I am fine saying Kentucky is a Top 5 program. It’s fair to say that I probably should have included Gonzaga but Kentucky is still in that group. The last 5 years have led to some disappointing results but all of the power programs (except Kansas) have had a bad year in the last six and while our first round tourney loss is as embarrassing as any in history, it isn’t the case we are in the toilet. As I said in the thread, the difference is that Duke beat Wisconsin in 2015 and we didn’t and this tourney run. Now those things are HUGE, but not some infinite gap. Kentucky is still a top 6 program in my mind (with Baylor being next up on the list)Well then, Matt Jones is congenitally stupid or just being stubborn in the face of ample evidence to the contrary.
Now with all that said, I am not crazy optimistic about the future. It’s not that I don’t think Cal can have a great year again. He can and probably will. But I do worry about the next 12 months. All of us, myself included, don’t want to hear nonsense snd that is likely what he will give us. I think it could be really toxic around here and nothing anyone says or does will matter until next March. That really isn’t a great tone for a program. So I am worried about next year and honestly if next year doesn’t go well, it’s over
As for “calling a spade a spade” and saying he needs to get out, that’s just not productive. He isn’t going anywhere. No one is paying $46 million and he ain’t quitting. So what good does it do to rant and rave about something that has zero chance of occurring. I do think Calipari can easily turn it around. But I don’t know if he will because he is so stubborn. That is a tough quandary
Ultimately it doesn’t really matter what anyone says. Nothing Cal can say or do will matter to this fanbase unless next season is very good to great, including March. If it is, he will be fine, as will the program. If it isn’t, the situation will become untenable. Ultimately performance will dictate the result and next year will be maybe the most tense of my lifetime