leon Smith has been indicted on charges of defrauding clients for nearly $1.3 million, aggravated identify theft and money laundering.

 

[Ian]

“The Kentucky Effect is there and it’s real,” said Coach Cal. “Senator Mitch McConnell has said to me, ‘You’re creating more millionaires than a Wall Street firm,’ and I went, wow, we are.”

 

[mktmaker]

“The Kentucky Effect is there and it’s real,” said Coach Cal. “Senator Mitch McConnell has said to me, ‘You’re creating more millionaires than a Wall Street firm,’ and I went, wow, we are.”

And what about this is bad?

Take into consideration where many of these guys grow up.

Eric Bledsoe and his mother had a time when they lived in her car.

DeMarcus Cousins said the University of Kentucky was the first place he called home.

When he declared that he was going to enter the NBA draft, he was asked what was the first thing he would buy.

He responded, "anything my mother wants."

But what do YOU want to buy for yourself? "I haven't thought about that."

What about a house? a car? "Heck, I don't even have a driver's license."

 

[artsandletters]

And what about this is bad?

Take into consideration where many of these guys grow up.

Eric Bledsoe and his mother had a time when they lived in her car.

DeMarcus Cousins said the University of Kentucky was the first place he called home.

When he declared that he was going to enter the NBA draft, he was asked what was the first thing he would buy.

He responded, "anything my mother wants."

But what do YOU want to buy for yourself? "I haven't thought about that."

What about a house? a car? "Heck, I don't even have a driver's license."

Do all of those wonderful things for his mom and family but leave the sham of going to college out of it. This is not a reflection on the players. It's a reflection on the screwed up system of the NBA using universities to groom their future employees over the course of one college basketball season. They are not their for an education. UK serves as a conduit. Calipari does not have to recruit and make the pitch he does. He chooses to.

It's a disgrace and and I don't know why the UK alumni put up with it.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Do all of those wonderful things for his mom and family but leave the sham of going to college out of it. This is not a reflection on the players. It's a reflection on the screwed up system of the NBA using universities to groom their future employees over the course of one college basketball season. They are not their for an education. UK serves as a conduit. Calipari does not have to recruit and make the pitch he does. He chooses to.

It's a disgrace and and I don't know why the UK alumni put up with it.

UK alumni put up with it because it's the system the NCAA has set up and it produces victories, conference championships, and long runs in the NCAA tournament.

 

[klemman]

I'm an old school guy so I do miss the days when you would see individuals and teams develop over 3-4 years, even the among the most talented, but those days are long gone.

Regarding one and done's:
1. With the dollars and risks involved, if you are a sure Lottery Pick, it makes sense to go if you want.
2. Those guys who are 2nd rounders or not picked, they're likely leaving to play Internationally whether they want to or not. It's still good money and if you have no desire to be in school, you probably shouldn't be.
3. The perennial best teams usually have one or two guys who fit into the one or two and done category because of their superior talent. A team full of them ala Kentucky most recently, will win a lot of games, win conferences, and make a run in the playoffs. But once they get into the Elite 8 and certainly the Final 4, they start running into teams with near or equal talent, but more experience, maturity, and development. That's often where they run into difficulties.

 

[artsandletters]

UK alumni put up with it because it's the system the NCAA has set up and it produces victories, conference championships, and long runs in the NCAA tournament.

They put up with it but do they like it? I'll bet there's a mix of negative and positive opinions. I don't like it and I dismiss UK as a college team. They're not designed to be one and they're not one. What I think doesn't matter but I don't recognize them regardless of what they win.

 

[AdvanSix]

I would love to see scholarships tied up for three years, then if you have a one and done you lose that ship for two more years. Then coaches would have to balance how many one and dones they sign. I would like to see guys like Coach Cal have to actually develop some players and keep some guys around.

Kentucky is still going to get the best players. If Coach Cal had Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist together for 3 years, UK would've won 3 titles not 1.

 

[artsandletters]

I'm an old school guy so I do miss the days when you would see individuals and teams develop over 3-4 years, even the among the most talented, but those days are long gone.

Regarding one and done's:
1. With the dollars and risks involved, if you are a sure Lottery Pick, it makes sense to go if you want.
2. Those guys who are 2nd rounders or not picked, they're likely leaving to play Internationally whether they want to or not. It's still good money and if you have no desire to be in school, you probably shouldn't be.
3. The perennial best teams usually have one or two guys who fit into the one or two and done category because of their superior talent. A team full of them ala Kentucky most recently, will win a lot of games, win conferences, and make a run in the playoffs. But once they get into the Elite 8 and certainly the Final 4, they start running into teams with near or equal talent, but more experience, maturity, and development. That's often where they run into difficulties.

1. Skip college. Go back to the old rule, high school to NBA.
2. Skip college. Go to Europe out of high school.
3. I agree.

1 and 2 have no interest in an education. They only have an interest in the platfrom that college basketball provides.

 

[mktmaker]

Do all of those wonderful things for his mom and family but leave the sham of going to college out of it. This is not a reflection on the players. It's a reflection on the screwed up system of the NBA using universities to groom their future employees over the course of one college basketball season. They are not their for an education. UK serves as a conduit. Calipari does not have to recruit and make the pitch he does. He chooses to.

It's a disgrace and and I don't know why the UK alumni put up with it.

Apparently you are college educated. Why can't you understand this?

The alumni love it.

The students love it.

The NBA chooses the system (not the NCAA).

The Kings painted a 50-foot image of Cousins' on the exterior of their arena before he played a game there.

He has already made $60M with the Kings/Pelicans.

This stopped multi-generational poverty for the Cousins family. He now has been taught how to manage his finances so this family will be financially comfortable for generations.

He conducts free life camps at this hometown of Mobile. He gives $millions to charity.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/10/demarcus_cousins_pledges_1_mil.html

He goes to Wal*Mart unannounced during the holidays and buys toys for children.

Several of the other one-and-done Kentucky players (and Duke, et al) are having similar success.

It's a win/win/win system.

Why do you begrudge this success?

 

[Connorpozlee]

They put up with it but do they like it? I'll bet there's a mix of negative and positive opinions. I don't like it and I dismiss UK as a college team. They're not designed to be one and they're not one. What I think doesn't matter but I don't recognize them regardless of what they win.

Yes, they like it.
Which other programs do you not recognize? Duke?

 

[artsandletters]

Kentucky is still going to get the best players. If Coach Cal had Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist together for 3 years, UK would've won 3 titles not 1.

But would they have gotten them together? UK is a seven month factory providing talent to the NBA. For those kids, it's just a place to wait while honing their skills. Leave the universities out of the equation.

 

[artsandletters]

Apparently you are college educated. Why can't you understand this?

The alumni love it.

The students love it.

The NBA chooses the system (not the NCAA).

The Kings painted a 50-foot image of Cousins' on the exterior of their arena before he played a game there.

He has already made $60M with the Kings/Pelicans.

This stopped multi-generational poverty for the Cousins family. He now has been taught how to manage his finances so this family will be financially comfortable for generations.

He conducts free life camps at this hometown of Mobile. He gives a lot to charity.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/10/demarcus_cousins_pledges_1_mil.html

He goes to Wal*Mart unannounced during the holidays and buys toys for children.

Several of the other one-and-done Kentucky players (and Duke, et al) are having similar success.

It's a win/win/win system.

Why do you begrudge this success?

I don't begrudge the careers and monies the players make. There should just be a system that allows them to do that without including college enrollment. Why don't you understand that?

 

[artsandletters]

Yes, they like it.
Which other programs do you not recognize? Duke?

How do you know they like it? I used to spend a week a year in Lexington, spoke to a lot of grads, and got mixed reviews.

Duke is a real disappointment in this regard. It's a very highly regarded academic institiution. But K hasn't been remotely as aggressive and public as Calipari. Villanova had one one and done, Tim Thomas. He ended up being the seventh player taken. I didn't like it and it may have hurt the program more than helped it. Wright is recruiting a one and doner now from outside Philly, Cameron Reddish, but he doesn't make a habit of it. This kid happens to be local (Norristown).

Look it. I don't like it and I'll never change my mind for the reasons I stated in other posts. I have nothing left to add. In any case, my opinion is worthless.

 

[Connorpozlee]

How do you know they like it? I used to spend a week a year in Lexington, spoke to a lot of grads, and got mixed reviews.

Duke is a real disappointment in this regard. It's a very highly regarded academic institiution. But K hasn't been remotely as aggressive and public as Calipari. Villanova had one one and done, Tim Thomas. He ended up being the seventh player taken. I didn't like it and it may have hurt the program more than helped it. Wright is recruiting a one and doner now from outside Philly, Cameron Reddish, but he doesn't make a habit of it. This kid happens to be local (Norristown).

Look it. I don't like it and I'll never change my mind for the reasons I stated in other posts. I have nothing left to add. In any case, my opinion is worthless.

Other than a summer vacation and a trip to the in-laws at Christmas, I'm in Lexington all year. They like having a winning basketball program. They don't particularly care much how it happens.

 

[artsandletters]

Other than a summer vacation and a trip to the in-laws at Christmas, I'm in Lexington all year. They like having a winning basketball program. They don't particularly care much how it happens.

Success with Honor, eh?

 

[Connorpozlee]

Success with Honor, eh?

What are you talking about?

 

[artsandletters]

What are you talking about?

UK, Cal and the alumni who enjoy having basketball players borrow their school's name in order to intern for seven months prior to signing with the NBA. Success with Honor, you think?

 

[AWS1022]

Kentucky is still going to get the best players. If Coach Cal had Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist together for 3 years, UK would've won 3 titles not 1.

But they might not have gone there. I'm not saying there couldn't be one and dones, but coaches couldn't get a bunch of them. So instead of three or four going to KY, one would go there and the others would go somewhere else.

 

[mn78psu83]

Another fascinating interview. I love how he slips this in when asked about why he considered Mexico "sinister."
"And I had that terrible accident with Joan Vollmer, my wife. "

Playing William Tell. Missed the apple. Hit her. Some accident haha.

These posts are outta whack for some reason. I better take an obi with a brandy chaser.[/QUOTE]
Yeah. I thought I was in sympathetic harmony with Burroughs or that my rye bread had some mold on it. I don't remember writing that.

 

[Connorpozlee]

UK, Cal and the alumni who enjoy having basketball players borrow their school's name in order to intern for seven months prior to signing with the NBA. Success with Honor, you think?

That is your response to me telling you of my familiarity with Lexington? Puzzling.

I don't particularly care what they do.

 

[royboy]

They put up with it but do they like it? I'll bet there's a mix of negative and positive opinions. I don't like it and I dismiss UK as a college team. They're not designed to be one and they're not one. What I think doesn't matter but I don't recognize them regardless of what they win.

Yeah, there is some ambivalence about the super highway to the NBA, even among UK fans and ex-players.

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article44037912.html

Five of his players being selected in the first round of last week's NBA Draft moved Kentucky Coach John Calipari to make an all-encompassing statement. "I'd like to say it is the biggest day in the history of Kentucky's program," he told ESPN's Heather Coxduring the network's telecast of the draft. "... the biggest day for the University of Kentucky."

Calipari's statement led to another sweeping comment.

"The dumbest thing I've ever heard," said Dan Issel, UK basketball's career scoring leader.

After all, Kentucky has won seven national championships, amassed more victories than any other program and participated in some of the greatest games (think Christian Laettner) and some of the most significant games (think Texas Western).

When radio host Dan Patrick asked Calipari on Friday whether the draft surpassed national championships on a biggest-day scale, Calipari hedged. "It depends on your reference," the UK coach said before acknowledging that his draft-night comment might upset "the old guard" (aka the players, coaches and fans who made Kentucky basketball what it is).

Issel did not sound upset. He sounded amused.

"If the goal is to be a feeder team for the NBA, maybe that was the greatest day," Issel said. "I thought the goal was to win a national championship."

In talking to five former Wildcats and ex-coach Joe B. Hall, not one agreed with Calipari that this year's NBA Draft deserved a biggest-day proclamation.

"For sure the championship is what everybody looks forward to," All-American Cotton Nash said.

"The greatest day is whenever a program wins a national championship," saidKyle Macy, who led UK to one in 1978.

"There's no question about that," All-AmericanKevin Grevey said. "(The draft) was special, but it doesn't top a championship."

**note, this article goes back to 2010, so maybe the Big Blue faithful have adjusted to this new way of Wildcat basketball.

 

[artsandletters]

That is your response to me telling you of my familiarity with Lexington? Puzzling.

I don't particularly care what they do.

They're dead to me.

 

[Connorpozlee]

They're dead to me.

OK. Are all the other programs that utilize one and done (or for that matter, any school that has kids leave before graduating) dead to you as well?

 

[artsandletters]

OK. Are all the other programs that utilize one and done (or for that matter, any school that has kids leave before graduating) dead to you as well?

It's UK's M.O. It's Cal's plan. It's his purpose. It's what they do at UK. It's the only thing they do at UK. You're fine with it. I'm not. You win because it's not gonna change. Okay? Good. No more.

 

[Connorpozlee]

It's UK's M.O. It's Cal's plan. It's his purpose. It's what they do at UK. It's the only thing they do at UK. You're fine with it. I'm not. You win because it's not gonna change. Okay? Good. No more.

It's also Coach K's MO. I assume Duke is dead to you as well.
In all honesty, I think it's ridiculous that kid's are put in a position where it's essentially go to college for a year (or a semester) to hone your basketball skills because there is not another viable option. But if that's the rule that exists, I have no problem for those that work within that setup.

 

[royboy]

It's also Coach K's MO. I assume Duke is dead to you as well.
In all honesty, I think it's ridiculous that kid's are put in a position where it's essentially go to college for a year (or a semester) to hone your basketball skills because there is not another viable option. But if that's the rule that exists, I have no problem for those that work within that setup.

That's a reasonable position. What bothers me is the negative impact it's had on the quality of college basketball and how it detracts from seeing a team develop over a period of years. I recognize that the players should have rights which include the ability to get well compensated for their talent. So it's kind of a selfish perspective that I (and many other college basketball fans) have, but I have preferred college basketball by a large margin over the NBA, and now it's just not the same.

 

[AWS1022]

That's a reasonable position. What bothers me is the negative impact it's had on the quality of college basketball and how it detracts from seeing a team develop over a period of years. I recognize that the players should have rights which include the ability to get well compensated for their talent. So it's kind of a selfish perspective that I (and many other college basketball fans) have, but I have preferred college basketball by a large margin over the NBA, and now it's just not the same.

Nothing beats college basketball in the 80's.

 

[Connorpozlee]

That's a reasonable position. What bothers me is the negative impact it's had on the quality of college basketball and how it detracts from seeing a team develop over a period of years. I recognize that the players should have rights which include the ability to get well compensated for their talent. So it's kind of a selfish perspective that I (and many other college basketball fans) have, but I have preferred college basketball by a large margin over the NBA, and now it's just not the same.

I agree the game is not nearly as sound as it was back when I was younger. But that doesn't really bother me. These kids are being essentially forced to go to college and they are making a ton of money after doing so. Great for them.

 

[Coultr77]

Did he ever coach in the NBA?

How'd he do there?

You know I luv ya Roy.

So is Pitino a bad coach?

 

[Coultr77]

It did not let me finish.

It should have said: No Kentucky player comes to mind that made it BIG TIME in the NBA.

 

[TheGLOV]

So is Pitino a bad coach?

Yep.

 

[Ian]

Looks like Coach Cal added 3 lottery picks to his resume last night. Great seeing him there at the Draft recruiting and owning the floor.....

 

[dbsteel]

I would love to see scholarships tied up for three years, then if you have a one and done you lose that ship for two more years. Then coaches would have to balance how many one and dones they sign. I would like to see guys like Coach Cal have to actually develop some players and keep some guys around.

Excellent idea. This stuff where they rarely step foot in a classroom and quit when the tourney is done is idiotic.

 

[Ian]

prefer a baseball type of thing where you can jump from HS but if you enroll in college, you're in for three years.

 

[artsandletters]

Looks like Coach Cal added 3 lottery picks to his resume last night. Great seeing him there at the Draft recruiting and owning the floor.....

It's a sham.

 

[Ian]

the wolf of wall street!

 

[Obliviax]

I'm an old school guy so I do miss the days when you would see individuals and teams develop over 3-4 years, even the among the most talented, but those days are long gone.

Regarding one and done's:
1. With the dollars and risks involved, if you are a sure Lottery Pick, it makes sense to go if you want.
2. Those guys who are 2nd rounders or not picked, they're likely leaving to play Internationally whether they want to or not. It's still good money and if you have no desire to be in school, you probably shouldn't be.
3. The perennial best teams usually have one or two guys who fit into the one or two and done category because of their superior talent. A team full of them ala Kentucky most recently, will win a lot of games, win conferences, and make a run in the playoffs. But once they get into the Elite 8 and certainly the Final 4, they start running into teams with near or equal talent, but more experience, maturity, and development. That's often where they run into difficulties.

Agree. I've lost interest in college basketball because a) the regular season is almost meaningless with 68 teams getting into the tourney and b) I have no idea who the players on the best teams are because most of the good ones are gone in two years.

Having said that, college is to prepare kids to be able to live a meaningful life and make a good living. These kids from K, will probably make more than everyone on this board combined.

So I can't complain that the rules have eroded my ability to enjoy college basketball.