John Calipari had some interesting comments in which he said he felt that his Kentucky Wildcats should have beaten the North Carolina Tar Heels in their matchup on Saturday. Calipari has been touching on the “selfish play” theme for a while and his comments seem to touch on that, but also indicates this is a matter that can be easily resolved:
"“I don’t know yet. I don’t know. I thought we should have won the game, especially after I watched the tape. We had two stretches: (leading) 25-17, we had four possessions in a row everybody broke it off and did their own thing. So now it’s 26-25. We’re up 57-51, the same thing happened again. We all broke it down, ‘I’m going to get mine, I’m going to do this.’ And then all of a sudden we’re in a tie ball game. And then we’re up 68-64 and we do the same thing again. I mean, again its stuff that we showed them and we’ll learn. We have good kids, it’s just that they’ve never ever been in this environment and it’s all of us in this together and it doesn’t matter. Like, Doron Lamb should have got the ball more. But guys were like, ‘Well, he shot the last two, I’m getting this one.’ No. He made the last two, you missed the last four, he shoots this one. I mean that’s what they don’t understand. But that’s OK. That’s where we are. Here we are a brand new team. I like my team. I just like to win every game, but I like my team.”"
The changes started for Kentucky football’s overhaul for next season as defensive co-ordinator Steve Brown was “demoted” to “co-defensive coordinator” and a new coach will be hired to be the other “co”. Now I know what you are saying, no big name is going to come as a “co” position, so don’t be surprised if Brown is not at Kentucky long as he is rumored to be looking for NFL opportunities. In other football news, UK has posted openings for runninfg back coaches and secondary coach, leading to speculation that Larry BRinson and Chris Thurmond have been let go.
What would an episode of the “5 for” be without an Enes Kanter update? Glenn Logan over at A Sea of Blue has an excellent article on the Kanter appeal and the possible form that it may take. More Enes speculation, All the time.
In case you are wondering , the kids are still alright. Scout.com has released their updated rankings for 2011 and Anthony Davis remains the #1 player, followed by Michael Gilchrist at #4, Marquis Teague at #6 and Kyle Wiltjer at #22.
Finally, tonight is game night as the Wildcats get ready to face the 8-0 Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and John Calipari is aware that his Wildcats faces a very solid team with plenty of experienced players:
"“Five seniors. They know how to play off one another. They don’t get rattled. They were down to Georgia, down 14, and they were down against Wisconsin 14 or 15, they were down against Indiana State and they never get rattled, they just keep playing. They play a good 2-3, 3-2 zone. They go to it and they stick with it. We’re a little different team than we were a year ago so playing zone against us is a little bit better for us. But they do what they do well because they’re a veteran team, they’re seniors. They go to their bench, they’re young, but even those guys only one is a freshman. The other guys have played last year. (Notre Dame head coach) Mike (Brey) does a great job and they’ve played a good schedule. Whatever their record is is not against cupcake city. When you play Wisconsin, when you play Georgia and the people they’ve played, you’ve played good people.”"
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