17,326,739,124,573,273 ....

[mhall]

Gizzard Shad....................Nice post man, very nice...

[DJD]

"The bottom line is Cal is a good coach he knows how to cheat and not get caught. If a coach is not cheating somewhat or at least looking the other way he is not trying hard enough LOL."

As a Gator fan and a fan of basketball....does this apply to Pitino, Donovan as well? I think it does but I find it ironic you want UK fans to come together for a Kentucky team but take a cheap shot at UK?? Just sayin....

[mhall]

Maybe I need to re-read that post I didn't see any cheap shots. I gotta quit speed reading, lol....

I suppose Don is talking about the Calipari jab, thats all I see that could be considered a cheap shot....I better leave that one alone, LOL

[DJD]

Forgot to add.....I'm most defiantly pulling for Louisville. My picks are shot but still see the credit to Kentucky as a basketball state that they are upholding. It's good for UL and good for the state.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Has anyone considered that Calipari can sell Ice to an Eskimo? All I have heard is Calipari is a Cheat, Calipari broke out the checkbook, Calipari did this illegally and that illegally..... BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!!! When somebody shows me where the NCAA implicated Calipari in any wrong doings then I will agree that he is a cheat. Climb a snow covered mountain and roll a snowball down the hill then see what happens at the bottom. If he has a big checkbook them all he has is checks because there is not enough money in the State of Kentucky to pay for next years class, not to mention still in the running for Wiggins. 8 - 30 win seasons, 3 time National Coach of the Year and with just as many titles to his name as Pitino plus guarandamtee will have more than Pitino when he retires.

As far as Cals coaching ability on the court, do you think Pitino could have gotten Davis and MKG to buy into getting the 4th and 5th most shots on the team ? Could Pitino have won the title last year ? Cal developed Teague over the season to lead the team as point guard to the title. Pitino doesn't have to worry about coaching all Freshman because he can't recruit good enough to get the best that leave after a year. It takes just as much talent to coach a new team into contenders as it does to develop players into contenders. Siva and Smith were NO WHERE NEAR ready or able to make the run Louisville has the last 2 years back when they were Freshman. Pitino had done a good job in developing them into the winners they are. That takes talent just as coaching Freshman and Sophomores to the title.

Until Calipari is IMPLICATED in a cheating scandal then he is clean. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?? But I guess that does not apply to The Kentucky Basketball Coach. If this is true, then Pitino was the absolute biggest cheat in the history of sports in 1996. That team was LOADED and he must have drained his bank account to pay them to come to Kentucky

[mhall]

Woody while alot of what you typed is true this next statement is also true...

The ONLY NCAA coach in history to have TWO Final Fours stricken from his record...
You have to admit man....that does look bad on a resume...Juss sayin Bro

[Tim_T]

Has anyone considered that Calipari can sell Ice to an Eskimo? All I have heard is Calipari is a Cheat, Calipari broke out the checkbook, Calipari did this illegally and that illegally..... BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!!! When somebody shows me where the NCAA implicated Calipari in any wrong doings then I will agree that he is a cheat. Climb a snow covered mountain and roll a snowball down the hill then see what happens at the bottom. If he has a big checkbook them all he has is checks because there is not enough money in the State of Kentucky to pay for next years class, not to mention still in the running for Wiggins. 8 - 30 win seasons, 3 time National Coach of the Year and with just as many titles to his name as Pitino plus guarandamtee will have more than Pitino when he retires.

As far as Cals coaching ability on the court, do you think Pitino could have gotten Davis and MKG to buy into getting the 4th and 5th most shots on the team ? Could Pitino have won the title last year ? Cal developed Teague over the season to lead the team as point guard to the title. Pitino doesn't have to worry about coaching all Freshman because he can't recruit good enough to get the best that leave after a year. It takes just as much talent to coach a new team into contenders as it does to develop players into contenders. Siva and Smith were NO WHERE NEAR ready or able to make the run Louisville has the last 2 years back when they were Freshman. Pitino had done a good job in developing them into the winners they are. That takes talent just as coaching Freshman and Sophomores to the title.

Until Calipari is IMPLICATED in a cheating scandal then he is clean. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?? But I guess that does not apply to The Kentucky Basketball Coach. If this is true, then Pitino was the absolute biggest cheat in the history of sports in 1996. That team was LOADED and he must have drained his bank account to pay them to come to Kentucky

I would disagree on player development. In fact, his "player development" is mostly myth. I can think of one player he actually made noticably better and that was Jorts. I can think of a few top ranked recruits he had at Memphis that never improved.

IMO this is where Pitino far outshines Cal. Has Cal ever taken an unranked player and turned him into a first round pick? Has Cal ever taken a two-star player and developed him into a potential first round pick? Has Cal ever taken someone who has only played basketball a short time and turned them into a first round pick? Pitino has done all of those, just while he was at U of L.

Has Cal ever taken a team with only one future NBA player to the Final Four? Pitino has done that twice.

When it comes to player development and coaching players up, I think Pitino wins hands down.

[elnutsmalljaws]

I would disagree on player development. In fact, his "player development" is mostly myth. I can think of one player he actually made noticably better and that was Jorts. I can think of a few top ranked recruits he had at Memphis that never improved.

IMO this is where Pitino far outshines Cal. Has Cal ever taken an unranked player and turned him into a first round pick? Has Cal ever taken a two-star player and developed him into a potential first round pick? Has Cal ever taken someone who has only played basketball a short time and turned them into a first round pick? Pitino has done all of those, just while he was at U of L.

Has Cal ever taken a team with only one future NBA player to the Final Four? Pitino has done that twice.

When it comes to player development and coaching players up, I think Pitino wins hands down.

Tim,

Re-read my post and show me where I said Cal was better at developing players better than Pitino? All i said was Cal developed Teague last year and if you disagree with that you have no clue about basketball. Hell Pitino had to develop the "lesser talented" kid out of high school because he can't out recruit Cal for all the 5 star players. I said they both have their coaching talents and both have exactly 1 title to show for it. What Camby and Rose did had NOTHING to do with Calipari. So Russ Smith decides to take money from an agent today because his stock is rising and he will make millions. Two years from now it comes out that Smith took money, was not eligible but Pitino played him anyways. Pitino knew nothing of the money. Boom, vacated wins, title and all. How is that Pitino's fault and how does that make him a cheat? I understand Camby and Rose happened under Calipari's "watch" but what did Calipari do to "cheat"?

[Tim_T]

Tim,

Re-read my post and show me where I said Cal was better at developing players better than Pitino? All i said was Cal developed Teague last year and if you disagree with that you have no clue about basketball. Hell Pitino had to develop the "lesser talented" kid out of high school because he can't out recruit Cal for all the 5 star players. I said they both have their coaching talents and both have exactly 1 title to show for it. What Camby and Rose did had NOTHING to do with Calipari. So Russ Smith decides to take money from an agent today because his stock is rising and he will make millions. Two years from now it comes out that Smith took money, was not eligible but Pitino played him anyways. Pitino knew nothing of the money. Boom, vacated wins, title and all. How is that Pitino's fault and how does that make him a cheat? I understand Camby and Rose happened under Calipari's "watch" but what did Calipari do to "cheat"?

Cal didn't develop Teague, he allowed him freedom to make his mistakes early. Teague developed because he was playing 30 minutes a game and had the talent.

Rose went to a different state to take the ACT because he kept getting to low of a score to be eligible in his hometown. You don't believe Cal knew any of this? These coaches know everything that is going on with their recruits, this much I do know because I have former players going to big time schools that are currently dealing with this.

Cal all but admitted he knew the agent was around Camby in a recent article, he did what he does, turned a blind eye, just like a lot of other coaches would. BTW I didn't say anything about cheating, so you changed the subject when you replied to my post.

[elnutsmalljaws]

So Calipari had nothing to do with developing Marcus Teague. Since Cal can't coach or develop players and the fact that Teague was so talented he developed himself.

Siva can have a respectable Sophomore season, I think 2nd or 3rd team all conference, but flat out stunk it up the first half of his Junior season. Siva's regression was obviously his fault but being the great player developer that he is, Pitino got him back in line.

So one player stunk early his freshman year but improved to lead his team to the National Title did it all on his own. Another player stunk his Jr year but improved to lead his team to the Final Four but it took his coach to develop him into the player he is.

It all makes sense to me now.

On second thought, NO IT DON'T. If Pitino is so great at player developing then why doesn't he have the entire McDonalds High School All American Team coming to play for him next year? The guy that can't coach or develop players has 5 McDonalds All Americans and in the running for Mr. Wiggins. The guy that can coach and develop players has ...... 0 McDonalds All Americans but I hear he is in the running for some Wendy's Winners. I mean if I am a 5 star recruit, 1 and done player, I would want all the developing that I can shove into the 1 season of College Ball that I can get. Obviously, in the state of Kentucky that is at Louisville so why go to "Little Brother Blue?"

[Tim_T]

So Calipari had nothing to do with developing Marcus Teague. Since Cal can't coach or develop players and the fact that Teague was so talented he developed himself.

Siva can have a respectable Sophomore season, I think 2nd or 3rd team all conference, but flat out stunk it up the first half of his Junior season. Siva's regression was obviously his fault but being the great player developer that he is, Pitino got him back in line.

So one player stunk early his freshman year but improved to lead his team to the National Title did it all on his own. Another player stunk his Jr year but improved to lead his team to the Final Four but it took his coach to develop him into the player he is.

It all makes sense to me now.

On second thought, NO IT DON'T. If Pitino is so great at player developing then why doesn't he have the entire McDonalds High School All American Team coming to play for him next year? The guy that can't coach or develop players has 5 McDonalds All Americans and in the running for Mr. Wiggins. The guy that can coach and develop players has ...... 0 McDonalds All Americans but I hear he is in the running for some Wendy's Winners. I mean if I am a 5 star recruit, 1 and done player, I would want all the developing that I can shove into the 1 season of College Ball that I can get. Obviously, in the state of Kentucky that is at Louisville so why go to "Little Brother Blue?"

LOL Yep he developed Teague just like he did Wall and Knight.

Pitino is good at developing players, just look at what he gets to work with. I have already laid out the facts, but you choose to not acknowledge them in favor of bias.

The guy that "can't coach" as you said, can win with lesser players because he can COACH! This season is a perfect example, did you see any player development from all those Burger Boys this year? I saw a Billy Gillespie type performance, but perhaps my television is messed up.

Also, show me where I said Cal couldn't coach! Oh that;s right, you can't because I didn't say it. I said his reputation at developing players was a myth.