John Calipari praises the selflessness of his 31-0 Kentucky Wildcats

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...7/undefeated-kentucky-beats-florida/24566517/

"..."What these kids have accomplished, as young as they are, is not winning every game; it's that they shared," Kentucky coach John Calipari said. "In this society, instead of me, me, me — it's us, us, us."

The selflessness of this team is, truly, its most impressive and alluring part. During the past few years, Calipari has pieced together teams teeming with the best-available talent, often a collection of one-and-done freshmen. This year's squad is slightly different.

There's still the elite freshman class, of course, but also a group of veterans — ranging from 7-foot junior center Willie Cauley-Stein, whose Kentucky career began with a trip to the NIT, to a collection of sophomores who returned after reaching the national championship game last season.

Because of this embarrassment of riches, Calipari has mixed and matched lineups all season, sometimes subbing in and out all five players at once. He's called the strategy platooning — though fouls and hot hands have affected its literal application — and no player has averaged more than 26 minutes a game. No player averages more than 12 points a game, either.

Calipari has managed the egos on his roster masterfully. Kids who have been told all their lives how good they were are the same kids now sacrificing individual attention for the greater team good. Thirty-one times out of thirty-one tries, it's resulted in a win.

"It's a unique group. The strength is in the pack more than any team I've ever coached, and everyone's stepped up at different points — and I'll be honest with you, everybody's also stepped back at different points. And when they stepped back, someone else stepped up."...."


I really like Calipari, not only as an outstanding coach but, though 'a Metholic', I believe him to be a Christian who can encourage the best from his boys. My wife is Facebook friends with someone who remarked that he has attended their Bible class on several occasions.