Credit to Calipari

[Johnny Mac]

He mentioned at least 4 times that Randal is 18 (thus the reason he was pulled after the opening 2 minutes). Randle will be 20 in November.

 

[jibsey]

So we wouldn't take the Harrison's or Randle for a one and done given the opportunity? Thought so. But I do think he respects the way KO did it this year.

 

[Ohio UConn]

Trust me, any nice thing he said about KO was also a dig at JC.

that is an astute observation ....

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I just cannot take anything he says as genuine on his part. JC called him a bullspitter on the radio yesterday. Everything he says is self serving and I agree......the KO praise was to needle Calhoun.

 

[businesslawyer]

I totally agree with that. But to the OP's point, scumbag or not, he was very eloquent and effusive in his praise for UCONN. I think as the winners we can hopefully be gracious and magnanimous. We can go back to calling him scum next season!

He and Calhoun did not like each other. I think he and KO are fine.

It's fine if people want to think he's scum, but his post game comments last night were in fact gracious and appropriate. Not perfect, but fine.

 

[dtrumpet]

he was gracious when he talked uconn, but still a schmuck with most reporters questions, even good ones.
and he can't suddenly blame bad performance on "They're young, they're kids, they're 18, it happens" and that sort of thing. He has won with kids and lost with them, its the choice he's made. Suddenly his one and dones can't play because the stage is too big? Nonsense.

 

[JSB60]

I dislike Cal as much as anyone here but KO and Cal are fine. The thing about Cal is that everyone hates him except his players, but KO was once one of his players. KO is the Kevin Bacon of basketball.

 

[uconndoit]

It seems to come down to the fact that everyone likes KO and KO is a good guy. That doesn't make the squid a nice guy.

 

[Nostical]

I'm with BL. He was gracious so let's accept it and move on. He and JC did have bad blood. KO's personality and style might just take what JC built with his and bring us to another level in our recruiting. I've never seen so many NBA players have such unanimous praise for a guy. Has anyone seen a countervailing opinion of KO? Couple that with his coaching acumen (last night was a pretty good barometer) and he could become the pied piper.

 

[BNich]

Very gracious in the loss. Talked us up. Didn't expect that.

I didn't see him give Uconn any credit. For that, I will give him zero credit. He's a loser.

 

[David 76]

For you that think this is a bout whether the Squid was sincere, or about whether UCONN would accept a one and done player (or team) like the Squid does, it is not. It is this:

Here's the other reason: Even if Kentucky wins, historical precedent says that, sooner or later, they won't win. For example, in 1996, a 35-2 University of Massachusetts team coached by John Calipari made it all the way to the Final Four. A year later, because of a tangled scandal involving Marcus Camby, jewelry, and hookers, the NCAA stripped UMass of its tournament victories, forced the school to pay back $151,617 in tournament revenues, and expunged the team's accomplishments from the official record book. Then, in 2008, a 38-2 Memphis team coached by John Calipari made it all the way to the championship game. A year later, because of a tangled scandal involving papier-mâché SAT scores, the NCAA stripped Memphis of its tournament victories, forced the school to pay back more than $500,000 in tournament revenues, and expunged the team's accomplishments from the official record book

It is a career of scummy behaviors with other people stuck with his mess.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

In the interview right after the game, Cal did not mention UConn at all. He did his "they are only 18" thing and acted like he was taking responsibility for the loss when he had already placed it on their youth (as if he isn't responsible for that).

Whatever he said that praised KO and UConn later was probably rehearsed with him by his PR handlers who noted his glaring omissions.

 

[Kembacity]

I just feel like you guys being so staunchly adamant about cheating this and squid that are equivalent to all the mindless haters who talk about what a cheater calhoun was. I am working in Mass and everyone in my office saw all my uconn crap hung up throughout the year, so they're all commenting and were during the run. The sentiment I kept hearing from fans of other programs was this "I'm happy you guys won it, now that cheater Calhoun is gone I dont hate you guys anymore"

Obviously I dont' see JC as a cheater, and the constant annoyance of that mindset has me hating other programs less. Anyone who's paying players (which I am very confident Calipari does) deserves to be hated on and trashed, but I'm just saying, if that story never breaks... Cal has a sense of humor, and he's not the mushroom cap I thought he was when I was a younger kid UConn fan.

My aging as a fan has lead me to be a little less insane and more able to see the good in opponents and their coaches

 

[Huskygamble19]

I will only say this: In his press conference he gave UCONN credit, but in the interview with the network reporter after the game he kept saying that they are freshman and they had their chances we just didn't make shots and pretty much repeated this over and over and the fact that his team was made up of freshmen. Duh!!!! I wonder why that is. I don't remeber himgiving UCONN any credit in that interview. He had time to regroup in the press conference.