Face the facts, in hindsight is is obvious we should have kept Cal. Cal wasn't without his flaws, but those were fixable. Cal should have been encourage to hire a bright, young sharp minded X's and O's assistant to upgrade/tweak the offense and defense. What we ended up with was a desparate hire of a head coach not qualified for the job after we missed on a couple top candidates. Pope is a downgrade from Cal in every aspect.
Face it, BBN should have supported and kept Cal
- Thread starter Drcatfan
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He wouldn’t though, the issue was Barnhart. If we would have hired Batt 5 years ago he probably would have worked with Cal and given him the resources he wanted. He would have allowed him to build the practice facility. He probably could even talk to him about getting an actual staff instead of old friends. I agree we probably should have kept Cal knowing that we got Pope, but again Barnhart screwed that up like he always does. If he went after a real coach we wouldn’t be having these discussions or what if scenarios.
Hell no we shouldn't have keot Cal. He had to go, we should have fired Barnhart and Drew and Pope shouldn't have been on the list, which is what pretty much the whole board said the day he was hired.
This isn't a binary option. It's possible for both Cal and Pope to suck. The problem was that our AD couldn't see it
Cal is doing nearly the exact same thing at Ark as Pope is here, and he just got blown out by Virginia.
Cal basically quit on the job. It was time to let him go, there is no doubt about that.
The problem was having Mitch being the one here when a hire needed made. He hired who he wanted which was a yes man that would just be grateful for an opportunity he didn't deserve.
It was a pathetic hire. 9+ years of results and not one thing to indicate he was a valid candidate let alone hire.
THEN to make matters even worse, Mitch gave him a rich contract.
The problem was having Mitch being the one here when a hire needed made. He hired who he wanted which was a yes man that would just be grateful for an opportunity he didn't deserve.
It was a pathetic hire. 9+ years of results and not one thing to indicate he was a valid candidate let alone hire.
THEN to make matters even worse, Mitch gave him a rich contract.
No the truth BBN needs to face is that Cal should have been let go and we should have hired Rick Pitino and finished his UK career here.
Are Chin Coleman and Bruiser Flint still on his staff? Yeah I'll pass on that.
The thing about Cal is that he's stubborn. His idea of a bright young assistant at this stage of his career is Brad Calipari.
The thing about Cal is that he's stubborn. His idea of a bright young assistant at this stage of his career is Brad Calipari.
The problem was not Cal leaving. It was plainly time for that marriage to end.
Instead the problem was hiring a guy who had no proven track record of real success, who’d never won a single tournament game, who’d never recruited at a high level, and who at BYU actually did worse than his predecessor (and now also his successor) ….simply because he had once been a beloved UK player.
Instead the problem was hiring a guy who had no proven track record of real success, who’d never won a single tournament game, who’d never recruited at a high level, and who at BYU actually did worse than his predecessor (and now also his successor) ….simply because he had once been a beloved UK player.
No. Cal was done. He was mailing it in, operating his own fiefdom, not listening to Mitch, spurning the fans.
He was burnt out on UK and he was done. The guy had a NINE WIN TOTAL season. It's like some of you forget that ever happened, or make every excuse under the sun for it as if that is EVER ******* ACCEPTABLE at Kentucky.
The problem is Mitch made a lazy *** hire. He had Scott Drew and Pope and Shaka Smart as his candidates.
He was burnt out on UK and he was done. The guy had a NINE WIN TOTAL season. It's like some of you forget that ever happened, or make every excuse under the sun for it as if that is EVER ******* ACCEPTABLE at Kentucky.
The problem is Mitch made a lazy *** hire. He had Scott Drew and Pope and Shaka Smart as his candidates.
I guess it's possible he could have revived his career but I highly, highly doubt it. It's ok to say it was best both moved on and Pope wasn't a great choice. It was a bad pick, it happens, doesn't mean we need to rewrite the thinking of wanting to move on from Cal.
And lets remember Cal could have stayed here another year, it was his choice to leave.
And lets remember Cal could have stayed here another year, it was his choice to leave.
As others have already pointed out, it was time for Cal to go, just needed a better replacement and it seems that Mitch didn’t really put in the effort to make the correct choice.
Other than an SEC championship, Cal's tenure at Arkansas has been similar to Popes. It's just been with 5 stars instead. The Cal Cult can get bent.
OP has a right to his opinion, even if its 100% wrong.
I can promise you the fans wouldn't be any happier right now with Cal than they would be with Pope
I can promise you the fans wouldn't be any happier right now with Cal than they would be with Pope
Yep, only two coaches exist. Pope and Cal. Should have stayed with the guy who flamed out against Oakland and St. Peter's! No other options possible!
No, Cal needed to go. I appreciated what he did for us in his first 8-10 years, but after Wisconsin he was just never the same.
The issue is what others here have already stated - Barney. He is the reason we have Pope (and almost had Drew). He went after the wrong coaches, he didn't listen to the fans. This is 100% all on him and frankly I feel sorry for Pope because the dude is in his dream job but is wildly in over his head.
Speaking of the new AD - does he ever speak to the public? I've yet to see anything come out of his mouth in the press or here on the boards.
The issue is what others here have already stated - Barney. He is the reason we have Pope (and almost had Drew). He went after the wrong coaches, he didn't listen to the fans. This is 100% all on him and frankly I feel sorry for Pope because the dude is in his dream job but is wildly in over his head.
Speaking of the new AD - does he ever speak to the public? I've yet to see anything come out of his mouth in the press or here on the boards.
Plus they give him everything he needs to get players money wise & he still can't get past the sweet 16. The only thing he's won so far is the SEC tournament, which he hates. I'd argue that it's actually a worse situation with Arkansas because he gets the top players & still can't figure it out. His team this year is probably the worst one of the three.
I will say Cal probably would have landed Stokes
and the results would have been exactly the same.
head scratching losses, early flame out and Cal berating the fans and media while telling us what a great kid Stokes is and how much it means that he gets to achieve his dreams using UK as a stepping stone
yea, I'm over that garbage.
and the results would have been exactly the same.
head scratching losses, early flame out and Cal berating the fans and media while telling us what a great kid Stokes is and how much it means that he gets to achieve his dreams using UK as a stepping stone
yea, I'm over that garbage.
Hard pass. Pope may not be the answer, but Cal retired on the job here.
Keeping Cal would have absolutely the worst thing that could have happened. He should have been fired years before he was. He quit on Kentucky long, long ago once he got that ridiculous contract!
Duh, it would’ve been a win for the university. Let the guy retire! Hall of Fame coach for a reason.
This is a stupid thread.
Cal quit coaching during Covid, and took millions from Kentucky while doing it. The toxic mix of Cal and Barnhart took down Kentucky basketball from within. Literally wrote the blueprint on how to kill a blue blood program.
Rick Pitino called Kentucky “the Roman Empire of college basketball. Rome fell FROM WITHIN and Kentucky basketball did the same, thank to those two fools.
I swear some of you play with your own poop.
Cal quit coaching during Covid, and took millions from Kentucky while doing it. The toxic mix of Cal and Barnhart took down Kentucky basketball from within. Literally wrote the blueprint on how to kill a blue blood program.
Rick Pitino called Kentucky “the Roman Empire of college basketball. Rome fell FROM WITHIN and Kentucky basketball did the same, thank to those two fools.
I swear some of you play with your own poop.
There was many a thread saying that Mitch would be a disaster hiring a replacement if Cal left.
Cal wasn’t fired and he wasn’t run out of town. He left. He tried leaving for Texas 14 months before he followed through and left for Arkansas.
with that said, Mitch shooting down the practice facility was a catastrophic mistake. Throwing shade at Cal to prop up Stoops was a catastrophic mistake (all that crowing over a vacated season). The lifetime contract was a catastrophic mistake. Hiring pope was a catastrophic mistake.
we, as fans of this program, do not bear responsibility for what John Calipari and Mitch Barnhart decided to do.
with that said, Mitch shooting down the practice facility was a catastrophic mistake. Throwing shade at Cal to prop up Stoops was a catastrophic mistake (all that crowing over a vacated season). The lifetime contract was a catastrophic mistake. Hiring pope was a catastrophic mistake.
we, as fans of this program, do not bear responsibility for what John Calipari and Mitch Barnhart decided to do.
Uneducated statement. Cal wasn’t and isn’t now going to be “encouraged” to do anything.
Also dont forget that Cal thought about leaving for UCLA and Ohio St. The man had clearly had enough of dealing with Barnhardt. Also remember Barnhardt didnt want to hire Calipari to begin with. I put all blame in to the current state of the program directly on Barnhardt.
Oh **** off. No, we shouldn't. It was beyond time for Calipari to go and had he stayed we would still have sucked. Yes, his problems were fixable, but he had less than ZERO desire to fix them and would listen to absolutely no one.
This is spot on. Barny was on a power trip. " I'll show him who's in charge at the expense of the program"
So I think thats why Cal bullcrapp3d around on purpose and got to where he completely did his thing and quit caring about the university.
OP, tell us you should never post again in Rafters without telling us you should never again post in Rafters.
So the Cats could have been embarrassed and blown out by Virginia instead of Kansas? Arkansas looked as bad as Kentucky in their first real test.
And Cal's last five years at Kentucky were worse than Pope's first two.
Cal quit on Kentucky sometime between when he choked away the 2015 title and when an idiotic AD gave him a lifetime contract. He had a few more recruiting wins but none of his teams reached their potential, including 2017 and 2019.
Kentucky needed a new coach. MITCH BARNHART BLEW THAT HIRE. It could not be more simple. Anyone who doesn't understand that is either stupid or trolling.
And Cal's last five years at Kentucky were worse than Pope's first two.
Cal quit on Kentucky sometime between when he choked away the 2015 title and when an idiotic AD gave him a lifetime contract. He had a few more recruiting wins but none of his teams reached their potential, including 2017 and 2019.
Kentucky needed a new coach. MITCH BARNHART BLEW THAT HIRE. It could not be more simple. Anyone who doesn't understand that is either stupid or trolling.
Cuz Cal and Pope are the only coaches in the world....
Not only did Arkansas get blown out against Virginia, they also looked rough last night as I watched them against Robert Morris. The 25 point win was just a team with no depth running out of gas.
That team isn’t very good. I doubt they ever crack the top 10 this year either.
That team isn’t very good. I doubt they ever crack the top 10 this year either.
Cal didn’t wanna be here anymore. He didn’t wanna work for Barnhardt. He was no longer motivated to compete for titles. he was clearly at odds with the fanbase and believed he should be above criticism.
No thank you.
Thanks for the first 6 seasons and 2017. But i honestly wished we could have moved on after 2021 and if not then definitely 2022. The shaedon sharpe fiasco should have been the end.
John Calipari is not a national title threat anymore. Wishing Cal was still here means you’ve given up on UK basketball winning national titles. You’re basically conceding UK basketballs time at the top of the sport is over.
No thank you.
Thanks for the first 6 seasons and 2017. But i honestly wished we could have moved on after 2021 and if not then definitely 2022. The shaedon sharpe fiasco should have been the end.
John Calipari is not a national title threat anymore. Wishing Cal was still here means you’ve given up on UK basketball winning national titles. You’re basically conceding UK basketballs time at the top of the sport is over.
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