One and Done has nothing to do with Kentucky's bubble bursting
Aw yes, the one and done mentality. Or better yet, what it should be really called: Hatred for Cal and and his Cats.
We've heard more times than we care to even recollect about the evils of the one and done players. The damage it will do to the programs in which they infest.
If by damage they mean 2 Final Fours and a National Title in the first 3 years since that style of a recycling program hit Lexington, I say keep destroying the hell out of us.
Enough of those who say if it wasn't for the one and done type atmosphere that has been created in the middle of college basketball's holiest of grails, Kentucky wouldn't be on the outside looking in in regards to this March's edition of the madness.
To that, I say we probably wouldn't be shining our still freshly won National Title in our trophy case either.
Look folks, this will not be the first, nor the last, time that a defending champion or Final Four team doesn't make it into the dance. It's happened to us before. It's happened to Duke. It flippin' happens. It's no different than past teams being void of their star seniors, and in some instances juniors in season following title runs and Final Four births only to fall on their faces the next season out.
What does age and grade classification have to do with winning? We won with freshman last season, we lost with them this season. Big deal.
You make the best of the situation. You go with the flow. People used to raise hell about the 3-point line being introduced. People raised hell about freshman being eligible to play. Folks, things change. And this is simply just the way it is now.
For the record, the one and done ruling is stupid. If a kid thinks that they can make it straight out of high school into the NBA, let em' go. I can't believe that anybody thinks an age requirement, or better yet restriction, is good for any profession. It's absurd to even have a ruling that dictates how somebody can pursue their own path and make up their own mind as to what they want to do with their lives.
Hell's far, let people make up their own minds, and be accountable for their own decision making.
Enough of the rant, though. Bracketologist, however he is got a success rate of about 36%, Joe Lunardi of the despicable ESPN right now projects that Kentucky will be among the first four teams not making the cut in regards to being included into the tournament.
After weeks of being mostly in, kind of out, on and off, Kentucky has now been placed in the out box. We knew it was going to take some impressive showings to get back into the minds of the selection committee that we should get the invite. We got back into the Top 25, then it all fell apart again when we lost Noel. Now, we have sunk to all new lows and it will take one heck of a run finishing the season and into the conference tournament to squeak in somewhere on the bracket.
Kentucky will be scrutinized , we always are. Some on the committee could possibly see this as their chance to put it to the evil blue empire and their leader, Calipari, and keep them out, that's all dependent by the way, if we can turn it around a little bit to even be considered for a spot to get screwed out of. Some will see it as the opportunity to validate their feelings towards the one and done movement in college basketball by keeping what many see as the biggest example of the system out of the dance. Puffing out their chest and saying, 'see, it isn't good. It has ruined Kentucky'. Meanwhile, we will still be looking right at our 2 straight Final Fours and National Title that say otherwise.
And, it should also be pointed out, that yes, we used some great freshman last season to win a national title, but they were mixed with outstanding sophomores and a senior. One and done didn't win us nothing last season. A program built for success did. Our previous Final Four was built on the back of a blue collar senior and junior in Harrelson and Liggins. Good freshmen that year too, but still not a one and done solely responsible run to Houston.
I don't think the moniker 'One and Done U' is applicable at all. Yes, we get them. Yes, they contribute to our success. Yes, they most definitely help us win. But, look at any of Cal's teams at Kentucky. One and done centric? No. Unconventional? Absolutely. Successful? Without a doubt.
I can't stress enough that one and done players and programs have nothing to do with Kentucky, or any other school for that matter, not getting into the tournament. Teams have been tops in the nation one season and bottom feeders the next for years now. It's nothing new. It don't matter is their top players are freshman, sophomore, juniors or seniors or even grad students or people who have been on Mormon pilgrimages or military duty. Each season is different from the last.
Sure, when you have a large turnover rate, the obvious consequence of that should be that you can't sustain previous success from year to year. People, it may mean that you lose more players, more often, but it has nothing to do with the team you put on the floor in subsequent seasons. You move on. You evolve or die.
And yes, even if there was a rule that stated you have to play 2 years at least before going pro, people would still cry foul and blame all shortcomings on that as well. You can't make everyone happy, and nobody will let this go until some team with 8 contributing seniors, 5 of which must be white, win a national title.
Anyhow, Kentucky, Temple, Indiana State, Maryland, Southern Miss, Alabama, St. John's and BYU are all being looked at as of right now, as to having their bubbles popped. Kentucky will have to win against Vandy Wednesday night, and it looks as if they MUST beat Mizzou as well. Then, they are going to have to pair that with some conference tourney wins down in Nashville to even be considered for March.
UNC is busted too, though. If that is of any comfort to you.
Aw yes, the one and done mentality. Or better yet, what it should be really called: Hatred for Cal and and his Cats.
We've heard more times than we care to even recollect about the evils of the one and done players. The damage it will do to the programs in which they infest.
If by damage they mean 2 Final Fours and a National Title in the first 3 years since that style of a recycling program hit Lexington, I say keep destroying the hell out of us.
Enough of those who say if it wasn't for the one and done type atmosphere that has been created in the middle of college basketball's holiest of grails, Kentucky wouldn't be on the outside looking in in regards to this March's edition of the madness.
To that, I say we probably wouldn't be shining our still freshly won National Title in our trophy case either.
Look folks, this will not be the first, nor the last, time that a defending champion or Final Four team doesn't make it into the dance. It's happened to us before. It's happened to Duke. It flippin' happens. It's no different than past teams being void of their star seniors, and in some instances juniors in season following title runs and Final Four births only to fall on their faces the next season out.
What does age and grade classification have to do with winning? We won with freshman last season, we lost with them this season. Big deal.
You make the best of the situation. You go with the flow. People used to raise hell about the 3-point line being introduced. People raised hell about freshman being eligible to play. Folks, things change. And this is simply just the way it is now.
For the record, the one and done ruling is stupid. If a kid thinks that they can make it straight out of high school into the NBA, let em' go. I can't believe that anybody thinks an age requirement, or better yet restriction, is good for any profession. It's absurd to even have a ruling that dictates how somebody can pursue their own path and make up their own mind as to what they want to do with their lives.
Hell's far, let people make up their own minds, and be accountable for their own decision making.
Enough of the rant, though. Bracketologist, however he is got a success rate of about 36%, Joe Lunardi of the despicable ESPN right now projects that Kentucky will be among the first four teams not making the cut in regards to being included into the tournament.
After weeks of being mostly in, kind of out, on and off, Kentucky has now been placed in the out box. We knew it was going to take some impressive showings to get back into the minds of the selection committee that we should get the invite. We got back into the Top 25, then it all fell apart again when we lost Noel. Now, we have sunk to all new lows and it will take one heck of a run finishing the season and into the conference tournament to squeak in somewhere on the bracket.
Kentucky will be scrutinized , we always are. Some on the committee could possibly see this as their chance to put it to the evil blue empire and their leader, Calipari, and keep them out, that's all dependent by the way, if we can turn it around a little bit to even be considered for a spot to get screwed out of. Some will see it as the opportunity to validate their feelings towards the one and done movement in college basketball by keeping what many see as the biggest example of the system out of the dance. Puffing out their chest and saying, 'see, it isn't good. It has ruined Kentucky'. Meanwhile, we will still be looking right at our 2 straight Final Fours and National Title that say otherwise.
And, it should also be pointed out, that yes, we used some great freshman last season to win a national title, but they were mixed with outstanding sophomores and a senior. One and done didn't win us nothing last season. A program built for success did. Our previous Final Four was built on the back of a blue collar senior and junior in Harrelson and Liggins. Good freshmen that year too, but still not a one and done solely responsible run to Houston.
I don't think the moniker 'One and Done U' is applicable at all. Yes, we get them. Yes, they contribute to our success. Yes, they most definitely help us win. But, look at any of Cal's teams at Kentucky. One and done centric? No. Unconventional? Absolutely. Successful? Without a doubt.
I can't stress enough that one and done players and programs have nothing to do with Kentucky, or any other school for that matter, not getting into the tournament. Teams have been tops in the nation one season and bottom feeders the next for years now. It's nothing new. It don't matter is their top players are freshman, sophomore, juniors or seniors or even grad students or people who have been on Mormon pilgrimages or military duty. Each season is different from the last.
Sure, when you have a large turnover rate, the obvious consequence of that should be that you can't sustain previous success from year to year. People, it may mean that you lose more players, more often, but it has nothing to do with the team you put on the floor in subsequent seasons. You move on. You evolve or die.
And yes, even if there was a rule that stated you have to play 2 years at least before going pro, people would still cry foul and blame all shortcomings on that as well. You can't make everyone happy, and nobody will let this go until some team with 8 contributing seniors, 5 of which must be white, win a national title.
Anyhow, Kentucky, Temple, Indiana State, Maryland, Southern Miss, Alabama, St. John's and BYU are all being looked at as of right now, as to having their bubbles popped. Kentucky will have to win against Vandy Wednesday night, and it looks as if they MUST beat Mizzou as well. Then, they are going to have to pair that with some conference tourney wins down in Nashville to even be considered for March.
UNC is busted too, though. If that is of any comfort to you.
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