Congratulations to the Kentucky Wildcats for winning the national championship over Kansas in New Orleans last night. Celebrations in Lexington got a bit out of hand afterwards, with numerous fires and arrests as many fans lost their heads, but so far only one has lost his foot . . . that being the man who was shot in the leg and had said appendage amputated today. This is the first national championship for the Wildcats since 1998, which is a great relief for them. Next on their list will be the ending of their losing streak to produce a Rhodes Scholar, as the last one was back in 1955.
When John Calipari first accepted the job at Kentucky, about a week after he told the world he had absolutely no intention of leaving Memphis, I proposed that the odds were about 50/50 as to which would come first . . . another national championship banner in Rupp Arena, or another bout of probation for the program from the NCAA. Cal dodged that particular bullet in his first season, with John Wall's problems following illicit AAU funding and Eric Bledsoe's investigation for academic fraud at his Alabama high school, where his math grades miraculously jumped from a C- to an A within a few months. Cal also dodged the bullet in his second season, what with all that "Free Enes" nonsense which followed said player's disqualification due to monies he received from a Turkish pro team for which he played. Cal also dodged a bullet in this his third season in Lexington, at least for now, when the reports from a Chicago newspaper alledging that super-freshman Anthony Davis has received $200,000 from UK to sign their letter-of-intent was quashed by the legal team from the university. And so, to date anyway, he has managed to end up on the plus-side of the bargain he struck with the loyal Kentucky fans.
Again, congratulations to UK, their coach, their team, and their fans. I have enjoyed posting my garbage on this thread from roughly Halloween to April Fools Day, and I hope you too have . . . enjoyed.
