2010 Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball - 5th edition

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Joseph

Let's not go down the academia road please. EVERY school touts themselves as 'among the best'. UK, U of L, Iona, OSU, Mississippi.

I'd wager most public schools don't have a hill of beans worth of difference in them. We all just want 'ours' to be special because we went there.

That's true, but to RiverRat's point, if the education was truly the most important thing, than the kid wouldn't be going to a public university. But then again Amherst and MIT don't have much in the way of basketball teams.

If the kid's interested in education to the point where he'd spend an extra year doing something he's not being paid for, I'm guessing he wouldn't have chosen Kentucky to do it.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

That's true, but to RiverRat's point, if the education was truly the most important thing, than the kid wouldn't be going to a public university. But then again Amherst and MIT don't have much in the way of basketball teams.

If the kid's interested in education to the point where he'd spend an extra year doing something he's not being paid for, I'm guessing he wouldn't have chosen Kentucky to do it.

If his goal is to receive a good education while playing for the coach who will get him best prepared to play point guard in the NBA, then UK was probably his best choice.

[joshnky]

Originally Posted by WMR

If his goal is to receive a good education while playing for the coach who will get him best prepared to play point guard in the NBA, then UK was probably his best choice.

Not anything against Knight but I imagine that with the academically minded top prospects the goal is more to receive a college education with a top coach. Not that it isn't a good education but they recognize that while college education is important it can be found at any college. With the non-academically minded they clearly don't even care about the college education as evidenced by their grades even with watered down schedules.

Regardless, this is a pointless discussion. Knight is likely a very smart kid but he probably won't finish his degree before he leaves UK anyway.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by joshnky

Not anything against Knight but I imagine that with the academically minded top prospects the goal is more to receive a college education with a top coach. Not that it isn't a good education but they recognize that while college education is important it can be found at any college. With the non-academically minded they clearly don't even care about the college education as evidenced by their grades even with watered down schedules.

Regardless, this is a pointless discussion. Knight is likely a very smart kid but he probably won't finish his degree before he leaves UK anyway.

That's what I was implying.

You can get a good education at any school in the SEC, Big Ten, Big East, wherever... if you're willing to pursue challenging/interesting classes and put in the work. I'm sure Knight knows that. He cares about school and getting his education, but the ultimate goal is the NBA.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by WMR

If his goal is to receive a good education while playing for the coach who will get him best prepared to play point guard in the NBA, then UK was probably his best choice.

I agree with that, but it makes it unlikely that he'll stay more than one year which is where the discussion was headed.

If he does stay more than one year, it won't be because of a dedication to education, but rather because he feels he can improve his draft stock.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

I agree with that, but it makes it unlikely that he'll stay more than one year which is where the discussion was headed.

If he does stay more than one year, it won't be because of a dedication to education, but rather because he feels he can improve his draft stock.

See that's where I disagree a little bit. I think he could be motivated by both:

a) better preparing himself for the NBA

and

b) getting his degree in 2 years (or nearly so)

I think he would have had those goals anywhere, but it makes it easier for him to stay that extra year at UK because of the tutelage that he is receiving.

It's all just supposition in the end.

Hopefully he'll be a 4 year player, just like the rest of his teammates.

[WVRed]

Apparently Anthony Davis has made his decision, but won't announce until he finishes up his visits at Ohio St and Syracuse.

He just visited Kentucky this past weekend, so the speculation is that UK is the favorite. Also visited DePaul, but there is no interest.

[cumberlandreds]

As you UK fans know the Cats will be playing three games in Canada next weekend. I just found out that Fox Sports South will be televising all three games. They will be broadcast statewide in Kentucky too if you don't get this channel. Below is my e-mail I got back from them:

Thank you for taking the time to write. For regular season games, we have to restrict distribution of men's basketball games to the SEC footprint, which does not include Virginia. However, those restrictions do not apply for "preseason" games, so we plan to televise all three games from Canada to our entire coverage area. If you have DirecTV's sports package, you will be able to view these games. Thank you for writing.

BTW,it's channels 646 if you get DTV's sports pack.

[Cedric]

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‘Report’ Alleges Kentucky Paid for Davis; Durand Johnson Announces Top Six

By Adam Zagoria on August 04, 2010, 4:29PM

A completely unsubstantiated report from the Chicago Sun-Times alleges that Kentucky paid $200,000 to get Anthony Davis, a 6-foot-10 rising senior from Chicago Perspectives Charter.

“We haven’t asked anyone for anything and no one has offered us anything,” Anthony Davis Sr. told the paper.

Davis Sr. did not answer a phonecall or text message Wednesday afternoon.

Jevon Maymon, Davis”s AAU coach, said by text, “I don’t know anything about this.”

The Sun-Times offered no concrete evidence or proof that Kentucky paid for Davis, who burst onto the national scene this spring and summer after growing eight inches in the last year.

The paper cited “rumors/sources” on its Website, offering no evidence of the payment.

“It’s a little unfair for a kid to have to listen to those type of rumors if they aren’t true,” recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen told the Sun-Times.

No kidding.

Davis Sr. said his son has chosen a school, but will not disclose which one.

The Sun-Times and a Kentucky blog cite unnamed sources saying he has chosen Kentucky.

Davis said at the Peach Jam that his final three were Kentucky, Ohio State and Syracuse. He has visited the first two, but not Syracuse.

He also visited DePaul unofficially Monday, but it remains unclear if the Blue Demons are in the mix.

“Yes, it’s the LeBron wait and see time,” the father said Tuesday night by text, indicating that everyone must wait and see what his son announces.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Cedric

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‘Report’ Alleges Kentucky Paid for Davis; Durand Johnson Announces Top Six

By Adam Zagoria on August 04, 2010, 4:29PM

A completely unsubstantiated report from the Chicago Sun-Times alleges that Kentucky paid $200,000 to get Anthony Davis, a 6-foot-10 rising senior from Chicago Perspectives Charter.

W-E-A-K. I went to the mat defending the earlier NY Times piece. That piece had sources and was reporting on facts.

WMR, as a primer, this is what you're talking about when you say newspapers are going down hill. I wouldn't wipe my backside with that report.

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

W-E-A-K. I went to the mat defending the earlier NY Times piece. That piece had sources and was reporting on facts.

WMR, as a primer, this is what you're talking about when you say newspapers are going down hill. I wouldn't wipe my backside with that report.

It is weak. Even if it comes out true later they shouldn't have published it.

[WVRed]

UK threatened a lawsuit and the story was completely rewritten.

These are probably the same sources who claimed Cal was coming to coach the Bulls.

[WMR]

http://www.ukathletics.com/auto_pdf/..._0804_response

[Cedric]

Chicago Sun-Times now citing sources "from three separate universities" saying Anthony Davis Sr. asked for money - LINK (asked for $125,000-$150,000)

Sun-Times standing by story that Kentucky paid for 6-10 Anthony Davis.

NCAA has called Chicago Sun Times asking for where they received their info.

[Scrap Irony]

A Kentucky message board claims that Rick Pitino and Pat Forde are behind the stories (NY Times and Chicago Sun-Times) that have emerged alleging violations between recruits and Cal/UK. They're doing this because Pitino and company are looking for a way to get Calipari into court to cross examine him so that they can ruin his reputation. That same message board is also claimed a third article in the series will allege that WWW was the "bag man" that gave the cash to the Davis family.

Sadly, I could believe both parts of this ridiculous soap opera. One, that Pitino and Forde-- a prima donna who has been so far up Pitino's backside that he has to slide left when the TP comes into view-- would have the temerity to think and implement it, and, two, that Kentucky may be cheating. (Though the $200,000 figure is beyond ignorant. Most whispers of improper benefits involve used cars and spending money only.)