Mar 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari watches his team play against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Commodores beat the Wildcats 64-48. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

John Calipari has a system that no other coach has in the NCAA. Pushing players to go beyond  a typical college experience to be ready for the NBA. Playing with the best, to be the best before getting paid to play against the best in the NBA.

John Calipari’s best tool is molding young players into young men that can go to the league and perform. Calipari has stated many times recently about the idea of getting rid of the one and done rule in College Basketball. The NCAA and John Calipari  don’t get along when it comes to coming in an agreement with things. Calipari recently stated how the NCAA and other teams would not like to see players stay for two years or longer at the University of Kentucky.

“I’m the one guy out there saying we’ve gotta change this somehow,” Calipari said. “We’ve gotta encourage these kids to stay two years. But the NCAA’s gotta do some stuff, and if they don’t do it we need to separate from them. I’m not afraid to say it. Look, they’ve embarrassed me. I’ve done nothing, so they’re not gonna come in, show retribution to me and do stuff. I don’t really care. But something’s gotta change with this one and done rule. I seem to be the coach saying anything.”

Over the past few years we’ve all seen what John Calipari can put up and produce with team play. Last years team was the only flaw for the style of  recruiting that John Calipari goes after each year. It was indeed a down year for recruiting, and the talent wasn’t like it was in the previous years. Last year’s team changed John’s strategy in several key ways. He will still recruit the best, but in the mean time recruit players that will stick around and produce strong bench play for the Wildcats.

John Calipari is a non conformist in a way for what he is trying to do in College Basketball. No one is coming close to doing what he’s done in the game. Cal is changing the game in his recruiting, and preparing them for the NBA in mass numbers that no coach has done in recent history. Players come first, and that’s exactly what Calipari is about.

Dec 10, 2011; Bloomington, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari talks to Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean before the game at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeated Kentucky 73-72. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Now that the Kentucky Wildcats have posted their out of conference schedule for next year, there seems to be very little argument. This is going to be a very tough schedule for UK and should be one of the most challenging in the country, if not the most. The schedule is a love affair to Kentucky fans as it has a home game against the defending National Champs, and a return to the storied UNC series. Sprinkled in between is a huge made for TV double header event versus the NIT champion Baylor Bears, an early season #1 vs #2 showdown with Michigan State, and a very solid December game versus Boise State in a spot normally reserved for cupcakes. And for those with twisted revenge dreams, there is also Robert Morris.

There is something for everyone in this early schedule and as a matter of fact, the national media is taking note and applauding:

All in all, it’s a challenging-enough slate with some choice matchups and a voluntary true road game at a top-10 team. It’s everything I found lacking in Indiana’s nonleague schedule this past season, so kudos to the Wildcats for understanding the role of a presumed elite team in scheduling, for us and for the program’s own fans. We’ll see what other programs follow suit in what should be a great season.

What’s that about Indiana?  Oh yea, it seems like the national media may actually step up this year and put some pressure on the back to back Sweet 16 appearance Hoosiers and make them step up their out of conference schedule.

I admit, the absence of Indiana on the schedule last year hurt Kentucky a bit and gave us probably the weakest out of conference schedule in the Calipari era.  That is what happens when two permanent spots on the schedule (UNC and IU) get blown up in May and rightfully so, Calipari was castigated for the schedule which obviously did nothing to prepare his Wildcat team.  But the 2013-14 schedule has roared back with a vengeance and more than atoned for last years sins.  And Calipari has done it without a hint, whiff, and a mention of Indiana on the schedule.

You can argue that the Boise State game will be a more attractive matchup for Kentucky next year than the Indiana Hoosiers.  So take that, Tom Crean.

While John Calipari has done what you do with crazy exes and effectively moved on from Tom Crean  and put the Hoosiers in the past, you have to wonder what Clappy has done with his out of conference schedule.

Earlier this week it was reported that John Calipari has turned down an invitation to the 2014 EA Sports Maui Invitational. NCAA rules prevent teams from playing in this tournament more than every four years, and Kentucky’s last trip was in 2010. Kentucky has played in this tournament in 1993, 1997, 2002, 2006, and in 2010- nearly every time they were eligible. It was something the BBN looked forward to during Thanksgiving week every four years- and you could expect the Hawaiian island to be occupied by out-of-towners dawning blue t-shirts. This scene is no more it seems, at least not in the Calipari-Era.

Cal hasn’t hidden the fact that he doesn’t like tournaments like this one, where teams play three games in three days. It was also reported that he told Mizzou’s Head Coach, Frank Haith that he thinks it’s too long of a trip to make (5 time zones to be exact).

Some seem to think there’s more than travel factors influencing Cal’s decision to deny the invitation. Could it be the memory of Kemba Walker’s 29 points to an 84-67 UConn win over Kentucky back in Maui in 2010? The same Connecticut team that ended Kentucky’s tournament dance in the Final Four just months later. Kentucky has also not won the Maui Invitational since 1993 with Rick Pitino.

Considering Cal has since won a national title, I feel like that may not be his reasoning. Maui Invitational is used by lots of coaches as a recruiting tool, but at Kentucky they let the tradition, banners, facilities, and collection of 5-star recruits and NBA stars do that for them. Maui Invitational usually hosts storied programs and boasts tough match-ups and good competition. UK, however will play Louisville and is expecting a number of other nationally televised match-ups, per usual. The Invitational is also used to gauge your team’s strengths and weaknesses early in the season, but said match-ups should take care of that. It can also boost the ratings percentage index (RPI) and strength of schedule when it comes to tournament selection, but again, the previously mentioned match-ups should take care of that as well.

The Invitational does now include a fourth game that doesn’t count against the NCAA limit on schedules. This game occurs before the three that take place Thanksgiving week and the home team gets the proceeds, so UK could get an easy win and a pay day; but do they need it?

Haith made a good point on entering the tournament. “It’s something early in the year for your guys to get excited about rather than just playing a bunch of guarantee games.”

I agree with Haith, most schools, including Kentucky usually play fairly small schools early on, resulting in easy wins. But in this case I don’t know that the pros outweigh the cons; for Cal, they obviously do not.

Tournament director, Dave Odom, former South Carolina and Wake Forest coach confirmed that Calipari has turned down the 2014 invitation.

Odom said “I think every coach has the right to decide what’s right for their program, I respect that.” He also noted that other “dynasty” programs regularly participate, UNC returns in 2016, Kansas in 2015, and UCLA also has a spot reserved.  Odom noted that Kentucky would be missed.  “It’s hurtful, for sure,” he said. “Wherever Kentucky goes, Kentucky has a presence. We’d like that presence every four years to be in Maui.”

The Maui invitational tries to have a representative from each conference each year. Arkansas will represent the SEC in 2013; Haith and Missouri accepted what would be considered “Kentucky’s” 2014 invitation.

Kentucky has confirmed a “multi-year” deal with the Barclays Center to host Kentucky and Maryland, like this past season where Kentucky topped Maryland in a 72-69 thriller. This seems to be Calipari’s replacement for the Maui Invitational. Next season the Barclays Classic will also host St. John’s, Georgia Tech (including former Kentucky player, Stacey Poole), Ole Miss, and Penn State- all solid programs.

Personally, I have no problem forgoing the Maui Invitational. Cal seems to receive criticism with every decision made about the program, this being no exception. It has it’s pro’s and con’s but I think that choosing not to drag the team across the country and play 4 games in a week is probably in their best interest. The travel and schedule will just add unnecessary strain on what will presumably be a young basketball team, early on in the season. I think that Maui Classic or not, UK will have a strong schedule and plenty of opportunity for the BBN to travel.

March 2, 2013; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts to a play during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas defeated Kentucky 73-60. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

One might think that John Calipari might be a little contrite after last season’s debacle. Starting out ranked in the preseason top five and being knocked out of the first round of the NIT by Robert Morris as the finale would humble just about any coach in the NCAA. One might assume that John Calipari would approach this season a little guarded and less willing to set forth lofty goals.

But this is John Calipari we are talking about; no way in hell is he going to do it any other way than to go completely balls to the wall.

After losing 11 games, talk of going 40-0 should be scoffed at and ridiculed. Cal should shy away from that talk. But he isn’t. He’s welcoming it:

My goal before I retire is to coach a 40-0 team because they say it can’t be done. As the season goes on, it gets harder and harder. But I say let’s do it, let’s do something crazy.

Calipari says that he wants to do it before he retires, but anyone with a brain knows that he wants to do it this season with his new team. And he isn’t stopping at the 40-0 talk. He is even going so far as to compare this Wildcat team to the Miami Heat and how difficult it will be to get all of the talent to mesh. He stated that it took LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh two years to figure out how to make it work; Kentucky will have only three months to get it right.

But this is why we love John Calipari. He is a gunslinger; always has been, always will be. He’s hones and he tells it like it is, no matter who he offends or what fires his comments may spark. But it’s with this mentality that he can assemble the best talent college basketball has ever seen. It’s with this mentality that he went to back-to-back Final Fours and won a national title. It’s with this mentality that he has flooded the NBA with Wildcats in his short tenure.

Love his bravado or loath it, John Calipari isn’t backing down from a challenge. He was knocked off his horse last season; but his spurs are sharpened and his six shooters are reloaded. He is going into 2013/2014 with guns blazing and expectations soaring.

He’s coming. And Hell’s coming with him.

Mar 31, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari (right) greets Louisville Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino before the semifinals of the 2012 NCAA men

Regardless of what you think about them personally, the Commonwealth of Kentucky is fortunate to have two Hall of fame coaches manning the programs for the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals. Between them, John Calipari and Rick Pitino have 1190 wins, 3 National Titles and 11 Final Four appearances. Pitino recently gained entry into the Hall of Fame and Calipari is probably just a year or two from inclusion.

Pitino’s entry has stirred up a lot of debate as to whether he should be recognized as more of a Kentucky coach or a Louisville coach. It’s an interesting debate and each side has their merits, but there is another interesting and unique angle to this discussion. Despite all of their individual and career success, neither Rick Pitino or John Calipari will ever get to be known as the greatest coach at their current school.

Think about that for just a minute. Two Hall of Fame coaches will never get to be known as the face of their program when all is said and done in the history books, If Rick Pitino wins another title at Louisville, he may at least enter the conversation, but until then, it is a moot point.

Like Pitino before him though, John Calipari plays in the building named for Adolph Rupp, who will forever be considered the greatest coach at Kentucky. During his tenure, Rupp won four NCAA Titles and advanced to the Final Four six times. Those numbers are a bit misleading as Rupp also was awarded two Helms Titles,   some schools recognize as a national title and some of the NIT championships were considered the same. At Kentucky, Rupp won 876 games.

John Calipari’s numbers at Kentucky have been inpressive with a NCAA Title, two Final Fours and 123 wins. Even if you look at Calipari’s career numbers of 526 wins, a national title and four Final Four appearences, his numbers pale next to the Baron. Even Joe B Hall, who followed Rupp directly paled in comparison, with a national title, and three Final Fours. As successful as Pitino was at Kentucky, he amassed 219 wins with a title and three Final Fours. It says a lot about Rupp’s legacy that these three coaches still fall short of his accomplishments.

The same type of situation also is present for Rick Pitino at Louisville.

While Pitino played in a building named for his predecessor at Kentucky, his teams play on a court named for Denny Crum at Louisville. In his 24 years at Louisville, Denny Crum won 675 games, two NCAA Titles and advanced to six Final Fours. Crum will always receive the credit for building Louisville basketball and like Hall after Rupp, Pitino charged with maintaining it.

And that he has done. Pitino has 310 wins a title and three Final Four appearances. He will never catch Crum in wins at Louisville, but if he can add another title, maybe he can enter the conversation for best Louisville coach ever. When it comes down to it, Pitino will probably need to win two more titles at Louisville as Crum built the program and it was an established brand when Pitino took over.

None of this is meant to disparage either Pitino or Calipari, but just an interesting storyline to coaching college basketball in the Commonwealth. By winning titles, both Calipari and Pitino would be instant legends at almost any other school in America, and probably would instantly be the “best coach ever” at the majority of them.

However in the basketball crazy Commonwealth of Kentucky, they are merely upholding the brand and legacy of guys named Rupp and Crum.

Madison Central point guard Dominique Hawkins. Photo by Jason Marcum

It’s been quite a journey for Dominique Hawkins in getting to his dream school, the University of Kentucky. His electrifying Sweet 16 MVP performance, coupled with an outstanding senior season in which he averaged 20 points per game while leading Madison Central to a school-record 32 wins and their first state title is thought to be what finally pushed John Calipari into offering him a scholarship. But little did the world know that there was a man working behind the scenes since Calipari came to Kentucky to make sure he knew about Hawkins and pushed for him to eventually become a Kentucky Wildcat.

That man was Cal’s own dentist, Doctor Robert Palmer, according to Madison Central Head Coach Allen Feldhaus Jr.:

Every time Cal would come to the dentist, and I’m talking about since Cal got here, Doc Palmer would always plant that seed in Cal’s ear about Dominique Hawkins. It definitely helped out.

Palmer just happened to be a close family friend of Hawkins, and became Cal’s dentist when he took the job at Kentucky. Doc opened up about how special it was to see Hawkins finally get that scholarship offer and commit to his dream school:

Mar 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari watches his team play against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. The Commodores beat the Wildcats 64-48. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past couple weeks, we have been wrapping up the 2012-13 Kentucky Wildcat Basketball season and gave the main players a Report Card grade. Now it’s time to grade the big guy and to be honest, this is a difficult task. Keep in mind, the guy did win a National Title last year and has five straight top ranked recruiting classes. But when it comes to the results on the court? Let’s take a look at how we grade Calipari.

RESULTS

Sorry, Cal. But I have to fail you here. And I am NOT one of those fans that think the Kentucky should win the National Title every year. My expectations are somewhat moderate. Give me a Sweet 16 appearance every year and I won’t bash you. After the lean last years of Tubby and BCG, I decided that all I wanted was at a minimum, was to be in the title conversation every year. I don’t demand a top ten finish as I realize there will be down years, but getting out of the first weekend of the tournament should be mandatory. At that point, anything can happen. And I know that Tom Crean would love that grading scale, I am going to be a bit harder on Calipari. To be honest, I can not give Calipari another grade for this portion than a F.

Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the game against the Florida Gators in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

With the likelihood of Kentucky’s rival, Louisville Cardinals, winning the 2013 National Championship increasing this weekend as they advanced to the Final Four for the second straight year, Kentucky fans continued to turn their attention away from this season and set their eyes on next.

As those gazes linger on a class that currently stands as one of the best (and arguably the best) ever assembled, its natural for everyone else to begin to look and see just what you’re staring at and in this case, those joining may not necessarily have the same blue colored glasses.

Over the next few weeks and months, rather due to your retaliation to some Louisville fan’s bragging of their first championship in 27 years or an Indiana fan’s disappointment and subsequent lashing out over a hyped season ending in the Sweet 16, prepare for the argument over this class being over-signed… of which, you’ll see below, John Calipari is not guilty.

Oversigning – the act of signing more players to scholarship than a team has available (12 per year).

 Before agreeing or disagreeing with those UL or IU fans, take a look at where Kentucky stands currently.

Let’s break the list down:

• Kentucky has 4 players (Long, Malone, Polson, Beckham) who came to the team as a walk-ons.
• Kentucky only had 8 scholarship players last year and gave the 4 walk-ons above scholarships.
• Kentucky has two players, Julius Mays and Twanny Beckham, who will finish eligibility (graduate student and senior).
• Kentucky didn’t use one scholarship (likely for the possibility of an in-season transfer).

That’s 5 scholarships that have an expiration date and one unused for a total of 6.

Kentucky has accepted commitments from 7 players to date:

That would put Kentucky 1 above the limit.

Archie Goodwin recently announced, as expected, that he would enter the NBA draft.

That leaves Kentucky even for 2013-2014.

If Harrow, Noel, and Poythress all return (or would have returned in the case of Harrow who just announced he would transfer to Georgia State), Kentucky would simply not be able to extend to Polson, Long, and Malone, putting to rest any statement that Harrow was ‘forced to leave’ like Rick Pitino did to Jared Swopshire in 2011.

Now that Ryan Harrow has announced and with likely the inevitable departure of potential #1 overall NBA pick Nerlens Noel, recent transfer announcement, Kentucky has room for both Polson and one of Andrew Wiggins (#1 2013)/Gordon (#6 2013).

Did John Calipari oversign? No – he just undersigned in 2012-2013 in preparation of the best class ever assembled.

Feb 27, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Ryan Harrow (12) dribbles the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the first half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Mississippi State 85-55. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

As you’ve probably already heard this morning, Ryan Harrow has announced he is transferring from Kentucky to Georgia State and is going to petition the NCAA for the right to play in the 2013-14 season. Harrow has already submitted his application to Georgia State and will soon begin the paperwork needed to request to be immediately eligible.

The man who was UK’s starting point guard this season is transferring because his father suffered a stroke before the 2012 basketball season and is in poor health. He wants to be with his father while he is in a poor state of health, and believes the NCAA will allow him to play next season due to the medical reasons for his transfer.

Here are some comments made by Harrow on his transfer:

I really need to be home with him to be closer to him to make sure he’s taken care of.

I got better there (Kentucky). I built some relationships there. I know next year we would have been really good. It was just real important for me to be with my dad. With him being sick like this, I needed to be there with him.

John Calipari had this statement on Harrow:

Given the health of his Dad, we fully support Ryan’s decision to transfer to Georgia State to be closer to his family in Atlanta.

Ryan was a vital part of this year’s team and an important player in practice during our 2011-2012 national championship run. I want to thank Ryan for his efforts and hard work and wish him the best of luck at Georgia State. I know the BBN will keep a close eye on him and wish him well as he continues his basketball career and his pursuit of a college degree.

It’s sad to see Harrow’s Kentucky career end so suddenly, but family always comes first, and he and his father will be in our thoughts and prayers on this East Sunday.

What to keep discussing this? Head over to the WBN Forums. 

February 12, 2013; Gainesville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts against the Florida Gators during the first half at the Stephen C. O

In what may be one of the darker hours of Kentucky basketball since the program came off probation in 1991, the Cats have just learned that for only the second time in the past three decades, UK won’t be dancing in the NCAA Tournament. But don’t expect head coach John Calipari to hid and sulk. He’s already taken to twitter to thank the Big Blue Nation for being the greatest fanbase in the land, and how this year, while challenging, was a humbling experience:

I’m really disappointed we didn’t make the NCAA Tournament but we are going to use this time to make us better.

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 18, 2013

We had our chances, but I’m not going to stop. It’s a great lesson for the future of our program & a humbling experience for me as a coach. — John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 18, 2013

To the #BBN, you did your part all season long. You showed up in droves and helped us pull through key games. We didn’t do our part. — John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 18, 2013

Even now, I’m going to coach these guys, try to make them better & give everything I can to make sure we control our destiny in the future.

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 18, 2013