Calipari lowering expectations...

Hoskins91_rivals

All-Conference
Jun 12, 2011
6,750
1,619
50
"I don't always lower expectations, but when I do it's in a year I return the National Player of the Year, my starting point guard who led the conference in assists, my 6th man and most athletic senior in the country, four seniors, the best shooter in the country, two juniors, the most athletic sophomore in the country, and add two top ten freshmen."

“I don’t pay attention to any programs outside of the one I care about”
 

jameslee32

Heisman
Mar 26, 2009
33,663
22,359
83
...at least for November and December. Pretty sobering assessment. Sounds like he knew people were jacked after the Bahamas and expecting more than this team could deliver -- at least early.

"We're not where we want to be right now...We could be a little shaky (in November and December.)"
And, "What we have to do to win at the highest level is going to take us some time..."
I think the last time he was this blunt was before the 2013 season.

Or Oscar and Wheeler won't be ready to go.
 

Hoskins91_rivals

All-Conference
Jun 12, 2011
6,750
1,619
50
I always wonder what people think it should look like. Especially the people who don’t watch the NBA. College Bball is largely not entertaining, often intentionally.
 

School boy

All-Conference
Oct 29, 2007
5,506
3,865
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I always wonder what people think it should look like. Especially the people who don’t watch the NBA. College Bball is largely not entertaining, often intentionally.
I watch college basketball and football and the NFL. All 3 very entertaining. The other sports meh
 

Boyd94

All-American
Feb 16, 2022
2,679
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I know not a single fan fired a coach at KY. I know a few delusional fans that think their mood matters
That's the problem, you don't know. Unless you are Mitch, you don't know any more than the rest of us. Quit acting like you are some big stuff.
 
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kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,617
70,890
113
No, I won’t. I’ll continue to say you all are the idiots who care about what he says.
Yup, you'll talk all kinds of smack behind that keyboard.

I bet you have a Cal doll you snuggle up with at night.

Pull the string and it'll repeat all his catch phrases for you so you can just lay there sucking your thumb as you caress your Cal doll.
 

UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
19,692
34,349
113
Team will be fine if healthy. We need Oscar and yes to all the haters, Wheeler as well to get to where we want the team to go.
 

DaDirtyLeb69

Heisman
Jan 4, 2022
42,684
65,957
113
Oscar is 40 years old entering his 2nd season in Cal’s special education offense. If being out for a little while makes that big of a difference, Oscar isn’t who we thought and we know that’s not true.

Calipari seems to simply be making excuses for other things he’s seeing. Like, I don’t know, the fact that when the inevitable happens and white bread goes down, we have NO ONE to shoot the basketball LOL!!!!!

Here are yet again with a bunch of long, athletic, spring boards with no basketball skills who can run but won’t be allowed to.

The weird thing is his players actually resemble him. Athletes not basketball players. He’s a salesman not a basketball coach.

God help us if we get two titles out of this guy we are so lucky it’s insanity.
Special education offense, LOL that’s pretty good, I won’t to be look at the things the same now
 

SDcatfan13

All-Conference
Sep 26, 2003
50,302
4,149
113
Okay, so you do your timeline and everyone else will do theirs, but I'm not going to attack you for your timeline. I'm not going to attack you for waiting longer to let go than I have.

But here you are attacking people that don't share your timeline. Is that fair? No, it's not.

Also, you can get bent, it certainly is not time to forget about the past. Sorry man, we're not going to just forget about 2021 and the SP loss and we're not going to forget about all the comments Cal has made in the past "basketball bennies", "greatest night in UK history", "it's not about winning games or titles, it's about these kids and their dreams". Etc… etc… etc… when it’s your decision to finally see what the rest of us are seeing, you're going to say the same **** we're saying now and you're going to dredge up the past, so be careful what you say here.
You're a good example of how the life has been sucked out of this board. Instead of interesting, intelligent basketball discussion, it's whining 1000 times about some quote Calipari made in the past. Not very interesting.

I feel pretty good about saying Kentucky is on the rise, with a very good roster this year, and a great recruiting class for 2023, along with the best coaching staff they've had in some time. I agree that Calipari needs to make some adjustments, such as letting this team play more to their strengths offensively, and impose their will more on opponents. I'd say he's perfectly capable of getting Kentucky back on top where it belongs.
 

School boy

All-Conference
Oct 29, 2007
5,506
3,865
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If Cal said this last week y'all be thinking he's playing. But since we played a bad game on Sunday we gonna suck.
 

kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
50,617
70,890
113
You're a good example of how the life has been sucked out of this board. Instead of interesting, intelligent basketball discussion, it's whining 1000 times about some quote Calipari made in the past. Not very interesting.

I feel pretty good about saying Kentucky is on the rise, with a very good roster this year, and a great recruiting class for 2023, along with the best coaching staff they've had in some time. I agree that Calipari needs to make some adjustments, such as letting this team play more to their strengths offensively, and impose their will more on opponents. I'd say he's perfectly capable of getting Kentucky back on top where it belongs.
And you're a prime example of someone that is very naive and would be a great fill in for Charlie Brown's famous field goal kicks with Lucy as the holder.

How many times are you going to fall for the same tricks?
 

Gromcat_rivals

Heisman
Jun 28, 2021
10,292
27,496
0
You're a good example of how the life has been sucked out of this board. Instead of interesting, intelligent basketball discussion, it's whining 1000 times about some quote Calipari made in the past. Not very interesting.

I feel pretty good about saying Kentucky is on the rise, with a very good roster this year, and a great recruiting class for 2023, along with the best coaching staff they've had in some time. I agree that Calipari needs to make some adjustments, such as letting this team play more to their strengths offensively, and impose their will more on opponents. I'd say he's perfectly capable of getting Kentucky back on top where it belongs.

Let me tell you what I think sucks the life out of this board, and out of UK fans in general.

Maybe you’ll agree it has something to do with it.

1. We’ve lost the worst game in our program history on Calipari’s watch.

2. We have had the **** beat out of us by top 25 teams for 6 years now.

3. These days he can’t beat Rick Barnes and Bruce Pearl, but pumps his chest at beating Oats and Alabama.

4. Nationally televised 30 point beatdowns to Duke

5. No tournament wins in, well, I can’t remember. 2018?

6. Thinking losing is funny and making comments that he’s going home to finger his dogs.

7. Allowing nonsense and lying for players who signed up and sat for a draft. And continued to lie 4 or 5 times over the span of 5 months.

8. 13 years in and still can’t coach an offense to understand what a backboard is for.

9. Signing a lifetime contract and claiming “now that the title was won we can move on to other things”. Admitting winning isn’t the priority.

10. Making an absolute mockery out of this proud program and not being held accountable to his horrible coaching record at all.

do you think any of these sucked the life out of us at all? Or is Jeff just that important to the psyche of this program?
 

26MichaelUK

All-American
Feb 14, 2013
36,538
5,093
93
Just like 2019, everyone got way too excited because we beat the hell out of overmatched teams. As if anyone needs to be reminded, we got the **** kicked out of us by Duke. I was expecting this years team to struggle early. That doesn't mean losing, just that our offense will take time. I think the defense will be elite. I don't know why Cals comments have everyone freaking. I learned my lesson on preseason hype in 2019.

But I'll tell you, we better beat most of our quality opponents early in the year. We need a 1 seed. But can we wait till we start playing games before losing your **** like most in the thread are? I'm pretty damn sure Oscar will be playing in our first game.
 
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AllBall

All-American
May 5, 2015
4,429
5,658
93
...at least for November and December. Pretty sobering assessment. Sounds like he knew people were jacked after the Bahamas and expecting more than this team could deliver -- at least early.

"We're not where we want to be right now...We could be a little shaky (in November and December.)"
And, "What we have to do to win at the highest level is going to take us some time..."
I think the last time he was this blunt was before the 2013 season.

It's BS to hopefully under sell and over deliver. You have an abundance of experience on the roster and it also happens to be a season the team was granted additional exhibition games/practice time.
If you aren't where you need to be as a team then it's nobody's fault but the man in charge. Don't give excuses, take charge and demand more.
 

Jazzycat

All-Conference
May 23, 2002
16,087
4,682
113
Not sure about the motivation behind Calipari's comments. As others in this thread have mentioned, you have the most experienced group ever, a returning NPOY, a group of freshmen that are extremely skilled - what is the missing link? I would submit to you COACHING THEM. Most coaches would give their right arms to have this group coming back and would salivate at the prospect of working them into a national championship contender. To come out and make those statements is perplexing at best, befuddling at the least.

Then, there is the pressure. You have a football team that has somewhat underachieved (due to injuries and coaching issues) and you have the loss to St. Peters last year in the first round. The fans are at the breaking point of frustration and another mediocre season could cause a major disconnect between Calipari and the fan base if Kentucky is bounced prematurely out of the NCAA again, as well it should.

My theory is that Calipari is feeling the hot seat of absolutely needing to make a final four and he is tempering expectations in case some of these guys are not mentally focused or physically stable enough to finish the season without lingering injuries. With or without a National Championship, players will get paid, will get drafted and will get their degree - is this Calipari trying to fire up his team to working harder in games because it sure did not look like they were prepared for Missouri State from the tip. Calipari should address his coaching deficits FIRST and hire someone to help with the offense. This would give me more confidence about this team heading into the season - just my 2 cents.
 

SparksCat

All-Conference
Mar 31, 2009
719
1,338
0
It’s complacency with on-the-court performance. This would never have been said at his first news conference. It’s unacceptable, especially one week before the season that has legitimate high expectations.

The off-the-court accomplishments are great. Trying to intertwine off-the-court success to bolster on-the-court weakness is not in line with Kentucky’s tradition

Despite the video, I’m holding him accountable to a great product on the court. Now is the time.
 

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,885
57,643
98
It’s complacency with on-the-court performance. This would never have been said at his first news conference. It’s unacceptable, especially one week before the season that has legitimate high expectations.

The off-the-court accomplishments are great. Trying to intertwine off-the-court success to bolster on-the-court weakness is not in line with Kentucky’s tradition

Despite the video, I’m holding him accountable to a great product on the court. Now is the time.
It's funny, someone recently posted his first press conference when he was announced as the new coach here. He sounded like an entirely different guy back then. I want that guy back but I fear he's gone forever.
 

Seth_C

All-American
Mar 12, 2017
4,602
8,165
96
Video is a joke. Cal has no room to do this with the fan base as it stands. He’s becoming so detached from reality that it’s actually embarrassing for him. He’s the Michael Scott of Kentucky Basketball now. Damn.

John Calipari = Michael Scott
Cal owns your *** and is getting paid till the day he dies. He isn't detached. He is realistic. He owns Kentucky and can do whatever he wants for the rest of his life. If the school doesn't like it they can still pay him forever, so why should he give a single f?
 
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Seth_C

All-American
Mar 12, 2017
4,602
8,165
96
It's funny, someone recently posted his first press conference when he was announced as the new coach here. He sounded like an entirely different guy back then. I want that guy back but I fear he's gone forever.
Back then he had some degree of humility. At this point he is so far up his own *** he doesn't care what you, or I, or UK thinks.
 

Blue Bigfoot

Heisman
Dec 13, 2014
7,042
20,765
0
It probably was ahead offensively, until he got a hold of them. He stagnates offensive basketball.
That's what happens when you have a coach who either refuses or can't coach a half court offense.
"Goooooo,* and "be unpredictable" are just code for I can't coach, and a sure path to injuries, no legs, and no shooting when the tournament rolls around. We have one of the best shooters in the nation(Fredericks) and he will make him a head case by seasons end.

Call me a pessimist if you like, but I see a consistent pattern after over a decade of this.
 

Shaudylo

Heisman
Apr 2, 2011
11,457
25,711
112
The only legit excuse would be if Oscar is out or we have another major injury during that time .

But I don’t care about coach speak . I never take anything from it .
 
Jul 26, 2003
21,180
11,162
0
Read where Cal said not to 'bet on my team.' Is there something he doesn't like about it? Apparently, Cal is not real happy right now. Saw where Wallace yelled at him to 'show more fire' or something like that. Said he looks down like he is not real happy. Thought he would be more excited than usual with the kind of players he has. Concerning Thiero, I love his seriousness and how hard he plays. Kind of player I would want on the court a lot.
 
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RunninRichie

Heisman
Sep 5, 2019
28,583
68,240
113
Read where Cal said not to 'bet on my team.' Is there something he doesn't like about it? Apparently, Cal is not real happy right now. Saw where Wallace yelled at him to 'show more fire' or something like that. Said he looks down like he is not real happy. Thought he would be more excited than usual with the kind of players he has. Concerning Thiero, I love his seriousness and how hard he plays. Kind of player I would want on the court a lot.
Why would Wallace show any fire? He laid out his goals in the spring.


"Go far in our college season and get out of there as soon as possible”
 

wildcatdon

Heisman
Oct 17, 2012
10,341
13,092
113
Read where Cal said not to 'bet on my team.' Is there something he doesn't like about it? Apparently, Cal is not real happy right now. Saw where Wallace yelled at him to 'show more fire' or something like that. Said he looks down like he is not real happy. Thought he would be more excited than usual with the kind of players he has. Concerning Thiero, I love his seriousness and how hard he plays. Kind of player I would want on the court a lot.
Wallace did not yell at him. He was trying to perk him up. There was nothing to it.
 

STL_Cat

Heisman
Dec 4, 2011
64,885
57,643
98
Why would Wallace show any fire? He laid out his goals in the spring.


"Go far in our college season and get out of there as soon as possible”
Yeah, I let that comment go and want to let Wallace prove himself here because I think the guy can really play. But that was an ugly soundbite for sure.
 
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Jul 26, 2003
21,180
11,162
0
Wallace did not yell at him. He was trying to perk him up. There was nothing to it.
Yeah, yelled at him to perk him up. Would rather it be the other way around. Wallace's personality looks like a big positive for this team. Some of the guys saying he is always upbeat and ready to go. A positive like attitude.