Calipari’s assigned reading: “The Law of the Price Tag”

UK head coach John Calipari Tweeted out a link to some assigned reading he gave to his players after last Friday’s practice, heading into the Georgia game. The text in full:

THE LAW OF THE PRICE TAG

• OUR TEAM WILL GET EXACTLY WHAT WE PAY FOR

• SELDOM DO YOU GET MORE THAN WHAT YOU PAY FOR

• SUCCESS WILL NOT COME EASY OR CHEAPER THAN THE PRICE YOU PAY

• EACH TEAM MEMBER MUST DECIDE IN HIS HEART WHETHER THE GOAL IS WORTH THE PRICE HE WILL HAVE TO PAY

• SACRIFICE – BE SURE NO MATTER WHAT YOU EXPECT TO GIVE FOR THE TEAM AT SOME POINT MORE WILL BE ASKED

• THE STRENGTH OF THE TEAM IS IMPACTE DBY ITS WEAKEST LINK – IS THAT YOU?

• THE PRICE MUST BE PAID BY EVERYONE – YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE TEAM

• THE PRICE MUST BE PAID ALL THE TIME – THERE ARE NO VICTORIES AT BARGAIN PRICES

• THE PRICE NEVER DECREASES – MOST TEAMS DON’T QUIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN; THEY QUIT HALF-WAY UP

• A TEAM FAILS TO REACH ITS POTENTIAL WHEN IT VIOLATES ONE OR BOTH OF THESE LAWS:

1. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

2. THEY DO UNDERTSAND, BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR IT

IF WE WANT IT, WE ALL MUST BE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT

-RTL-

Brandon Knight said the reading was to reinforce the selflessness Calipari wants out the team — and the ramifications of not heeding those words.

“Talked about some rules, about the reason why teams aren’t successful is because they don’t understand those rules,” Knight said.

Calipari said it was because he sees UK as having the potential to develop into one of those teams that other teams are scared to draw in the NCAA Tournament. That only happens if UK buys into the singular goal of winning a championship, and putting aside individual ambitions to do so.

Calipari also said some players took the message personally, even though it wasn’t meant to be directed at anyone in particular.

“After I did it and we went through the laws of paying the price, I asked how many think I did this because of you specificially?” Calipari said. “Five of them raised their hands.”