I just arrived back from a great tour stop in Glasgow in which over 100 people came out on stop 16 of the KSR Tour. After it was over, we played golf at the Glasgow Country Club and I witnessed the best round I have ever seen in my group, as Kent Bulle casually shot a 63. If you have ever played with someone really good, you know what I am talking about, but watching someone shoot a score like that, without any range balls and playing in between the rest of our groups’ hacks is something to behold. It was a great day and once again proved Glasgow is a great BBN and KSR town.
Of course while we were gone, the controversy over the Jeff Sheppard comments took off. I watched the comments that Sheppard made in a speech to UK alumni and I think in the end, Jeff didn’t make the best presentation for himself. He said that he thought the UK fanbase “as a whole” was against the one and done rule, and then noted that he didn’t like it either. However in making the comments, he didn’t note that Calipari himself has at times criticized the rule. He doesn’t like what the NCAA does any more than anyone else, but he realizes that he has to play in the system that exists. Sheppard could have noted that and not made it seem as if he was taking a contrary position to the coach. Further, there are many fans who don’t mind the one and done at all. Jeff should have been careful about expressing his opinion, which he is perfectly entitled to, and acting as if is the opinion of EVERYONE in the Big Blue Nation. It isn’t and I am sure Jeff knows that fact.
However had he left it there, he probably would have been ok. He then went on to say however, “there is maybe a little too much emphasis on celebrating first round draft picks, instead of national championships.” I hate this line of thinking…it is straight out of the Louisville fan playbook. Since Calipari has been here, he has produced a host of first round draft picks…you know what else he has done? He has won a national championship and made a Final Four. I think his system works. Sheppard buys into with this comment, the stupid dichotomy brought forth by UL fans, that you can’t value winning and first round picks. Yes you can. John Calipari has done it, brought great success to UK and changed the lives of his players. Jeff Sheppard, while a college star, didn’t have those options or the ability to play on that level in the NBA. He acknowledged in his speech that if he had, he would have likely taken the money and been a first round pick. To now complain after his time at Kentucky that others are doing what he acknowledges he would do, and then celebrating those successes, strikes me as slightly bitter and unnecessary.
Finally, Sheppard notes that he feels more comfortable with Pitino than Calipari, because he played for him and Calipari was an “enemy” when he was at UK. Again, I understand what Jeff means, but he could have articulated it better. No one would suggest that a bond between a player and a coach isn’t a strong one. It is why you hear Calipari talk about Derrick Rose and Marcus Camby…those are his guys. But there hasn’t been a coach at Kentucky in my lifetime (Sutton, Pitino, Tubby and Billy) who has reached out to former players in UK history more than Calipari. I had a former player tell me once, “Cal treats us better than anyone. Tubby was nice, Pitino didn’t care one way or the other and Gillispie was a jerk, but no one has been better with the guys than Calipari.” The former players come to practices and he reaches out to them, regardless of their coach. For Sheppard to act like, even jokingly, that Calipari is an “enemy”, while not acknowledging the fact that he tries to befriend these guys, strikes me as a mistake.
Here is the reality. Sheppard is close to Pitino and has business ties to him. That is his right…Sheppard does the autograph tours now for former UL players and the UL program makes him money. I have no problem with that and have said it repeatedly. UK doesn’t have the same agreement with Jeff and tends to let players do their own thing, specifically the one and done guys. Jeff should acknowledge that fact if he is going to criticize Calipari or the closeness with the coaches. Sheppard is right that when he was at Kentucky, Calipari was an enemy at UMASS. But another thing is true as well…when he was at Kentucky, Louisville was still his rival as well. We all move past that, and if Jeff can move past Card-hating (which is more than fine), then he can get past Calipari/Robic-hating too.
While some writers ignore this point (like John Clay, who took me to task for calling Sheppard’s view “old-fashioned” and a “get off my lawn” mentality…as Seinfeld would say, “not there is anything wrong with that”), Sheppard is more than entitled to his opinion. Being anti “one and done” isn’t unique and Calipari in many ways agrees with him. Sheppard won two titles here and he is certainly worthy of expressing his opinion on any issue. But just because he played at UK, doesn’t mean we all have to agree with him. Not all of us have the same aversion to seeing young kids become millionaires or have the access to run UL autograph tours. Instead, some of us are just UK fans, happy to see the success Calipari has had both on the court, and in changing the lives of those who wear the UK uniform. We are all entitled to disagree, but sometimes forum/mode of expression/words used matter. I think Sheppard’s comments and what he didn’t say, left something to be desired. I hope tomorrow when he comes on KSR Radio (at 10:30 am), some of those edges will be smoothed over by one of the most beloved players to ever wear the jersey.
We are live tomorrow at the BLUEGRASS COMMUNITY BANK IN DANVILLE. They will have a huge tent for fans and are grilling out afterwards. Come on out and see the show from 10-noon and try to win tickets from GuyontheCornerTickets.com. The Louisville and Florida games are still available and someone may win them tomorrow. See you then.
July 23: Danville……….Bluegrass Community Bank
July 24: Maysville………Big Rock ATV Park
July 25: Lexington………Lexington Legends
July 26: Louisville……..Safelite Auto Glass