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Sullivan | Vitale not buying UK's platoons

Tim Sullivan
@TimSullivan714

Dick Vitale may not get the last word, but he's going to get most of them.

If Kentucky coach John Calipari is determined to engage ESPN's relentlessly raspy analyst in a debate about his top-ranked team, he is advised to pack a lunch and some throat lozenges. Dickie V could talk the ear off an elephant.

Yet though Vitale is to basketball what the filibuster is to Congress — oratory as a tactical weapon — Calipari could not resist jabbing him during Tuesday night's 86-37 mauling of Missouri at Rupp Arena.

"I went back to full platoons, five-on-five, five-in, five-out," Calipari said during a halftime interview. "It hasn't hurt our rhythm. I know Dickie V — who got fired as a coach, by the way — is talking about our rhythm. Hasn't hurt our rhythm."

That Calipari continues to expend so much energy justifying the substitution pattern of his unbeaten team suggests that he probably protests too much. It's as if he's trying to convince himself of the wisdom of a decision compelled by circumstance.

Faced with a surplus of rarefied recruits, the result of several high-profile players deciding against turning pro, Calipari chose to divide playing time for optimum peace rather than peak efficiency.

Given the gaudy talent at his disposal, and the promises he has made to individual players, Calipari's strategy is easily understood. To renege on a vow to afford each player a suitable showcase could create internal friction and result in a recruiting backlash.

Whether the platoon system compromises Kentucky's chances at winning a championship in 2015, however, is a different matter. And unlike an uncontested lob to Karl-Anthony Towns, it's not necessarily a slam dunk.

"I don't buy the platoon system," Vitale said Wednesday afternoon. "I don't buy it at all. He (Calipari) obviously disagrees, and when people can disagree intelligently, no problem.

"Here's my argument with him: I think you can get away with it defensively. (But) Offensively, it creates a problem in terms of rhythm, timing. Kids miss shots and wonder why.

"... You can get away with that against a lot of teams. But I will guarantee you, in March, he will not use the platoon system."

What Calipari might do two months hence could be influenced by injuries such as the torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended Alex Poythress' season. But barring a breakdown that frees up more playing time and shortens his rotation, the UK coach can expect recurring questions about his loyalty to point guard Andrew Harrison and about the extent to which the Wildcats rely on offensive rebounding to conceal heir half-court concerns.

For his part, and despite his reservations, Vitale says he expects Kentucky to dominate the Southeastern Conference and that no college team would beat the Wildcats in an NBA-style best-of-seven series.

"They're the standard," Vitale said. "They're the one that everybody is trying to catch now. But in the NCAA tournament, with one bad night, you're no lock.

"... The team that can beat them is Kentucky. They can beat themselves. I don't think anybody in the SEC can beat them. They should run the table. They've had their two scares (in overtime against Mississippi and Texas A&M). . .But by the tournament there's no question that Kentucky will play like last year, with an incredible level of emotion."

Now 75, Vitale still exudes vitality, enthusiasm and purpose. Those bothered by his "Boo-yah" after Louisville's loss to North Carolina last Saturday confused a tribute to the late Stuart Scott for cheerleading. Those who wonder what Dickie V is really about might consider checking out his Friday evening book signing at the Middletown Kroger on Shelbyville Road. All of the proceeds are pledged to the V Foundation to fight pediatric cancer.

"We did $2.1 million last year, and I want to go bigger," Vitale said. "I want to give back. There's nothing worse than seeing a mom and dad put a child to rest."

Vitale counts Calipari and Louisville's Rick Pitino among his most generous donors. And, despite any philosophical differences about basketball, as friends.

"I want to remind Mr. Calipari that in 36 years at ESPN, I haven't lost a game," he said.

To lose an argument, he'd have to stop talking.

Tim Sullivan can be reached at (502) 582-4650, by email at tsullivan@courier-journal.com