The Goat Pen

I know UK won the national championship last year and those things usually have 2-3 year arcs of bragging rights but let me just say: hahahahahahahawhawhaw!!!

Shit, at least UNC won 2 in 5 years.

Cal's got a lot of talent coming in next year but he's going to need to spend some time shuffling the deck before school starts back.

Saint wrote:I know UK won the national championship last year and those things usually have 2-3 year arcs of bragging rights but let me just say: hahahahahahahawhawhaw!!!

Shit, at least UNC won 2 in 5 years.

Cal's got a lot of talent coming in next year but he's going to need to spend some time shuffling the deck before school starts back.

Even with the class Cal has I"m not sure he'll be given the benefit of the doubt again. One thing he has learned, you have to have a bench regardless of the talent.

Not sure what approach he'll take because he doesn't want to get a rep for chasing mediocre guys off to replace them with better players but he'll have depth from now on out, not just next year.

heh

and I just read this on facebook

"
"I may have 15 players on next years team and I'll be sure that I'm never short on bodies again". Also, Cauley-Stein said he wasn't in a hurry to leave Kentucky for the NBA. "

I like Calipari, he's a fellow Western PA'er, but his post-game comference clearly was done to deflect blame off himself when clearly there are probably 20 coaches out there who could have somehow got that talent to the tournament.

I wonder how this logjam of returning players plus the influx of freshman talent already on the books is going to affect Wiggins's or Randle's decision? I can't imagine it would help, but maybe neither one of them really would mind only getting 20 - 25 minutes per game...

From an article on best and worst case scenarios of teams in the East region. Even the national media knows what makes Wuuuufff Paaiiiiick nation tick...

No. 8 NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Best case: Wolfpack go on a redemption run after a disappointing regular season. They easily handle Temple and the master of March disaster, Fran Dunphy, then get a giant-killing opportunity against Indiana. Against the Hoosiers, N.C. State reminds everyone why it was ranked in the Top 10 to start the season – namely, NBA talent. Between C.J. Leslie, Lorenzo Brown and Richard Howell, Pack has plenty of athleticism to throw at Indiana. But Indiana native Scott Wood closes the deal with a buzzer-beating 3, sending N.C. State to a second consecutive surprise Sweet 16 berth. Once there the Pack clamps down on offensively struggling Syracuse before losing a third time to Miami. Leslie and Brown decide to come back for their senior seasons. North Carolina is crushed by Villanova and is the subject of more investigative stories about academic shenanigans. Duke loses early, too.

Worst case: Hard to transform from season-long underachievers overnight, and the Wolfpack fails to pull it off. They cannot contain Khalif Wyatt, box out half-heartedly and miss key free throws late as the Owls end N.C. State's season. Fans who rejoiced at Gottfried's recruiting now blast his coaching, saying he's in over his head. Wolfpack fans keep digging for dirt on North Carolina, and the NCAA keeps ignoring it. Meanwhile, both the Tar Heels and Duke make the Final Four, gently reminding N.C. State backers how many times they've been there in the 30 years since the Wolfpack's last visit.

"1978: Kentucky wins National Championship
1979: Cats lose first round NIT game to Clemson."

Crotch remembers those years so well, as he was welcoming his first two grandchildren into the world during those years, too...

"He should have to answer for that but his answer is , yet another #1 recruiting class. "

Yeah, but wasn't this current year's flock for freshmen also (yet another) #1 recruiting class for Cal? Granted, UK was much better and probably would've made the tourny if Noel hadn't gone down, but they still weren't anything like a FF contender. Point being, every "#1 recruiting class" isn't created equal. This bunch coming in next year could just be a repeat of this year's freshmen class: Not bad at all and most schools would love to have them, but nothing close to the Wall/Cousins/etc class of 2010 nor the Davis/Gilcrest/etc stud class from last season.

Bottom line is, counting on freshmen to lead you to a championship is a crapshoot at best. Yeah, if worked out last year and of course nobody is going to turn freshman talent away, but to count on them year after year after year to lead you to a championship is dicey. Even the Wall/Cousins class didn't make the FF, and last year's field, esp. after Kendall Marshall went down, was hardly a murderers row. Takes alot of things to fall in place in the best of times to win an NC. When you throw in a bunch of freshmen getting most of the minutes into the mix, it's even more problematic.

Again, it's a nice problem to have and I'm sure most UK fans are glad to have it, but I'd much rather have a team full of very good veterans (junior and seniors, not sophomores) mixed in with a couple of stud freshmen than hoping that 5 new freshmen are going to lead you to the promised land year after year after year. Of course, I suspect UK fans would gladly take their chances on a title every 3 or 4 years under that scenario and hold their nose every 3 or 4 years when a "sure fire" class of freshmen turn out like they did this year...

"From an article on best and worst case scenarios of teams in the East region"

yahoo did all the best and worse case scenaruios for each team in the tourney

they nailed a lot of worse case scenarios

Yahoo fantasy Group ID# 66287

passwortd tgp

doesnt sound like its a money game this year

Need more talk about the Alabama-Stanford matchup, Saturday at 11am (CDT).

NIT FEVER: CATCH IT!

crashcourse wrote:Yahoo fantasy Group ID# 66287

passwortd tgp

doesnt sound like its a money game this year

I'll do mine later today. I'm in for money

doesnt matter whether you win or lose

its what you go home to

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the ... ncaab.html

I'm in for 50. Winner take all except from the second place finisher, who doesn't have to pay. I'm going skiing on Friday and will be gone for a week. Doubt I will be posting much, but I will be glad to resume the sass upon my triumphant return...

all right 3 in for 50 including me ecat and hedge.

more to follow I'm sure

Is it too late for me to join?

No. The Maui Brackets will be out this evening and you can get right in before the deadline.

hedge wrote:"1978: Kentucky wins National Championship
1979: Cats lose first round NIT game to Clemson."

Crotch remembers those years so well, as he was welcoming his first two grandchildren into the world during those years, too...

Absolutely do remember them well... was in my second year of teaching at Crockett Elementary after working as a Reclamation Inspector for the Kentucky Dept. of Natural Resources for 3 years. Still have the SI magazine with Goose Givens on the cover that I got from the school library. 3 Grandchildren now.

I guess I'm in. And 2nd place better pay if I win after you muthafuckaz changed that rule when I was runner up in the FF league.

I think this year shows just how rare UK's championship was last year. I think Cal deserves all the credit he gets for putting together that group and then steering them to a title but I don't think it's going to be that easy, never mind how much talent you have, to turn over a roster on a nearly annual basis and still contend for, never mind win, a championship.

Still, it's not a bad model considering the current climate of college hoops and his ability to attract top talent. I think the UK fans are just going to have understand that it's a give and take.