The pursuit of perfection can take a toll on those who are trying to accomplish it.

If history has taught us anything, perfection is just a word and that the true meaning is nearly unattainable.

The Kentucky Wildcats were in pursuit of perfection this season. John Calipari’s team came up a bit short Saturday night as it was defeated by Wisconsin in the national semifinals.

As I sat and watched a gutty Wisconsin team do what Kentucky had done to 38 other opponents, I began to wonder how the Wildcats would react if indeed the Badgers were able to accomplish the unimaginable.

And as the final seconds ticked away at Lucas Oil Stadium, it was clear to see that losing for the first time this season was going to be devastating for these young men.

Some of them did not handle it all that well. I saw some of them head off the court without shaking their opponent’s hands.

And in the post game interview, Andrew Harrison, who along with his twin brother, did not shake hands following the game, was overheard during the press conference making a derogatory comment about Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky, who happens to be the national player of the year.

I have no problem with these young men being upset. After all, they were chasing something that no one else had ever accomplished.

Their hearts were crushed and they were hurting. They lashed out.

I have long been a proponent of not interviewing players from the losing team.

You know they are probably going to say something they will regret later.

These are just young kids and, for many of them, this is their first taste of real adversity.

If the media wants to talk to the coach after the game I am fine with that. But if you want to talk with the players, they need to wait for more than 10 or 15 minutes.

Give them a chance to take in everything that happened. Let it sink in just how much they had accomplished.

Then get their answers to whatever questions you may have.

Chasing perfection is something we should all do. But we also need to be realistic and realize that even if we reach it, the results may not be what we anticipated.

I liked what Calipari said a week ago about perfection.

He said that his team was not perfect. It was undefeated, but far from perfect.

With Kentucky’s loss to Wisconsin, their pursuit of perfection came up short, leaving the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers as the last team to win all of their games.

But like the Wildcats, the Hoosiers were far from perfect.

 

Scott Novak is sports editor of for Leader Publications. He can be reached at scott.novak@leaderpub.com.