Be careful what you wish for is the most repeated phrase on radio, tv and podcast this week. Now that you've read it, proceed.
I don't care much for the intention of that particular phrase. Why put a limit on wishes? Wishes can lead to greatness. Wish on my friends!
But I digress.
An unexpected wish came true for many former Kentucky basketball fans when John Calipari decided to take the show elsewhere. Those who didn't share that wish are lamenting the end of an era. Clueless talking heads in all the media have taken to the airwaves clucking how the BBN ran off a hall of fame coach.
LIke it's the first time. Ha!
Big Blue Nation has wished much better coaches than John Calipari to be gone, including the guy whose name is still on the arena. There was even a loud contingent who wanted Pitino out after he chose not to play Derek Anderson in the national championship game. After winning it the year before. The Celtics bailed Rick out with a $50 million dollar contract.
While the talent that's come through Kentucky basketball in the Calipari era is unmatched, his best team still wouldn't beat Rupp's best, Joe B's best, Pitino's best or Tubby's best. Coaching and inspiring players is still what counts in college basketball.
As great a recruiter and salesman John Calipari is, the truth is he's not a great basketball coach. His teams often seemed unprepared and were more interested in showtime than gametime.
Cal might have had better players, but when it counted they usually wilted to more experienced teams. HIs players rarely played up to their hype. It seemed he was more interested in getting them to the pros than in winning championships.
But the real issue with the Calipari era isn't the unmet expectations of all that talent.
No, the problem is we were never able to invest in the players. One year in blue is not enough time to even learn names. Cal talked about family, but the BBN never felt part of it. Which is weird because few states are as family oriented as Kentucky.
You can't refresh a family every year and expect people to like their new cousins.
Senior night at UK became a celebration of the walk-ons and a graduate transfer. I can't think of a single player in Cal's era that was on the team four years. Willie Cauley Stein stayed 3 years but he was just having so much fun he lost track of time.
That's what Cal never seemed to get. Kentucky fans like getting to know players and watching them develop year to year. If someone is great as a freshman, imagine how good they'll be in year three.
We don't need the coach constantly telling us how great his players are. Great players don't win tournaments, great teams do. Great teams aren't dominated by freshmen or are playing for draft day.
Be careful what you wish for isn't what I'm going to scold you with. I completely get where the disaffected Kentucky basketball fan is coming from. I say change is good.
I'm just trying to forget the guy who hired John Calipari hired Billy Gillespie first.