Kentucky Sports Radio
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
[Moderated by Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and Tyler Thompson]
Since I’m getting ready to hit the road to Tuscaloosa, it only seems appropriate to share this article comparing Nick Saban and John Calipari with you. Tide Nation’s Alex Scarborough says that Cal and Saban have more in common than being the coaches of the defending national champions; they share a philosophy on what it takes to get there: a paramount priority on recruiting.
Like Calipari, Saban is constantly focused on two things: the next game and the next prospect. The latter is the lifeblood of any good program. Both programs have finished among the top three recruiting classes nationally in each of the past three seasons. Alabama stands second in the ESPN class rankings with 15 four- or five-star commitments, including running back Derrick Henry, the top athlete in the country. Kentucky has the No. 1 overall class in basketball, with the top point guard (Andrew Harrison) and top shooting guard (twin brother Aaron) already signed.
Cal and Saban have kept in touch over the years, with Cal asking for Saban’s advice on how to stay on top after winning it all. According to Cal, “[Saban] gave me some good things, like we’re not trying to defend a national title. That one is in the bank, that one is on the shelf. We’re trying to become the best team this team can be.”
That sounds familiar.
[powered by WordPress.]
Bill Keightley Report : Never to be forgotten.
9 queries. 0.344 seconds
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:10 pm
if cal asked saban for advice then why did saban say “he gave me…”?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Cal has LONG way to go before he can be compared to Saban. Let’s hope he gets there!
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Saban is what Cal could be if 3 yrs removed from high school was the requirement for the NBA draft as it is with the NFL draft.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:12 pm
1, the quote is from Cal. it’s a little confusing the way they wrote it.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Could you imagine if basketball had the 3 year rule? KY would not only win a NC every year they would go undefeated every year!
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:21 pm
I say this as a resident of AL: we’ve GOT to win this one!
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:22 pm
5, I wouldn’t go quite that far, but I could definitely see us going on a roll similar to Bama football and catching up to UCLA.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:28 pm
#2 I am not sure why you say Cal has a LONG way to go…it seems a perfect comparison…
struggled in Pros, top recruits, success where ever he goes, accused of disloyalty jumping from one school to another…
Which one am I referring to?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:36 pm
According to all canes blog Louisville coach Clint hurt is about to get nailed
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:37 pm
Flener, Can we get a recap post on last night’s episode of the Bachelor? Thx.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:38 pm
8) How about performance? How many NCs does Cal have and how many does Saban have?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:39 pm
3 championships to 1… clean program to dirty reputation and vacated final 4s…. i don’t think theres much similarity, other than recruiting.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:42 pm
I would be remiss if I didn’t include our coach in the discussion as well. 1 Championship. Clean table cloth….Oh, never mind….
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:44 pm
“Cardz?” With a z? How old are you, moron??
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:04 pm
@ CARDZ
Do people really think UK has a dirty program right now, or is that just the easy thing to say b/c of the elite level the last few years…..
Seriously put yourself in this place and thing about my next question…..If you had a son ranked in the top 20 players in country in high school, would you not cream your pants when calipari walked through your door? there is no better opportunity in the country for a top tier player to since than UK right now……period.
I made fun of everyone ysterday on CBS on the new rankings page on the comments section and some silly syracuse fans were saying that noel was probabnly sad about his decision to go to UK. The fact that every 3rd comment on a top 25 ranking page was about noel or uk was exactly the reason hje is at UK. Part of what drives UK’s success is the hate of all other fans and the majority of the sportwriters. Evenon a year we are down other fans and sportswriters cannot stop talking about UK…….we are college basketball right now and will be until cal and uk part ways
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
The best thing about the comments on the top 25 page is that UK is not even ranked
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:08 pm
ok the bottom line is this… say basketball was 2 and done
Calipari’s years would have been like this:
Year 1- Still elite 8
Year 2- We would add a shooter in Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones to replace Patterson (UK would win it all)
Year 3- We have almost the exact team as last year… (National Championship)
Year 4- Same team as year 3 minus Doron Lamb and add Archie/Mays and prolly Cauley or Poythress (National Champion)
You cant arg
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:08 pm
@ lonnieb
I don’t know if UK is dirty right now or not, but I know Calipari has been dirty in the past. You don’t have 2 final fours vacated for no reason. And I’d rather my son play for Coach K or Boeheim, someone with integrity. And haha at the Pitino jokes, but you weren’t clowning him when he was cutting down the nets for you, were you?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:10 pm
“”Let me tell you why you have to get those points across — because you’re recruiting against guys that are telling them whatever they want to hear,” he said.” – Exhibit A on why a kid like Wiggins is even considering a second tier basketball school like Florida St. Oh, that, and Nosilla’s sweet honey pot.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:11 pm
18- Coach K is just as corrupt – his shit just gets ignored (Lance Thomas, Alex Poythress, Maggettie)
Boeheim has had 3 players now ruled ineligible due to academics…
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Cardz, if guilt by association works so well for you, is former UL head coach and Hall of Famer Denny Crum dirty? After all, UL was on the way to earning major probation from the NCAA if not for Jurich hiring a high-powered attorney to get them off the hook on a technicality. Meanwhile, Samaki Walker was driving all over campus in a fancy SUV that he didn’t pay for. Yes, UL ultimately escaped sanctions, but was that any worse than what Camby did at UMass? If Cal should have known about Camby getting gifts from an agent, shouldn’t Crum have known about Samaki? Should coach K have known about his player buying jewelry? Point is, you can twist the facts around to suit your argument.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:54 pm
20.). Pretty sure Alex poythress plays for us and has straight A’s or close to it
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:09 pm
CARDZ – Please name any NCAA violation that Cal has been charged with in his 20 years of college coaching. Go ahead, take your time. Oh, and you do know that UL has been hit with Major NCAA infractions TWICE since UK was last charged in 1989?
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:11 pm
22- you obviously have no idea what I am talking about… Coach K contacted Alex 4 times, 2 via text and 2 via phone during the dead period. Alex came out and said he did and yet nothing has ever come of it.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:16 pm
2 final fours banners came down… Calipari recruits players like Camby and Rose, who he knows are hardly academic scholars. Same with Bledsoe. Keep those big blue blinders on!
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:19 pm
25 – You think Russ Smith, Chane, Peyton, Harrel are academic all americans? lol thats funny!
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:08 pm
25 – Sooooo, lemme guess…. Siva’s better than Rose too, right? lol
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:35 pm
I am in favor of a 15 second shot clock.
Everyone should be able to shoot in 15 seconds…COME WHAT MAY!