When you talk about being successful in any sport, whether it is football or basketball, you have to have discipline. That's right, discipline is so important.
There was a note recently that may have been skipped over by many sports fans. Down at Memphis, John Calipari meted out discipline as he will not tolerate his players bringing any embarrassment of humiliation to the program. There is nobody who will fight more for his players than Calipari, and this is the case for the great coaches. When he feels his kids are wrong, he will get in their face and let them know about it.
This is going to be a big year in Memphis with excitement galore. The addition of diaper dandy Derrick Rose plus the return of numerous starters from last year's Elite Eight squad has fans thinking Final Four! The last think Mr. Calipari wanted to receive was a phone call stating two of his players were involved in a disturbance at a local nightclub.
You can be sure that got the ire of the Memphis coach. He didn't waste any time to make an announcement that there will be a team curfew seven nights a week, and no nightclubs for his players. Shawn Taggert and Jeff Robinson were charged with disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. That will not sit well with Calipari and I salute him for not wasting any time in making certain his players understand accountability and responsibility.
It seems to me, in any level of all sports, be it professional or collegiate, accountability is disappearing. Many athletes act like they have the right to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. They feel like they should be treated like royalty and are entitled to special treatment. Just because you are gifted for throwing a ball or swinging a bat or running with a football, that doesn't make you better than anybody else.
Someone watching the game, sitting back and paying for tickets, can be just as good a person if not better. Athletes are just better in that one given area and there will come a time when you have to make it in the game of life. Unfortunately, many have not made that transition when that uniform came off.
The Memphis Tigers need to adhere to Calipari's discipline as it will help them later in life. One day the cheering and the jump shot will disappear, and then the players will appreciate the message and life lessons taught by their coach.
