Tar Heels Missing the Dance Again?

Last season was a nightmare for University of North Carolina fans.  One year removed from a national championship, an injury-riddled disappointing Tar Heel team missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003.  This is also first time a Roy Williams-coached team has missed out since his first year at Kansas in 1989 when they were on probation.

The 2010 Tar Heels struggled at the guard position, did not have a legitimate match-up problem, and couldn't keep their front line healthy; however, they did have length in the post which was evident by the number of blocks they recorded every game.  With the #2 recruiting class coming in (according to ESPN), it would seem like a turnaround is in order in Chapel Hill.  The #1 player in the country, Harrison Barnes, is a match-up nightmare.  He has more size than any guard who would try to guard him on the wing and more speed than any big man who would attempt to guard him in the post.  He will make an immediate difference.  UNC is also bringing in another athletic wing in Reggie Bullock.  His game has been compared with Jerry Stackhouse, but it is unsure the level of immediate impact he will bring.  Finally, UNC is bringing in a true point guard, Kendall Marshall.  He will probably start right away over Larry Drew for Roy's boys.  Even so, these 3 players do not completely fix the problems in Chapel Hill.

A report was released yesterday that freshmen twin post players David and Travis Wear, who were essentially reserves this year, are transferring from UNC.  This coupled with the departures of Deon Thompson and Ed Davis translates into a very thin front line for UNC.  John Henson and Tyler Zeller are all that is left in the depleted front line, and Zeller has been plagued by injuries.  Also, Marcus Ginyard, one of their best defenders, is graduating.  The question marks continue to add up for the Tar Heels.  It is unlikely that UNC will have the injury problems in 2011 that they had in 2010, and they definitely have a better option at point guard, but with the thin front line, 2011 could be another long season for the Tar Heels.  They will probably make it back in the tournament, but in Chapel Hill, simply making the tournament isn't good enough.

Calipari to da Bulls?

It has been rumored that Coach Cal is on a long list of candidates to replace Vinny Del Negro as the coach of the Chicago Bulls.  These are strictly rumors, but there is a lot of speculation surrounding these rumors.  Of course, Chicago has Derrick Rose, former PG under Cal at Memphis.  Also, with LeBron becoming a free agent after the season and his close relation to Cal, it is not out of the question that LeBron may consider Chicago if Cal is brought in as the head coach.  Finally, Chicago, although not so recently, is one of the premier franchises of the modern era (thanks in large part to MJ).  A Cal coached Bulls team with Rose and LeBron could bring another championship to Chicago.  Coach Cal has told numerous reporters that he is not interested in this job though.

Of course all of this is speculation; however, following this report, University of Kentucky officials immediately began working with Cal on a new contract after ONE season.  He is already the highest paid coach in college basketball with an 8-year deal.  I know he turned the UK program around in 1 season, but I think UK should be weary about a new deal so quickly.  Everyone knows Cal's track record of having wins vacated.  I am not saying the guy is guilty; I am just saying that both of the Final Fours he as been to have been vacated by the NCAA.  Few people remember that he was an assistant under Larry Brown at Kansas during a time which landed Kansas on probation too.  None of this has stuck to Cal, but a program with the history of UK needs to be careful before rewarding Cal after just one season.  In addition, in recruiting the "one and dones," he has to bring in more players, on average, than most other coaches, which just increases the likelihood of another Derrick Rose situation.

Cal may be using the Bulls offer as leverage for a new contract, and UK officials don't seem to care.  Two days after UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. was "disappointed" by the 2.025 team GPA in the fall semester, athletic director Mitch Barnhart didn't seem to worry about the plummeting grades when he said the following: "I'm extremely proud of what Coach Calipari has done in just one year as the leader of our men's basketball program.  Cal has brought Kentucky men's basketball back to its rightful place of national prominence and I'm excited about our future."  The point is that there are too many question marks surrounding Coach Cal to reward him with a new deal after just one season.