Should Kentucky worry about Calipari's recruiting, um, style?

**Stardust** · 03-31-2009, 06:40 PM

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketba...aab,151749

- There's one question that hasn't been broached too frequently in these discussions, but if you're a Kentucky fan, it should be: Just how worried should you be about how Calipari gets those recruits?

- It's not as if Cal has ever been busted before. Sure, UMass had to vacate some wins for Marcus Camby's paid dalliances with an agent, but Calipari was never directly tied to the agent, so he wasn't implicated.

- ... any scandal at Memphis has been quick and easily swept under the rug, most notably when an agent filed, and then quickly dropped, a lawsuit against Memphis player Shawne Williams alleging that Williams took money from the agent in college but spurned the agent when draft day rolled around. Calipari had nothing to do with that, either.

- His friendship with William Wesley, quite possibly the most influential and shady power broker in basketball, genuinely ought to be a cause for concern

- All of which is not to say that Calipari cheats, or even that if he does, he'll get caught

- But it is at least a question Kentucky fans should ask themselves: Do we care? I'd bet 27 wins a season they don't.

DeuceUL · 03-31-2009, 06:44 PM

:popcorn:

DukeFan4life · 03-31-2009, 06:47 PM

naw i wouldnt worry bout it i mean he is a very smart guy and very good recruiter the outlooks for UK will be good cause with Calipari there i think UK will be a great team with daniel orton coming and patterson and meeks staying i say come next year UK will a number #5 top team in college basketball

**Aslan** · 03-31-2009, 06:51 PM

This is my only concern with him...but its a major concern.

lil dog · 03-31-2009, 06:54 PM

I have often wondered the same thing!!!! But I think for the most part UK fans dont want to cheat to be on top.

torQQue · 03-31-2009, 07:06 PM

I would say the NCAA has kept a close eye on him since he left UMASS a decade ago. I am sure he is clean or they would have already caught him. We all have made mistakes in the past, and we learn from those mistakes.

I bet Cal has learned from his mistakes (that is if he was even at fault). As a result of the UMASS violations, I bet he takes/has taken every possible precaution necessary to ensure everyone(including himself) adheres to the NCAA bylaws. I am sure he wants to be a hall of fame coach someday, and doesn't want to further jeorpardize his legacy or Kentuckys for that matter.

**BlackcatAlum** · 03-31-2009, 07:14 PM

Shew, here we go. Nothing has happened since the Camby incident at UMASS.

I'm not worried about this at all.

DeuceUL · 03-31-2009, 07:16 PM

BlackcatAlum Wrote:Shew, here we go. Nothing has happened since the Camby incident at UMASS.

I'm not worried about this at all.

That we know of...

**BlackcatAlum** · 03-31-2009, 07:17 PM

DeuceUL Wrote:That we know of...

Of course, "that we know of", but like QQ said, I'm sure the NCAA has kept a close on eye on him.

**Stardust** · 03-31-2009, 07:32 PM

torQQue Wrote:I would say the NCAA has kept a close eye on him since he left UMASS a decade ago. I am sure he is clean or they would have already caught him. We all have made mistakes in the past, and we learn from those mistakes.

I bet Cal has learned from his mistakes (that is if he was even at fault). As a result of the UMASS violations, I bet he takes/has taken every possible precaution necessary to ensure everyone(including himself) adheres to the NCAA bylaws. I am sure he wants to be a hall of fame coach someday, and doesn't want to further jeorpardize his legacy or Kentuckys for that matter.

I felt that way about Eddie Sutton as well.

I'm not naive. I know what I am getting with Cal. I will get recruits that will be here for 1, no more than 2 years. I will get stories of indescrtions that skirt the edges of proper conduct, bot for me, he puts me in the Final 4. I may never get to know his players, but I will at least get to hang my hat on UK being back in the dance.

~~NEWARKCATHOLICFAN~~ · 03-31-2009, 08:19 PM

He will be ran out of town long before he has a chance to get into trouble.

uhavenoidea · 03-31-2009, 09:40 PM

It would be nice to have Wall, Cousins and Favors( I think that's his name, I seen him on Memphis' commit list). Plus Orton. WOW! Add those to Meeks and Patterson, talking about being in business.

nrhoton · 03-31-2009, 09:51 PM

UMass isn't UK though. If you were a prospect I would be thinking of going to the school with more tradition. Umass hass and never will be known to be a NCAA powerhouse. UK even though it hasnt made noise for a while is still known as a collegiate basketball powerhouse, it recruits itself!!!

EOE · 03-31-2009, 09:52 PM

I believe that he will keep his nose clean at UK.

jcoleman0075 · 03-31-2009, 11:01 PM

no i dont think so i think that he will keep the program clean and that it will all be a really good decision by getting him go UK

**C.Clair** · 03-31-2009, 11:02 PM

I dont think that we will have anything to worry about. Coach C has never been caught cheating, he was only accused.

OLDHOSS · 04-01-2009, 12:54 AM

This is my one fault about Coach Calipari. But I'm sure while he's at UK he will not do anything to jeopardize his job there.

cj2561 · 04-01-2009, 01:02 AM

You can get five unknow player out on the flour. If they play together and want to win. By the end of the season everyone will know there names. Like Traves Ford, he was a 1 or 2 star player coming into college. By the year of his first year playing everyone know who he was. And it is the coach job to get the best out of his player night in and night out.

**C.Clair** · 04-01-2009, 02:39 AM

I agree CJ, but Im sure that JC will bring in players that everyone knows their names.

**More Cowbell** · 04-01-2009, 04:08 PM

I'm still not sure why the national media continues to bring up the UMass incident. Can someone tell me how Camby's behavior reflects badly on Calipari in any way?

So, Camby made a decision to take gifts from an agent. Was Calipari supposed to have someone spying on him 24/7, just to make sure he didn't do anything wrong? That is both unreasonable and naive to think that a coach can prevent something like that from happening. If a player gets offered a bribe, they still might decide to accept it, no matter how many times their coach has warned them not to. These players are grown men, and they should be the ones to live with the consequences of their decisions.

I'm sorry, but the whole incident at UMass is a non-factor to me. Something like that could have just as easily happened under Pitino, Tubby, or whoever. Unless the coaches figure out a way to keep the players on lockdown the entire time they're not in the gym.

**FOX SPORTS** · 04-01-2009, 05:08 PM

C.Clair Wrote:I dont think that we will have anything to worry about. Coach C has never been caught cheating, he was only accused.

No, he wasn't.

Marcus Camby was found to have illegal contact with an agent.
Calipari has a clean slate with the NCAA.
He helped the NCAA in That investigation.

This thread is mostly sour grapes Louisville fans or naysayers trying to find something negative to bring up on the coach.

**BlackcatAlum** · 04-01-2009, 05:14 PM

FOX SPORTS Wrote:No, he wasn't.

Marcus Camby was found to have illegal contact with an agent.
Calipari has a clean slate with the NCAA.
He helped the NCAA in That investigation.

This thread is mostly sour grapes Louisville fans or naysayers trying to find something negative to bring up on the coach.

Fox, did you read the Pat Forde article on www.espn.com?

If not, I'd like you to take a gander at it and give me your opinion on it...
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/s...ortCat=ncb

**FOX SPORTS** · 04-01-2009, 05:25 PM

BlackcatAlum Wrote:Fox, did you read the Pat Forde article on www.espn.com?

If not, I'd like you to take a gander at it and give me your opinion on it...
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/s...ortCat=ncb

Typical Forde.
Reminds me of his days at the Courier Journal...he has never been a fan of UK and takes every opportunity to bash.

I spoke personally to John Clay Monday about the Calipari recruiting situation...I trust Clay much more than Forde.

gish_7 · 04-01-2009, 05:27 PM

He wont need to cheat here..

**BlackcatAlum** · 04-01-2009, 05:37 PM

FOX SPORTS Wrote:Typical Forde.
Reminds me of his days at the Courier Journal...he has never been a fan of UK and takes every opportunity to bash.

I spoke personally to John Clay Monday about the Calipari recruiting situation...I trust Clay much more than Forde.

I agree.

He took his shots at UK in this article and nothing he said in this article was positive at all.

**outdoorsman43** · 04-01-2009, 09:31 PM

More Cowbell Wrote:I'm still not sure why the national media continues to bring up the UMass incident. Can someone tell me how Camby's behavior reflects badly on Calipari in any way?

So, Camby made a decision to take gifts from an agent. Was Calipari supposed to have someone spying on him 24/7, just to make sure he didn't do anything wrong? That is both unreasonable and naive to think that a coach can prevent something like that from happening. If a player gets offered a bribe, they still might decide to accept it, no matter how many times their coach has warned them not to. These players are grown men, and they should be the ones to live with the consequences of their decisions.

I'm sorry, but the whole incident at UMass is a non-factor to me. Something like that could have just as easily happened under Pitino, Tubby, or whoever. Unless the coaches figure out a way to keep the players on lockdown the entire time they're not in the gym.

I agree 100% MC. Calipari still has a clean slate as far as I'm concerned. I don't think Kentucky has to worry about any kind of scandals in the near or distant future with Coach Calipari. Cal is a tremendous speaker and that is a big factor in why he gets all of these big-named recruits.

Anyone who is worried about him getting UK into another NCAA scandal (like in the late '80's and early '90's) should not be concerned. If you are, why should you be?

BlackcatAlum Wrote:I agree.

He took his shots at UK in this article and nothing he said in this article was positive at all.

As for the article on ESPN by Pat Forde, he never has anything positive to say about anyone. The only opinionated article I've ever enjoyed reading of his was the article on "Why Coach K shouldn't go to the NBA". I only was partial to this because I despise Duke.

**FBALL** · 04-03-2009, 07:30 PM

I don't trust Clay, Forde or Calipari.

**stonesteven** · 04-03-2009, 09:48 PM

FBALL Wrote:I don't trust Clay, Forde or Calipari.

What coach do you like? Not trying to be a smart a$$, but every thread about a coach you dont like them?

**FBALL** · 04-04-2009, 12:22 AM

stonesteven Wrote:What coach do you like? Not trying to be a smart a$$, but every thread about a coach you dont like them?

Thats not true.

I like Izzo, I like Pelphrey. I like Tubby Smith. I like Darrin Horn. I like Jay Wright. I like Mike Anderson. I like Bobby Knight ( not for the UK job though ). I like Leonard Hamilton.

Thats enough for now.

**Stardust** · 04-04-2009, 01:26 AM

FBALL Wrote:Thats not true.

I like Izzo, I like Pelphrey. I like Tubby Smith. I like Darrin Horn. I like Jay Wright. I like Mike Anderson. I like Bobby Knight ( not for the UK job though ). I like Leonard Hamilton.

Thats enough for now.

I know where you are coming from, and have the same concerns:Thumbs: