Running 2017-18 college rings thread

SVP had a great line this morning in trying to make sense of Clemson being 0-58 all-time at Chapel Hill.

"Even Wofford won at Chapel Hill this year."

 

By any standard measure, Calipari has been incredibly successful at Kentucky. 1 Championship win, 1 Championship loss and 4 total Final Fours in 8 years. Missed the tourney only once. 33 Calipari coached players were drafted in the NBA. He’s 263-57 to date. 4 30+ win teams in 8 years. During his 8 full seasons, his teams have been ranked #1 at some point in 6 different seasons.

Is it heresy to state that he’s underachieved? (If the goal is to winNational Championships)

 

He has said his top goal is player development. Called one draft night the greatest night in UK history. Took a lot of grief for it.
I don't know if underachieving is fair, but it's not an absurd claim. Because the band breaks up, it never gets the chance to redeem tournament losses the following year.

 

I don't think so. To me it would seem difficult as hell to recruit a half-dozen almost-NBA-ready players every year --- with the NBA only months ahead in their minds --- and still try to create a cohesive unit willing to defer on occasion and not always each individual player looking out for himself and trying to score 25 points per game.

If they were one- or two-and-doning it in the NCAA Tournament often, I'd call it an underachievement. But it's not easy to win six of these things in a row to take a title.

I do expect Calipari teams to get better as the year goes on. That doesn't seem to be happening this year.

 

Think of what hasn't happened at Kentucky. With all this young talent together, I don't think any of the top players has quit in-season. That's pretty remarkable.

 

VCU getting skullfucked at home by a terrible Richmond team isn't going to sit well with an already iffy fan base.

 

Not that remarkable considering Calipari's "top" players rarely intend to play more than one season of college ball. There's no incentive to quit mid-season if you've no intent to transfer and only need to stick it out a couple more months. Doing so would only damage their draft stock.

 

Doesn't sit well with the UR fans who want Mooney canned, either, although they are obviously pleased to thrash VCU at their place.

 

I'll be interested to see what Wichita State does the rest of the way. I don't think the lose more than a few more, but unless they get some wins against Cincy the Shocks are going to be seriously lacking in the quality win category again, even with the conference switch.

 

Michigan curb-stomps Michigan State, then turns around and gets curb-stomped by Nebraska.

Nothing makes sense in the Bee-One-Gee

 

I know following crootin’ is loser shit, but Duke may have just locked up the 2019 national title.

Nation's No. 3 prospect Zion Williamson chooses Duke over UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, Clemson

 

Went to a college rings game today. Checked out DePaul’s new arena. Thumbs up.