Jim Calhoun Kids Quotations

We're incredibly happy to be a No. 1 seed. We were 13-3 against top-50 competition. We were 7-2 against top-25 competition. These kids are deserving of a No. 1 seed.

When I did my voting, it was very difficult. Normally I can get a better feel. But there were so many kids that had so many great seasons.

Many of those kids were passed over by Big East schools and others. I tip my hat to their courage. I feel a great deal of inner joy for what they are going through right now, something they probably couldn't have imagined.

Neither of the two kids will be in a Connecticut uniform practicing or playing until at least the end of this semester. When they return is up to the school administration.

Only two of the six kids have college degrees - my brother, who is a cardiologist, and me, ... We were a large Irish family, and in those days, the boys went to college. My sisters gave me $50 here and there and came to my games. They all gave me something. When people love you and believe in you, it instills confidence. Confidence comes from the people around you.

I can feel the emotions start to build, ... I've had conversations with my first recruit at Northeastern, with eight kids from my Dedham High School team that won 21 straight games, a lot of phone calls from my former players ... it's an exciting time for me.

I am so proud of my kids and the way we took every shot that Kentucky gave us. We're trying to earn our ropes as an elite program and we're still trying to do that.

I am so proud of my kids and the way we took every shot that Kentucky gave us. But I don't find it unusual for Kentucky, with its incredible history and a great coach like Tubby, to turn it into that kind of game.

I don't want our kids playing the scoreboard because, quite frankly, we won't always be here at the Civic Center. In the second half we matched baskets and we won by five. I don't think we should do that. We should take more pride in what we're doing.

For us to tell our kids that this is just a regular season game ... we've always set goals, to try to win the Big East championship. To back away from that a day before or two days before the game would be foolhardy.

We just have to be hungry...and this team has done that. The crowd will certainly be into it (today) and I'm sure the kids will be into it.

It certainly was one of the more disappointing losses we've had in an awful long time. I'm proud of the way the kids came back. But I'm incredibly, incredibly disappointed in the loss and incredibly disappointed in myself.

I thought our big kids were terrific. Blocking shots does have a wear-down effect against certain teams, sure. But it sometimes hides bad defense, and that was my concern -- that Syracuse was able to penetrate.

I thought our big kids dominated the game. The difference in the game was our power.

I think as we've gotten down to the time of the season where you're playing for a chance at a Big East championship, playing to get a bye in New York and, obviously, playing for seeding in the NCAA Tournament, there's no room for experiments or getting young kids some experience.

Our kids couldn't wait to get home for Christmas. And they ran like it.

Out of 63 kids who had a fourth degree felony, three were thrown out of school, so the percentages were all in his favor. And he was thrown out for a semester for basketball. With that said, I didn't think he had a good game. I do think that things bother him.

We're a league of 16 now. It seems like the old wars of the '80s and '90s again. Every game comes down to 10 kids on the floor after loose balls, someone making a big play, someone getting a big rebound, someone making a stop.

Three out of 63 kids who committed the same act were thrown out of school. The percentage, quite frankly, was in his favor not to have it happen.

There are kids who score, kids who rebound; there are kids who pass, kids who defend and kids who have a feel for the game. He has all those attributes. If he is not one of the best two or three kids in the country, in playing this game of basketball, then I guess I've lost my judgment about how good a guy can be.

I've been in a (locker) room with some talented teams and some teams that bordered on greatness. But I don't know if I've been in a room before with so many kids that have sacrificed so much.

I've talked to the kids about the difficult situation they've given me, in the sense I think all of our guys can play.

I've watched him grow as a person, but he's still been able to maintain his wit, his optimism and that ever-ready smile. A lot of kids would have spit the bit at different times if they weren't starting. All he wants to really do is play and win and that's exactly what he's done. He's as comfortable in his skin as any kid I've ever had. I'm telling you right now ? and hopefully it will be five weeks, six weeks before it's the end of his career ? I will miss him for his personality, along with obviously his basketball game. He's a terrific kid.

Any team that's won 20 games, we're going to have respect for. They have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. But you know what? We have a lot to gain, too. We're really excited about it. I like this time of year. I hope my kids like it as much as I do.

The bottom line is that I'd rather let the kids play on. Kids are going to get emotional in a game like that and I don't think Brandon or Rudy were trying to do anything more. It was such an incredibly intense game, they just kind of got into each other a little bit. They were not doing anything.

They run very good offense. If you're not on top of your game, they've got guys on this year's team that can make plays. I think our kids are going to have to pick it up a level.

They pass exceptionally well. They have three seniors and they have very good big people. The most disappointing aspect was that one-on-one, our two 6-10 kids could not guard their two 6-7 kids.

They gave us a good old-fashioned butt-whipping. We were god-awful. For the first time, I'm wondering if a couple of our kids are as good as they're supposed to be.

This is where our basketball culture stands. Whether I agree with kids leaving after two or three years really is of no consequence.

It?s a time we have to play. I don?t think for college kids it makes any difference. I talked to players today and asked them, ?How?d you sleep last night?? They said they went to bed early ? they were in bed by 1:15 a.m.

It's a tribute to the hard work the kids put in because they played in the best league in the country. I think our kids should be honored. We have an awful lot of good players in this league. I couldn't be prouder of our kids.

It's a great opportunity for us and a great opportunity for Albany. I think coach (Will) Brown knows what a win can do and his kids know what a win can do. It's a great time of the year.

It?s not Rashad?s fault, trust me. Whatever we ask our kids to do, it?s our responsibility. We make the choice of who plays who. ... I?m incredibly, incredibly disappointed in the loss, incredibly disappointed in myself. I would have changed a couple of things probably the last two, three minutes of the game and into overtime.

The Big East championship means a lot. To go through 16 games in this terrific league with all its tough places to play and come out of it at 14-2, I couldn't be prouder of these kids. These kids sacrificed so much and became the epitome of what a team is.

If he's not one of the best two or three kids in the country, then I guess I've lost my judgment about how good a guy can be.

I can still see Calvin Murphy getting 62 points, and I can still see flashbacks from the pictures of Wilt getting 100, ... You go from the biggest to the smallest. The wonders of the game, from the guys playing pickup to the kids shooting in Indiana to the inner city kid who finds a way out through the sport of basketball - and I don't mean necessarily to the NBA - are embodied in this game. It doesn't take wealth or pure size. It takes heart, repetition, talent. All that stuff is embodied in the game. When I walk through that building, it's embodied there.

For the first time, I'm wondering if our kids are as good as they're supposed to be. I'm not sure of anything because I'm just stunned.

For the first time, I'm wondering if a couple of our kids are as good as they're supposed to be. They were in Maui, and they aren't now. Marquette had a lot to do with that.

Sometimes you're blessed with teams that are incredibly talented, but there's chaos. But sometimes you're blessed, as I have been this year, to have kids who think the same way you do.