Final Four

[RockRaines]

People keep saying UCONN is not that good. That's fine. They aren't an all-time great but they are the last team standing. They didn't beat nobodies either; Villanova, Iowa State, Michigan State, Florida, Kentucky. That's a pretty nice list. They have a young but incredible coach, senior/junior leadership at a time when college athletes are leaving earlier and earlier and a roster with 4-5 future NBA pros. This is their 4th title (and 5th Final 4) in the last 15 years. Every single program in the country would trade their last 15 years with UCONN. I love it. People can complain about them or deride them all they want but at the end of the day they are the National Champions and I couldn't be happier. It was a great group of kids to follow for 3-4 years and was a hugely enjoyable season. They deserved this after the work they put in last year during their unjust punishment for what they had no part in.

The tournament champion isnt always the best team in the country, I figure everyone just knows that. They made an awesome run that ended with a title. You have to respect that.

 

As with trading their last 15 years, with all the controversy, NCAA issues and not even making the tournament because of grades, i'm sure there are some people who wouldnt.

Edited April 8, 2014 by RockRaines

[Jenksismyhero]

Oh okay. I think he's aware of the state of college basketball though. He recruits the best kids in the country and when they are projected to be high picks, he recommends that they go pro. I'd take Calipari any day of the week over some sanctimonious piece of crap like Krzyzewski or Boeheim. Boeheim just last week criticized Tyler Ennis for going pro. He'd rather have Ennis stay, not to benefit Ennis but to benefit Boeheim. K got one of the best players in the country (Jabari Parker) to play at Duke this year and rather than run offense through him, he basically called him out after their opening round loss to Mercer. If these coaches don't want guys to leave after 1 year then stop recruiting the best players in the country.

 

This is why I despise Deadspin/Gawker's bulls*** editorializing. Some writer gets a bug up his/her butt about something, they post some random nonsense on their website and then it becomes a story because of their viewership. Did you watch the video? Boeheim said nothing controversial. He wasn't criticizing Ennis for leaving. The worst thing he said was that he was not sure Ennis was physically ready to make the jump to the NBA, and then quickly added that his skills and game were absolutely ready for the next level.

 

[RockRaines]

This is why I despise Deadspin/Gawker's bulls*** editorializing. Some writer gets a bug up his/her butt about something, they post some random nonsense on their website and then it becomes a story because of their viewership. Did you watch the video? Boeheim said nothing controversial. He wasn't criticizing Ennis for leaving. The worst thing he said was that he was not sure Ennis was physically ready to make the jump to the NBA, and then quickly added that his skills and game were absolutely ready for the next level.

I dont think he's completely ready for the NBA either.

[Jenksismyhero]

Agreed 100%. There is no doubt in my mind Calipari cares way more about his players than coach K. He has built a dictatorship in Durham to the old school college basketball model and refuses to let anyone change that or step in his way. It's kind of Penn State-esque.

 

I've never heard of a former Coach K player complain about him. And those that are still famous are 100% pro-Duke and pro-Coach K. I really hate being the person to defend him or the school, but what evidence do you have of this dictatorship? Just because he won't succumb to me-first players?

[LittleHurt05]

I've never heard of a former Coach K player complain about him. And those that are still famous are 100% pro-Duke and pro-Coach K. I really hate being the person to defend him or the school, but what evidence do you have of this dictatorship? Just because he won't succumb to me-first players?

 

I'm not saying that he treats players like crap or that it's a miserable experience there. It's just that he IS Duke basketball, and there is nothing more important that him, not the school, the town, the players. His basketball record speaks for itself, so people buy into it and accept it. There are reports about him threatening to ban campus newspapers & organizations for daring to criticize him or anything he does.

[southsider2k5]

Possibly from having Final Fours vacated at UMass and Memphis due to ineligible players.

 

That one wasn't his fault as much as someone we all know and love...

[Jenksismyhero]

That's always his excuse though. He's dirty. Always has been.

[cabiness42]

That one wasn't his fault as much as someone we all know and love...

 

It's always the head coach's fault. The head coach has final say over exactly how thoroughly the compliance department checks out players prior to enrollment. If there is something the coach didn't know about that makes a player ineligible, it's because the coach made an effort not to know about it.

 

[southsider2k5]

It's always the head coach's fault. The head coach has final say over exactly how thoroughly the compliance department checks out players prior to enrollment. If there is something the coach didn't know about that makes a player ineligible, it's because the coach made an effort not to know about it.

 

Unless he was standing at the building watching Reggie Rose walk in to take Derrick's SAT's, I am not sure how he stops that one.

[LittleHurt05]

That's always his excuse though. He's dirty. Always has been.

 

Or he just doesn't care enough to not get busted. People aren't still playing the "Calipari is the only dirty coach in America" card, are they?

[Y2Jimmy0]

That's always his excuse though. He's dirty. Always has been.

 

 

Give me a break. It's college athletics. They are all dirty. If you coach college hoops or football you have most likely done something pretty sleezy at some point. It's part of that business.

[cabiness42]

Unless he was standing at the building watching Reggie Rose walk in to take Derrick's SAT's, I am not sure how he stops that one.

 

Compliance departments have been known to do stuff like that when it concerns high profile recruits.

[Jenksismyhero]

I don't think he's the only dirty coach, but I also don't believe EVERY coach is dirty.

 

[RockRaines]

Compliance departments have been known to do stuff like that when it concerns high profile recruits.

Yup, and it's kind of foolish to think he didnt know about the issues that have followed him. He's been smart enough to keep the heat off of his back which is a talent.

 

With that said, college bball is horribly sketchy. The AAU circuit alone has contributed greatly to this.

[LittleHurt05]

I don't think he's the only dirty coach, but I also don't believe EVERY coach is dirty.

 

The thing is, I don't necessarily think it's the coaches that are so dirty, it's more about the fanbases. Marcus Camby was paid by sports agents, not Calipari. Reggie Bush was never given money by Pete Carroll. It's just that some people don't care about the rules, and some are sure they are followed to a T. I doubt that a football program like Alabama doesn't have any players receiving any extra benefits, but you better believe that those providing know exactly how to avoid getting noticed by the NCAA.

 

Some coaches are able to control that stuff, but sometimes they get caught up by other peoples actions.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Unless he was standing at the building watching Reggie Rose walk in to take Derrick's SAT's, I am not sure how he stops that one.

 

 

Derrick Rose had absolutely no business taking an ACT or SAT.

[IlliniKrush]

I've never heard of a former Coach K player complain about him. And those that are still famous are 100% pro-Duke and pro-Coach K. I really hate being the person to defend him or the school, but what evidence do you have of this dictatorship? Just because he won't succumb to me-first players?

 

 

I'm not saying that he treats players like crap or that it's a miserable experience there. It's just that he IS Duke basketball, and there is nothing more important that him, not the school, the town, the players. His basketball record speaks for itself, so people buy into it and accept it. There are reports about him threatening to ban campus newspapers & organizations for daring to criticize him or anything he does.

LittleHurt, you obviously have heard Dan Bernstein talk about Coach K. Dan went to Duke and would have every reason to love Duke and Coach K, but he absolutely cannot stand him. That tells me enough right there, in addition to the stories he's told on air, including the one you referenced.

[Jenksismyhero]

LittleHurt, you obviously have heard Dan Bernstein talk about Coach K. Dan went to Duke and would have every reason to love Duke and Coach K, but he absolutely cannot stand him. That tells me enough right there, in addition to the stories he's told on air, including the one you referenced.

 

Pssh, Bernstein saying that means Coach K is a freakin' saint.

 

I mean yes, Coach K is obviously synonymous with Duke, but can't the same be said for MSU and Izzo? Or Boeheim and Syracuse. Or in the past Knight and Indiana? When you're at a program for decades and you're successful, how can you not be the most famous/important person there?

[IlliniKrush]

Pssh, Bernstein saying that means Coach K is a freakin' saint.

 

I mean yes, Coach K is obviously synonymous with Duke, but can't the same be said for MSU and Izzo? Or Boeheim and Syracuse. Or in the past Knight and Indiana? When you're at a program for decades and you're successful, how can you not be the most famous/important person there?

You may be joking - but no, it really doesn't. Dan generally hates people for good reason, and the way in which he talks whenever Coach K comes up lets you know it. He was pretty close to him for a long time and knows much more than we do, so that works for me. Plus you listen to the guy talk about Duke, the ACC, etc, he's just a prick.

 

Boeheim is right there with him, though for once I was on his side with the Ennis comments.

Edited April 8, 2014 by IlliniKrush

[Jenksismyhero]

You may be joking - but no, it really doesn't. Dan generally hates people for good reason, and the way in which he talks whenever Coach K comes up lets you know it. He was pretty close to him for a long time and knows much more than we do, so that works for me. Plus you listen to the guy talk about Duke, the ACC, etc, he's just a prick.

 

Boeheim is right there with him, though for once I was on his side with the Ennis comments.

 

Bernstein is the biggest tool out there. I guarantee you what happened was 20 years ago Bernstein was being an asshole and Coach K told him to stop or that he didn't like something Bernstein wrote or whatever, and for 20 years Bernstein has held a grudge about it. That's just the way he is.

 

Coach K could be the biggest asshole in the world, I have no idea. What I do know is very few of his players or assistant coaches ever talk bad about the guy. So I tend to believe the lack of any evidence of this issue is more telling than a lone DJ from Chicago who used to be a Duke student in the 80's.

 

And again, even if he is a prick, so what? He's ruled over college basketball for 2.5 decades now. I think he has the right to run the program as he sees fit. And if it's holding out a top 5 lottery pick because he feels that's the best way to win, so be it.

 

I feel icky defending him or Duke so I have to go take a shower now.

[cabiness42]

I don't think he's the only dirty coach, but I also don't believe EVERY coach is dirty.

 

Mike Brey isn't dirty, and if he is he's doing it wrong.

[dasox24]

What does this hatred stem from? Just curious. I've never really understood the Calipari hate.

Personal interaction with him when I lived in Memphis. He acts like your best friend ("hey buddy", slap you on the back, etc), but I always got the feeling it wasn't genuine. And he's cheap and didn't tip anyone at our country club. I'm an overtipper, and worked in the service industry during high school/college. I can't stand people that don't tip, especially those who make millions of dollars a year like Cal.

 

On the other hand, Tommy West (who was Memphis' football coach at the time) would sit there and talk with you for 20 minutes. Genuinely great guy.

Edited April 8, 2014 by dasox24

[IlliniKrush]

Bernstein is the biggest tool out there. I guarantee you what happened was 20 years ago Bernstein was being an asshole and Coach K told him to stop or that he didn't like something Bernstein wrote or whatever, and for 20 years Bernstein has held a grudge about it. That's just the way he is.

 

Coach K could be the biggest asshole in the world, I have no idea. What I do know is very few of his players or assistant coaches ever talk bad about the guy. So I tend to believe the lack of any evidence of this issue is more telling than a lone DJ from Chicago who used to be a Duke student in the 80's.

 

And again, even if he is a prick, so what? He's ruled over college basketball for 2.5 decades now. I think he has the right to run the program as he sees fit. And if it's holding out a top 5 lottery pick because he feels that's the best way to win, so be it.

 

I feel icky defending him or Duke so I have to go take a shower now.

From what I understand, he wasn't part of the story. You're wrong on this one. Dan hates people that deserve hating I.e. going to town on Penn st etc. Hes also hinted at other stories, but again, from what he says it didn't have to do with him. Hes connected and in the media, but take stupid shots all you want.

 

Hes also FAR from the only person that has said or heard bad things about him.

[IlliniKrush]

Personal interaction with him when I lived in Memphis. He acts like your best friend ("hey buddy", slap you on the back, etc), but I always got the feeling it wasn't genuine. And he's cheap and didn't tip anyone at our country club. I'm an overtipper, and worked in the service industry during high school/college. I can't stand people that don't tip, especially those who make millions of dollars a year like Cal.

 

On the other hand, Tommy West (who was Memphis' football coach at the time) would sit there and talk with you for 20 minutes. Genuinely great guy.

I always got the vibe that he's "fake nice"

[cabiness42]

Personal interaction with him when I lived in Memphis. He acts like your best friend ("hey buddy", slap you on the back, etc), but I always got the feeling it wasn't genuine. And he's cheap and didn't tip anyone at our country club. I'm an overtipper, and worked in the service industry during high school/college. I can't stand people that don't tip, especially those who make millions of dollars a year like Cal.

 

On the other hand, Tommy West (who was Memphis' football coach at the time) would sit there and talk with you for 20 minutes. Genuinely great guy.

 

While we're on the subject of coaches from the state of Kentucky who are jerks, I have a friend who is a charter pilot and once flew Rick Pitino. After the flight, within earshot of my friend, he said, "Don't give me that pilot anymore, I want somebody old enough to shave."