If you need a rooting interest in the Final Four, consider the Kentucky Wildcats, a de facto NBDL franchise based in Lexington. I know what you’re saying how can you root for a team that is polarizing in Coach Cal and UK?
Well, their de facto D-League franchise winning the whole thing for the second time in two years would further expose the hypocrisy of the NCAA cartel.
John Calipari is the only man who’s been able to make “one-and-done” work so far in March when it counts, and this team is the one-iest and done-iest that college basketball has ever seen. The McDonald’s All-American Game is the NBA Developmental League for Kentucky basketball, like UK hoops is a NBDL team.
This Kentucky Wildcats team is such an affront to the sinister myth of the “student-athlete,” that almost anyone who roots for athlete rights should root for them. Not even the NCAA’s two primary gatekeepers/mouthpieces: President Mark Emmert and Chief Legal Officer Donald Remy themselves could describe this Kentucky’s starting five freshmen as “student-athletes.”
No can apply that term with a straight face anymore, especially on Big Blue.
UK is so egregious that you almost want to see them succeed in the way that bulldogs are so ugly that they’re actually adorable.
I know recruiting for Kentucky Wildcats basketball is like rooting for the house in Black Jack, but if the Big Ten doesn’t win it all (I’m pulling for Bucky now) then why not support the Kentucky Wildcats?
Let’s reflect on how Big Blue got here.
THE HYPE
Remember all that 40-0 nonsense? How many times did we hear “greatest recruiting class in history?” Look at our 2014 and 2015 NBA Mock Drafts, they literally have much talent, if not more so than the Fort Wayne Mad Antz of the NBDL. Yes, that’s a real team. I didn’t make that up. Because I have met the Ft. Wayne Mad Antz, and you sir are no Ft. Wayne Mad Antz.
The highlights:
Kentucky: signature win over their hated rival Louisville…then……*crickets chirping*…until the SEC Tournament when they started to gel. And then of course the NCAA Tournament where UK beat a historically good Wichita State team in a historically great game. On the second weekend of the tourney, the Kentucky Wildcats only further asserted themselves. They’re peaking at the right time.
And the development of Aaron Harrison, SG, Kentucky, 6-5, Fr. From David Kmiecik’s NBA Draft stock report:
“Cue the Pedro Cerrano cojones clips from Major League II. Even though he didn’t play all that well versus Louisville (3-13 FG), Harrison hit some HUGE shots for Kentucky down the stretch against Michigan. Both of the Harrison twins have been highly criticized throughout the season but seem to growing up in front of everyone on the biggest stage of them all. Assuming they declare, both Harrison brothers should be late first round picks but that seems to be trending upwards.”
The lowlights:
multiple losses in a very top heavy SEC that was awful on the bottom. The LSU loss was embarrassing, but losing at 3-12 South Carolina?? That’s LMAO, LOL, and ROTFL. Given what they’re doing in March Madness, I wonder how hard they were even really trying during the regular season. They’re certainly acting like a NBA team- saving it all for the postseason. Because that’s what matters and that’s where the bread gets buttered. These Kentucky Wildcats certainly act the part.
The rock bottom point:
Kentucky: John Calipari left early after getting ejected from the South Carolina loss, which is one of the biggest upsets of this season. Then he skipped the postgame media session in which he would have had to answer for his flop. Instead he had his social media manager tweet a statement for him; which coincidentally matched exactly the release sent out by the school following the game.
The Twitterverse issues:
Kentucky: Coach Cal is to Twitter followers what the United States is to military spending. Calipari doesn’t just have the most followers, he has more followers than the next eight highest college basketball coaches combined. It’s like how the U.S. spends more money on defense than the next 12 countries combined. When ESPN College Gameday came to Lexington, Calipari admitted that he hired someone to do his tweeting for him and he had a subtle, but noticeable condescending attitude towards Twitter and Twitter users.
The rant:
Coach Cal referred to his team as the most overanalyzed in history. A tad melodramatic don’t you think?
The future:
Until 2012, every Final Four appearance by John Calipari has been vacated due to infractions. So be on the lookout in case something like happens down the line in Kentucky. All those NBA prospects, the one-and-done, two-and-done guys…next year brings in a new class of blue chips to the big blue; who reside the bluegrass state.
Sorry, couldn’t pass it up. The McDonald’s All-American game is the NBDL of the Kentucky Wildcats. Just like UK is the D-League team of college basketball
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on national talk radio. Banks is a former contributor to NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, who’s been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)