Kentucky’s loss to UCLA might be just what the doctor ordered for John Calipari as he tries to coach another young team toward another Final Four run.
Aaron Torres of FoxSports.com says not being last year’s team might be a good thing.
“This is the growing pains of trying to coach the most inexperienced team in the country,” Calipari said. “I’m fine with it. We got beat, we got kicked, we move on.”
In a lot of ways, that is the most intriguing thing about this loss … the simple fact that it was an actual loss. Virtually none of the players on this roster have ever suffered a regular-season loss, something that in theory is great, but that many believed was a hindrance for the Wildcats last season in their pursuit of a perfect season.
That’s right, we all remember the debates last season about whether a loss prior to the NCAA tournament could have helped the ’Cats ease the pressure as the team entered the home-stretch of the season.
“I think taking one (loss) early is going to help this team,” Ulis said. “Sometimes we come out not playing too hard and guys need to understand we can lose. Nobody wants this feeling again.”
No they don’t, which is why in a lot of ways that loss can do plenty of good.
No, these definitely are not last season’s Wildcats. And as it turns out, that might be for the best.
Read “These aren’t last season’s Wildcats, but that may not be a bad thing” by clicking here.
There are so many parts of the game that John Calipari can now focus on to teach his young team now that I bet he is almost giddy.
He actually gets a chance to coach and not just watch.
