WHAT’S THE SCORE? : Kentucky Coach Questions Players, Is Shocked by Answers

There is much talk these days about athletes knowing the score, but often that’s one of the first things they forget.

Kentucky Coach Eddie Sutton learned that fact the day after the Wildcats suffered a 52-51 loss at home against Auburn.

Convinced that his team didn’t have its collective head into basketball, Sutton and his assistants put together a 10-question quiz for the players.

Among the questions were these: What was the score of the Auburn game? Who hit the winning shot? Who are our next three opponents?

The test, which sought written answers, also asked technical and philosophical questions, such as: What are the keys to taking shots? What are the four key times of the game?

Sutton’s mood, already nasty after the defeat, turned worse with the answers, or lack of them.

About half the players didn’t know the score--one Wildcat put 72-71, the right margin but 20 points off. That particularly irritated Sutton because he expected his team to understand how Auburn’s ability to control the tempo had cost Kentucky.

Several players didn’t know John Caylor hit the 3-point shot that beat Kentucky. Among those was the Wildcat who was guarding Caylor.

Several players couldn’t name the next three opponents.

The good news for Sutton was that his players did better on the questions of strategy and philosophy. But Sutton wasn’t pleased and kept his team for more than 3 hours in what had been scheduled as a brief review.

While Sutton apparently was surprised, perhaps he shouldn’t have been.

North Carolina missed a trip to the Final Four in 1983 partly because center Sam Perkins wasn’t a sports fan.

Before the Tar Heels played Georgia for the East Regional championship, Perkins was asked what he knew about Georgia. Not much, said Perkins. When asked what league the Bulldogs were in, Perkins said he didn’t know.

Perkins’ answers surprised many in the press, and they served as an incentive to Georgia’s players, who won, 82-77. The Bulldogs took Perkins’ lack of interest as a putdown. In fact, Perkins simply didn’t follow sports.

Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski, whose players are among the brightest of Top 20 teams, said he would expect a poll of his group to bring results not unlike those at Kentucky.

“Some, like Billy King and Quin Snyder, would know all the answers, but some others wouldn’t,” Krzyzewski said.

Krzyzewski said he doesn’t give such tests but his mentor, Indiana Coach Bob Knight, often gives a pop quiz.

“He’ll say things like, ‘How many posters are in the locker room?’ His point is that some people look but don’t see. They’re not observant.”

N.C. State Coach Jim Valvano said he used to give tests when at Iona but stopped because it frustrated him that his players didn’t answer correctly.

“I’m not shocked at Eddie’s results, and I’m not sure I would totally agree with Eddie’s conclusion,” Valvano said. “Kids are like that. The game is much more important to us coaches than to them. I think the kids are having more fun than we give them credit for.”

Valvano said players recover quickly from losses, partly because they don’t dwell on it.

“They bounce back, they aren’t depressed,” he said. “It’s like when a player has a great game and the team loses. He knows what to say after the game, but you know he has to feel some satisfaction for what he did, that he played the best he can.”

Valvano recalled an incident at Iona while preparing for a game with Holy Cross.

“It was (Jeff) Ruland’s freshman year, we were 7-1 and we had a game with Kentucky coming up,” said Valvano. “But we were playing Holy Cross that night, and I was giving my pep talk. Holy Cross this, Holy Cross that, Holy Cross, Holy Cross.

“Then I asked, ‘OK, are there any questions?’ One kid in the back said, “Coach, is the Kentucky game on television?’

“I know now that most of the pep talks I give are for me. I tell the players, ‘You’re going to have to put up with this, but I need it.”’