I’m told nothing in life is free. The Tigers found this out the hard way Monday night in the National Championship game. If there was a repeated theme throughout the season, from listening to the words of the Tigers, it had to be “we make them when it counts.” I heard those words repeatedly from Calipari and CDR referring to free throws.  My question is, during most of the season, when did it count? I know for sure it mattered Monday night and they didn’t make them.

Chris Douglas-Roberts missed three straight in the game’s most crucial moments and Rose missed one of two. But that’s not the agonizing part of it. As much as it hurts to see the team you’ve followed, the very institution you attended for higher education; which just so happens to be located in the place you grew up; fall on the biggest college basketball stage, the real pain was after the game during the media conference.

Calipari and CDR both refused to acknowledge that missed free throws did them in. CDR said that the turnover Kansas converted into a 3 to cut the Tigers’ lead to four and Chalmers miracle 3 was part of the reason the Tigers lost in overtime. Calipari said he agreed with him. So are you telling me that if CDR had made two of the three free throws, the Tigers would not have been NCAA Champions right now?

Calipari says that free throws have never been issue. It seemed like a big issue in 2005 when Darius Washington missed two out of three freebies that would have either tied the game or won it and propelled the Tigers into the NCAA Tournament.

What Calipari and the Tigers have done for the program and the city of Memphis is absolutely amazing, but like anything in life, you have to learn from your mistakes. Maybe the Tigers’ mistake has been the lack of attention to free throw shooting.