John Calipari’s team performed well on the hardwood this season, but not so well off it.
The Kentucky basketball team posted a cumulative GPA of 2.025 in the fall, the lowest of any of the 20 athletic teams at the SEC school and the lowest for the men’s basketball team since the spring of 2002, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
That number was significantly lower than eventual NCAA champion Duke (3.01), Louisville (3.0) and Kansas (2.95).
“I was disappointed,” UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. said recently, according to the Herald-Leader.
“It’s not something we’re happy with, I’ll tell you that,” Sandy Bell, UK’s senior associate athletic director and the person in charge of student services, told the paper. “And we’ll be working on it to get it up. We certainly anticipate that going up in the spring” semester.”
That would be something, considering the team was busy playing an SEC schedule and reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament in the spring.
Five Kentucky players, including four freshmen and likely No. 1 pick John Wall, declared for the June 24 NBA Draft.
Four players had a GPA of 2.0 or lower, but players needed to carry a 1.8 in the fall to play in the spring.
“It’s not the freshmen,” Bell told the paper. “It’s not the seniors. It’s not any one group. It’s kind of across the board and for a lot of different reasons.”
ChicagoUK / May 2, 2010
Embarrassing. No excuse for this.
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Here come the flood gates.
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YawnYawn / May 2, 2010
“After noting that 19 of the 22 players who played four seasons for him at the University of Memphis graduated, Calipari told the UK president that he placed great importance on classroom performance.”
Hey Coach Crap-ipari, how about telling us how many of those 22 players were walk-ons?
Looking forward to the second semester GPAs for Wall and Cousins. And can’t wait until John Wall wins that Nobel Prize … or is it a Rhodes Scholarship? I forget what Coach Cal expects him to get first.
So what’s the over-and-under for the number of months before UK is nailed by the NCAA?
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kujayhawk08 / May 2, 2010
Cannot stop laughing at how big of a joke this Coach is!!! Thanks Zags for this article.
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kujayhawk08 / May 2, 2010
Four players had a GPA of 2.0 or lower, but players needed to carry a 1.8 in the fall to play in the spring.
LETS BE HONEST PEOPLE, THIS 1.8, C- D AVERAGE HAS GOT TO CHANGE.
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HuskiesNYC / May 2, 2010
Kentucky doesn’t exactly have the highest academic standards but these kids are ball players. I give the players a pass because they had so much pressure to perform on the court. Calipari needs to show just a little effort though, to motivate these kids in the classroom. A 2.0 even with all the classes that EVERY coach in D1 writes off on you would think they could do better than that. Brandon Knight will bump up that average next year
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tsmooth / May 2, 2010
BK can’t do it all by himself. The whole team needs to do better; one player isn’t going to change it that much.
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tsmooth / May 2, 2010
I, for one, agree. Make it a 2.5 average to play college ball. The NCAA likes the term “student athletes”. Well, emphasize the first part, NCAA, and make the GPA requirement higher
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tsmooth / May 2, 2010
About 5 of them were walk-ons. Memphis had most of its roster graduate. Can’t remember the graduation percentage exactly, but it was pretty high when Calipari was at Memphis. GPA was among the top in CUSA, too.
Let’s be honest, Cousins and Bledsoe were always academic risks, dating back to high school. I was astounded when Bledsoe got eligible because his academics were horrible.
Also, one of my friends that attends UK had a class with Wall, and no it wasn’t basket weaving. He told me that after early January, Wall was hardly in class anymore, and when he did attend, he’d duck out early. Take that info for what it’s worth
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Pirate4Ever / May 2, 2010
That is why they get those kids in the first place. Former players tell the recruits that classes are a mere suggestion. What a disgrace.
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ChicagoUK / May 2, 2010
smooth, I think your information on Wall has to be inaccurate. He has the highest GPA on the team, and he even cut his news conference short to take a test.
Anyway, that is largely irrelevant given the performance of the team as whole. I hope our fans refrain from looking for excuses and instead demand improvement.
On a lighter note, at least no one can accuse Cal of academic fraud, LOL.
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fearthephog25 / May 2, 2010
I’d like to say that I am shocked, but I am not. It was already a known fact wall and cousins quit going to class after the 1st. semester. But yet everybody and the janitor insisted they were in class everyday, making the grade. Poor coaching, and even in high school you have to at least maintain a 2.0 to participate. What is this 1.8 crap? LOL I maintained a 2.8 and I was hung over half the time in class, not going to lie. LOL
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tsmooth / May 2, 2010
I never said it was true, just relayed what Joe, my friend who attends UK, told me.
LOL. true
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Carlos / May 2, 2010
ChicagoUK – having the highest GPA on a team where the average is 2.025 doesn’t necessarily mean Wall was much of a student. You should also note that the claim that he had the highest GPA on the team was made during the fall semester and tsmooth’s story was from the spring semester. It’s pretty common for guys who know they aren’t coming back after the end of the year to take a relaxed approach to school.
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rbcat / May 2, 2010
Keep laughing Kujayhawk08—I would settle for a 2.0 grade point average and make millions any day. Unless you are a doctor, pharmacist, or law student your GPA is not a concern. These kids get what they need to make it in the NBA.
They will be successful and they educated. I know many past graduates who have 3.5 GPA or higher and are working for minimum wage or cannot get a great job.
Lets face it, most top players are going to college for one thing—my ticket to the NBA. If you don’t agree—start watching the IVY league games and support them.
By the way–when you get Xavier Henry’s GPA—be sure and let us know.
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rbcat / May 2, 2010
With your 2.8 are you playing in the NBA and do you bring home millions? Don’t think so…
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TheFinger / May 2, 2010
uk, the NEW nba prep school of america.
N o
B rainiacs
A nticipated
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Says the guy who was “on the fence”.
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Or a guy going into grad school.* Add that in and I will agree.
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Give credit to Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald Leader. Do you all think he likes the wildcats after writing this?
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HallBall / May 2, 2010
You mean the flood gates are open! Lol Hear come your Zona pals….
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HallBall / May 2, 2010
It kinda makes me laugh how you guys on here think. Granted, Calipari recruited Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe knowing about their questionable academic backgrounds so why Is It a shock that the teams GPA was the lowest In the School? Which brings me to my next question, do you bloggers really give a damn about whether these kentucky kids graduate eventually or are you posting just to have something negative to say about Calipari as usual? I dont understand how you guys could think a kid that has a 2.0 GPA In high school can turn Into a scholar student athlete In the span of 10 months, especially when the kid Isnt set on staying In school In the first place.
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coach terry / May 2, 2010
who came up w/ this lie that coaches are responsible for the gpa’s of their players?I played SEC sports and my coach had nothing to do w/my classroom performance but some of you think if the media makes it up as so then its true.Best i recall, teachers teach and if they are good then students learn…my goal as an educator/ coach is for my students to do their best in the classroom and if they do not then i examine both my methods and my students efforts.This lie that coaches somehow are held accountable for the professors job and the students grades is so irresponsible?Also, what about the Admissions Dir/Dept who admit the students..are they held accountable since they deemed the student athlete as admissable?When I played, my coach was accountable for W/L and did we compete.My Profs weren’t criticized for my/team performance if we did not fair well in the arena of competition.I don’t think my professors cared much about whether i did or didn’t do that well…they were tenured and several thought it a badge of honor 2fail many in their class eg chemistry 101.I’m not drinkin the koolaid boys n girls.The students and their teachers are responsible for the grades and i bet if the gpa were say 3.6 overall, the Profs would want a raise and recognition..they already have job security.
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crautdawg / May 2, 2010
The bigger issue here is that UK freshman can continue to play their spring semester despite extremely poor fall grades. Jerry Tipton noted it this way in his article:
Bell noted that UK players must have had at least a 1.8 grade-point average in the fall semester to be eligible in the spring, according to NCAA rules. Yet two UK players had GPAs below that standard: 1.667 and 1.765.
The minimum GPA requirement of 1.8 does not take effect until the start of an athlete’s second year, so the 1.667 and 1.765 averages apparently belonged to players in their first years.
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TheFinger / May 2, 2010
so, does the ncaa become a farm league for the nba or continue to push athletes towards higher academic standards which just MIGHT come in handy sometime in their future? and just how many of these 1 ‘n dones will be playing ball, here and abroad, in 3 years? not very much.
i think for the 1 year they do spend in college they should at least give the appearance of actually being student-athletes. this goes for uk and every other school in the land. personally think that the higher rank an athlete achieves the lower their aspirations are for an education. for the 1 it pans out, great, but there are 20 others on the welfare lines. this blog and/or thread isn’t gonna change anything, but it sure lets us vent off some steam and jabs when someone is taking cutsies.
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TheFinger / May 2, 2010
“was” … the operative word.
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crautdawg / May 2, 2010
a fool and his money are soon parted.
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RockChalk97 / May 2, 2010
I’m just going to state an endorsement for Villanova coach Jay Wright. He actually puts a great emphasis on college academics and has very positive results. Anyway I have to get to bed because my GPA does matter for the Residency match application process starting soon! :O
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TheFinger / May 2, 2010
not sure when you played, but the ncaa now requires a cumulative gpa of (???) from every school’s student-athletes. if they continue below this avg then schollies are cut from certain sports programs. if the coach isn’t on top of his athletes’ academic progress he’s taking a major risk for his program.
as for your “professor’s scholastic responsibility” — i doubt very much there are any incentives riding on their contracts if an athlete fails to show up to class much less attain a passing grade. the coach has the carrot and these athletes know what it takes to get a bite. on top of all this, each athletic program has an academic advisor hired to avoid these scenarios uk just flushed out. whomever that is at uk, wanna bet who’s out pounding the pavement tomorrow.
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crautdawg / May 2, 2010
well said mr. finger
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
They weren’t open at the time, so no, that wasn’t what I meant.
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
NEVER on the fence, is actually the most accurate statement.
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crautdawg / May 2, 2010
I think what you meant to say was: RELEASE THE KRAKEN
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Actually, there are incentives for professors scholastic responsibility. Not for student athletes but for the whole student body. It’s calculated by a cummulation of things: students who drop the class, the grades in the classes, how students fair on standardized tests. Since this applies to all students, it must apply to the athletes in the classes as well. Actually, at UK, the students all only go to their “major” advisors. UK bball players DO have another advisor, but he/she doesn’t have anything the power the major advisors do. Perhaps talking about things you know about would help you avoid looking like a tool “TheFinger”?
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blasphemy / May 2, 2010
Hardly, I’m a UK fan. I really don’t want everybody bashing my team and my University.
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ChicagoUK / May 3, 2010
The Spring semester finals start on Monday, so this story only considers the Fall semester grades. In fact, UK has responded to the article by suggesting that the Spring semester grades should show improvement – and they have requested that the Hearld-Leader cover the follow-up with equal vigor.
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UAWildcat / May 3, 2010
I’m not sure this as big of a deal as it is being made out to be. So they had the worst grades at UK. How did they rank in terms of other basketball teams in the SEC or with teams from the Big East, Big 10, Pac10 and etc.
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
They sure did. UK’s assistant AD(??) said that the grades would be higher and show improvement.
But yes, I was told Wall was not in class during the spring semester. Most kids who are one and done go to class in the fall, and skip the second knowing that they are jumping ship to the NBA.
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
Bashing another person’s team just makes the basher look foolish.
The university must be doing something right for somebody to attempt to bring it down.
Just had to add my input
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
He always finds side angles to UK’s program. As a journalist, his job is to write the truth, and he finds weird and interesting truths to write about. It was going to get out eventually, so maybe it’s better that the Herald released it first and not ESPN
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
That is not good at all. Regarding the two players below the requirement, I believe one to be Darnell Dodson and the other to be Eric Bledsoe.
That’s what people are saying at least
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
He’s a columnist, he’s hardly there to just, “write the truth.” True, I would rather them release it than him. But honestly, he’s been doing crap like this for a while, he find something, not always the truth, the posts it. He’s had to make several retractions. Honestly, if it were from John Clay or some of the other writers, I wouldn’t mind. But not Tipton. Trust me, this guy is NOT UK’s best friend.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
…..realease it than *espn or the like*. But honestly, h……
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
So I’ve heard from other UK fans. Didn’t know he was THAT bad.
Then again, Memphis fans aren’t so happy with Dan Wolken. I guess fans everywhere hate who covers their teams….lol. Maybe Tipton and Wolken are one in the same!!
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
I do have to put this in though…Journalists are paid to write what the truth, even if it may sting. Sometimes articles are 100% right when originally written, but afterwards facts are presented that the writer didn’t know. As a journalist, I hate when that happens. You’ve been given info that is believed to be correct, your follow-ups are said to be right, so you go ahead and write the story. Well, a couple of days pass and new info comes out, and your article is publicly perceived to be wrong and negative. That pisses me off.
Off my soapbox. lol
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DocBean / May 3, 2010
tsmooth you’re a freaking idiot!
I’ve never heard anything so stupid.
The University is failing, and it’s a huge black eye for UK!
That is why people are bashing UK! Where are they doing ANYTHING right in this story????!!!!
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DocBean / May 3, 2010
“and they educated.” “I know many past graduates…”
hahahahaha classic!
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tsmooth / May 3, 2010
Well, for starters, the main reason this is a big deal is Calipari and how he brought in one of the best recruiting classes in history to UK. Also, the team was very press friendly, and captivated much of the nation.
THAT is what they are doing right. I NEVER said that they did anything right in regards to the academic shortcomings.
The MAIN reason this story got SO MUCH press is the fact that this UK team gained tons of exposure.
Thanks for being reasonable, moron.
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DocBean / May 3, 2010
I love that they can’t even spell Kentucky on their jerseys correctly!
hahaha
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
helluva a catch doc — Kentcuky! bwaaahahahaha!
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
professor ratings, i.e incentive sytems, are not to be confused with contract incentives. to clarify my point without specific details to your coach cal’s contract on academics — he will receive x amount of $$$ if the team gpa is say 2.1 and x amount if it’s over 2.5, academic progress, grad rates, etc… state run public university professors never get a such spiff … at least not in arizona.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
I was refering to what good grades when your an undergrad are good for, not sure about what you are talking about though. ……..?…….
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
Tipton, on average, writes decent stories. But one in ten will do something to cause a backlash. I personally don’t like the guy, but don’t hate him either. Right now he isn’t in my best of graces, but I can respect him writing it, whether not I like it is another story. I don’t disagree with a single word you said, spot on, sir.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
Ya, I’m sure professors sign a contract before they start working for the University, dealing with research, pay grade***** (which can also be determined by academic success), etc. Once again, stick to things you know about. This is also true for Arizona. Actually, for grad rates, that falls on the teachers/advisors/program director for students when they get to a certain level of classes. So, you are wrong regardless which direction you go. Seriously, just give up on this one, because you don’t know. If you are intent on continuing this, go ask a local professor what happens to their research, if they get paid more for the academic success in class, etc. Until then, just leave, because you obviously do not know what you are talking about.
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
the fence, yes the fence. let me explain that since it’s engulfed you like the smell of nasty cheese; – liked and respected cal very much and thought he ran a very clean program at memphis. really thought he vindicated himself from the umass-destruction. above that, actually prayed he would accept the gig at arizona, but it was not to be. you know, bad timing and all. when the allegations aROSE on derricks SAT and his immediate stance of ignorance i jumped on that fence from the right. i just wasn’t sure what to make of it. and now with this tampering of jones’ recruitment and the statements made of “letting a lot of people down” the guy is 1 genuine sleazebucket who holds no punches to win over a recruit. i guess 3 5star ballers just isn’t enuf for that greedy bast–! anyway, i’m now standing on the left side of that fence based on pure speculation which, for now, seems to be right up his alley.
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joshapulco / May 3, 2010
Sell your soul, tradition, and national respect for a elite 8 appearance…good job Kentucky. I hope it was worth it!
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
straying the point again and again doesn’t warrant the upper hand. anyway, i cede a push…end of silly argument from my end.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
Ok, so you lied when you said you were on the fence until three threads ago? Gotcha.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
No push, you were wrong. Grow some balls.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
Actually, we sold it all so we would never have to scream in horror from seeing your face. We apparently failed.
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kujayhawk08 / May 3, 2010
Do you really love it ? You love being known as a sketch school in one year, after all the tradition you once had.. Worst grades in his first year, and No National Championship .. poor kentucky, can’t find a power forward because he ran all his players out, and now he’s freakin out because of the useless fans are going to be mad if he doesn’t win a shitty sec conference
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
gotta respond to that liar remark. when someone states “he is no longer on the fence” the only inference is literal, good or bad. i was on it, but no more after the happenings of 3 threads ago=bad. my above statement follows sync with my previous post. on the right side of the fence i have cal’s back. on the fence means i don’t don’t really know how or whether to judge him…yet. on the left side, i’ve made my mind up and don’t trust anything spewing out of his lips. fail to comprehend your lack of comprehension on this. or are you just trying to push the chip off my shoulder?
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TheFinger / May 3, 2010
oh, i got the cajones just don’t follow your illogic re “incentives” vs its usage in my replying post to coach terry. all i really have to go by is what i’ve gathered from my days at zona and nothing you’ve stated is accurate. zona professors did not have incentive laced contracts wherein the teach received bonuses in addition to their salaries for attaining preset goals as coaches do. i know of the research and incentive systems used for their evaluations and portfolios, but not even the same animal as a coach’s contract. wasn’t in pre-med or pre-law so i can’t vouch for those depts.
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gilmore722000 / May 3, 2010
So what are your team’s respective GPA’s for the fall semester? If the players are eligible, they’re eligible and nothing else matters. What was Xavier Henry’s GPA this pas year? I bet it was a 4.0 huh? 2.0 is a C and C passes college. Do you really think anything else matters? People can say all they want, but nobody is thinking about what a kid’s GPA is when he’s on the court.
Keep drinking the Haterade….
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gilmore722000 / May 3, 2010
And Mark it down on the PF statement, Terrence Jones Will be in Kentucky next year, if not Marcus Thornton who is a 3 star player and is a good player in his own right.
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jhawk4 / May 3, 2010
maybe you should read the article before you comment.
“That number was significantly lower than eventual NCAA champion Duke (3.01), Louisville (3.0) and Kansas (2.95).”
and for the record, Xavier Henry’s gpa was over 3.0. some other guys on the team have low gpa’s, but Xavier is not one of them. and all of our players got over a 1.8 too
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crautdawg / May 3, 2010
If you are correct, smooth, it helps me understand why Bledsoe won’t be returning to UK in the fall. I think another season to develop his all-around game would help his draft stock.
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CUSA_NEWS / May 3, 2010
The herald link states uk ranked LAST of the 9 SEC schools which gave their grades to the paper. It concludes by sayin Cal pointed to Memphis’ senior grad rate of 75% when applying for the uk job.
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/02/1248238/uk-basketball-low-on-the-gpa-scale.html
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
And, what you didn’t interpret, was I was saying that you were not on the fence three posts ago, like you “said you were.” Many posters will agree with me on this one, that you weren’t on the fence until three posts ago, like you said, three posts ago. Ask around, they will agree with me.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
Dude, seriously?
“i’ve gathered from my days at zona and nothing you’ve stated is accurate.”
Really, your “days” at “zona” apparently didn’t tell you about your professors contracts’. You obviously aren’t a teacher of any kind, let alone a professor of any kind. THEY HAVE TO SIGN CONTRACTS, else, when they do research, the University can’t claim it as their own, which is what the University wants. IN THOSE CONTRACTS, their pay is based on certain things, how much they teach is one of them. If they turn out to suck at teaching, yes it happens, they can get their pay docked. Nothing I’ve said is, “illogic,” as you so eloquently put it. Also, whilst you are now out of “school,” I still happen to be at the Unversity. Actually, I have asked the professors SEVERAL times about what they are expected to do, and guess what, a CONTRACT has come up. My GOD! While you “believe” from your “past knowledge,” I KNOW from NOW. The pay is based on how “useful” they are. If they do a lot of teaching, research, and administrative duties they obviously don’t get paid as much. This much is evident in their, yes, CONTRACTS. So YES, they are INCENTIVES. You are SIMPLY WRONG. No “but I”, no “that’s not the point,” because, YES, that IS the point.
Also, trying to argue a “different animal” is kind of vauge. I will assume you mean the “amount” of money, not just that they have incentives. In that case, yes. But don’t come on here saying teachers don’t have incentives, THEY DO. Stop talking about things you don’t know about, it’s annoying.
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blasphemy / May 3, 2010
We “sold our tradition”? We have 2 infractions, KU has 3.
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jhawk4 / May 4, 2010
Come on Blasphemy, The infraction argument is weak. Your better than that. both schools have had infractions, every school has had infractions. comparing infractions is irrelevant.
Kujayhawk08 has a good initial point. Do you really love it? I know you love winning, and being back in the power discussion but do you love the excess baggage that comes with having Calipari as your coach? Fair or not, Calipari is universally hated and believed to be dirty(Outside of Kentucky, of course). I know its not fair to put him under the microscope like this, but its reality now for UK as long as he is your coach. do you really love that?
i’m legitimately interested in what you have to say Blasphemy. I want to know a Sensible UK fans opinion. (just to be clear, don’t take it the wrong way, no UK hate intended.)
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bigjay / May 4, 2010
Here is a link to the Fall 2009 University of Kansas Honor Roll (3.5 GPA+). Some of you may be surprised who shows up on the list of Honor Roll students from Oklahoma…
http://www.news.ku.edu/2010/february/11/oklahoma.shtml
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blasphemy / May 4, 2010
Going to have to disagree with you, it’s not AT ALL a fair question. We “sold” nothing. Cal has no “baggage” after being disliked. He has never been implicated. Since I thought it was unfair, I brought up another “unfair” topic. You know from being around me that I’m tired of this crap. UK would get hate regardless. I have a final this morning, so I can’t stay long.
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jhawk4 / May 4, 2010
I disagree again. UK may have been hated by Louisville and Tennessee, but UK hate around the country has grown exponentially since Cal was hired.
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blasphemy / May 4, 2010
Asking me if I don’t mind being hated, no I don’t mind, if that what your question truely is. But Kujayhawk was implying that we have “rid” ourselves of tradition. I WHOLLY DISAGREE with that. But again, if you ask me if I mind being hated, no, I don’t. This is evident since I’ve been known for calling people autistic, retards, bastards, fugly, etc. But, once again, asking me the question like “I’ve sold my soul to the devil” is just unfair, in any context actually.
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jhawk4 / May 5, 2010
Blasphemy- i didn’t mean to imply that you had “sold your soul to the devil.”
I understand UK fans position on issues like this, and tried to ask the question as objectively as possible.
Again, the perception about calipari to everyone outside of Kentucky is a negative one, (which is mostly unfair) therefore everything he does is magnified, publicly questioned and attacked, leaving fans like yourself to defend him for things that he shouldn’t need defending for. If i was a UK fan i would be extremely tired of it, as i know you are.
new question- IF(and this is a big If) Calipari leaves Kentucky in scandal like he did at UMass and Memphis, but is never implied of any wrongdoing, like he was at Memphis or Umass, will you still defend and support him? would his successes at UK have been worth it in your eyes?
Just using a hypothetical situation to pick your brain, i am by no means implying that Cal is cheating at UK.
I look forward to your professional opinion blasphemy
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