An Olive Branch...

[Lempface]

I absolutely believe it, as do many on this board. As do many loyal Cal supporters. I don’t know why you think it’s so outlandish.

And a bunch of people think the world is flat and Q is gonna end the pizza pedophile ring any day now. Group think does not make reality.

 

[kyjeff1]

Well said, once again. I definitely agree that experience is huge in those moments. If Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe, and the rest had returned for their sophomore years, what are the chances they'd choke against West Virginia? Zero. So, being a transcendent talent doesn't exempt a player from having those freshman jitters and lapses. I agree with that.

But with this year's UK team, it was more than that. That is, this team lacked more than just experience. We didn't have anyone (other than maybe Boston) who could consistently create his own shot at crunch time. And we all know that Boston missed more shots than most of his teammates attempted, so he's not the guy at crunch time. The team lacked a real alpha dog who wanted the ball and wanted to make a play. So, it wasn't just experience this season. This team was broken in multiple ways.

Agree 100%. It was a full system failure.

 

[revcort]

cals offense plays a huge part in that as well.

Not sure if it's a huge part, but possibly some role. Teams knew how to defend us, that's for sure. But in most of these cases, we got a decent shot. Sarr missed multiple game winners- and he had open shots he just missed. That last game, against Miss St, we got the shot we wanted. Allen just missed it. I agree with you that Cal's offense needs to change (he admitted that in that last call-in show) but I don't think the offense was the main reason we lost so many games that we led or were tied in the final minutes. I think the main reason was a player issue.

 

[revcort]

By the way guys, I really do admire your tenacity in trying to pin every single issue related to this past season directly on Calipari. Yes, he is ultimately responsible for it all because he's the head coach and he's the guy getting the millions. I agree.

However, you can't pin 16 losses on him alone. Yes, they are on his record, but the fault lies in multiple places. That's all I'm saying. Yes, we lacked experience. Yes, the one and done hit full system failure for multiple reasons. Yes, the offense needs to be updated for the modern game. But this team was broken and Cal had them in position to win many more than 9 games, but they couldn't close the deal. Yes, that is coaching but it is also a personnel issue. It's a between the ears kind of failure for these players.

 

[kyjeff1]

By the way guys, I really do admire your tenacity in trying to pin every single issue related to this past season directly on Calipari. Yes, he is ultimately responsible for it all because he's the head coach and he's the guy getting the millions. I agree.

However, you can't pin 16 losses on him alone. Yes, they are on his record, but the fault lies in multiple places. That's all I'm saying. Yes, we lacked experience. Yes, the one and done hit full system failure for multiple reasons. Yes, the offense needs to be updated for the modern game. But this team was broken and Cal had them in position to win many more than 9 games, but they couldn't close the deal. Yes, that is coaching but it is also a personnel issue. It's a between the ears kind of failure for these players.

What parts of this couldn't ultimately be placed on Cal?

Keep in mind, he’s the guy that created the culture that caused Hagans and EJ to leave and honestly, at any other program, Richards and IQ would still be in college. That’s where the problem started. Cal needs to change the culture and spend more than 3 minutes with each player at seasons end and prove to them that they are wanted here. Have a plan for each player at least.

Cal also evaluated and recruited this bunch. He is the one coaching them, he decides the teams that are scheduled and he decides who gets to play.

How can anyone else be blamed?

 

[revcort]

What parts of this couldn't ultimately be placed on Cal?

Keep in mind, he’s the guy that created the culture that caused Hagans and EJ to leave and honestly, at any other program, Richards and IQ would still be in college. That’s where the problem started. Cal needs to change the culture and spend more than 3 minutes with each player at seasons end and prove to them that they are wanted here. Have a plan for each player at least.

Cal also evaluated and recruited this bunch. He is the one coaching them, he decides the teams that are scheduled and he decides who gets to play.

How can anyone else be blamed?

I think you already know the answer. The only thing he can't do is get out there on the floor and play the games. He can't make the pass. He can't make the shot. I'm not saying he's not responsible. I'm just saying in a 9-16 season, the blame lies on more than coaching. That's all I'm saying and I believe it is true.

 

[KyFaninNC]

cals offense plays a huge part in that as well.

Cal’s offense? You mean the “go make a play”? That offense?

 

[KyFaninNC]

By the way guys, I really do admire your tenacity in trying to pin every single issue related to this past season directly on Calipari. Yes, he is ultimately responsible for it all because he's the head coach and he's the guy getting the millions. I agree.

However, you can't pin 16 losses on him alone. Yes, they are on his record, but the fault lies in multiple places. That's all I'm saying. Yes, we lacked experience. Yes, the one and done hit full system failure for multiple reasons. Yes, the offense needs to be updated for the modern game. But this team was broken and Cal had them in position to win many more than 9 games, but they couldn't close the deal. Yes, that is coaching but it is also a personnel issue. It's a between the ears kind of failure for these players.

Agree. But who recruited them? Harry Truman had a sign on his desk “ the buck stops here”. Meaning he is the leader, everything falls on his shoulder.

 

[Lempface]

I think you already know the answer. The only thing he can't do is get out there on the floor and play the games. He can't make the pass. He can't make the shot. I'm not saying he's not responsible. I'm just saying in a 9-16 season, the blame lies on more than coaching. That's all I'm saying and I believe it is true.

Also, who knows how the season goes if DA doesn't get injured and miss all of last year, and TC and Brooks aren't injured for an extended time and Cam doesn't go off the rails with a tantrum.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Also, who knows how the season goes if DA doesn't get injured and miss all of last year, and TC and Brooks aren't injured for and extended time and Cam doesn't go off the rails with a tantrum.

Lots of iffin going on there. Those are excuses.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Allen had two good games, recall BJ had a few games he made 5 or 6 threes too, it’s not as cut and dry as you’d like it to be, your prognosticating goggles aren’t anymore valuable than Cal’s. Cal thought with the minutes BJ would have been an overall better asset than Dontaie. After the first MissSt game Dontaie got plenty of opportunities and looked lost again.

Cal wants Boston in the NBA that is all Cal cares about.

 

[Susan2361]

Rankings mean absolutely nothing. Literally not a damn thing. Also, we needed to win games immediately or we weren’t making a tournament.

Exactly. Cal has said that he uses the beginning of the season to prepare for the end of the season and the tournament. That all good and fine but if you are so bad that you lose those early games, then there WON'T be a tournament for us. Sometimes he talks out of both sides of his mouth. I get so confused...lol.

 

[Susan2361]

Except he was, universally by every single recruiting service. There is a reason he’s going to be drafted or signed to a free agent contract and Dontaie will still be at UK. You can disagree with Cal’s approach, but his approach wasn’t **** Dontaie I’m playing BJ regardless.

But most of the time he DID play Boston regardless.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Exactly. Cal has said that he uses the beginning of the season to prepare for the end of the season and the tournament. That all good and fine but if you are so bad that you lose those early games, then there WON'T be a tournament for us. Sometimes he talks out of both sides of his mouth. I get so confused...lol.

Not if you stop and consider Cal is just like a used car salesman. Say anything he thinks you want to hear.

 

[Lempface]

But most of the time he DID play Boston regardless.

Yes but it was because he thought he gave us the better chance not because he wanted to spite fans who wanted to see the KY kid.

 

[Susan2361]

I wonder if some of the players were a bit pissed off at the special treatment Boston, Clarke and Askew got.
We know Fletcher was pissed about it, but I would have to believe guys like Brooks and Allen were a little confused and upset by it.
What Cal did with playing time this year, is the exact thing that causes major problems in the locker room.
We saw it all year, BJB and Askew should never have been on the court for more than 8 (Askew) or 15 (BJB) minutes, but they played big minutes, even as they tore down any chance UK had to win games. That couldn't have sat well with the guys that sat on the bench.
I think Mintz is a very positive person and I have to believe, if it wasn't for him, this team would have been even worse.
Hopefully the players that haven't declared, all come back, I think the biggest problems have left the building. Cal needs to play his best players, not the guys who have potential to be good later on.

I agree. It had to have bothered some of them. They might be the nicest, most agreeable guys...but they are still competitors and want to be out there playing. It had to have hurt team chemistry to watch Askew and Boston make mistake after mistake and stay on the court. I am certainly not sad that Boston isn't coming back. I don't think his selfish, look at me attitude can be changed in one off season. He thinks he is too good.

 

[theetommyt_rivals]

I know we all have been getting heated over this season and our perceptions of Calipari as the head coach, his being paid huge amounts of money to have the worst season in UK history, whether he should be bought out, whether he should fire assistants, how he should recruit, how he should run his offense and defense, and etc.

I'd like to focus on where we agree. We all love this program and want the best for it. We've experienced great times supporting this team and we want to see those times again. So, whatever it takes to return to prominence, that's what we want to see. I'm not married to Calipari, so I will promise you all that if things do not improve, I'll join you in asking him to go.

I know some of you may not be willing to give him that chance and I've accepted that. But I will support him in that effort.

I think the beginning of Cal fixing this thing begins with retaining players. We can't have a mass exodus here, not after this season. That's the first test, in my opinion. Let's see where we stand when the dust settles on this season. if we're left with no roster and another roster from scratch, the talk of change becomes very empty. I guess we'll see.

I think Kentucky should fire John Calipari so Indiana could hire him.

 

[jc2010]

Yes but it was because he thought he gave us the better chance not because he wanted to spite fans who wanted to see the KY kid.

If he’s shooting 17 o/o after 10 games I think you should have a clue.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Player retention will begin when the players are treated equally

Coaching 101...

 

[kyjeff1]

I agree. It had to have bothered some of them. They might be the nicest, most agreeable guys...but they are still competitors and want to be out there playing. It had to have hurt team chemistry to watch Askew and Boston make mistake after mistake and stay on the court. I am certainly not sad that Boston isn't coming back. I don't think his selfish, look at me attitude can be changed in one off season. He thinks he is too good.

Yeah, if we were frustrated with it, Brooks, Ware, Allen, Toppin and Fletcher had to be livid on the inside. They have careers and parents and they want to be allowed to miss shots too.
They also hear the comments Cal makes in his press conferences, where BJB goes 3-15 and he tosses everyone under the bus EXCEPT BJB.

Allen had just scored 23 points against MSU, BJB played 23 minutes and never scored a point, but Cal immediately talked about a screen that Allen missed… like… .what?

That's just insane.

 

[gojvc]

Cal wants Boston in the NBA that is all Cal cares about.

I want him in the NBA too. Or in the G league. Or in Europe. Or in Japan. Or wherever.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

You have your head in the sand. Just read the board.

You have your head in the sand. We just went 9-16.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Yeah, if we were frustrated with it, Brooks, Ware, Allen, Toppin and Fletcher had to be livid on the inside. They have careers and parents and they want to be allowed to miss shots too.
They also hear the comments Cal makes in his press conferences, where BJB goes 3-15 and he tosses everyone under the bus EXCEPT BJB.

Allen had just scored 23 points against MSU, BJB played 23 minutes and never scored a point, but Cal immediately talked about a screen that Allen missed… like… .what?

That's just insane.

Yeah but posters keep arguing with me that Cal didn’t sit Allen for any other reason than it was the best move for the team. One such argument is right in this very thread, just a few posts up. Again, some people will defend Cal to the bitter end.

 

[Spanish Radio]

“I’m not trying to take anybody’s heart away.”

I have been really intrigued by this quote since I saw it. It can be read so many ways.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

“I’m not trying to take anybody’s heart away.”

I have been really intrigued by this quote since I saw it. It can be read so many ways.

Like I say, he was full of **** the entire season on Allen and Boston. He simply didn’t try to play the combinations that gave us the best chance to win games. He played guys that had the best shot at being drafted after this season. Cal has to keep his NBA mantra going.

 

[kyjeff1]

Yeah but posters keep arguing with me that Cal didn’t sit Allen for any other reason than it was the best move for the team. One such argument is right in this very thread, just a few posts up. Again, some people will defend Cal to the bitter end.

There's a definite misunderstanding somewhere. I explained my stance to Lemp face multiple times, but he accused me of saying Cal didn't play Allen, because he is a Kentucky kid. I never said or even hinted at that. I don’t care if he was raised on Mars, the guy can score big points.

 

[SacramentoKat]

I know we all have been getting heated over this season and our perceptions of Calipari as the head coach, his being paid huge amounts of money to have the worst season in UK history, whether he should be bought out, whether he should fire assistants, how he should recruit, how he should run his offense and defense, and etc.

I'd like to focus on where we agree. We all love this program and want the best for it. We've experienced great times supporting this team and we want to see those times again. So, whatever it takes to return to prominence, that's what we want to see. I'm not married to Calipari, so I will promise you all that if things do not improve, I'll join you in asking him to go.

I know some of you may not be willing to give him that chance and I've accepted that. But I will support him in that effort.

I think the beginning of Cal fixing this thing begins with retaining players. We can't have a mass exodus here, not after this season. That's the first test, in my opinion. Let's see where we stand when the dust settles on this season. if we're left with no roster and another roster from scratch, the talk of change becomes very empty. I guess we'll see.

There is no Olive Branch here. Cal is loaded with money, a HoF coach, and as self righteous as they come. He will continue putting the players first. He has said over and over again that the players are his highest priority. Recruiting a true bleed blue coach can not come soon enough.

 

[KyFaninNC]

“I’m not trying to take anybody’s heart away.”

I have been really intrigued by this quote since I saw it. It can be read so many ways.

When you get it translated, will you share with us?

 

[Cowtown Cat]

There's a definite misunderstanding somewhere. I explained my stance to Lemp face multiple times, but he accused me of saying Cal didn't play Allen, because he is a Kentucky kid. I never said or even hinted at that. I don’t care if he was raised on Mars, the guy can score big points.

I, too, tried to explain it. There was more than one reason why. One of those reasons was, without a doubt, that Cal couldn’t have the BBN be right and him be wrong. I think that is obvious.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

There is no Olive Branch here. Cal is loaded with money, a HoF coach, and as self righteous as they come. He will continue putting the players first. He has said over and over again that the players are his highest priority. Recruiting a true bleed blue coach can not come soon enough.

He’s players first in that players with the highest draft probability come first.

 

[yabbadabbadoo_rivals213851]

Just wait until next year when the stands are about half full. ***** going to be hitting the fan then. Assuming all seats are open by then.
Lots of revenue has already been lost

 

[revcort]

There is no Olive Branch here. Cal is loaded with money, a HoF coach, and as self righteous as they come. He will continue putting the players first. He has said over and over again that the players are his highest priority. Recruiting a true bleed blue coach can not come soon enough.

The olive branch was from one fan (myself) to other fans with whom I may disagree. My desire was to focus on how we agree, though we may disagree about what needs to happen right now regarding Calipari. My offer is that I will join you in asking Cal to leave if things don't change very soon. ✌

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Just wait until next year when the stands are about half full. ***** going to be hitting the fan then. Assuming all seats are open by then.
Lots of revenue has already been lost

Yep. After the 0-6 start, it would’ve happened this season. I also wonder if Cal would’ve made those smartass remarks regarding our fanbase had it been a normal year, where full capacity was permitted. I’m leaning towards no, he wouldn’t have. He knew he could get away with it this season.

 

[MNantz]

Isn't that the truth? Ha! That's exactly what it would have been. Between my team sucking this season and IL being pretty good, the college hoops season has been miserable. I hate it for my Illinois supporting friends, but I'm not upset. But seriously, here in Southern IL where I live, the Illini don't get a huge amount of attention. Folks in this area support UK more than IL. And the rest support SIU- but the Salukis have been awful for many years now. If UK could get their act together, the support here would boom.

Yep my son lives in Robinson ILL all his wife's family are big ILL fans with a few hoosiers fans sprinkled in . I always make sure I wear a Kentucky shirt every time I go visit lol caught a lot of heat this year well till last weekend anyway !!

 

[ShadowFromHomewardBound]

There's a definite misunderstanding somewhere. I explained my stance to Lemp face multiple times, but he accused me of saying Cal didn't play Allen, because he is a Kentucky kid. I never said or even hinted at that. I don’t care if he was raised on Mars, the guy can score big points.

You can repeatedly explain your position to some posters on here and they will literally continue to say you believe the exact opposite in other threads even tho you explained to it to
them verbatim. Then they will never reply back to you when you quote them telling them they’re incorrect in their assumptions

it’s like -

“I like waffles and pancakes equally”

“He says he loves pancakes and hates waffles!”

“No really, I like them both equally.”

“He said he hates waffles and loves pancakes!”

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

The olive branch was from one fan (myself) to other fans with whom I may disagree. My desire was to focus on how we agree, though we may disagree about what needs to happen right now regarding Calipari. My offer is that I will join you in asking Cal to leave if things don't change very soon. ✌

I think you're fair minded and pretty even keeled. We may disagree but it's civil and discussed like adults.

 

[KyFaninNC]

I think you're fair minded and pretty even keeled. We may disagree but it's civil and discussed like adults.

I agree. I have zero issues with the mods here. I respect those that still support Cal. But when they lash out at me for my opinion on Cal, I respond in kind. To be called, haters, Non fan, quitter, red neck hillbilly, etc. They get returning fire.

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

I agree. I have zero issues with the mods here. I respect those that still support Cal. But when they lash out at me for my opinion on Cal, I respond in kind. To be called, haters, Non fan, quitter, red neck hillbilly, etc. They get returning fire.

Yep

 

[revcort]

Yep my son lives in Robinson ILL all his wife's family are big ILL fans with a few hoosiers fans sprinkled in . I always make sure I wear a Kentucky shirt every time I go visit lol caught a lot of heat this year well till last weekend anyway !!

Man, that is not surprising. This was their year, and they were crowing a bit. They've had some humble pie now, though. Getting beat by another in-state school made the beating even worse. Now they'll never hear the end of it.

 

[revcort]

I agree. I have zero issues with the mods here. I respect those that still support Cal. But when they lash out at me for my opinion on Cal, I respond in kind. To be called, haters, Non fan, quitter, red neck hillbilly, etc. They get returning fire.

When people start saying someone "isn't a true fan" or any of those stereotypical names like red neck or hillbilly, that's when you know they're only interested in trying to make you quit talking or marginalizing your opinion. It doesn't help the conversation at all.