Thoughts on NCAA Memphis Ruling: What This Means for UK?

Today the NCAA announced that it is forcing the University of Memphis mens basketball program to vacate 38 wins and a Final Four appearance from the 2007-08 season. This ruling was on the basis of the NCAA investigation into the Memphis Tigers, which found freshman guard Derrick Rose's test score to be dishonestly obtained by having a stand in take the test for him, ensuring that he would pass with the correct score to be admitted to the University of Memphis and be ruled eligible by the NCAA. The NCAA Committee on Infractions also ruled that the Memphis program was negligent in its own oversight when it allowed Rose's brother to ride on a team charter, a trip at a value of over $2,000, without compensation. In these events, our very own John Calipari hold the stigma of being the first coach to have two Final Four appearances vacated, first at Massachusetts in 1996 on the basis of the Marcus Camby/agent scandal.

The question is, what does this hold for the University of Kentucky and our beloved mens basketball program. As before mentioned, there is a dark blot over our celebrity coach as John Calipari becomes the first coach to have two Final Fours vacated, enough said. In my honest opinion, he is a target of the NCAA's eye. Even though he's never been named in any of the previous two investigations into his programs, Calipari will forever be a target of NCAA scrutiny because of the previous sins of his last two programs. This means Mitch Barnhart needs to expand the UK Athletics Compliance Department, pay compliance director Sandy Bell for overtime, do something to make this a focal point of the department as a whole in a loud way. UK needs to keep a short leash on Calipari and make sure due diligence is taken to conduct background research on the entourages of high ranking recruits. Check every single contact, every single AAU connection, coaches, friends, friends of family, friends of friends, any and all large financial transactions. Corey Maggette can get away with accepting $2,000 at NCAA poster child Duke; ten years have come and gone since Maggette donned the Blue Devil uniform and made the Final Four in 1999. At UK, we'd have the Eddie Sutton era nightmare all over again. In the world of the NCAA's selective justice, it must be a fact of life that Duke basketball and USC football can get away with some things that other programs can't. We at UK must adapt, adjust, be ahead of the curve in our compliance legwork. All it takes is one little "something" for the NCAA to open a can of worms in Lexington. We must be our own NCAA Clearinghouse, checking the test scores and scoring history of our players. We must be careful what we give to our players in terms of favors, don't even let the family dog aboard a UK chartered aircraft. UK must look over its own shoulder and do it often, or else Big Blue could be next.

A UK Fan's Perspective on the Pitino/Sypher Scandal

As a Kentucky fan, I am in the minority. I don't vilify Rick Pitino for leaving Kentucky and making a business decision to got the Boston Celtics. At the time, pro sports were the only place to get John Calipari/Pete Carrol type of money for coaching. If anything, I'm thankful C.M. Newton found the right guy at the right time to bring Kentucky out of the depths of probation. I will go as far to say that if Pitino doesn't perform CPR to perfection on the probated Kentucky program, the success of the 1996 team, the success of Tubby Smith, the recruiting class brought in by John Calipari probably never happens. On a Mount Rushmore of Kentucky Basketball legends, Pitino sits alone with Adolph Rupp and two other legends that we could argue about for years. He is modern Kentucky basketball. On that note, I am severely disappointed with the former Wildcat coach and current head coach of the Louisville Cardinals. While the majority of the Commonwealth laughs at Pitino's pitfalls, I am disappointed that such a shining light of a figure in the lore of Wildcat basketball now has such a tarnished mark on his reputation. To me, he is a Wildcat first, Cardinal second. He still regrets leaving Kentucky; in a packed Freedom Hall on ESPN College Gameday in front of Louisville fans he called his 1996 Kentucky team his greatest and favorite. He's still a Wildcat, always a Wildcat, and one of our own just done enough damage to his reputation that his days as a viable coach and recruiter could soon be done.

Saturday Opinion: What Happened to Football?

Spring football was almost forgotten in the Commonwealth amid the buzz of the thirty-two-million-dollar man coming to Lexington in John Calipari. Amidst our frenzied, glorious, return to basketball power without ever taking the court, Rich Brooks and his football Wildcats bring back one of the country's best defenses and an offense that has potential to flourish. For those of you who think junior quarterback Mike Hartline isn't cut out for the job, remember this, there is now a precedence for second year starters in their junior season to come from nowhere and take the Southeastern Conference by storm (see Andre Woodson, November 2006 in Lexington versus perennial power Georgia). If a perfect storm of events collide on September 26th when the Wildcats take the field against the defending national champion and seemingly assured number one team in the Florida Gators, basketball with be the furthest thing from the minds of Big Blue Nation. If this perfect storm blows into Lexington, the miracle of October 13th, 2007 when #17 Kentucky knocked off eventual BCS champion Louisiana State will be but a distant memory. To be able to beat college football's golden boy in Tim Tebow, to beat its great coach in Urban Meyer, to break free from nearly a quarter century's worth of heartaches, disappointments, failures, beatdowns, and breakdowns in the clutch against the current anointed power in college football would be the sweetest sweet tea in all the territory of the Southeastern Conference for Kentucky. To sip that sweetest tea just one time for Rich Brooks in seemingly the twilight of his days at UK would be so very sweet indeed. Now if we can only give the football team the time of day, for September comes before November. Even if this does not happen, football deserves our attention now, for a chance at some positive history lies in wait for this Kentucky team this season. More to come on this subject as we move closer to the start of football season.

John Calipari Gives SEC A Call

Reported By Jerry Tipton:

During an appearance on Monday’s SEC coaches’ teleconference, John Calipari spoke of possible neutral site games for Kentucky in future seasons.

He noted the consideration given games in dome stadiums in Indianapolis, St. Louis and Atlanta. Plus he talked about neutral site games in Nashville, Louisville and New York.

Here are the particulars Calipari mentioned:

– Possible games against Indiana alternating in Louisville and Indianapolis.

– A game against Memphis in Nashville.

– Games against Ohio State alternating in Louisville and Cincinnati.

– A game against Kansas in St. Louis.

– A game against “some of the best teams” in either New York or Atlanta.

To play such a schedule requires a strong roster, Calipari said. The UK coach suggested that the incoming freshman class will not have any academic problems and will be eligible.

Calipari noted how point guards John Wall and Eric Bledsoe, whose competition for playing time could potentially cause a problem, were getting along well. Big man DeMarcus Cousins was a “big teddy bear,” the UK coach said.

Kentucky Mr. Basketball Jon Hood had become a popular figure among his teammates.

“I love the attitude,” Calipari said of the freshmen. ” ‘Let’s try to win all the games.’ “

Vinny Zollo Officially Decommits From The University Of Kentucky

From Rivals.com, the last of Billy Clyde Gillispie's Commitments, Vinny Zollo has officially decommitted. Zollo has offers from Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati has shown some interest. Good luck to Vinny Zollo and his whole recruting process.

Billy Mays has died. He was found dead this morning, he was 50, cause of death unknown.

Coach Calipari talks about the roster situation and the draft and all sorts of things.