Positive Thinking and SEC Basketball

John Calipari is known for a lot of things. Depending on who you ask, he's either a con man ruining college basketball, a players' coach that's enlightened beyond his peers, or some combination therein, covered in gobs of hair gel.

But no matter your stance on Coach Cal, his abilities as salesman are pretty much beyond reproach. Though, even for him, his latest claim is pretty audacious. From his Twitter feed earlier today:

Headed back to Lexington for practice. I told the media the SEC should get 7 or 8 teams in the NCAA Tournament this year.

The emphasis was added. Seven or eight?!? This is the SEC we're talking about. And with all due respect to the conferences distinguished athletic traditions of autumn, winter just ain't their season. Beyond Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi State, and probably Vanderbilt, the pickings get real slim, real quick.

Meaning there are only two ways for Calipari's prediction to come true:

1. SEC football players play. I'd bet a million dollars that Georgia's A.J. Green could find a way take the Bulldogs to the big dance.
   
2. Coaches treats the selection committee as SEC teams traditionally treat recruits. Which is to say, lots of envelopes stuffed with hundred dollar bills. That'd work, too.

(HT: This guy looks familiar)