One and not done -ESPN documentary about Calipari

[denverexpat]

By no means am I a fan of Calipari.

However, the documentary is well done and shows that he does have a deep caring for the players he has in his program. As a coach he connects with his team and gets more out of them and for that I tip my cap. His turnaround at Umass was remarkable. However, he operates in the grey areas of what is and isnt right....ignorance is not the strongest defense for any accusation. Was he complicit in the Camby/Rose violations? its hard to say.

The final part of the documentary deals with the OAD phenomena. Capilari is blatantly honest that his role is NOT to win National Championships but to prepare the players to get into the NBA. Its not about the legacy of the program or the history at KY or the College game....his sole motivation is getting them a job in the NBA. If he happens to win a NC along the way then thats a bonus.

This is what resonates year over year with the elite talent and why he gets a lot of the OAD's. Honesty. He gets players taken in the first round at a higher rate than any other coach. His network of influencers, former players and NBA contacts is hard to beat so no wonder players go to KY if the NBA is their dream.

Love him or hate him he has changed the college game forever and until the NBA reverses the ludicrous age rule of 19, his MO will continue....and our program, UNC and KS to name a few will have to match him or lose. It has to be a conscious decision to chase the OAD knowing that competing for a National Championship is an anomaly rather than likely recruiting the elite OAD players.

I recommend you watch the documentary if you are a College fan because it points out the flaws in current rules and has some great insights into how today's BB world works.

 

[jnastasi]

Completely agree. Really well made documentary. It's no I Hate CL but it's really good. Gained a lot of respect for Cal after watching it. I'd pay to be a fly in the wall when he's pitching a kid. With that said I still think he's as shady as they come. Maybe not as much anymore because he doesn't really need to be but UMass/Memphis was pretty blatant in my opinion.

 

[SwatX1]

Is it longer than 5'? Because I don't think I can stomach more than 5' of him. I also wont buy into any spoken word or print that winning a national championship isn't one of his highest priorities. If that's really the case, why recruit the OAD? They are going to the NBA no matter where they play. If that's his real motivation, then recruit the 3 star players who really need his help to get there.

 

[Laettner]

Caught the show and thought it was very well done. Cal is a complex guy & the statement regarding preparing players for NBA over winning titles must irk old school KY fans. OAD has changed the college game for the worse but NBA loves it b/c players are now household names on draft night(Monk, fox, Tatum, Giles etc...).

 

[Voldukie]

Question...Well first, I am not a Cal fan...I think he is a slimeball....but according to the info the One and Not Done Doc, does anyone else think he was screwed royally by Camby? Cant believe they maintain such a close relationship.

 

[2 skerz 3_rivals208847]

Question...Well first, I am not a Cal fan...I think he is a slimeball....but according to the info the One and Not Done Doc, does anyone else think he was screwed royally by Camby? Cant believe they maintain such a close relationship.

hahaha The reason they have such a close relationship is because Camby fell on the sword for him. You scratch my back I scratch yours......

 

[dukiejay]

The documentary was outstanding. Most of the 30 for 30 shows are great....this was no exception. Now I must admit, I'm not as anti-Calipari as most seem to be here. He has his nuances that bug me, but all in all, I think he's a good guy who cares about his kids. Of course, how he left Memphis and UMass raise red flags, and they should....but when watching the documentary I tried to leave that in the back of my mind. Kudos to ESPN....they did another fine job.

 

[Dattier]

...The final part of the documentary deals with the OAD phenomena. Capilari is blatantly honest that his role is NOT to win National Championships but to prepare the players to get into the NBA. Its not about the legacy of the program or the history at KY or the College game....his sole motivation is getting them a job in the NBA. If he happens to win a NC along the way then thats a bonus.

This is what resonates year over year with the elite talent and why he gets a lot of the OAD's. Honesty...

I don't like Calipari, but I respect him, and considering the context, that's far more important.

I take issue with this, though. Yes, looking out for players' well-being and future is central to the job coaches do. While it is honest in the sense that it is truthful, I question its integrity as a valid focus. The end result of getting to the pros should be the result of other, more important steps along the way. Certainly that can be clarified behind closed doors, but I don't like the message that overlooks the process for the shiny reward.

 

[dukephysics]

I don't like Calipari, but I respect him, and considering the context, that's far more important.

I take issue with this, though. Yes, looking out for players' well-being and future is central to the job coaches do. While it is honest in the sense that it is truthful, I question its integrity as a valid focus. The end result of getting to the pros should be the result of other, more important steps along the way. Certainly that can be clarified behind closed doors, but I don't like the message that overlooks the process for the shiny reward.

But for many of these kids, their achievements in college are way down the list on importance compared to the NBA. If that's true for some kids, then Cal's style would be very appealing. Coach K wants to win at this level and I think kids come to Duke knowing that their NBA aspirations come second to winning at Duke. It's the other way around at Kentucky. I find it refreshing that Cal (and Coach K) is at least honest with the kids. I guess Coach K looks at being a Duke player is the job (you win while you're here) and Cal looks at Kentucky as the training ground for the job (lets get you to your goal - the NBA). I don't have a problem with either approach. Though I am glad I'm a Duke fan and not a Kentucky fan.

 

[Dattier]

But for many of these kids, their achievements in college are way down the list on importance compared to the NBA. If that's true for some kids, then Cal's style would be very appealing. Coach K wants to win at this level and I think kids come to Duke knowing that their NBA aspirations come second to winning at Duke. It's the other way around at Kentucky. I find it refreshing that Cal (and Coach K) is at least honest with the kids. I guess Coach K looks at being a Duke player is the job (you win while you're here) and Cal looks at Kentucky as the training ground for the job (lets get you to your goal - the NBA). I don't have a problem with either approach. Though I am glad I'm a Duke fan and not a Kentucky fan.

Not that this is what happens w/ UK, but there is potential for that philosophy, as it is presented, to lead to sacrificing team success for individual gain, and I don't agree w/ that at all.

I haven't seen the doc yet. Maybe there is context that makes it better, but as a sound bite, the message is twisted, at the very least.

 

[denverexpat]

I think that you cannot serve two masters - its either an NBA waiting room with a chance to win a national championship, due to sheer talent, as a secondary goal OR you want a college program that promotes both academics and basketball equally for the student athlete. Mixing the two goals leads to mediocrity since the players have conflicting goals in my opinion- evidenced by recent Duke teams that had talent but were early round exits ( 2015 being an anomaly). Either way, its an unenviable choice for college coaches to have to make.
John Wall even points it out in the documentary - blue blood programs have changed to try to compete with Cal's philosophy...which many believe is bad for College BB.

 

[denverexpat]

Not that this is what happens w/ UK, but there is potential for that philosophy, as it is presented, to lead to sacrificing team success for individual gain, and I don't agree w/ that at all.

I haven't seen the doc yet. Maybe there is context that makes it better, but as a sound bite, the message is twisted, at the very least.

Cal does promote the team concept - however, it is slanted to how to get the entire team to the NBA ...."take them with you" is his line to the best players....get everyone to the NBA...a twisted team concept but in line with his stated goals for his program

 

[dukiejay]

John Wall even points it out in the documentary - blue blood programs have changed to try to compete with Cal's philosophy...which many believe is bad for College BB.

I still don't think this is something that Cal owns, though. There was a major paradigm shift in college basketball when the 'one year rule' was implemented. Teams aren't trying to compete with the theory that Cal came up with this one-and-done mantra....

Looks at Duke, for example. Our recruiting really hasn't changed. Neither has Carolina's. Both programs still recruit the top kids in each class just about every season. It just so happens the kids we're landing today we weren't landing in the mid-to-late 2000s. Now you're seeing Carolina going through the same thing....and oddly, it's helped them.

We were considered, at one time, the heavy favorite to land Brandan Wright. Same with Greg Monroe. We recruited John Wall and Brandon Knight, and were considered a longtime leader for Knight's services. Losing Wright and Monroe opened us up to the Plumlee pipeline.

What has ballooned more than anything is the idea today that the top high school players are, in fact, one-and-done talents. The next tier of players are chastised, or the program is, for allowing kids to stays two, three, or heaven forbid, four years in college.

While I agree that Cal was more out front and vocally open to the one-and-done shift we see so prevalent today, I don't think he was innovative. But 10 years ago, there were a handful of guys who were potentially one-and-done. Today? Well, how many freshmen are leaving after a single season? It has to be at least dozen, right? Even next year's high school class, down greatly versus this year's class, will probably have another 10-to-12 leaving after one season.

So, yes, Cal has had influence. But ultimately, I think it's the overall paradigm shift we've watched evolve the last decade or so that is the bigger factor. JMO.

 

[topps coach]

The documentary was outstanding. Most of the 30 for 30 shows are great....this was no exception. Now I must admit, I'm not as anti-Calipari as most seem to be here. He has his nuances that bug me, but all in all, I think he's a good guy who cares about his kids. Of course, how he left Memphis and UMass raise red flags, and they should....but when watching the documentary I tried to leave that in the back of my mind. Kudos to ESPN....they did another fine job.

Really looking for the one in June about the Celtics vs Lakers rivalry

 

[poppycat]

Is it longer than 5'? Because I don't think I can stomach more than 5' of him. I also wont buy into any spoken word or print that winning a national championship isn't.........;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;................... one of ............................................his highest priorities. If that's really the case, why recruit the OAD? They are going to the NBA no matter where they play. If that's his real motivation, then recruit the 3 star players who really need his help to get there.

Friend, you have it right.........one of..........not # 1
BTW, many (if not most) Uk fans dislike his priorities also..including me.

Again, FWIW, I liked the short lived annual scholly cap or total 2/3 yr cap.
Limits the number of OADs.

 

[RanDEVILman]

I agree that it's a team game, and therefore tondo it right, which is not some traditional definition of the word, but the literal since of right, requires you to play as a team. Therefore anything that takes away from the team is wrong. That said, you can still have a goal to send guys to the NBA, but it misses the point of promoting the best form of basketball. Even in the NBA you see the best teams win. I also think Cal is very slick. Everytime I hear him talk I like what he says....But that may be his sales pitch

 

[GAAP_rivals]

How much time was spent covering Cal's legendary paranoia?

 

[CatsPaws270]

I'm glad I could come on here and get a respectable reaction. I know our fans aren't the best when it comes to respect for coach K, but I love the way he coaches and puts out a classy team every year. (I was born 1 year after the Laettner shot so I'll never understand the hate).

I hope one day we can meet in the tournament with 2 top teams and set some ratings records and do it all again like 1992. (Sorry we did not hold up our end of the deal in 2015 haha)

 

[1473]

I'm glad I could come on here and get a respectable reaction. I know our fans aren't the best when it comes to respect for coach K, but I love the way he coaches and puts out a classy team every year. (I was born 1 year after the Laettner shot so I'll never understand the hate).

I hope one day we can meet in the tournament with 2 top teams and set some ratings records and do it all again like 1992. (Sorry we did not hold up our end of the deal in 2015 haha)

And 1978

 

[TheDude1]

I'm glad I could come on here and get a respectable reaction. I know our fans aren't the best when it comes to respect for coach K, but I love the way he coaches and puts out a classy team every year. (I was born 1 year after the Laettner shot so I'll never understand the hate).

I hope one day we can meet in the tournament with 2 top teams and set some ratings records and do it all again like 1992. (Sorry we did not hold up our end of the deal in 2015 haha)

It seems most reasonable UK fans who come here get reasonable conversation. Duke fans do tend to be reasonable.