Calipari: This team isn't as tough as last year's team

[Darrell KSR]

[suncat05]

Uh, sorry, not buying into this story. I don't see any of Carl's teams not being 'tough'. Why? C'mon, Cal only recruits the very best of the very best, and if 'tough' isn't in their game then they don't get a second look from Kentucky, much less a scholarship offer and the chance to play for the Roman Empire of college basketball. Not buying the schtick, as it were.

And if, by chance they are not tough like Cal wants them to be, after they've started the season against the likes of Maryland and Duke they'll find out how to get tough real quick-like! JMHO, yours may differ.

[Darrell KSR]

Think he meant tough as in "good," not tough as in "Billy Gillispie tough."

And everything is relative. Last year's team was good, wasn't it? Any disgrace not to be as good as last year's team? I agree with him; we won't be as good. And I don't think we'll be as tough as last year's team, either. That team was mentally and physically tough, with MKG leading the way.

[cattails]

Think he meant tough as in "good," not tough as in "Billy Gillispie tough."

And everything is relative. Last year's team was good, wasn't it? Any disgrace not to be as good as last year's team? I agree with him; we won't be as good. And I don't think we'll be as tough as last year's team, either. That team was mentally and physically tough, with MKG leading the way.

I'll tell ya what Darrell, when I think of tough I think of Lamb, he hit some really big shots at the end of the game and Teague nailed a big 3 pointer that was timely. We had a few kids that just stuck out, Davis couldn't score but he dominated the game, Kidd-Gilchrist was a lock down defender and Jones was as steady as a rock. Now that's what I call tough, when the game is on the line these kids did not choke.

[blueboss]

Maybe not as tough in the way that last years team was tough, but give Cal about 20 games working with this team and let them find their way and they'll find their own toughness.

[cattails]

Anyone that thinks they know how good this team will be needs to report to Cal your findings, because Cal doesn't know. Let them play a few games then we might have an idea.

[badrose]

I think if we've learned anything about Cal is that much of what he says publicly is for the players' benefit. It's a nudge directed at them. However tough they may be at this point, he's pushing them to be tougher. Using the '12 team is the perfect reference by which to be compared.

[cattails]

I think if we've learned anything about Cal is that much of what he says publicly is for the players' benefit. It's a nudge directed at them. However tough they may be at this point, he's pushing them to be tougher. Using the '12 team is the perfect reference by which to be compared.

Good post BR and by the way I give the new pic a 9.5, better than the one before, good work!!!

[Krank]

I think if we've learned anything about Cal is that much of what he says publicly is for the players' benefit. It's a nudge directed at them. However tough they may be at this point, he's pushing them to be tougher. Using the '12 team is the perfect reference by which to be compared.

Excellent point, badrose.

When I first heard Coach Calipari say this, my thought was that he needed THIS team to get tougher because they may not be as "ready", offensively, as last year's team. I believe this year's Cats will have to find a very strong defensive identity and, of course, toughness, plays a huge role in that, particularly with respect to how it ends up affecting a team's effectiveness on the other side of the ball.

Toughness is "contagious" I believe a lot of coaches would agree, but when you consider how often this team will be compared, unfairly, to the last squad, it becomes imperative, psychologically, for the kids to get that message and respond. I think this team will be really good, as good as any in the nation, but when that becomes more clear is hard to predict right now.