Losing a game, even a meaningless exhibition, against a team whose name I have already forgot will always be a rough start to a season, and especially when the fan base is as passionate as ours and itching for “the good ol times” to return to louisville basketball. Combined with a recruiting approach that has left a lot wondering what the future holds, it has left many of us to throw up our hands and point to other programs as to wonder “why not us?”
I also think back to KP’s message the whole time he has been here, and regardless of what anyone was “lead” to believe about what would happen with Kenny in charge - absolutely zero of that noise came from Kenny. Nolan came in hotter, but Kenny has always preached building, community, patience, and culture. You don’t have to agree with it - we on here simply are not the decision makers for UofL - but to look at our program honestly you have to look at what our head coach has laid out as his approach and expectations, vs what has been laid out on fan driven messageboards.
so “why not us?” Brings me to two programs referenced a lot over the summer because of parallels to our program. Memphis, and Iowa State.
Memphis’ Penny Hardaway came in with a similar background and reputation as KP: former player, relates to the kids, Uber connected, will land elite talent.
Iowa State turned a program around in one off-season and made a sweet 16 run with a new coach at the helm.
So I was thinking about those teams and dug into it a bit more and I think I have a good reference point for all of us to consider moving forward, an easy way to call attention to what I believe Kenny is going for. Or maybe not and feel free to blast away (Crypto I know you won’t let me down here)….
Memphis - they did land elite talent, and right away and plenty of it. Top 5 kids, future NBA lottery picks…. And have never made a tournament since Penny has been there. Duren shut it down for the season after an injury, Bates transferred out and his future looks a mess now… all in all, not great at all.
Iowa State - they turned things around and made a run in the tournament last year with a new coach… but then their best player, who we know well, transferred out within the same conference to a guard heavy team instead of being THE guy at Iowa State. They lost other guys to transfers and graduation and have not been able to replace the talent lost in the portal or the recruiting trail (they have some talent coming in of course, but it’s not 1:1). They are currently projected between 8-10 in their conference and seen as a bubble team at best, all coming off a sweet 16 run. Is that really what we want - a rollercoaster? People have used Iowa state a lot since Kenny been here and I’m not sure many realize they probably won’t make the tourney this year.
My point here is this - we as the fans wanted Kenny to build a TEAM for 2022-2023 so we could see UL’s name in a bracket again in March. We wanted a TEAM like Memphis was able to recruit and Iowa State was able to turn around. But Kenny is trying to build a PROGRAM, not a team. He’s building for the long term, taking the lumps early to establish a culture synonymous with Cardinal Basketball. That takes time, it just does. He wasn’t interested in 1 year mercenaries just so we can lose in the first round of the tourney, he’s not interested in kids who are talented but don’t fit his culture or what he’s looking to do style wise, that won’t work hard, that won’t do the little things and buy in to the program. I see what he is doing and I respect it.
that was my revelation last night and what I think is an important differentiation. Some fans want a TEAM for immediate gratification, Kenny is building a PROGRAM so that we can be a damn near lock for the tournament year in and year out. He’s not building for 1 year.
my 2c
I also think back to KP’s message the whole time he has been here, and regardless of what anyone was “lead” to believe about what would happen with Kenny in charge - absolutely zero of that noise came from Kenny. Nolan came in hotter, but Kenny has always preached building, community, patience, and culture. You don’t have to agree with it - we on here simply are not the decision makers for UofL - but to look at our program honestly you have to look at what our head coach has laid out as his approach and expectations, vs what has been laid out on fan driven messageboards.
so “why not us?” Brings me to two programs referenced a lot over the summer because of parallels to our program. Memphis, and Iowa State.
Memphis’ Penny Hardaway came in with a similar background and reputation as KP: former player, relates to the kids, Uber connected, will land elite talent.
Iowa State turned a program around in one off-season and made a sweet 16 run with a new coach at the helm.
So I was thinking about those teams and dug into it a bit more and I think I have a good reference point for all of us to consider moving forward, an easy way to call attention to what I believe Kenny is going for. Or maybe not and feel free to blast away (Crypto I know you won’t let me down here)….
Memphis - they did land elite talent, and right away and plenty of it. Top 5 kids, future NBA lottery picks…. And have never made a tournament since Penny has been there. Duren shut it down for the season after an injury, Bates transferred out and his future looks a mess now… all in all, not great at all.
Iowa State - they turned things around and made a run in the tournament last year with a new coach… but then their best player, who we know well, transferred out within the same conference to a guard heavy team instead of being THE guy at Iowa State. They lost other guys to transfers and graduation and have not been able to replace the talent lost in the portal or the recruiting trail (they have some talent coming in of course, but it’s not 1:1). They are currently projected between 8-10 in their conference and seen as a bubble team at best, all coming off a sweet 16 run. Is that really what we want - a rollercoaster? People have used Iowa state a lot since Kenny been here and I’m not sure many realize they probably won’t make the tourney this year.
My point here is this - we as the fans wanted Kenny to build a TEAM for 2022-2023 so we could see UL’s name in a bracket again in March. We wanted a TEAM like Memphis was able to recruit and Iowa State was able to turn around. But Kenny is trying to build a PROGRAM, not a team. He’s building for the long term, taking the lumps early to establish a culture synonymous with Cardinal Basketball. That takes time, it just does. He wasn’t interested in 1 year mercenaries just so we can lose in the first round of the tourney, he’s not interested in kids who are talented but don’t fit his culture or what he’s looking to do style wise, that won’t work hard, that won’t do the little things and buy in to the program. I see what he is doing and I respect it.
that was my revelation last night and what I think is an important differentiation. Some fans want a TEAM for immediate gratification, Kenny is building a PROGRAM so that we can be a damn near lock for the tournament year in and year out. He’s not building for 1 year.
my 2c
