Blue Crew

There's an old story that dates back to the early 90's when Phil Jackson first took over the Bulls.  Being a young head coach (this was his first head coaching job in the NBA), he brought along Tex Winter to provide some advice (Tex is still there I believe).  Anyway Tex called a play late in a game against the Bucks, but MJ basically blew off the play and free lanced a basket and ultimately a Bulls win.  Understand, at this point MJ was still MJ the great player but not the legend yet.
Supposedly after the game Tex took the mercurial MJ aside and chided him for not running the play that had been called saying the iconic "there's not I in team son."  To which MJ shot back, "Yeah, but there is in WIN."
This goes to the heart of sports.  If your good enough, people will put up with you not matter what.  I saw a poster once that had a picture of a pearl and said something to the effect that if you are beautiful enough, people will ignore the fact that your are iritating to the core.  Billy Gillespie learned this the hard way.
I say all this because many people have been consoling themselve by saying things like "I"m glad Cal is gone, he didn't win the right way" or "He was not a nice person and I would rather lose than have someone like him here." This is bunk.  Pure and simple.  I loved Cal, not because he was a good person, not because he loved Memphis, or anything else.  He was a winner.  He won.  He won a lot.  He won often.
He's  in Kentucky, and you know what, he'll win there.  So what do I suggest to Coach Pastner.  Simple, WIN.  MJ understood this.  I don't expect Paz to win at the level Cal did at the end, but I expect him to win at the level Cal did his first 3 years at Memphis.  Losing seasons shouldn't happen.  I have posted that I expect growing pains, and I do.  I expect a step back, but hell a step back from 4 straigh 30 win seasons is expected.  That doesn't mean you all of a sudden start winning 18 games and missing the tournament.
If all the people out there want to console themselves by saying they are glad Cal is gone, fine go right ahead.  I'm not buying it.  I want to keep right on winning.  I like winning.  It makes me feel good.  It makes all of us feel good.  Coach Paz, no pressure, just win baby!

Category: NCAAB