UK losing 7 players

[Volznut]

Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Teague, Jones, Lamb declared for the draft, and seniors Vargas and Miller.

[BigOrange Maniac]

They'll be okay. That opens a lot of space under the salary cap.

[Black Diamond Vol]

They'll be okay. That opens a lot of space under the salary cap.

I know this is supposed to be a humorous attempt to equate UK to an NBA team, but the difference is that NBA teams actually DO have a salary cap.  UK has no such constraints.  They're the Yankees, Worldwide Wes is Steinbrenner, and the rest of us are the Royals, just fighting for their table scraps.

[BanditVol]

Wow, all five starters and Miller was the first off the bench.

They will still be good.  They had some top 10-at-position players on their bench including the former no. 1 center (though center is kind of not really a position anymore), but no way do they have another dominating run at the title coming.  They recently also lost a high profile recruit to either UCLA or SoCal, can't recall which.

So I hope Calipari really enjoys his title, because

(a) IMO he won't win another any time soon

and

(b) he is probably only renting the trophy for a period of time

[Volznut]

Their class coming in next yr looks good, but not as good as this years. They will step down a little, and IMO UT, Mizzou, and FL will challenge them next year, but Calipari will likely have another championship team in 2 years if he keeps recruiting like he does.

[SmokeyJoe]

@volznut not so fast my friend!  That was a special group this year with possibly the best all around college player in many years (Davis).  The little things make the difference. They could but I say not.

[Ridge Runner]

@volznut not so fast my friend!  That was a special group this year with possibly the best all around college player in many years (Davis).  The little things make the difference. They could but I say not.

It was a special group. For all that we may hate UK and Cal, if you look at it objectively, they played a great brand of unselfish basketball. The big question is, how much of that was due to Calipari? The players themselves have to be willing to buy into that mentality, and some won't, but the Coach has to develop that mindset. They probably lost too much this year to win next year, but I agree with volznut, he'll win another one if he stays for any length of time.

[BanditVol]

Their class coming in next yr looks good, but not as good as this years. They will step down a little, and IMO UT, Mizzou, and FL will challenge them next year, but Calipari will likely have another championship team in 2 years if he keeps recruiting like he does.

Big if on the recruiting though IMO.  As good as his recruiting is year in year out, this year's class exceeded even the fab five in the 90s.  Every single starter will almost certainly play NBA unlike the fab five.  I don't care how good his future recruiting is, that's just exceptional.  He is already down a bit this year, can he snap back next year? And if so, will they be as good as this year's team?  Will ANY team, ever?

And to me, Calipari has not at all shown he can win without a dominating talent edge.  But maybe he will.  We will find out.

But all this stuff reminds me of why John Madden gave up coaching.  He said he got off the plane when they won the SB in 1977.  The Raiders had been notorious under him for always getting close.  Finally they win it, and the first question a reporter asked him was "what about next year.".  So he quit.

So to the Caliparis and Sabans, I say "what about next year".  "What have you done lately?."  And good luck with that!   

Okay I think my taxes are finally done.