Question: We need all SEC teams to win

teamplayer

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Michigan looking like Nova, everything leaving their hands finds nothing but net. Once again Kentucky is the last team toting the SEC banner.
I think the SEC was definitely better overall, and we had quite a few solid teams, but there was no great team in the league this year.
 

CajunCrimson

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I was pulling for A&M. I thought I would pull for UK but as I was watching the game, I felt myself pulling for Kansas State. I just can't root for Calipari and the UK fans.
Kentucky will never be "great" again -- I just don't think they can win it anymore with this style of recruiting.

You've got to be able to develop chemistry -- and you've got to have senior leadership at some point. The overall talent is distributed much better than it used to be with many more good/very good teams out there. I think Coach Cal recruits like Pete Carroll used to......we want the highest rated players, even if it's not a position we don't need, even if I've already got 2 others at that position, etc. -- I just wanted "highest rated" --

Compared to Coach Saban who recruits highly ranked kids, but he also looks for leadership/personality, AND if it's a position of need.

In full disclosure -- I hate Kentucky Basketball
 

AUDub

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Give me ambiguity or give me something else.
Kentucky will never be "great" again -- I just don't think they can win it anymore with this style of recruiting.

You've got to be able to develop chemistry -- and you've got to have senior leadership at some point. The overall talent is distributed much better than it used to be with many more good/very good teams out there. I think Coach Cal recruits like Pete Carroll used to......we want the highest rated players, even if it's not a position we don't need, even if I've already got 2 others at that position, etc. -- I just wanted "highest rated" --

Compared to Coach Saban who recruits highly ranked kids, but he also looks for leadership/personality, AND if it's a position of need.

In full disclosure -- I hate Kentucky Basketball
This came up last month.

Teams like us aren't going to be able to recruit the way Cal does, and that's OK because the way they do it is being exposed badly this year in Kentucky's case.

Cal needs to concentrate on 50-100 guys that will stay a few years and bring in 2 top 10 guys every year. I swear, UK should be able to win more championships than they do. Seniority and leadership would go a long way at getting the most out of your one and done players.
Several good posts on the matter, in fact.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

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Nov 6, 2007
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Good points.

Coach Saban does have the clear advantage of being able to coach the kids for three years. What struck me about this Kentucky team, moreso than any other Calipari group, was the lack of both cohesiveness and the ability to make basketball plays against physical teams.

When UK couldn’t overwhelm you with their size or athleticism, they really struggled with execution, decision-making and consistent shooting. Kansas State never physically backed down, forcing Kentucky to make winning plays.

Comparably, this is not a vintage Duke team either. But K does have Allen, who when he’s not tripping somebody, can get the kids to line up where they need to be.
——————————————-

Kentucky will never be "great" again -- I just don't think they can win it anymore with this style of recruiting.

You've got to be able to develop chemistry -- and you've got to have senior leadership at some point. The overall talent is distributed much better than it used to be with many more good/very good teams out there. I think Coach Cal recruits like Pete Carroll used to......we want the highest rated players, even if it's not a position we don't need, even if I've already got 2 others at that position, etc. -- I just wanted "highest rated" --

Compared to Coach Saban who recruits highly ranked kids, but he also looks for leadership/personality, AND if it's a position of need.

In full disclosure -- I hate Kentucky Basketball
 

imauafan

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I had this same conversation with a buddy of mine last night. I made the point that Calipari has not built any type of foundation at UK and if he left the new coach might struggle for a year or two. They are UK and will always get great talent so it wouldn't be like UA where it's not easy to get talented kids but by their standards they would struggle. On the other hand if CNS left UA the next coach would be set for the next 2-3 years just because the foundation is so solid.
 

BamaInBham

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I thought UK and A&M were both going to the Final Four :). It literally took a miracle last second 3 for Mich to get past a good Houston team and A&M beat NC like a drum. They are inconsistent and Mich was on fire. Every BB game is unique - difficult to predict from game to game, frankly from half to half, between good teams. 60 teams in the tournament are good, so, if you're off they're hot you are dead.
 

B1GTide

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I had this same conversation with a buddy of mine last night. I made the point that Calipari has not built any type of foundation at UK and if he left the new coach might struggle for a year or two. They are UK and will always get great talent so it wouldn't be like UA where it's not easy to get talented kids but by their standards they would struggle. On the other hand if CNS left UA the next coach would be set for the next 2-3 years just because the foundation is so solid.
With the one and done rules, it really isn't possible to do this at the great BBall schools right now. Only the programs that do not attract one and done players can really build depth in this sport right now. You get a guy like Sexton and just when he starts to get it, he is gone.
 

imauafan

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With the one and done rules, it really isn't possible to do this at the great BBall schools right now. Only the programs that do not attract one and done players can really build depth in this sport right now. You get a guy like Sexton and just when he starts to get it, he is gone.
I wasn't talking about having 1 or 2 one-and-done type of players, I was talking about the way Cal signs 5-6 every year knowing that they will most likely be gone in 1 year and he'll have to repeat the process. I'll give him his dues, there are very few coaches that can do what Cal does and be successful at it.
 

B1GTide

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I wasn't talking about having 1 or 2 one-and-done type of players, I was talking about the way Cal signs 5-6 every year knowing that they will most likely be gone in 1 year and he'll have to repeat the process. I'll give him his dues, there are very few coaches that can do what Cal does and be successful at it.
He does a great job getting players more ready for the NBA, so kids flock to him. If he went to Alabama, they would go there. Like Saban, he has become a brand
 

day-day

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He does a great job getting players more ready for the NBA, so kids flock to him. If he went to Alabama, they would go there. Like Saban, he has become a brand
Calipari might be more in-between with the numbers of one-and-done's if at Alabama closer to what he did at Memphis. UK itself carries some weight. One difference though is that he has had several years of doing this at UK so his reputation in prepping the players may be even bigger now than when he left Memphis.
 
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B1GTide

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Calipari might be more in-between with the numbers of one-and-done's if at Alabama closer to what he did at Memphis. UK itself carries some weight. One difference though is that he has had several years of doing this at UK so his reputation in prepping the players may be even bigger now than when he left Memphis.
He and UK are a perfect match, like Saban and Alabama. He has had 31 players drafted so far at UK. That is right at 4 per year. How crazy is that?
 

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