Make no mistake, coach John Calipari wants Kentucky to win the 2011 NCAA championship. But if not, he’s likely to go all Doris Day on everyone and start singing, “Qu’e Ser’a Ser’a.”
“The pressure here, whoever is in this seat, is to win,” Calipari said. “One of the things I'll tell you is I don't take this as life or death and the reason I don't take it like it's life or death, is because you die a lot. And that's game-to-game.
“I have the peace of mind that I'm doing the best I can and I do know that I'm doing it for the kids, not myself,” he added. “So I can live with myself and know that we are doing right.”
Calipari is working to instill that same mentality in his talented, but young team as the Cats are poised to be ranked preseason No. 1 or 2.
“I tell them that they are a talented group and they can do what they want to do,” Calipari said. “But I want them to have peace of mind. Do the best you can, what is supposed to happen will happen.
“I want them to dream big dreams. I want them to think beyond their surroundings. I want them to feel good. Why make them feel bad about wanting to be the best? I want them to be the best. I want our team to be the best,” Calipari said. “But in between then, where we are now and that kind of goal is a lot of togetherness and a lot of sacrifice and guys having to give up some of their games and all those things.”
Calipari, of course, recognizes the intense desire on the part of college basketball’s most insatiable fan base to hang national championship banner No. 8 at the end of this season. It would be the first NCAA crown since 1998.
“Are we the only school that wants to win a national title this year, and our fans? Come on,” Calipari said. “I just don't get bogged down in it.
“I'm worried about my team,” the coach added. “If you have followed us over the years, you would know that the teams get better as the year goes on and that's my whole goal. If that's not good enough -- that's the best we can do.
“If we are playing our best basketball at the end of the year, what if someone just happens to be playing better?” Calipari asked. “I'm disappointed, but I still have peace of mind that my team did the best they could, they are playing their best and individual players are playing their best and that's what we try to do.
“You know, if that turns into a banner, great,” he said. “If it doesn't, next year, here we go, let's do it again.”
Calipari reiterated that championships are great, but players come first.
“Obviously, we want to win national championships and I want to win national championships,” he said. “But I'm more concerned about these players.
“During the season, we are concerned solely about our team. Yes, we are trying to get guys better and we are putting them in positions to help us win. But during the season, it is about our team. The minute the season ends, it’s about those individual players, and we help them make decisions. We give them information so they can make decisions on what they want to do.”
Kentucky, the team, will benefit, too, according to Calipari.
“You do right by these kids, they drag you to what you're trying to do, which is put up banners. That's how I feel.”
