Starting 5 for UK NBA bound ...
- Thread starter grandpa jones
- Start date
For the last decade or so, they've been in a repeated cycle of going deep in the tournament, everyone goes pro, they pull in an amazing class, and then they're great again in 2-3 years.
The big difference, of course, is that Florida's, Carolina's, and even Kansas's vaunted classes still do not touch what Kentucky is pulling in every year with Cal. Last year, Cal landed the #1 PG, the #1 SF, the #1 PF, and I guess he threw a scholarship away on the #7 PF for good measure. The fact that there are actually people out there that believe that he does all of this legitimately is hysterical.
The big difference, of course, is that Florida's, Carolina's, and even Kansas's vaunted classes still do not touch what Kentucky is pulling in every year with Cal. Last year, Cal landed the #1 PG, the #1 SF, the #1 PF, and I guess he threw a scholarship away on the #7 PF for good measure. The fact that there are actually people out there that believe that he does all of this legitimately is hysterical.
Big D said:
While everybody else is slipping car keys and pocket change to their star players, Cal is making them go on national TV to announce they are about to bemillionaires. Which is very attactive to the Class of 2012 who want to be the center of next year's press conference.
And until the NBA drops that silly rule requiring kids to go to college for a year, that model ain't gonna change in Lexington. The UK basketball brand has always generated $$$$$$ - even in the Tubby/Billy the Drunk eras. But the revenue the program has been generating since Calipari arrived is off the charts. So the powers that be at the University aren't going to rock that boat.</p>
He does run the riskof what has happened to him in the past - a player jumps the gun with an agent without the school knowing about it (Camby)or some deal a kid does with a street agent makes him ineligible after the fact (Rose).
I seriously doubt Calipari goes around the country slipping $100 bills into mama's cookie jar. He more than likely takes an accountant with him to show Mom what Junior's Balance Sheet will look like after a year or two of college ball.</p>
For the record, I think Calipari is full of **** about half the time. But who am I to criticize him when he has the best sales pitch in the game?</p>
What do you think he's doing? Do you think he's throwing a couple hundred grand a player around?Do you really think WWW is funnelling pocket change to these kids?Seinfeld said:
Like I've said before, he'sploppingcopies ofDerrick Rose's contract onMomma's kitchen table- saying that could be your kidin a couple of years.
Off the top of my head, he's had 15 kids become millionaires after playing for him - 10 of them were one-and-dones.
Would those guys have made it had they gone to Washington State? Yep.
But wouldyou use the list on the recruiting trail? Yep.
No, I think Cal's smarter than that. If he did get into the bidding business or if he was in it at one time, even the most prestigious programs can be outbid. There's no guarantee when it comes to that game. The thing that Cal has always done better and to a greater extent than anyone else is that he focuses on the people that influence the players, not the the players themselves. Maybe that's WWW, maybe it's the AAU/high school coaches, maybe it's a player's best friend's great aunt. Whatever the case, Cal has the network in place to know who it is and who he needs to win over. On the surface, there ain't a thing wrong with that but if you think he pulls all of that off with a smile and pointing to Derrick Rose on tv, you're crazy.Ol Blue said:
Bill Self, Coach K, Roy Williams, or Billy Donovan could all do that also with their own lists of NBA stars. None of them pull in these absurd classes every year. I don't disagree with you that Cal has a great sales pitch to offer. Winning titles and turning kids into millionaires makes that a pretty easy thing, but there are a lot of coaches over the years that have had the opportunity to give that same pitch and they weren't able to come close to doing what Cal is doing in recruiting. Believe what you want, but anyone who thinks the difference is just that Cal is a better talker is kidding themselves.
Actually yes, I do. Not him literally, but the money is getting in their hands in some way, and while I am sure Cal stays far enough away to deny knowledge, he's for sure picking the players he wants to offer. From there WWW, who has already wowed these guys with his connections, puts things to bed. I will tell you what I don't believe - that Cal is that much better of a recruiter than every other coach in America. In history for that matter.Ol Blue said:
Does Derrick Rose's contract have a big X on the bottom of it? Written in crayon? I guess when you are cashing the checks it doesn't matter.
DawgatAuburn said:
How many in the '11, '10, and '09 classes were brought in by Wes? Who exactly in each class? The way you phrased it, Wes brought all of em.
it's just a domino effect with Kentucky and Calipari. He started it at Memphis with Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans. He took his success at Memphis and his signed players with him to Kentucky and it landed him John Wall. At this point his dominoes are already in full motion. He's already done the hard work. The players are doing the rest. They are living up to their part of the deal by being excellent right away. He simply isn't missing on these players. If he had just one class that had been a bust since 2008 it wouldn't be like this. Problem is all these players are excellent and are being drafted right away. It sells the next class. Who wouldn't sign with Kentucky at this point. One year, major press, major minutes, major talent around you, guaranteed major dollars after one year. I (Calipari) give you this. You (signee) give me one year of amazing basketball play with no problems. They all sign up and both parties have been honoring what they guaranteed every time since 2008.
who does he hug next?WWW, that's who.who does he hug next? a co-founder of NIKE.mstateglfr said:
now, i don't have a clue how these kids aregetting their benefits, but i will say that myconspiracy theoryinvolves Cal working both the players and the corporationsin the seats behind the bench. Cal shouldn't have to shell out a dime at this point. all he has to doispromise to deliver certain players to certain organizations(i.e. Nike, Adidas, etc) and promise to get the kids where they all want to be, the almighty NBA. the endorsement companies are all competing for these kids and certainly are willing to shell out some benefits to the families if it's a player they want wearing their logo. and WWW is in there somewhere - we all know it.
I should haveput more clarity around the 15 millionaires I referred to. That's 15 millionairesin the last 5 years -since the NBA put in the requirement that you have to play college ball for at least a year.Seinfeld said:
He jumped all overthat and embraced it before anybody else. Given UK's basketball history, you would think the administration would resist that approach. But Calipari's presence has added so much to the brand, they can't help but accept it.
I've said all along that UK's players probably get the same perks that they do at other schools. But the reason they are flocking to Calis that he EMBRACES and ENCOURAGES the one-and-done concept.
Frankly, you are one of the last posters here that I would expect to understand a big picture.DawgatAuburn said:
More evidence that you don't know <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">everything</span> much of anything. I guess when I get under your skin like that you have to immediately resort to personal insults. So predictable.Ol Blue said:
But I don't fault Cal for essentially giving the NCAA the sport equivalent of the middle finger with his revolving door of mercenaries.<div>An article on the subject for the interested with this zinger:</div><div><span style="color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; ">
</span></div><div>and if you want to see what happens up here when anything short of "UK and Cal are awesome and I hope they repeat next year" is written, just click on "view comments."</div>
Because every single poster quoted the previous poster. Therefore, nothing but the same post showed up every time I rolled my mouse over a post.
And I'm too damn lazy to click the thing and read it.... though I'm not too lazy to click it to reply.
Back to whatever y'all were talking about.
And I'm too damn lazy to click the thing and read it.... though I'm not too lazy to click it to reply.
Back to whatever y'all were talking about.