You know that old phrase, “Great minds think alike?” Well, it must ring true in the sports writing circles.
On Tuesday, Jay Bilas of ESPN unveiled his midseason awards for the 2009-10 college basketball season, and now Dick Vitale has revealed his midseason choices for Player and Coach of the Year in Wednesday’s USA Today.
Vitale agreed with Bilas in his midseason selections, choosing Wall as the National Player of the Year and Calipari as the National Coach of the Year.
In addition, Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News named Wall his Midseason Player of the Year and guard Eric Bledsoe his most surprising player.
Here is what Vitale and DeCourcy had to say:
VitaleMy choice is the flamboyant, controversial Kentucky leader, John Calipari.
He has created a frenzy in Lexington by recruiting blue-chippers and teaching them how to play defensively and as a unit offensively.
Oh, I can hear the cries now from the Calipari critics. They will complain that he should win with all of that talent. Let’s give the first-year coach credit for facing the challenge of taking on every opponent’s best shot.
Even a loss to an SEC rival would not change my mind about picking Calipari and the job he’s done with a young team.
Now for the midseason pick for player of the year. It is really a tough call, but I am staying in the Bluegrass State.
Diaper Dandy John Wall has been Mr. Clutch. He has wielded his magic in magnificent fashion, especially in key moments. Go ask Jim Calhoun, Roy Williams and Rick Pitino about Wall’s value to the ‘Cats!
Wall could follow the lead of Texas superstar Kevin Durant, who was not only the Diaper Dandy of the Year, but won the Naismith and Wooden Awards in his lone season on the college hardwood.
DeCourcyKentucky PG John Wall has dominated the season. Don’t expect that to change. Wall explained his ability to perform so consistently as a freshman: “I learned a quote from Michael Jordan: This might be the first time a kid or somebody gets to watch you play, and it might be the only time.”Kentucky G Eric Bledsoe was Scout.com’s No. 37 player in the 2009 recruiting class — and he’s a better freshman than about 30 guys ranked ahead of him.
