Must read story about KU

Thanks for posting, LASJayhawk.

It's a very flattering article and an enjoyable read as a KU fan. However, it had an odd twist at the end--pivoting to pointing out that athletes should be at the table (and presumably paid). In that vein, it seemed to bounce around in searching for a central theme or thesis. At first, I thought it was mainly going to be about true academic integrity for athletes, and it was flowing pretty well on that score...but then it wound up with a half-hearted aside about athletes getting paid. Not only that, but the conclusion featured this unfortunate line:

In the name of James Naismith, Dean Smith, and Danny Manning, the school needs to be seen very openly and very publicly as an institution trying to get so-called student-athletes a seat at the table, so the system can be fixed and everyone benefits: not just the cartel known as the NCAA.

Dean Smith? Really? Given that his school and program (UNC) has set a truly new standard for academic fraud, and that it began while on his watch (whether he knew about it or not--and it's his job to know), that closing really threw me for a loop. All the more so given the article's initial focus on academic success and student-athlete integrity at KU.

I really enjoyed the flattering comments about KU (both hoops and academics), but the other aspects left me feeling that the article was kind of thrown together.

Thanks for posting, however. It certainly does a nice job of making us feel proud as Jayhawk alums and fans!

Rock Chalk...

That is interesting, Port.

In that same vein, my son has played and trained with a very solid, respected trainer and youth coach (10-18 year-olds) in Northern Virginia. He is African-American, as well-versed in every aspect of basketball as you could ever imagine, and has trained many a player to excel at the middle school, high school, and college level. He also holds no strong D-1 loyalties or animosities, but calls it like he sees it across the board. With that by way of backdrop, I couldn't help but smile (beam, actually) when I saw him post this comment on Facebook after the UK loss to Indiana this weekend:

Kentucky players never get better, However they come in, is exactly the way they leave. I think their coach is overrated as a coach, but is an outstanding recruiter. One man's opinion!!!

He got many "likes" for that one, and every commenter seconded his opinion. I think he's spot on...

FWIW...

It's really not fair to judge Calipari on his ability to develop players at Kentucky as that is not the goal.

That may not be the Squid's goal, but it is how many outsiders (including the youth coach I cited) choose to judge him as a peer in the coaching profession. And when they apply that criteria, they see a program that just churns people out who (as the coach said) leave the same way they came in.

It's just one guy's take. But in his defense, he has trained hundreds and hundreds of players over the years and tracked countless games and coaches at all levels. Given his pedigree, I happen to think his observation bears some merit. Regardless, it's a pretty sad statement on the UK conveyor belt...er, "program."