The number one rated high school basketball player in the country has decided not to play for Coach John Calipari and the University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team and… And, well, the worst you can say is that somehow, some way, the Cats will have to make it through the 2013-2014 season with 57* McDonald’s All-Americans on the team (*approximately). Think about that for a second. The best player in the country would have been a nice to have for Cal’s most recent recruiting class.
In a word: Wow. In more words: Welcome to a Brave New (Blue) World.
No, Calipari won’t get every top recruit that he targets (see: Wiggins, A). And, yes, Calipari will perhaps assemble a top ranked class that performs way below expectations (see: 2012-13 season). But, I think that it’s safe to say that the Calipari way of getting the best players year after year is paying dividends. Four years. One NCAA Title. One Final Four. One Elite Eight. And fiver straight number one recruiting classes.
Welcome to a Brave Blue World.
When Billy G was shown the exit in 2009, I’m sure most members of Big Blue Nation didn’t know what to expect from John Calipari. We all knew of his past and the vacated Final Four appearances at Memphis and UMass. And Coach Cal arrived in Lexington as a known smooth talker that always seemed to be working some sort of angle who barely skirted by getting caught by the NCAA’s law dogs. The most important questions were: Would Coach Cal “get” what it means to sit in the big chair at the end of the bench in Rupp Arena and would he be able to meet the expectations of the most demanding fan base is college basketball?
During the last few years of Tubby Smith’s tenure and during Billy G’s two year run, the Kentucky basketball teams didn’t perform as well on the court and, what was worse, were a national afterthought. I remember during the 2008-09 season when the Cats played in Chapel Hill against the eventual national champion North Carolina Tar Heels. ESPN Gameday was there to hype the match-up between two college hoops bluest blue bloods. The question was asked of the panel, “Can Kentucky win this game?” And ESPN’s overpaid analysts, to a man, laughed. The mere thought of those Wildcats being competitive was a joke. My beloved Wildcats had become a national punchline. This is not, and will never be, acceptable. The worst feeling was that, as a Big Blue fan, I couldn’t argue otherwise.
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
Enter Coach Cal.
Welcome to the Brave Blue World.
There’s a phrase that has been tossed around lately by members of the Big Blue Nation: “All Cats Everything.” When it comes to basketball, it is a Blue World and everyone else is just living in it. More and more former Cats are filling NBA rosters and becoming cornerstones to franchises (see: Boston, Washington, Sacremento). Once again, the Cats will enter the upcoming season ranked in the top five, with young stars and a coaching staff intent on erasing the bad memories of last year’s first round NIT loss. And every top high school player is checking the stands to see if Coach Cal or Coach O or Kenny Payne is in the stands watching. From high school to college to the professional level, it’s Blue as far as you can see.
Hey, Big Blue Nation: Welcome to the Brave Blue World.