Lute Olson: 'Very unprofessional' of John Calipari to take recruits to Kentucky


I disagree with Lute on this one. At this point high level recruits commit to the coach and not the school. It should have come as a surprise to no one that this happened. Besides, while this may not be the most ideal option there are MUCH bigger issues in college basketball that need to be fixed.
 

I disagree with Lute on this one. At this point high level recruits commit to the coach and not the school. It should have come as a surprise to no one that this happened. Besides, while this may not be the most ideal option there are MUCH bigger issues in college basketball that need to be fixed.

There are bigger fish to fry, but I am with Lute on his opinion, although he was notorious for flying in at the last minute and snatching recruits. It's just bad form, even if it is the way the game is played. If I were a school, I would try to put some sort of clause in the contract preventing that behavior. The early signing period probably reduces it some, but it does seem like there are a growing number of highly rated recruits waiting until spring, making it seem like the players are anticipating moves.
 

I gotta disagree with Lute on this one...many kids at this level are looking for a coach who's playing style will suit them and get them to the next level...Calipari has that. He is a scum bag for many reasons...but not this. These kids wanted to play in the NBA and that is what John is good at doing....getting kids into the NBA who have talent.

I still think the lack of an early signing period in football is a much bigger problem for schools because of the cost to keep recruiting kids for 6 months after they make their commitment to a school because the commitment isn't binding until the Feb signing period.
 

Ethics lessons from "Midnight Lute"?
 


Admit first that I do not agree with the one-and-done rule. Mostly, the high-profile, very talented kids don't go for the college - they never intend to get a degree. They go for the coach who never intends for them to stay, but provides them a TV-based showcase for the NBA scouts. That was never so apparent than in a recent interview with Terrance Jones of Kentucky who seemed to know nothing of the history and tradition of Kentucky basketball. The KENTUCKY on the front of his shirt means no more to him than providing a "coach" to get him to the NBA. That's why I think it's a farce to call the one-and-done, a "student-athlete". What a slap in the face of all the real student-athletes. I hope they (NBA) ( or the NCAA stands-up) eliminate the one-and-done and either let those kids go straight to the pro development league or make them "commit" for at least an associate (2-year) degree. Why should the college (our tax dollars) pay for their one year residency.
 

Thanks CBBFan, well put. I think it should either be 0 years or minimum 2 years as well. What were the arguments for the one-and-done rule in the first place, I honestly forgot.

Lute Olson, well, one of my favorite coaches of all time. '97: the dissapointment of watching the Gophers go down was brightened by seeing freshman Bibby (20 points against Kentucky) and Co take on 3 #1 seeds for the Championship.

But there just isn't a good reason to criticize another coach, let the media and NCAA hash out that stuff (or message boards, ha ha)
 


Thanks CBBFan, well put. I think it should either be 0 years or minimum 2 years as well. What were the arguments for the one-and-done rule in the first place, I honestly forgot.

College basketball was losing all of the star players. Bryant, Garnett, etc.. weren't going to college. They also weren't ready for the pro's, it was thought that the one and done would create interest in college ball and help the pro's.

I am not so sure it has benefited college basketball that much. As it has turned out the one and dones haven't really helped the college game much. Losing those players wouldn't hurt at all. Kentucky had three or four of them and how many fans really cared that they played college at all except for Kentucky fans.
 



not sure how they would do a two year rule, what if they just flunk out/ or do they flunk out intentionally? seems like a scholarship should be a two year contract (minimum) and if a student leaves before the 'cpntract' is up the scholarship goes into limbo for the duration, that would deter the OSU types from going after one and dones because they are a scholarship down if they do
 


That's my least favorite argument against doing anything.

I'm not saying that the one and done rule shouldn't be fixed but instead of spending a lot of time on this lets fix the BIG problems first. Like runners, the NCAA rulebook, terrible refs(I'm looking at you Burr and Hightower), the fact that the Big East has 1650982734 teams and when 6 of them get in the Top 25 they are the greatest conference EVER, that type of stuff.
 




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