Kentucky, Calipari Can Finally Win Whole Enchilada

What makes the Wildcats so good, besides the fact the school has the shrewdest recruiter in college basketball, is their ability to push inside the paint, masterfully dominate at will and pose as a fundamentally sound unit with the necessities to beat anyone in their path.


And after watching the most talented and completed team in the tournament at which Anthony Davis was dangerously terrorizing underneath the basket, as if he's a beast-like animal on the prowl, the feeling here is that he's the most relentless player not only for Kentucky but in the country. He drove to the basket aggressively, finishing it with an empathic dunk to posterize Iowa State players that erupted a frenzy as Wildcats' fans roared for much of the second half. He swatted shots tenaciously, stopping dribble-penetration and forcing Iowa State to fire three-point shots for much of the second half, though Royce White used his strength to drive the ball and score at the basket.

As the Wildcats increasingly raises fear, Saturday night was Kentucky's biggest test so far in the tournament, and indeed, they prevailed and advanced to the Sweet 16 for a rematch with Indiana. Believe me, if Kentucky is after all the best squad in the nation, they've proved it with an 87-71 rout over a fearless Iowa State team.

“I’ve got a good basketball team,” Calipari said after the game. “You won’t believe this. I’ve got good players, too. But they’re a good team. They’re efficient. They play hard. They are skilled. They’re all skilled."

It's all part of Calipari's way of preparing his team for any disappointment that could stop Kentucky's run to the Final Four and winning its eighth championship. Calipari, at least in perceptive, has disciplined and fortified a talented army of youngsters for one of the most demanding programs in college sports, acting in a tough role by signing the best players in the country to play for the Wildcats and attend the prestigious university for a higher education. The intent is ultimately for Calipari to guide the most talented team he's ever coached to his first NCAA championship, but also he is seeking to achieve larger goals.

He won't be satisfied until he brings life and revives Kentucky, and with the players he has now, Calipari is well on his way to reaching a fulfilled accomplishment. In keeping with tradition, Calipari's purpose is simply to restore a tenor of aspiration for the winningest school in college basketball. It's more about solidifying excellence for a basketball program committed to good fortune in attempt to validate a principle and blueprint for manufacturing multiple championships.

The criticisms toward Calipari, the most polarizing coach in college basketball after the UMass scandal involving Marcus Camby who received improper benefits from an agent, is from his half-knowledge and denial. The bashing toward Calipari, the most hated coach in the game after Memphis was stricken for violations of NCAA rules during his watch regarding Derrick Rose's fraudulent SAT scores, is from him sadly leaving behind a darkened cloud that cast a gloom over two schools for his negligence and blindness.

If the Wildcats raise the trophy and cut down the nets in New Orleans this year, believed to be the most completed team in the tourney, then it figures that Calipari will finally escape dreadful, haunted episodes from prior schools he once coached -- joining Louisville's Rick Pitino as the only coaches to lead three different schools to the Final Four a year ago.

Maybe this is the year he finally reaches a pinnacle and wins his first ever title in his 20 years of coaching, with the eye-catching talent he possess now -- fully entrusting one-and-done superstars every season -- developing NBA-ready players after recruiting, signing and having a part in top prospects verbally committing to play for the program. It has become common to see Calipari fully reload the UK roster with the know-how to string together the best recruiting class every season, and then watch one-and-done players leave after freshman season without polishing three-and-four year stars for a possible championship run.

By now, you know he and the Wildcats benefit nicely from two returning sophomores with NBA capabilities -- enough experience and confidence to instill the importance of staying composed and engaged in what it takes to earn the prize. And now, after this season comes to an end, Terence Jones and Doron Lamb are likely to leave for the NBA, and they are both projected to be selected late in the first round or early in the second round. If there were two players worth crediting, Jones and Lamb were those well-deserving following an awesome performance.

It was surprising to see Jones come back to Kentucky after his freshman season, but now he has a chance perhaps to end his college career with much gratification. He should be, since he had eight points and 11 rebounds Saturday, increasingly raising his draft stock if he decides to leave after this season is over. Just like last season, Lamb is being a difference-maker and playing with much energy and hunger -- scoring 16 points to absolutely slaughter Iowa State and spoil White's tremendous night against the terror of Kentucky's size and physique, a slew of foreboding NBA players. The unique aspect to the Wildcats, after playing deliciously good at the Yum! Center this weekend, is the way Calipari's phenomenal freshmen dominate at will every season, and then he recruits again to sign almost every best player in the nation.


What's a stake is a national title, and senior Darius Miller, who had 19 points Saturday for the Wildcats, knows the significance of playing splendidly. The secret ingredient to rule as a powerhouse is by putting superstars together in order to align, which defines Calipari -- a recruiting virtuoso. This is how the No. 1 Wildcats earned the top seed overall in the NCAA tournament. This is how the 'Cats marvels of near-perfection. For a while there, it looked as if an upset was brewing but Marquis Teague came through and poured in 24 points and had seven assists, and eventually Kentucky pulled away. A lead that was only four ballooned to 18 and, from there, the Wildcats held a large lead.

"Take your hats off to them," Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said. "They hit tough shots, they hit shots with the shot clock running down. They were very good in transition I thought."

It's amazingly a craft and cleverness to turn youth quickly into natural, powerful stars -- a standard for running a top-level program. So now, Kentucky is going to the Sweet 16, which was expected all along. And make no mistake, Iowa State was a very good team but was no match for Kentucky, well, maybe for the first half. If he continues to recruit the best and breed superstars for the NBA, players constantly will leave for the league.

If Calipari can really win this year, with the most dangerous team, he can persist in signing the top players in the country, as he does so well. Seniors are not necessary in his program, simply because he has the knack of recruiting and relies on very young, talented athletes. It doesn't matter whether they are underclassmen or upperclassmen, but what matters is whether he can win it all.

This would now be a perfect time.

John Calipari's Wildcats Are Most Talented Squad In Country

What if I told you John Calipari is a premier coach with one of the best coaching jobs in the nation, a university known greatly for its basketball? What if I told you Calipari, 53, has an ability for getting his point across to players, grooming one-and-done players and turning diaper dandies into NBA products?

What if I told you Kentucky's Anthony Davis, an all-round forward projected to potentially declare for the 2012 NBA Draft, is the best player in college hoops? What if I told you Kentucky Wildcats are the scariest and most dangerous men's basketball team in the nation?

Wouldn't you buy into what I think is valid?

If you were smart and had a sense of knowledge about college hoops, then you might have penciled in the Wildcats for the Final Four or even the national championship game on your elusive brackets, to raise the trophy and cut down the nets in New Orleans. Generally, Davis is a surefire No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, will forgo sophomore season and plans to establish a foundation at the professional ranks. He's the strongest and best player on the floor, a freshman standout, a shot-swatter with a knack and size to pose as a dominant force in the interior to intimidate opponents -- largely putting fear in the minds of his opposition.

If this is the beginning to an extraordinary joyride for the Kentucky Wildcats, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, then fans all over are revering the most compelling and eventful unit. They've never disappointed, not once, this year in a well-accomplished season, in chase for the national title to amass much more trophies as the winningest school in college basketball history. It's time for Kentucky to dance, which is just another chance for Calipari, who is, simultaneously, one of the most despised coaches to prove he's one of the stellar coaches all-time. For the first time in his 20-year coaching career, he's never had the deepest unit in the nation with plenty of weapons predicted to go home with a title.

With solid recruiting during his tenure at Kentucky -- since his arrival to Lexington two years ago -- Calipari has built an inferior program from the bottom and lured some of the best prospects from high school. Calipari, in particular, had an extremely touted recruiting class and brought in the top players in all three years, in which he has been the head coach for Kentucky. There is no doubting Calipari's diligence to recruit -- and he's been conspicuously a mentor molding point guards with much potential. Ask Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall -- among those skilled point guards he coached.

But this year, Calipari clearly has the most talented team in the nation, more talented than prior classes he masterfully honed and prepared for Elite Eights and Final Fours. It would be an upset surely enough after the Wildcats were given the No. 1 overall seed and were ranked as the most powerful team in the country with first-rate studs and athletic figures, if they are beaten in the most unpredictable tournament. For once, it seems at least, Calipari has a team with parity, experience, heart, hunger and better depth.

Any team is vulnerable and nothing is ever promising in a tourney of single elimination -- nothing, not even advancing past the first round. The Wildcats have flaws, no doubt, but they look more unbeatable and remarkably are the most dominant team Calipari has ever coached, believe it or not, after bringing in the proper ingredients to make a bold statement this March.

He's finally on top of the world, six games away from a national championship, and with the current roster he has now, it's feasible to have faith in the Wildcats. Whether you like him or not, Calipari installed relevance in a storied program that ailed for many years. Whether you like him or not, he accepted the most demanding coaching job in college basketball and, shortly after the hiring, he lifted the program into primary conversations for Final Fours.

What Calipari is doing at Kentucky is turning players into stars, just as he reshaped UMass, Memphis and now Kentucky. The most improved team in the nation is Kentucky, with a seven-men rotation of NBA prospects, including one of the tallest forwards in the game in Davis, a dominant defensive player startling a number of teams because of his shot blocking and fierce toughness in the paint. Without him, Kentucky's run to the NCAA tournament wouldn't be so foretelling. The healthiest team of the tournament is Kentucky -- the amount of depth it requires to win a national championship.

The Wildcats clearly won't be satisfied, until they complete a triumphant quest and continue to play dominantly in each round of the tournament. There's no celebrating, well, at least not for Calipari, who wants his team to stay focus solely on the task at hand and certainly his players have a winning mentality just as much as reality has set in to remind each of them of vulnerability in a competition with surprises and where anything is possible. There is something for Blue Nation to cheer and hopefully the agony of defeat won't reduce crazed fans to tears. This would be the time for Calipari and the Wildcats to win a title with the usual roster of one-and-done superstars.

This would be the time for Calipari to finally become the conqueror of his first championship in such a long coaching tenure with Davis being the ripple effect. If he leaves, which he will likely end a sensational college career to arise as a star in the NBA, the Wildcats won't nearly be dominant. It's not hard to judge that Kentucky is well on its way to New Orleans to play for the prize, and pretty soon if they continue to overpower and beat opponents, Davis and company will celebrate and cut down the nets. The stakes are high and now is the perfect time for Kentucky to capitalize on pride and prestige. My inclination is, when it is all said and done, there will be Kodak moments of Calipari hoisting the trophy and exchanging an extended bear hug with Davis.

And then, Ashley Judd would blow kisses from the stands.

On Thursday, Davis will be the best player on the floor, a primary factor, a menacing threat, a shot-swatter, a penetration-stopper in the lane that would make it rather difficult for No. 16 seed Western Kentucky. He'll be the top superstar respectively for weeks to come, an aggressor and a beast-like specimen with an appetite for wins and a visit to the Final Four in a couple of weeks from now. My bracket says there's no way, and there's just no way in hell, a team can figure out a way to beat an army of superstars with much equilibrium and athleticism.

The excitement created by the Wildcats, starving to taste the glory of winning for putting in effort and exertion to be rewarded, should be even more telling if Kentucky succeeds in the end. Having Davis, the popular athlete who is a top 5 NBA prospect -- without any doubt -- is a boon for a program on track to master total domination in NCAA basketball, a common program filled with much merit years ago. The emergence of freshmen Marquis Teague and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, both expected to enter the NBA draft, are scoring options as they play hard and hustle to attract attention, quickly evolving into flowering supplements offensively. Then it could be useful to have Doron Lamb be a threat from beyond three-point range, scoring from long distance all season. And Terrence Jones is unstoppable on the baseline.

Once again, Calipari, a recruiting expert obviously, may have a better class than John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Brandon Knight -- all his players who potentially had enough to win a national championship. Only the Wildcats can beat themselves, already showing they can defeat anybody they face, despite an inexcusable loss to talented Vanderbilt for the SEC championship Sunday. It won't hurt Kentucky's chances, not as long as Calipari motivates and has the attention of his determined players.

This is what Calipari has waited for, an opportunity, a conceivable opportunity to finally win the prize he's heavily had his eyes on for many years, and now Kentucky is the obvious favorite, finishing 52-0 in home games since taking over the 'Cats 30-win seasons. It is fun to watch players fresh out of high school with tremendous talent each season, to see Calipari produce All-American athletes -- preparing and cultivating all his players. Other than winning, his intentions is to develop superstars send them off as one-and-dones. He's not to blame for that, either. Find fault in the flawed NCAA system for not enforcing college athletes to stay in school longer than a year.

If you weren't aware, the Wildcats have won seven national championships. As it stands, Calipari, who probably can accumulate the number of titles in school history for the winningest program, is honored to join the acclaimed group of coaches from Adolph Rupp to Joe B. Hall to Rick Pitino to Tubby Smith.

With Calipari around, he can recruit and sign the best players in the country. Thank him for Davis. Thank him for putting together the most invincible basketball program in the nation.

March Figures to Have Much Parity, Thrills -- Let Madness Begin

The madness is essentially part of our sports culture, which could start an interesting conversation at the water cooler where co-workers all week will discuss their tournament brackets and devote much time away from the workplace to secretly engage in a gambling pool. Each year, we have fun penciling in schools in a field of 68 teams -- watching the unthinkable unfold in arguably the most enthralling tournament in sports. This has been the most exciting season for college hoops. It's always fun to witness the tourney because of underdogs, upsets, breathtaking finishes and thrills.

March Madness is, after all, the time of year when fans fill out brackets, which are busted by the second round to only define a crazy month of March Sadness as no one's bracket is never perfect and usually is obliterated before the Sweet 16. There is nothing new about the majority being at work all week, focusing on brackets, checking the scores and rooting for the underdog -- a tradition we have culturally braced for years. It's a moment in time for a field of 68 teams to ultimately advance to the Final Four in a tourney of single elimination by having the drive, willpower, character, determination and ammunition at the right possible time.

With all due respect Kentucky, Syracuse, North Carolina all earned No. 1 seeds for the NCAA tournament Sunday despite stunning conference losses. A team that solely ruled the Big Ten was Michigan State after beating Ohio State, now the only school to earn No. 1 seed after winning its conference tournament. But in truth, all season, the schools worthy of top seeding dominated and were well deserving of largely earning the top spot. The road to the 2012 Final Four -- which is played in New Orleans two weeks from now -- is elusive in which anything is possible.

Like the rest us, President Obama, who has shown enthusiasm for sports, will likely fill out a bracket even if there are more important issues on his to-do list such as restoring a nation financially battered by a long-suffering recession. He is, without a doubt, enamored with college hoops, perhaps maybe even too much. But what sports fan isn't in love with March? The most interesting, fun three weeks on the calendar looms ever so closer, a tournament of dreams, miracles, ecstasy and agony. Even though Kansas are favorites to win all to some, that is, the Jayhawks were given a No. 2 seed.

It's almost as if the deepest teams in the nation exist in the Big 12 with the likes of Missouri and Baylor, two teams that may actually be stronger and more efficient than Kansas. Truth is, every region is competitive and the least expected team, as the NCAA tournament begins -- would wear the class slipper -- like George Mason and Villanova as giant killers in the past. So let the Madness begin.

Where exactly does Kansas stand? You can't ever tell with the Jayhawks.

For whatever reason, as people are so fascinated by Kansas because its considered one of the most talented and deepest teams in the country, the Jayhawks are marked to advance to the Final Four -- but tends to stunningly fall against sleepers in a game of chillers and thrillers. It's hard to believe that Kansas will survive the madness, with far too many people sold on a program that is the most vulnerable team in March. Bill Self, head coach for Kansas, doesn't get much sleep these days, incapable of winning the big ones when it counts. Remember when Ali Farokhhmanesh hit a big three-point shot to help Northern Iowa stun Kansas for one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history? Remember when eleven-seeded VCU beat Kansas that ended in a stunning collapse last season?

Once again, Self, who has won one national championship in eight seasons, is one of the nation's best offensive set coaches and has recruited brilliantly throughout his tenure, but Kansas hasn't had the Big 12's top recruiting class in four years. This is the man who made Kansas relevant after the Roy Williams regime, bringing in Brandon Rush, Julian Wright, and Mario Chalmers -- in the same class. This class has Thomas Robinson -- college basketball's MVP, if not national player of the year, averaging 11.8 boards per game and scoring 17.9 points on 53 percent shooting.

It can't be denied that Kansas is talented and loaded with offensive weapons, but relatively speaking it's always unknown how far they'll go in the tourney, a basketball program that can never, ever be trusted -- even with third-year starter Tyshawn Taylor, who is indispensable if the Jayhawks are playing to get through the first two rounds of their hardest challenge. And the big man, Jeff Withey, a seven-foot center, couldn't disrupt more in the middle as a solid defender.

This team is so equipped with talent of all sizes and athleticism, for which a loss is considered a failure. There's a reason this team is bigger and advertised more than any other team in contention, why Kansas' expectations are immense following a dominant, remarkable 27-6 season and why it's quite a shock when the Jayhawks have tourney misfortune. And if Kansas doesn't watch it and let its guard down, it's feasible that Belmont or Saint Mary's could painfully strike them by surprise. Is this the nation's best offensive team? That remains to be seen.

The nation's second-best teams, such as Duke, Missouri and Ohio State, all earned two seeds and may have felt they should have been ranked higher. One can argue that they all deserved No. 1 seeds, just as much as a person can argue that Drexel and Washington, winner of the Pac-12 title, should have been given at-large bids. It amazes me to see that, of all teams, Iona secured a bid for the tourney, and as it turns out, it seems like an absolute joke come to think of all the craziness. Iona over Oral Roberts and Drexel? Iona over Washington? Are you kidding me?

Sixty-eight teams qualified and, as always, there is much controversy over snubs and seeding for which you can't please everyone, even if you tried. The outcry of snubbed teams is nothing more but bickering on whether a school was legitimately good enough to compete in the NCAA tournament and, from the scheme of things, the committee apparently thought those schools were undeserving.

It's my inclination that the real jockeying for the big dance comes this week in a tourney of much parity, mystic and excitement. Now that we've established the brackets, rightfully so, we can predict a winner and digest the beauty of the big dance, comprised of sixty-eight teams, four regions, three weeks of intense drama.

1. Potential Cinderella


Not many college basketball games have been played lately without George Masons or even an unexpected Cinderella in existence, coming alive to stun the world. And this year alone, Belmont, Detroit and Memphis are a trilogy of dark horses on the road to the Final Four. It wouldn't be smart to ignore Belmont. This is the week Harvard, yes, an Ivy League school, can possibly survive early on with a win over No. 5 Vanderbilt, who convincingly beat unbeatable Kentucky in the SEC championship game. If any upsets happen, Belmont, a well-coached, experienced and powerful team, should be the favorites to pull off the stunner over third-ranked Georgetown, particularly after thrashing North Florida in the Atlantic Sun championship Saturday.

Just so you know, the Bruins finished 19-1-conference play and 30-4 overall. Watch out for Belmont. The annual notion of all the madness is that we should witness another George Mason, as we have each year, becoming obsessed with a suspenseful, compelling contest, which has grown into a popular sports event every spring -- from March Madness gatherings to brackets to online streaming at the workplaces. If you like upsets, then you may fall in love with No. 9 Southern Miss over No. 8 Kansas State or No. 12 Long Beach State over No. 5 New Mexico. This is all seemingly possible.

2. Kentucky Wildcats


The feeling of cutting down the nets in New Orleans is very possible for the Wildcats. And in the big dance, at least for what it is, Kentucky is the most dominant team in the nation and might be crowned champs in three more weeks. The feeling is, once the winner is decided, folks might be partying in Lexington. When he was hired as Kentucky's basketball coach, John Calipari described the University of Kentucky coaching position as his "dream job." It's more than just an illusion and, in reality, he's finally coaching a group of players projected to hold the gold trophy and travel back to the Blue Nation with a sense of joy.

The development of Kentucky is partly from the rise of freshman Marquis Teague and Anthony Davis, the diaper dandy as Dickie V calls them -- a surefire Freshman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and top pick in the NBA draft, scoring 15 points a game, dominating in the middle and blocking shots. And with the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb, the Wildcats are the clear favorites. Among the things for which he has developed the toughest program in the nation, Calipari has influenced his driven players to contend for a national title, chasing the ultimate goal. The best team loses sometimes, and Calipari is advising his considerably talented young players to not beat themselves.

2. North Carolina Tar Heels


The toughest region is the Midwest in which the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, such as North Carolina and Kansas -- seem probable to meet in the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels are obviously one of the best teams in the nation, after their opposition beat them in the ACC tournament -- which was No. 3 Florida State -- to win its first conference title in school history. Aside from the Tar Heels' loss over the weekend, the team is led by Tyler Zeller, who became the 13th Tar Heel and third in the last five seasons to be named the ACC Player of the Year. Most of North Carolina's flaws are from the inability to shoot the ball -- they don't shoot the ball consistently and depend greatly on Zeller to lead the way. For a team who potentially has enough depth to win a national title, Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes and junior forward John Henson are brutal in a transition offense.

3. Syracuse Orange


Jim Boeheim is one of America's premier college basketball coaches, and generally is considered to be an expert of the zone defense. What is a major concern is the way the Orange let their guard down in the Big East tournament, to stumble shockingly in a defeat to Cincinnati. They can't afford to duplicate a shortage of success in a win-or-go-home situation, and if Syracuse struggles, the odds is that they can unravel in the Elite Eight if they meet third-seeded Florida State, a team with enough talent to carry out the upset. By all means, the Orange must get contributions from a disappearing Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine, two players who will have to recover from woes if Syracuse is angling to overrule.

It's the time of year we die for.

Let the madness begin.

Calipari, Calhoun Deserve the Final Four Praise

It's utterly interesting that John Calipari, with much innocence in life but blamed for a hideous scandal ever since his poor judgment stained a premier university, a school where he installed a winning mentality, is still perceived as a scapegoat in collegiate basketball.

Just as he is the center of hostility of wicked scandals in the NCAA with equal aspects of humiliation and sickness, UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, a household name in the sport, is exactly marred by similar troubles. It's wonderful enough, despite that Calipari was verbally ripped by Bob Knight and criticized harshly by critics for the lack of integrity, to embrace his befitting marriage with the Kentucky Wildcats, a mutual requisite for one of the most demanding programs in the nation.

When the latest installment of fruition allowed the Wildcats to emerge as a renowned program again but is accompanied by turmoil from dirty infractions, leaving trustees and even bewildered recruits in debacles, there's a reason Calipari's triumph is overlooked. However, in reality, when a head coach rebuilds a fine program into usual form, releasing much of the mediocrity in the past that placed a dismal identity on the obscure basketball program in Lexington, then it's appropriate to credit Calipari for Kentucky's profound resurgence -- a recovery strong enough to inspire enthusiastic supporter Ashley Judd in screaming and dressing in 'Cats attire.

As it stands, the Wildcats, in the Final Four after stunning the nation to reach a tremendous level unexpectedly, are no longer battered in a bucket of fried grease. When he accepted his new challenge with a program that demands the emphasis of capturing titles, even before he began recruiting brilliantly and instituting a winning perspective, the Kentucky Fried Calamity had finally melted.

He can basically lure prospects fresh out of high school to commit and play for the University of Kentucky. He can pretty much grab the attention of a one-and-done player by promising him that he'll next year declare for the NBA Draft. You might recall Calipari losing five first-round draft picks last year, but wonderfully so, his team greatly improved and fostered. Not long ago, he was thrilled to have the gifted point guard John Wall and big man DeMarcus Cousins, but relatively speaking, he doesn't miss Wall or Cousins.

He brings his relentless coaching, as a mentor and a father figure, energizing and uplifting his players to perform with perseverance, exertion and consistency. And in the mind of Calipari, a middle-aged and brilliant man of knowing the fundamentals in basketball, he is definitely excelling in his role as head coach and has taken use of his indomitable talent. It happens to be Final Four Saturday, an event overshadowed by the pending actions of recent investigations into NCAA violations, assuming that the New York Times is accurate in unveiling horrendous news on UConn's major infractions case involving Nate Miles, formerly a top recruit for the Huskies.

It couldn't come at a worst time for Calhoun, almost riding off into sunset approaching the end of his accomplished career even if the scandals are overwhelming, to be held liable after Miles told the paper that he "knew" of improper benefits from a booster and twice cheated on standardized tests and classified Calhoun as liar for his alleged false statements. We all know by now that the last thing Calhoun need is additional stress-related troubles when subsequent health issues forced him to take a temporary leave of absence, and while he was an aloof from the game, he dealt with an undisclosed medical issue.

We can only assume, upon hearing the negative baggage these days smearing two standout programs, that FoxSports.com reported correctly in which a former Kentucky and Memphis basketball staff member, Bilal Bately, unlawfully phoned recruits, including former Kentucky dominant big man Cousins. As for Calipari, 52, he is clearly relished in the Kentucky, and in reality, he and Rick Pitino are the lone coaches to take three programs to the Final Four, but infamously Calipari's appearance with Massachusetts in 1996 and Memphis in 2008 were vacated from the record books.

His speeches, spoken in clarity and seriousness, easily have an impact on his players and history in cultivating guards. The most noticeably guard he turned into a convincing player was Derrick Rose, the leading candidate currently for the NBA's MVP award, and he also disciplined and groomed Wall and Tyreke Evans, a point guard who had a spectacular season freshman season under Calipari in Memphis. But the suspicious vibes appear to be disruption in his monstrous season with Kentucky in the Final Four, arriving onto the national scene, this time with the emergence of guard Brandon Knight when he has clearly found a rhythm in his sensational run in the tourney.

It's simply Calipari, following his normal theory, the traditional pursuit in March prepared to meet Connecticut, another program marred in chaos with allegations denting the romantic success. When it seems like Calipari assembles his team with All-Americans, mostly the one-and-done athletes until the NBA constitutes a rule not allowing players to jump to the pros after one season in college, he is harshly bashed even if a corroded system poorly mishandles the disoriented formula, recruiting talented players before leaving at the end of their freshman season.

"I don't like the one-and-done rule," Calipari said. "Never have. But my choice is to recruit players who aren't good enough? I'm not doing that. My other option is to recruit the best players we have, the best students we have, and then coach them and get them to believe in themselves, get them to reach their dreams. If that is done after a year, then I'll deal with it."


Bashed as Calipari has been, it's enough to quiet down his critics and, after all, earn regards by lifting a program from melancholy to gratification for riding to the Final Four surprisingly, the latest rejuvenation that places Kentucky in good position to win a national championship in the end. For the other name heard heavily, Calhoun has been hit with a punishment, now that UConn is falling from grace being in shambles. And with Calhoun's failures to follow the basic principles of compliance during recruiting, he was inflicted with a three-game suspension by the NCAA and will be expected to serve next season.

The Bluegrass State is back in full swing, simply because of Calipari's presence, an arrival felt instantly. Once he was hired by Kentucky, Calipari dismissed the notion of tumultuous disappointments within one of the most arrogant programs in college basketball, an athletic department run by AD Mitch Barnhart.

It's possible that Kentucky could be on the way to dynasty in the near future, but even better, this may repair Calipari's image if he wins multiple titles to be recognized in the company of Tubby Smith and Adolph Rupp, one of the most successful coaches in the history of college basketball here in America. It is technically his first Final Four appearance, coming with a school that truly trusted in Calipari's intelligence and disciplinary ways to guide his players down the right path and emphasize the tenor of basketball. Whether he's dancing to his first Final Four, he's dancing happily in Houston.

There is Calhoun. All of this drama is, sadly, smudging the gorgeous and watchful men's basketball tournament, discarding a feel-good story in VCU and Butler. And instead, it's almost bad to hear that Calhoun was stripped of its Sweet 16 run in 1996. And he's certainly fortunate to have the Huskies sensation Kemba Walker, an unstoppable scorer with no conscience and the one player in college basketball that is by far having the greatest season among any other player. Being that he's the most dominant player in America, overpowering and bullying everybody he faces on the court, it takes much of the negative attention off Calhoun.

Sure, it has been a rough season for Calipari and Calhoun, a pair of popular coaches in the game with similar scandals in the way of one goal Saturday night. They'll be trying to produce a win for their team.

Calipari a Real Ambassador In Kentucky: Cease Additional Mockery

We know what happened, of course, in his prior coaching jobs. Critics ripped out the soul of a master at coaching kids at the college level. It’s a shame there was no bigger fraudulent coach maintaining a collegiate profession, dealing with adversity, and tattering images.

Critics perceived him as a fool, but he wasn’t much of a fool, even if he became the first coach in college basketball history to vacate two Final Four berths. People were too judgmental of Calipari, whose reputation abruptly disintegrated after he was blamed for improprieties of violating NCAA rules.

Blinded by his inability to run a spotless program in 1996 at Massachusetts, people were no longer able to see his abilities as a coach. They were instead furious and bashed a mentor and near-perfectionist because of his infamous scandals.

For all the haze that stained a legit program, he was labeled as the scapegoat, unaware of Marcus Camby receiving money from an agent. Shortly after, he fled the scene to accept an NBA coaching job with the New Jersey Nets, and was perceived as a criminal while investigations were still pending. And then, he was held liable again at Memphis, leaving behind a toxic spill that killed prestige among an elite program in college hoops.

Being under so much tension, it’s hard to imagine Calipari handling a situation so calmly. From a clear standpoint, there weren’t any infractions tagging his name, but in reality, there were infractions against him. In fairness, no one can accuse him or refer to him as a con artist. Yet there’s a notion rushing through our brains that he was a man of deceit, especially if he had known more specifics about Derrick Rose, the star point guard, who was formally ruled ineligible because someone else took his college entrance exam after he had failed three times.

How can any college coach be blamed for someone else’s blunders? Maybe because he wasn’t aware, allowing insidious nonsense to slide instead of plotting stricter guidelines and building a stronger bond with his student athletes. For all we know, Calipari may have told nothing but the truth, and really had no idea the athletes were lavished with gifts and cash to violate NCAA rules.

To be honest, you don’t have to like Calipari, you don’t have to believe him, but you must admit to yourself how great of a coaching resume he has established, based upon the ability to discipline and cultivate student athletes.

His tactics generated a unique coaching style in each of his coaching stints, and now have installed similar textures at Kentucky University, a demanding program that needed an ambassador to remove the fundamental flaws. Ever since his arrival, good results reshaped aspiration and converted the most dysfunctional program in college hoops back into the elite program.

Before his arrival, Kentucky was stuck in a calamity, a joke in college sports, stained with unpleasant chaos. Every Kentuckian should be shouting nowadays, admiring the voice of Calipari. Most coaches normally need two or three years to uplift the soul and intensity at a program, but not Calipari, only needing to make an imposing debut in his first regular season as Kentucky head coach.

In a program with deficits winning games or even surviving the NCAA Tournament, losing would be taken in as an enormous disappointment, unlike a year ago when a loss was expected to elevate misery. To state it simpler, Calipari is a savior in Kentucky. In fact, he’s the greatest coach guiding the Wildcats since Tubby Smith bailed out to accept a coaching job at Minnesota. While the Wildcats have proven themselves legit by annihilating every opponent, the hideous violations are stored in the back of our minds.

All the population cares about in Lexington are winning games, and advancing to the Final Four. No one is concerned about obsolete troubles, an issue that doesn’t even relate to what has transpired in Kentucky.

Each of his players have more respect for him, which means critics should have more respect as well. For now, one man revitalizing and changing the culture in a single season at a school with much mystique tells us more about Calipari’s commitment and brilliance. If there’s one coach worth respecting, it’s Calipari. Almost all of his accomplishments are legit, even though he was unfairly stripped in the wins column and called a cheater.

Huh!

Whether he has a good or bad image in the game, he’s not a cheater. Better, he’s a great teacher of the game, applying kids with knowledge and self-confidence. Deemed a no good con artist with a big ego, we tend to forget he has the Wildcats on a title run. But clearly, he’s being viewed differently after recently casting a gloom over his previous school, Memphis.


In the midst of winning its first title since 1998, Calipari is the man in charge, the man getting burned for lingering infractions. If he takes the Wildcats to the Final Four, expect Ashley Judd to blow kisses at him, expect warm applause from trustees and expect him to get a raise in pay.

For all the anguish in the past, the last thing the Bluegrass State anticipates is a loss. Where basketball lords are a cultural semblance, Calipari is accepted as one of the elite coaches, liked for his ability to bring back a fallen program. In the future a sports dynasty makes sense, a perception that gives us every reason to believe Calipari is the accessible voice.

So instead, it seems fairer ridiculing his predecessor, Billy Gillispie, whose failures were embarrassing and diminished mystique. Not too many coaches can change inferior activity at three different schools, as did Calipari. So if there’s anybody despising him for his mistakes, it’s just crazy.

There has been dialogue about the ramifications of him committing similar slip ups in Lexington, but now there’s much more chatter about the Wildcats possibly winning the national title.

He brought immediate principles and charismatic structure, and retooled with some of the most talented players in the nation in DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall, two big-name stars with NBA abilities. At least Kentucky’s athletic program believes in Calipari, signing him to $35 million deal over eight years to become the highest-paid coach in collegiate sports.

After advancing to the Sweet 16, the Wildcats have a date with Cornell on Thursday. That’s an upset alert, no doubt. But no need to worry, the Cats will pull it off in a romping fashion, and are favored to destroy any team crossing their path.

In Lexington, expect the people to embrace Calipari and declare him as a hero. The Cats are legitimate, with a fantastic coach.

That is, Calipari.

Mystique, Tradition, Mayhem: This March Has The Makings of Epic Madness

Everyone has waited for all the mayhem, which is looming closer titillating all basketball devotees to fill out brackets, keep their eyes clued to the television and unite together in a tight room rooting on their alumni or college team. One team will survive within a tournament of 64 teams, of course, seeking to bust someone’s bracket and emerge as the next Cinderella team.

Each year, a fascinating twist creates an epic tale, forcing everyone to watch a breathtaking ending to a magical story, navigated by a sleeper or an underdog that was least expected to make a convincing surge.

What we love about March Madness is the unpredictable reactions, a mesmerizing scene and electrifying finishes. This hasn’t been the most brilliant season, seeing the likes of UCLA, Indiana, UConn, and North Carolina miss the tournament. It’s a rarity, whenever a program is known for its mystique and tradition, but misses the tournament.

Either way, that is, I’ll utter the words of Dickie V. “Yeah, Baby!”

The greatest tourney in all sports is amid a dramatic countdown, awing all people across the nation to fill out elusive brackets and join pools at work.

Whether their bosses scold them near the water cooler or even at their desk for wasting much time in front of the computer curious of which team pulls off the upset or which No. 1 seed survives a decisive contest, March Madness is an extravaganza and one sporting tournament, hijacking our consciousness until the Final Four takes place in early April.

This year, the emergence of Kentucky’s John Wall and Evan Turner musters attention, both recognized as a feel-good story within two programs that were mired in disarray a year ago for underachieving. Its entire mystique was ruined, based on the failures at two schools recognized greatly for basketball and dominating the tourney in March.

But nowadays, it seems the Two K’s repossess top-seeds, returning to normalcy and balancing a ritual the Bluegrass State and the Sunflower State are accustomed to embracing. However, you cannot please all teams.

In fairness, some teams deserved a shot at contending in the biggest dance, but the committee tried handling a difficult task responsibly. There weren’t signs of favoritism, I hope. Or were there indications of giving the teams with values and tradition, a better seeding?

Duke was rated a spot higher than Syracuse when the No. 1 seeds were unveiled. To me, the Orange played in a tougher Big East conference, to whereas the Blue Devils struggled to pull off must-needed victories on the road in an undermined ACC conference.

Another argument worth screaming about is West Virginia, the Big East tournament champs, claiming a No. 2 seed, undervalued by Syracuse and the devastating injury of senior center Arinze Onuaku. The section committee chairman Dan Guerrero is catching heat, after disregarding acceptable schools such as Mississippi State and Virginia Tech.

The final six teams selected in the field of 64 teams, such as UTEP, Minnesota, and Missouri were lucky based on how well they played in their conference tournament. If so, why Mississippi State never earned a bid?

Very interesting!


Aside from all the pontificating and debating on which team should’ve earned a berth to the big dance, even greater, the Madness will be tense and thrilling. In what is set to be an epic theater, we embrace a shining moment wondering which team is this year’s George Mason, Western Kentucky, or Davidson. Rarely ever is March disappointing, but becomes the month of fools, perhaps, early then April.

None of this is overexposure, but a moment for us to relish sports in a different way as teams defy the odds. It’s certainly more enthralling the NBA, a league that has become dull over the years, with its usual format.

The best-of-seven format doesn’t implement enough suspense and thrills, as the NCAA tourney. Each year, you never know what is bound to happen within an erratic sporting event that incites a large debate and bracketologists to intermingle with the biggest showdown in college sports.

If tournament week was any indictor, we’ll predict New Mexico is a sleeper out of the Mountain West conference. How about Cornell, a team from the Ivy Leauge?

Quite fittingly, the glass slipper may actually fit on the feet of a team that has buried more three-pointers than any other team in the field of 65. Settling for an average of 9.8 per game, Cornell is a dangerous out, regardless of facing Temple, an unselfish and deepest team in the Atlantic 10 conference.

The Owls are capable of slowing down Cornell’s three-point game, and taking them out of their comfort zone. But take a closer look at Houston and Siena, too. If there’s one Cinderella team in the tournament, Siena has a chance to ruin brackets.

You’ve been warned, pick the Saints to advance pass an ailing Purdue in the first-round. By losing star player Robbie Hummel to season-ending knee injury, the Boilermakers weren’t nearly as powerful in the Big Ten tournament.

Each year, there’s a new personality in the tournament and the field of 64 teams. This year, the menaces are all the No. 1 seeds, craving and coveted to reach the biggest stage at Indianapolis. Reminder to all folks filling out a bracket, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and Duke are tenacious and vigorous in advancing to the Final Four.

Let’s give our thumbs up to committee for granting the Jayhawks a No. 1 seed. With the exception of Bill Self, point guard Sherron Collins, center Cole Aldrich, shooting guard Xavier Henry and twins Marcus and Markieff Morris, you could be starring at the bottomless team in the nation, a team destined of the Final Four.

In conversions to break out amid the tourney, are Georgetown and Maryland, courtesy of the National Player of the Year nominees in Hoyas’ center Greg Monroe and Terrapins’ guard Grevis Vasquez, both experienced star players with tremendous talent.


It’s tough to call, having the powerhouses of the SEC in the mix. The Kentucky Wildcats are groomed and cultivated by the cleverness of John Calipari. Based on his history, he has prepared his teams for big games.

So rather the Wildcats are too young and inexperienced, his coaching method may strengthen and encourage Wall and DeMarcus Cousins of uplifting their performance. As we know, Wall is lightening quick and Cousins takes advantage inside the interior with his muscular body and wingspan to collect boards and tip in a shot before the end of regulation expires.


Is it a new dynasty for Duke? Seems Mike Krzyzewski has the Blue Devils on the right track. But in what seems to be the most vulnerable team in the South region, the boys from North Carolina are the hottest team near Tobacco Road winning four straight games and 11 their last 12 games.

It’s an understatement ignoring the Blue Devils, with the highest scoring trio in the nation. Guards Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith and forward Kyle Singler are the difference in Duke’s ideal winning streak.

Meanwhile, facing Louisville and Villanova later down the road, could spell trouble.

What has the makings for the best storyline early in the sporting year, March Madness has the makings for the greatest epic classics in sports.

We’ll certainly watch.

Kentucky Basketball: Fried Chickens Are Gone, Wildcats Elite Once Again

Well, that confirms it. There’s much we know about Kentucky in a season when elite toughness has returned, banishing all the burdens.

Before John Calipari made his presence felt in Lexington, the Wildcats were burning in a hot bucket, battered in the fried grease. They were a Kentucky Fried Calamity, but with all the drastic transitions following the woeful era of Billy Gillespie, the Bluegrass State wasn't denigrated. Despite years of stains to a premier program, a tattered Kentucky wasn’t even discussed.

But the arrogance of one demanding program posed turbulence for the Wildcats. That, indeed, was an unfamiliar scene for a school known for reaching and finishing atop the polls and contending for the Final Four.

The Wildcats rarely take an early exit amid a tourney, where Cinderella’s are born and fools dominate, busting brackets and upsetting gamblers. Suddenly, the top-ranked team in the nation doesn’t have to worry about severely disappointing a state which truly admires college hoops.

Quite fittingly, the Wildcats are the best team in the nation—the most dangerous. It’s easy to sit back and embrace the high intensity and action of Kentucky, grasping our consciousness. With all the star power and a well-respected coach, the Wildcats aren’t a program to laugh at anymore.

But this comes as no surprise, at least it shouldn’t.

If you glance at Calipari’s striking resume, you’ll notice he has a history of revitalizing programs.

He cultivated three programs despite the problematic sandals that may have bruised credibility. He has helped mold former superstars into not only NBA attractions, but matured men.

His philosophy is manipulating Kentucky’s flourishing stars, such as the freshman sensation John Wall, a lighting fast point guard.

He’s truly a special talent, blessed to be coached by Calipari. Look at how much of an impact Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans are having on the NBA level, renovating impoverished franchises with their dynamic contributions.


But there isn’t a point guard more impressive than Wall. Shining more quickly than the typical freshman, it seems as if he has been dazzling on the collegiate level for a long time. He’s NBA-ready and could translate his dominance on the next level. There’s no point guard as fast in the transition game or directly to the bucket.

There’s no player as streaky of a shooter as Wall. Although he settled for 13 points on 4 for 12 shooting and nine assist in a late Saturday afternoon game against Vanderbilt, he’ll be the No. 1 pick in the next NBA draft.

It’s hard to argue that.

What we are seeing is Calipari utilize a youthful team as he did well at UMass and Memphis, where he auspiciously led the Tigers to prestigious heights in the NCAA tourney.

He has brought a similar method to Kentucky, a well-balanced team that doesn’t need to rely strictly on spectacular performances from Wall. It’s not a one-man show. The Wildcats are seeing the high-minded freshman DeMarcus Cousins mature and accelerate efficiently, becoming the team’s second option.

They are starting to find their form, strengthening to remain No. 1 in the nation.

The Wildcats are winning most of their games and entered today’s contest with a mentality that capturing a win was top priority. Sure enough, they did.


They recovered from an upset loss to South Carolina, where hearts were shattered late in the week as a magical winning streak was snapped. But there are no worries, after bouncing back with an 85-72 win over Vanderbilt. In front of an engaged Kentucky crowd, a blissful fan base saw the same Wildcats they had grown accustomed to in prior weeks.

More than anything, they saw a much-improved Cousins bully the Commodores in the interior. He ruled the boards and posted his 12th double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds during a physical outing.

Whistles were blown often in a game that featured 58 fouls, acknowledging the physical contact. The aggressive play is how the Wildcats have been able to pummel opponents all season.

There’s also no place like home and they are unbeaten on their own hardwood. Kentucky is 13-0 at home, responding to Calipari’s coaching demands.


Knowing Calipari, the loss suffered on Tuesday was considered a reality check. If so, it worked in their favor, able to bounce back with a crucial win against Vanderbilt.

Some teams live and die by the three pointers. One of those teams happen to be Kentucky, who made 12 of 23 three-pointers and held a 19-point lead early.

The Commodores were outrebounded 41-22 and took advantage on second-chance points by scoring 20.

Wall gave rise to concern about his ball-handling when he posted seven turnovers.

Another problem is the Wildcats have a tendency of building double-digit leads, but losing a majority of them because of complacency. Calipari is always insisting that his team play consistent throughout the entire game, a weakness Kentucky must improve upon if expecting to drive full force to the Final Four.

Given Calipari’s history, the Wildcats are Final Four destined.

They are a balanced team. Patrick Patterson, who had four rebounds and 12 points, is a factor. Eventually, Eric Bledsoe may be a key piece to their chase of the national championship as he was on Saturday, finishing with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Though they are the holders of the most wins in the history men’s basketball and the most likable program, the Wildcats haven’t won a national title since 1998, under coach Tubby Smith.

Meanwhile, Calipari has never won a national title.

But in a season where he sparked their rebirth, he may lead them back to the top. It’s still a bit early to call him the next Adolph Rupp, but it isn’t early to make it known that he’s the best head coach since Smith departed accepting the Minnesota job—he was tired of all the shabby seasons.

Late into the season, the least concern is a letdown. This is believed to be a year Kentucky athletics come back to life, absorbing our attention in April.

Unless a strange drought strangleholds a reproductive program, Kentucky isn’t going anywhere. If Calipari is around, life is fine. If he’s around, winning a national title could be impending.