CALIPARI WOULD BE PERFECT FIT FOR UK

Unless John Calipari has a last second change of heart and returns to the University of Memphis, he should be named the new coach of the men's basketball program at the University of Kentucky within hours. He would be paid $35 million over 8-years to attempt to fix a historic program that has been reduced to rubble in recent years.

First off, this is an absolute no-brainer for Kentucky. Calipari should have been given a chance to coach a big-time institution for years now. He is one of the best recruiters in all of college hoops. Look at the rosters he compiled at Memphis! If he can get the players he did at a non-big six conference program in Memphis, just imagine who he can bring in at Kentucky. He has always been a tremendous salesman for the programs he represents. Not only can he recruit, he is a master motivator. His players buy in and always play hard. There's no doubt he'll do big things at Kentucky.

Just as this is a no-brainer for Kentucky, it is also a no-brainer for Calipari. This is his chance to join the main stream and stand along side the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, Tom Izzo, and even his clone, Rick Pitino, as the elite coaches in college basketball. Calipari has been forced to wait for the big job, because his candid, egoistic personality has always rubbed some people the wrong way.

I have always found Calipari to be tied at the hip with Pitino. Their careers are so similar it's scary. The one difference is that Pitino is the country-club version of Calipari. Pitino has won at big time institutions, while Calipari has won with the little guy. While Pitino was at Kentucky, Calipari was at UMass, and while Pitino was with the Celtics, Calipari was with the Nets. Pitino then trumped him again by taking the Louisville job a year after Calipari took the Memphis job. This is Calipari's chance to put his career on the same level as Pitino. He has an opportunity to equal or even better the job Pitino did at Kentucky. He will be hard pressed to do that, but I believe he can. In my opinion, Calipari is already among the top 10 coaches in college basketball.

This is the perfect time for a Kentucky/Calipari marriage. Kentucky is desperately seeking someone who can rebuild their program to prominence, and I believe Calipari, who is looking to make a big splash with a main stream program, will do just that. If this marriage happens, Calipari will bring a National Championship (or more) to Kentucky. MARK IT DOWN!

Pat Morgan

Note: How about this Pitino/Calipari comparsion. When, not if, Calipari goes to a Final Four with Kentucky, he will join Pitino as the only coaches to take three different programs to the Final Four.

Kansas Jayhawks: 2008 National Champions

Congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks who chased away the demons by winning the National Championship last night against the Memphis Tigers. They finally got over the top after 20 years of unbelievable tournament losses, and they did it in dramatic fashion. I must say this is was the best championship game that I have watched in my years of watching the NCAA Tournament.

The game was a back and forth battle most of the way. Two very similar teams pounding on each other with tremendous defense. With about eight minutes left, Memphis started to pull away because of the great play of Derrick Rose. Rose caught fire when Kansas changed from a man-to-man defense to a box-and-one. This freed Rose up to go to the hole, pull up with the shot, or kick it to an open shooter. I thought Bill Self made horrific decision by switching out of a defense that had been so solid all night long. Had they not come back, Self would have been bashed with questions about this move.

Then, Rose hit an unbelievable shot before the four minute timeout that I thought was the dagger. He shot an off balanced 20 footer that banked off the backboard into the net. This was all as the shot clock was expiring no less. That shot reminded me of Arkansas's Scotty Thurman breaking my heart with the shot clock expiring three he hit to break a tie in the final minute of the 1994 NCAA Championship Game vs. Duke. Who didn't think the game was over when Rose hit that remarkable shot. There needs to be an investigation if he isn't picked #1 or 2 in the NBA Draft.

With 2:12 remaining, Memphis led 60-51. The championship seemed won, but here's where the meltdown began. I point to four things to why they blew their lead:

1.) Sherron Collins draining a three off a stolen in bounds pass to cut the deficit to four.
2.) Joey Dorsey fouling out 20 feet away from the basket and giving Mario Chalmers free throws.
3.) (The most important reason) Chris Douglas Roberts and Derrick Rose missing four of five foul shots in the final minute.
4.) Memphis failing to foul Sherron Collins coming up the court in the final moments. I hate when teams foul, but the three point shot is so easy in college, you almost have to foul. Ask Xavier vs. Ohio State last year.

There are probably more reasons, but those four really stand out to me. It was even more amazing that Memphis lost considering they had a couple offensive rebounds and a huge blocked shot in the final 30 seconds of the game. Truly amazing they lost. John Calipari will be sick for the rest of his life thinking about how this one got away. I also believe he should have called a timeout before Kansas's final possession to get his kids on the same page, and after Mario Chalmers's incredible shot to set up a hail mary shot with 2 seconds left. After blowing a lead like that, it seemed more likely that if Memphis was going to win, it would have been on a dramatic buzzer beater vs. winning in overtime. The team that makes the emotional comeback normally routs the opponent in OT. (Ohio State/Xavier, Georgetown/North Carolina, etc.)

Congrats to Kansas though. This historic program finally won another National Championship. After Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA, Kansas probably is the fourth most historic program, but after Danny Manning's epic run in 1988, Kansas has been tormented by more horrific tournament losses than any other program. The Jayhawks clearly washed away those years, and to throw in an incredible comeback capped by the highlight of Mario Chalmers's buzzer beater on top of that, this one will be remembered forever.

Rock Chalk Championship!

Pat Morgan

Duke Blue Devils 2009!

Gerbil's College Basketball Top 10

10.) Stanford - This is the best Cardinal team since the Mike Montgomery days. They have won three straight road games within the tough Pac-10 to improve to 16-3 on the season. Since the return of Brook Lopez, Stanford has been on fire. Lopez has averaged about 20 points a game. I would expect Stanford's stay within my top 10 to be brief because of their schedule in the Pac-10, but they have done a nice job bringing the Cardinal back into a national power.

9.) Texas - Even without Kevin Durant this Longhorns team is still loaded. D.J. Augustin and A.J Abrams give Texas one of the best backcourts in the country. They don't have much inside so they will have to win with their speed and outside shooting. The Longhorns can beat anyone in the country on the right night. They already have two wins within my top 10 vs. UCLA and Tennessee. Look for them to have a great chance to get to an Elite 8 with a chance at the Final Four.

8.) Michigan State - The Spartans could be higher on my list if it wasn't for a loss today at Penn State or their uncharacteristic easy pre-conference schedule. However, with Tom Izzo who is a tremendous tournament coach and a great senior leader in Drew Neitzel this team has a chance to do some special things in the tournament. Raymar Morgan has had a great season as well for the Spartans. With all that being said, it will be hard to predict exactly what Michigan State will do in the tournament playing in a relatively weak Big Ten.

7.) Tennessee - Other than the loss at Kentucky, the Vols have rolled through the underrated SEC. Like Texas, Tennessee has one of the best backcourts in the nation with Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith. Bruce Pearl has proven to be a very good tournament coach, so I like this team's chances to do well come March. However, if they have an off shooting night, a team with a good inside game will hurt the Vols. They will be battle tested though because the SEC is quietly an excellent conference with the likes of Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Florida.

6.) Duke - If it wasn't for a Levance Fields circus three, the Blue Devils could very well be undefeated going into their showdown with UNC in Chapel Hill. Senior DeMarcus Nelson has had a hell of a bounce back season in being Duke's best player over the last month. Gerald Henderson has been impressive, and freshman Kyle Singler has given the Blue Devils an all-purpose threat. Duke actually has some depth for once as well. The problem with them is their lack of an inside game. The Blue Devils are clearly on their way back and will most likely be a two seed, but I don't see a very deep tournament run because of their inside game.

5.) Georgetown - Next to UCLA, the Hoyas could be the best defensive team in the nation. They also have the best center in the nation. Roy Hibbert could lead this team, along with a slew of tournament tested players, to another Final Four or possibly beyond. The Hoyas are always working hard and never quit on a game. Their win in West Virginia was indicative of that. My concern is the Hoyas is their ability to keep up in a scoring fest with the North Carolina types of the world. They have a tendency to have extended dry spells from the field.

4.) Kansas - Well, the Jayhawks finally suffered their first loss this week. It was to a very good Kansas State team however, and the Big 12 is perhaps the best top heavy conference in the country. Mario Chalmers is one of my favorite players in the country, and along with Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Darrell Arthur, and company the Jayhawks are absolutely loaded. The Jayhawks have put up a ton of points this season, but will they be able to score like that in the later rounds of the tournament? That's always been their problem. The Rock Em', Sock Em', Jayhawks will be battle tested and should get a much better draw as a #1 seed this year. Hopefully they won't have to play a #2 like UCLA on the road like they did last year.

3.) UCLA - The Bruins are hand down the best defensive team in the country. They play a style that makes their opponets curl up and cry. They simply tore apart a high octane offense in Arizona tonight. The Bruins also have the best tournament experience of anyone. They were in the last two Final Fours, and with the Florida powerhouse out of the way, this finally might be the year for the Bruins. They are on my short list to win the whole thing. My concern for them is similiar to the Hoyas. If an opponet has a big game from downtown they might be able to beat UCLA as the Bruins won't blugen you to death with points.

2.) North Carolina - Tyler Hansbrough is well on his way to winning the John Wooden and John Naismith awards with his great season. He is averaging a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Hoyas also can run and gun with the best of them with Ty Lawson at the point. Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are excellent players as well. The Heels have the best all-around offense in the nation. However, they aren't as deep as previous years, and their defense leaves a lot to be desired. It would really be interesting to see what kind of game develops should they play UCLA in the tournament. I am torn right now between those two teams with who will win the National Championship

1.) Memphis - The Tigers are the only unbeaten team left in Division I despite a close call vs. UTEP yesterday. As I said in a previous post, Memphis has a great chance to go into the NCAA Tournament undefeated. Their toughest game left is a date with Tennessee in three weeks. Led by Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers return most of their team from last year's Elite 8 appearance. However, they have a great freshman in Derrick Rose this season. Rose could be the difference for the Tigers this year. It could be a serious problem for Memphis not playing in a major conference though. They will not be battle tested as the other teams on this list will be going into March. A couple more close calls like yesterday is not the worst thing that can happen to the Tigers. The blowouts really don't help too much. They need to know how to wins the tight ones going into March.

Pat Morgan

Gerbil's NCAA Top Five

This will be a weekly post (and maybe expanded to a top 10), but will generally be posted on Sunday night. I am doing the first one tonight because tomorrow will be devoted to Championship Sunday. After tomorrow though it officially becomes college basketball season to me. That's because there is two weeks of utter nonsense leading into the Super Bowl, but here is the first Pat Morgan Top 5!

5.) Georgetown Hoyas - Yes, they lost at Pittsburgh this week, but that is far from a bad loss in a building that's almost impossible to win at. They also lost at Memphis, so they really have nothing to be ashamed of so far this season. I absolutely love Roy Hibbert. How many teams in America can say they have a true 7 foot, 2 inch center? Other than Jeff Green, this 2007 Final Four team is intact. I think they roll through the Big East to lets say a first place 13-3 record. They have an excellent starting five, but, however, they do have some depth issues. Because of that, I cannot put them higher on my list.

4.) Tennessee Volunteers - I absolutely love this team! They play the run-and-gun offense for all 40 minutes, and are extremely effective doing it. Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith are the senior leaders with the experience from last year's impressive tournament run when they reached the Sweet 16 where they lost to Ohio State. They will bludgeon you to death with their superior three point shooting. Their downfall is definitely their lack of size. They do not have anyone over 6' 10" on the roster. That really hurt them when they blew a 20-point lead to the Buckeyes and Greg Oden last season. The Vols' style of play definitely gives them a chance to go deep in the tournament because they will simply wear down their opponets with their quick play.

3.) North Carolina Tar Heels - Well, they finally lost today! But don't be shocked if they don't lose again for awhile. This team simply has it all. The Heels are experienced, they have size, they can shoot the three, they are great from the foul line, and they are relatively deep. They are one of maybe three or four teams I really think can win the National Championship. They would have been #2 to Memphis on my list had they not lost today, and could very well be #1 on my future lists soon. If they have a weakness, it's their defense. It isn't where Roy Williams would want it right now. They gave up 81 points to NC Ashville! However, giving up a lot of points is partly because of the way they play. They love to run. If anyone wants to beat them come March, they better make it a half-court game. If you run with the Heels, you will look like the gum on their Heels (sorry, bad joke!).

2.) Kansas Jayhawks - Can the Jayhawks finally backup an impressive regular season and break a long run of bad luck in the NCAA Tournament? That remains to be seen, but this team has been spanking opponets lately in route to a 17-0 record. This team has a pretty balanced package as well. Mario Chamlers, Sherron Collins, and Brandon Rush give the Jayhawks a great backcourt. Then, they have Senior, Shasa Kaun down low. The Rock Em', Sock Em' Jayhawks go eight deep as well. They won't be as tested in an adequate Big 12 as lets say the Tar Heels in the ACC or the Hoyas in the Big East would be, but if they roll through the conference they should be battle tested enough to do good things in March. The big question for the Jayhawks is will they be able to shoot consistently through the NCAA Tournament. They have moments where they do ice cold from the field. They will have to overcome that to win.

1.) Memphis Tigers - The Tigers are absolutely loaded. They can go nine deep, and can win a blood bath against anyone. The Tigers are perhaps the most experienced team in the nation as well. They have been to two straight Elite 8s, and no one other than UCLA with a chance at the National Championship can say anything better. They sport five upperclassmen, and one of their young players is the very talented Derrick Rose. The Tigers might have the best defense in the nation, besides UCLA, as well. They will probably have a couple nights where they don't play very motivated, but I could easily see Memphis going into the NCAA Tournament with a chance at the perfect season. That is because they play in a very weak conference. It is too bad Memphis wasn't taken to the Big East along with the other big boys from the Conference USA. The team with the best chance to stop their run at perfection is the Tennessee Volunteers, as they travel to Memphis on February 23rd. The Tigers' biggest weakness is their overall offense. Yes, they can score on the TCUs of the world, but they will not score toe-to-toe with the Tar Heels or Volunteers if forced into a fast paced game. However, they have the best chance of any to slow those powerhouses down.

Pat Morgan

UNC Ranked #1 in Preseason Coaches Poll

With just eight points separating the top three teams in the first coaches poll of the 2007-08 men's college basketball season, the North Carolina Tar Heels came in #1. UNC returns all of their young stars from last year with the exception of Brandon Wright. Junior center, Tyler Hansbrough, is among the top preseason candidates to take home the Neismith and Wooden Awards. Roy Williams has a heck of a roster again, and they will probably be my pick to win it all.

The UCLA Bruins came in #2 in the poll, and actually finished with more first place votes than the Heels. Darren Collison and company will try and win Los Angeles a National Championship after two disappointing losses to Florida the last two Final Fours. Of the big three teams, they suffered the biggest loss. Replacing a leader in Arron Afflalo will be very difficult to do. UNC's Wright was probably the best talent lost, but Afflalo led UCLA.

The Memphis Tigers finished #3, with eight first place votes. With the exception of Jeremy Hunt, the CUSA champions return their entire roster from last year. Unless you are Joe Lunardi, it is too early to predict what the NCAA Tournament will look like, but with a cake Conference USA schedule, Memphis is set up perfectly to be the #1 overall seed come March. All of their tough non-conference games are at home, so that helps too.

Kansas and Georgetown round out the top five, with some returning stars from their deep tournament runs from last year. My biggest surprises are #8 Michigan State and #9 Indiana. The Spartans do have a great recruiting class to go with senior star, Drew Neitzel. Having them at #8 means the coaches think they will be a #2 seed, which might be a bit high right now. Indiana also has a great recruiting class, and Kelvin Sampson is going to do great things with the Hoosiers over the years. However, being #9 (the top #3 seed) seems high to me as well. The team that I think will rise into the top 10 is the #18 USC Trojans. With O.J. Mayo aboard for the year they should make a run. They are a thin team though, having lost three of their top four scorers from last year's Sweet 16 team. In any event, its great to debate the rankings knowing they mean absolutely nothing. No BCS in this college sport!

Pat Morgan