It's no surprise that John Calipari successfully avoided the long, but incompetent arm of NCAA justice.  Q'ers found out on Thursday that for the 2nd time in his career, one of Calipari's teams was erased from the Final Four because of NCAA violations.  For those who thought "Coach Cal" learned his lesson at UMASS, think again.  Unfortunately, the NCAA has elected not to prosecute Calipari, while he is in the midst of rebuilding the University of Kentucky's storied basketball program.  I'm interested in what Calipari, UK, Memphis, and the NCAA had to say on Thursday.  If manipulation and double-speak bother you, this may be a bumpy ride.

Calipari issued this statement, Thursday: "I'm very disappointed and disheartened by the NCAA's findings.  I fully support the University of Memphis' appeal and until that process is carried through to its completion, I will have no further comment on the matter.  I am anxious to coach the team at the University of Kentucky beginning this fall."

In effect, Calipari said nothing.  In a fashion that was slicker than the grease in his hair, Calipari supported Memphis' desire to appeal, while distancing himself from the situation.  It was as if he was an innocent bystander to a wrongful deed.  Not surprisingly, the University of Kentucky also released a statement Thursday, reiterating that this was a problem for the "University of Memphis" not the University of Kentucky.  University officials admitted that the NCAA investigation was a topic of discussion during their process of courting Calipari, and concluded that he had been forthright and honest with them.  Likely story. 

Officials in Memphis surely weren't victims in all of this, either.  Someone in the athletic department certainly knew of the Derrick Rose's SAT fiasco, and that his brother was making road trips with the team.  This is where millions of sports fans scream in unison, "everybody's doing it."  That may be true; this might be the price you pay for a trip to the National Championship Game.