Let's see..... NCAA has a "case" come up (Memphis).....and the coach with the reigns is also the only coach who's ever had a final 4 vacated. Now....I don't know about you.....but I'd "kinda" expect someone I slapped silly a few years ago to conduct his program to a "little" HIGHER std.. Call me crazy. Does the NCAA look upon some programs/coaches differently than they do others? Well hell yeah! I'd hope they do. Do we look at repeat offenders differently in the US judicial system? Why?
EXACT same scenarios, only one involves the beloved Coach K and his reputation which can't be tarnished (for the NCAA's sake). They immediately dismiss the Duke "case" and immediately Vacate the season for the Memphis "case". Let's say I generically describe a scenario to you, that a freshman player came to a school, helped them to a Final Game, left for the NBA, and was later found ineligible by the NCAA. Would you guess I was describing Memphis or Duke? WHY the vastly different end results? (btw, you don't have to answer the last one, because everyone knows WHY Duke wasn't punished). Now....I don't know about you....but I'd "kinda" expect someone toted as running the cleanest program in the country to conduct his program to a "little" HIGHER std.... Call me crazy.
Now wait....'cause I stopped reading, right here..... Coach K had a final 4 vacated, due to violations.....prior to what you're talking about?????
Dang. Heady company, there! It should also be noted that Memphis was no stranger to NCAA sanctions....even before they hired Calipari. They've had 22 NCAA tournament appearances......and had SIX of them vacated. It's like hiring a drunk to work the counter at the liquore store. Ya know Josh.....if I didn't LIKE UK....it wouldn't bother me at all that they hired Calipari. But, I DO like the history (the good part of it). I think there's about 10 programs in college basketball that are bigger than the game. UK is (was,.....in my mind) one of them (despite some hiccups, through the years). I expect such from some schools. I didn't from UK. It makes me think.....IS winning at ALL COSTS.....that important? Do you think Calipari could have taken over the Duke program.....if K had retired? UNC? Stanford? Notre Dame? I'm NOT anti UK (far from it). But, they sure surprised me in this instance. Would "I" rather they (and "like" schools) go a different route (even if that meant they didn't rise to prominence SO quickly)? Well.....yeah. After all, what good (in the long run) is a vacated season(s)? Why do we think things are going to be different, there? Is history not an awesome teacher?
Cal's supposed mistake is a SAME mistake Coach K has committed.....EXACTLY the same scenario. It isn't his fault the NCAA felt they couldn't afford to lose K's unblemished demeanor. It would flip the NCAA world upside down, and we can't have that. I just find it hypocritical to scrutinize ONE coach for mistakes that many others have made. Roy Williams has been knowingly involved with NCAA infractions, Bill Self has been brought up as well. Jim Calhoun has been under investigation last year. Coach K made it to the final game with an ineligible player......ALL the great coaches of this era have blemishes, only Cal has been punished and scrutinized for them. He is a hell of a coach and recruiter, and from what I can tell is a good man as well. It'll take solid proof for me to ever change that opinion of him (which began with his days at Memphis). Oh yea, btw, 12-0! :D UK2K baby!
Trev.... Denial....is not a river in Egypt. The NCAA "record" on infractions is extremely public. I'm accusing Calipari of nothing that hasn't been noted and addressed. My question is.....WHY do you think it's going to be any different at UK? Or....do you care?
My Question is WHY has there been such a discrepancy in who is punished for identical infractions? One is touted by yourself as well as the NCAA in general for running a clean program, the other is labeled a cheater and punished for it. I'm not it Denial over anything. Cal had 2 final fours vacated, that sucks for both schools! All I'm saying is, there is nothing he could have realistically done to prevent these infractions besides not recruit these elite players. You can't compete at a top level without recruiting top talent, and ALL major programs recruit this talent with the risk that a select few of them won't play by the rules with the sole intention of making the NBA and making money. Sucks for Cal that 2 of these all stars played for his squad. Others have been found as well, such as Corey Maggette, but because they played for a Coach who can't be afforded to be slandered, it was quickly swept under the rug. Players exist that don't want/care to play by the rules, Cal was lucky enough to snag two of these. Could happen to him again at Kentucky, just as easily as it can happen to Coach K AGAIN, or Roy at UNC, or Self at KU, or Barnes at Texas.....with these schools landing the primo talent, it's only a matter of time before the next one is found to have cheated. Let's just hope it's at a program the NCAA deems worthy of punishing.
And you don't see the NCAA's side.....which is...if you're gonna play with fire, expect the burns to be severe? Calipari rides the razor's edge of plausible deniability. It's bitten him in the ass, twice. Who knows how much the man knew (in those cases)??????? Who knows how much he knew that we (or, the NCAA) never found out about??? IMO...what the NCAA is telling Calipari (and those he works for) is......WE KNOW you're riding that edge.....and we WILL hold your feet to the fire. It's no different in our judicial system. We treat repeat offenders differently than we do those who have no HISTORY of wrong-doing. Common sense, if you asked me (and the US judicial system....AND the NCAA).
I love Bobby Knight! "When my time on earth is gone and my activities here are passed, I want them to bury me upside down so my critics can kiss my ass!" Classic!!!
.....unless we grant you and your program a fire proof suit for being Duke. I mean, some people shouldn't realistically realize that they are playing with fire. Your point holds NO validity without agreeing Duke should be punished in the same fashion as the UMASS or Memphis incidents. You don't hold this opinion, because Coach K is clean and Coach Cal is dirty. I get it, its fine, it's just not a valid point. I have NO problem with punishing programs for these situations if it was more realistic and more universal standards in the punishments.
There is. And, you know it. If Calipari was AS clean......I'm betting neither of the vacated final 4's would have occurred. You're just not getting it. There's a LARGE contingency (incl the NCAA????) that thinks Calipari's dirty as a hog's ass. But....you have some (hint-hint) who think he's "fine", because he's never been caught....excuse me....convicted. Aren't you glad your parents didn't share this train of thought? 12 years ago, they could've taken the family vacation to Neverland Ranch, and left you there for a few days with 'ol Peter Pan himself. I mean....he hadn't been convicted of anything. He had to be innocent. Right?
THAT'S MY POINT! And it clouds their judgment! His involvement alone got Memphis put on probation, not that the situation deserved it (whether it does or doesn't). Coach K had the EXACT same thing happen, recruited an elite player, who later came up as a cheater and ineligible, dirty as a hog's ass some might say. No repercussions because it isn't Cal. Look I'm not saying Cal hasn't recruited two players that have been caught cheating the system, I'm saying he realistically couldn't have prevented it AND other major coaches with flawless reps have done the EXACT same thing with zero repercussions. If we are going by ridiculous analogies of Michael Jackson, then I've officially exited this conversation. Your points usually tend to spiral off topic when they lose most of their validity.
Trev... The fact that you don't understand (or, better....you don't agree) the analogy has little to do with its' validity. So Michael was clean.............................too? Golly gee, Beav......that's a swell outllook! Maybe you can snatch up a UK "NCAA Champs" shirt, before the disappearing ink dries. And....maybe that scenario is palatable for UK fans. Thankfully, it isn't....at a lot of schools.
That depends on what your definition of "is" is. Remember.....Bill did NOT have sex with that woman (unless it can be proven).....and he never inhaled. You believe(d) him...................................dontcha?
I remember watching this the night it happened. It still cracks me up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6jUpHClybQ
