This Kentucky team that just won the BB title could be the next team to win back-to-back NCAA Titles......strike that....would be the next team to do it IF they all stayed together like the 2006 UF BB team did. In '07 that Florida team was dominant and was an easy pick that year to defend it's title in all bracket pools. How easy would it be to pick this Kentucky team in next year's pools if they stayed together? It would be the easiest pick ever in the tourney. BUT......all indications are that these Cats will not "shock the world" as did the '06 Gators so adios to any chance of a back-to-back.
Didn't that 2007 UF team have a worse regular season record than the previous year then get on a run during the tournament? UK is bringing in a ton of 5* recruits, they could potentially have 3 of the top 10 high school players in the country in next years class. If he can get them to play together like he did this years team they will be a great team again next year.
They need to go back to letting the HS kids who want to play in the NBA play in the NBA or Europe or anyplace. I doubt if they will ever go to the MLB/NCAA agreement which is the best one, kids can go from HS to being paid to play baseball or they can go to college and if they go to college they have to stay 3 years. The top players will go to the Pro's and good for them if that's what they want. I hate this one and done. I wonder how many of the UK kids will bother to show up for their finals in May?
Tok, larry brown on mike&mike said that almost all of caliparis one-dones end up finishing out the school year and that he expects it to be no different this year. Ive done no fact check on this statement tho.
The 2007 Gator team was 35-5 overall......slightly better than the 33-6 posted in their previous year. They won the 2006 Championship game by 18 over UCLA and in 2007 by 9 over a very tough Ohio State team. Many of them have continued success in the NBA in their 4th year as pros. The fact that they did not turn pro after 2006 is still surprising.
As long as Calapari is at Kentucky and can recruit the best high school players every year they will be a threat to win it all. What I do believe can happen in any given year though is the best 18 year old talent can lose to a more veteran team even though the younger guys will have better NBA careers. Personally I am concerned about the unbalance this can bring to college ball. But things are the way they are and as long as the rules remain the same and Calapari stays at Kentucky you might as well get used to see them in the Sweet 16 and Final 4 on a regular basis.
The NBA stinks because of all these kids jumping up. At times it is unwatchable. Raw talent, no fundamentals/
Bill....even UF's back-to-backers were not true freshman the first year they won it. They were sophomores. Michigan's Fab 5 in the early 90s proved that talent may get you there but poise and experience will win most championships. This Ky team was flukish in it's accomplishments by first year players and not easily duplicated.......not even by Calipari. There is a good reason that UF's back=to=back seasons were the first since Duke in the early 90s......and at the rate one and doners come and go UF's mark may stand for a long long time unless a team like KY makes that extraordinary decision to stand together and return after winning it all the first go round.
You have some points Dave, however Calapari brings in five or so McDonalds All Americans every year and they will be a threat to go all the way a lot of times. Youth or not if they are talented enough they can win and the reputation he has for putting players in the NBA will allow him to continue. I don't like that it's legal to do it this way but it is and we have to live with it.
Anthony Davis was a 7 star.....the way he played. Hard to count on that every season from true freshmen.