With the departure of Kentucky’s starting five for the NBA Draft, Calipari proves he can win with so-called ‘one and done’ talent whether everyone likes it or not. Two weeks ago, on the night a team which many called the greatest in Kentucky’s history won a national title, Cal talked about sending a historic six players in the first round of the NBA Draft. To some, this reinforces belief that for Cal, sending players to the league trumps hanging banners. I believe the philosophy is more that doing so is the path to national championships.
The success of this years’ team, and their subsequent exodus comes with its positives and negatives, as does anything. The question Big Blue Nation has to ask its self is would you rather have a bunch of guys around for three to four years, or would you rather hang banners? Personally, I’ll take the banners as well as the exposure to more amazing basketball players. Because even though players like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist were only in Lexington for a matter of months, he made an impression that will not soon, if ever, be forgotten.
And while Calipari may forever be vilified for the way he chooses to run his basketball program, he is simply leveraging the current climate to create the best chance of success for both himself, and his program. But before any of that, he dedicates himself to the success of his players. Now, the one factor that isn’t directly accounted for in that equation is the big blue faithful.
Like anyone else following the team (or college basketball) I was wrapped yesterday with anxiety and a tinge of nausea at the prospect of watching these five young men announce they were leaving for the NBA. I watched as people on Twitter espoused disdain for everything from why the Cats would wait so long to announce (to thumb their nose at the NCAA?) to why they would do an entire ‘special’ on ESPN for the announcement. (anyone ever take a marketing class?)
For what it’s worth, even the ‘experts’ don’t seem to fully understand the goings on in Lexington, as folks like Dino Gaudio talked about what a problem this is for Kentucky, and how fans of UK should brace themselves for Cal’s worst season at UK in 12-13. First of all, Dino, this crop that is coming in is the most talented top to bottom that we have seen aside from this year’s squad, and we didn’t do so poorly this year after having to replace north of 80% of our production from the Final Four team. Short story long, respect lost for Dino Gaudio, but I digress.
Anytime a person has a vision, they take those who surround them on a ride that can be both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. That is just what is happening with Cal in Lexington. Part of the reason he leans so heavily on things like sending six players in the first round of the NBA draft is to raise the bar, to keep setting higher goals than the competition so that he can achieve a higher level of success than competition. So while it may be a thorn in many people’s side when he seems to focus on this agenda that is not in tune with that of Kentucky’s fan base, it is purely because of this agenda that the fans enjoy such success.
The exodus of Kentucky’s five starting underclassmen is a major part of their Championship season, not a spoiling end. And as much as it was a given part of this year’s success, it is integral to the ongoing success of the program next year and beyond. So yesterday was a wrenching day and yes there are still questions to be answered for the 12-13 season, but it is about the journey not the destination and what a journey it has been.
