12-14 losses per year will do that.Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS
That's not going to happen.
Jesus, UK fans have become the most pessimistic people on Earth the past few years.
12-14 losses per year will do that.
That's not going to happen.
Jesus, UK fans have become the most pessimistic people on Earth the past few years.
Who is willing to bet that Billy Gillispie would never do this?
http://www.amnews.com/public_html/?m...31&format=html
Vaught's Views: Calipari supports Meeks, Patterson, but hopes to coach them next year
By LARRY VAUGHT
larry@amnews.com
LEXINGTON -- John Calipari would like to coach Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson.
Who wouldn’t?
Meeks led the Southeastern Conference in scoring last year at almost 25 points per game and was one of nation’s top 3-point and free throw shooters. Patterson is a brute inside who averaged almost a double-double -- 17.9 points, 9.3 rebounds -- per game.
Add a couple of star recruits to those returning players and Kentucky could go from playing in the NIT this season to a top 15 team going into next season.
Yet Calipari was sincere Wednesday when he said he fully embraced both players putting their name into the NBA draft to see what market value they have, especially since neither is hiring an agent to safeguard their collegiate eligibility.
“I think both he (Patterson) and Jodie should go for it. I have talked to them about the process. Obviously, I lived it. I drafted players in the NBA. I know what can hurt them, so I am going to talk to them about it,” said Calipari, a former head coach with the NBA’s New Jersey Nets.
“I hope I get a chance to coach them. I think they have improved themselves in their position, but they have to do what is right for them and their families. That’s why I said you have to go about recruiting not really knowing who is here and who is not. That is going to be a yearly thing for us I believe.”
A yearly thing? At Kentucky?
Now won’t that be a change.
It got to that point when Rick Pitino had the Big Blue rolling and players like Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer left early for the NBA.
Tubby Smith had players leave -- Rajon Rondo, Kelenna Azubuike, Randolph Morris -- but he never embraced their decisions. Instead, Smith eventually chose to quit recruiting players he thought might leave early in their careers.
Calipari doesn’t mind players leaving. If anything, he’s all for it and that’s why he wants UK fans to understand an early departure to the NBA is not a bad thing.
“If those two choose to go now, I will be all for them. I will be disappointed because I want to coach them, but none of us should be mad,” Calipari said before Wednesday’s practice. “This is about a decision they make for themselves and their family.
“I am going to tell all you folks (in the media) sitting here. Every year we are going to be doing this. There is going to be a guy in here for one year and he’s going to make that decision.
“Don’t be mad. Be happy for him and his family and we will go get another guy that may only stay one year. Then we will have guys stay for four years and then go on to pro careers hopefully or careers otherwise.”
Think Calipari knew highly-touted, and unsigned, recruits John Wall, Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins might read those comments since all three hope to be one-and-done players at the college level?
It’s not like Calipari is pushing Meeks and Patterson out the door.
“I think they are talented. They have a chance (to be drafted),” he said.
However, he said both need to evaluate where they will be drafted because the higher they are chosen, the better odds they have of staying in the league.
“When you start talking later in the draft or second round, there’s just a small, small percentage that make it,” Calipari said.
He says both will avoid pre-draft camps in Chicago and Orlando because he’s seen players play there, decide to return to college and never overcome the impression they made on NBA personnel then.
“They (NBA personnel) will never change their minds. I can say that because I drafted players (for the New Jersey Nets). You do not want to put yourself out there like that,” Calipari said.
The new UK coach pushed both players in Wednesday’s practice. He made Meeks do the same fullcourt drill three times to open practice. However, when he went through a drill “with the game on the line,” he called Meeks from the back of the line to the court to take the imaginary game-winning shot.
He also challenged Patterson’s ballhandling and running.
“What I am saying to Patrick right now is that I want him to play like he’s a guard. If the game is on the line, where is he going to be? He is going to be right there next to the basket. I told him that. In the interim, you can’t be that size and play in that league standing under the basket. You can’t do it,” Calipari said.
The coach had new T-shirts made for his players honoring Meeks’ 54-point game at Tennessee in January. The blue practice shirts were a reminder to players of the performance they witnessed.
“Jodie is one of the great people I have been around. Not only that, he is an unbelievable leader,” Calipari said. “He has the ability to shoot and make free throws. When you have the ability to beat people on the bounce and just go, his game is going to ... He could be a lottery pick.”
And the first of many lottery picks that Calipari wants to bring to Kentucky.
Copyright:The Advocate-Messenger 2009
Cal is THE MAN.
Anyone else tired of waiting for the recruits? Just wish Wall and Henry would sign already.
Yeah I wish I had a sackful of hundred dollar bills too.
This should make you feel better.
http://ukbasketball.bloginky.com/
Heralded wing prospect Xavier Henry and his brother C.J. plan to visit UK the weekend of April 25-26, the players’ father said on Wednesday.
Xavier (pronounced Za-vee-a) signed with Memphis. C.J. was a walk-on with the Tigers last season.
UK is the only school the brothers will visit, Carl Henry said. They have already seen the other two schools on their list, Kansas (their parents’ alma mater) and Memphis.
“If it was me, I don’t need to look (at UK), if I want to play for Coach Calipari,” the players’ father said. “They want to see the campus. They’ve heard a lot about it.”Carl Henry sounded anxious to finish the recruiting process. When asked if the visit should be interpreted as UK as the leader, he said. “If it as me, definitely. My sons change their minds all the time.”
My Lord, if we DID happen to get Wall, Henry, and Orton to go along with Cousins and Hood, would that be the best recruiting class ever?
You've got 4 guys there who are pretty much locks to play in the league, with 3 of them extremely likely to be lottery picks.
I would really like to judge the quality of the recruiting class based on how they perform in college rather than where they get drafted. That said, unlikely anyone will ever top 91 Michigan. Though their validity is dubious at best. 06 UNC also looks pretty good.
When all is said and done more is said than done.
I agree on ultimately judging them on how they perform in college. Was just using that as a handy/easy way to discuss their potential as of right now.
Oh, come on now, WilyMo. You could take some of that John Deere money out of the bank and have you a sackful of hundred dollar bills tomorrow if you wanted.Yeah I wish I had a sackful of hundred dollar bills too.
LOL!!Oh, come on now, WilyMo. You could take some of that John Deere money out of the bank and have you a sackful of hundred dollar bills tomorrow if you wanted.
You must be thinking of my old man.
The LHL is sating that NIKE had these shirts made and they were delivered to UK a couple of days after Meeks 54 point game. They sat in boxes all this time because BG wouldn't give them out.
When asked why the shirts sat boxed and undisturbed in UK's Joe Craft Center for three months, Nike representative Martin Newton said, "You'd have to ask Billy Gillispie about that."
Gillispie could not be reached for comment.
http://www.kentucky.com/818/story/762652.html
Reds Fan Since 1971
Oden, Conley, Cook, Lighty
The 2nd best class of 2006.Oden, Conley, Cook, Lighty
When all is said and done more is said than done.
This is only giving more and more validation to what I speculated about the rift between Gillispie and Meeks.
I don't know if it was because Gillispie wanted to be recognized for the coaching glory or if he was trying to fight to keep his own job (which could be debatable even with the hot start in SEC play at the time), but this is really sad IMO.
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