By LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky coach John Calipari continued to endear himself to UK fans with his speech at the Louisville Tip-Off Club Wednesday.

Once again, he was asked about the lofty expectations and rankings for UK, a team that went to the NIT quarterfinals last year, in his first season. Here’s what he had to say:

‘We haven’t played a game yet. The mountain we are supposed to climb is going to be very high. We have six new players and six returning players, who think, and rightfully so, it’s their turn to play. We have to get those guys together on one page, with one heartbeat, having trust and respect for each other and it has to turn to affection. At some point in the season it has to become love, where they care more about their teammates than they do themselves. Can I do that in a month and a half?

“I have to teach them a dribble-drive offense and a press that is totally different than they have ever seen. If we are really going to climb that mountain we have to be the best defensive team in the country. There is no starting point. We are teaching everybody. You see the challenge?

“We are going to create our own happiness. No one here will evaluate me or us to make us happy or sad. If we don’t create our own happiness and we try to have our self esteem and self worth created by what you write about us we won’t survive. We have shoes on because we have talent, but we are at the base of the hill. Some of the teams that are half way up the mountain already because they have everybody back, the same coach, and the same style.”

Great answers. He manages to downplay expectations while at the same time explaining how his team can climb the mountain. Sure, he’s said similar things before. However, my guess is that UK fans never mind hearing it again.

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