Declining Recruiter and Average Coach!

[philstat]

Ironic thing is that if PJ makes half of the free throws he missed we would not even be having this thread or discussion.

I see your point, though I really would still feel that way, our bracket parted like the Red Sea. You need luck in the tournament, and we had a ton on our side, I'm just fatigued with player turnover. I watched the least amount of games this year of my lifetime. I'm just worn out by it, not just with UK, with CBB in general. IMO, the NBA has all but destroyed the college game, with the G and D league, the impact is going to continue to grow. Especially when they dissolve the one and done - most of the elite players will elect not to go to college, they'll have a farm league similar to MLB.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Anybody remember the OP being around to celebrate when the Cats won the SEC tournament? Me neither. Anybody remember him taking part in any of the positive threads in recent years when the Cats were succeeding and going to Final Fours and Elite Eights? Neither do I.

So what does that mean? He just has a miserable personality and hates to be part of Kentucky success? Or maybe he's not a Kentucky fan at all. Makes you wonder.

 

[new era cat]

The timeout issue is more him wanting the players to empower themselves to make the right decisions without relying on him to micromanage them. The same reason he kept going to PJ: he wanted PJ to find the fortitude to overcome his struggles and make free throws,

Sometimes he just needs to put his stubbornness aside and take control, especially with a group of almost all freshmen and when they looked completely panicked.

This is his problem in a nutshell. dead on.
We give/gave our children independence ,but generally know when to reel them in sometimes..

 

[oldsports_]

Doug Gottlieb on Colin Herd show this morning

"Doug Gottlieb in for Colin:

Coach Cal not getting it done with one-and-dones

John Calipari was heralded as a college basketball revolutionary for fully embracing the one-and-done era and turning Kentucky into the glamour destination for top high school prospects, but after getting bounced in the Sweet 16 by Kansas State, the shine is wearing off.

For all their talent, Kentucky has now only made one Final Four since 2012. Doug thinks Calipari has a problem."

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

I would prefer Brad Stevens or Rick Carlisle much more so.

Maybe it’s just me, but your ramblings suggest a spoiled, ungrateful and delusional idiot.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

We truly don't know if Brad would leave or not, the call of UK would be substantial, unlikely, though he could. Rick gets a lot from his players, he would be a hit in college, he's a motivator!

Definitely not a troll, I'm a realist.

[thumb2]

 

[chattanoogawildcat]

Doug Gottlieb on Colin Herd show this morning

"Doug Gottlieb in for Colin:

Coach Cal not getting it done with one-and-dones

John Calipari was heralded as a college basketball revolutionary for fully embracing the one-and-done era and turning Kentucky into the glamour destination for top high school prospects, but after getting bounced in the Sweet 16 by Kansas State, the shine is wearing off.

For all their talent, Kentucky has now only made one Final Four since 2012. Doug thinks Calipari has a problem."

Consider the source.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

There is a time coming, sooner than later, when Cal will be gone. So will the #1 recruiting classes and the 82+% winning and the 28-7 record in the NCAAT. We will take a dip. “We are Kentucky! We’ve always been good, always will be!” Tell that to Indiana and UCLA, and Bama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Notre Dame, etc in football.

Hopefully, when we get to that point, someone will remind us of the idiotic posts about Cal. Public shaming is good and useful. Of course, when that happens, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Why are you picking on us by dredging up these old posts! Not fair!”

 

[Elliott Tim]

One positive after a uk loss, we always get new posters to make friends with.

The after a loss posts remind me of SNL.

 

[CBK2018]

I agree with the original post! Cal has blown at least 3 titles! The 2015 team had zero business losing to anyone that season...Almost lost to Notre Dame in the Elite Eight and then the worst loss I’ve lived through In 33 years to Wisky. Look at the talent on that team and tell me how you lose to anyone??? Oh and how about 2010 and 2014?

Blown opportunities!!

 

[jrollins24]

I agree with the original post! Cal has blown at least 3 titles! The 2015 team had zero business losing to anyone that season...Almost lost to Notre Dame in the Elite Eight and then the worst loss I’ve lived through In 33 years to Wisky. Look at the talent on that team and tell me how you lose to anyone??? Oh and how about 2010 and 2014?

Blown opportunities!!

OMG don't mention this. you'll be tossed into the depths of hell along with anyone observing reality!!!

 

[skcatfan]

OMG don't mention this. you'll be tossed into the depths of hell along with anyone observing reality!!!

Yeah it’s kind of crazy when people have ignorant takes on here and it gets made fun of.

 

[Wildcats1st]

There is a time coming, sooner than later, when Cal will be gone. So will the #1 recruiting classes and the 82+% winning and the 28-7 record in the NCAAT. We will take a dip. “We are Kentucky! We’ve always been good, always will be!” Tell that to Indiana and UCLA, and Bama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Notre Dame, etc in football.

Hopefully, when we get to that point, someone will remind us of the idiotic posts about Cal. Public shaming is good and useful. Of course, when that happens, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Why are you picking on us by dredging up these old posts! Not fair!”

Folks need to understand this. Kentucky makes the coach not vice versa. The stage at U.K. is what has elevated cal. Considering the levels of talent we have been land we are already in a “dip” rd of 32, elite 8, sweet sixteen. Hell that can be done by any top tier coach at U.K. cal is the guy who coupled with the name should get over the hump and win titles. He hasn’t been doing that on the heels of that 2015 season that created a major void.

 

[skcatfan]

Folks need to understand this. Kentucky makes the coach not vice versa. The stage at U.K. is what has elevated cal. Considering the levels of talent we have been land we are already in a “dip” rd of 32, elite 8, sweet sixteen. Hell that can be done by any top tier coach at U.K. cal is the guy who coupled with the name should get over the hump and win titles. He hasn’t been doing that on the heels of that 2015 season that created a major void.

We went 13 years without a FF before Cal got us back so tournament success isn’t guaranteed even at UK.

 

[Wildcats1st]

We went 13 years without a FF before Cal got us back so tournament success isn’t guaranteed even at UK.

Tubby was successful his first 6 years. He took a major dip and never recovered. We ll see if cal can bounce back but make no mistake not winning it in 2015 killed our programs momentum. Put a major dent in cals spirit and our fans big time

 

[skcatfan]

Tubby was successful his first 6 years. He took a major dip and never recovered. We ll see if cal can bounce back but make no mistake not winning it in 2015 killed our programs momentum. Put a major dent in cals spirit and our fans big time

2015 didn’t kill any momentum. Last years team had an excellent chance at a title and was robbed of a FF by rooferee. Whether you like or hate Tubby his post season success doesn’t come close to what Cal has done but yet many want to run him off.

 

[BlueDevilWildcat]

Ironic thing is that if PJ makes half of the free throws he missed we would not even be having this thread or discussion.

Sorry Alanis, don't think you know what "irony" means.

What's ironic is you sort of just made the OP's point: PJ was about the 7th rated PF in the 2017 class (declining recruiting) and why was such a poor foul shooter still in the game at that point (average coaching)?

I think the OP makes some sense, although I wouldn't say Cal is an average coach - more like below-average when it comes to Xs and Os, but overall still a very good coach who needs more support from his assistants to improve in the two areas the OP mentions.

 

[Wildcats1st]

2015 didn’t kill any momentum. Last years team had an excellent chance at a title and was robbed of a FF by rooferee. Whether you like or hate Tubby his post season success doesn’t come close to what Cal has done but yet many want to run him off.

Since 2015 duke national championship they have pounded us on the recruiting trail. Yes that killed momentum against duke on the recruiting trail cal enjoyed from wall cousins to booker towns. KAT is the last “trancedent” player we had. No one compares since and no one on the radar for next year all those guys are going to duke so Don’t tell me not winning the tourney and duke being victors doesn’t have anything to ratface out recruiting cal since.

 

[BlueDevilWildcat]

Since 2015 duke national championship they have pounded us on the recruiting trail. Yes that killed momentum against duke on the recruiting trail cal enjoyed from wall cousins to booker towns. KAT is the last “trancedent” player we had. No one compares since and no one on the radar for next year all those guys are going to duke so Don’t tell me not winning the tourney and duke being victors doesn’t have anything to ratface out recruiting cal since.

Dude - our 2016 and 2017 seasons were disasters relative to UK's. How does that fit into your narrative that 2015 changed everything?

 

[MarkPftw]

God, I hope not. I still think Coach Cal has more Final 4 and National Title game runs left in him.

 

[UKSlim]

Many UK Fans are slap dab idiots.

 

[Ben101er]

No, you are a very radicalized type of person, no matter what anyone says, regardless of who, you will take fault to a degree, or debate at nauseum, it's your plight.

Really? Did you ever come up with documentation to support your statement? Hard to do when you just made it up, but, you use it, as fact, to further your agenda. Then, you are outraged when someone calls you on it. One final time, show proof that Cal said that the name on the back of the jersey, is more important than the name on the front, as you claimed, or go away. The problem is, you can't come up with documentation, and you won't go away. So, instead of admitting your statement was made up, you call me radicalized. Well, you are either a liar, or delusional, for making up quotes. Prove me wrong, and I will apologize, or don't prove me wrong and be outed as a troll.

 

[Ben101er]

Exactly, thanks some of the folks on here, it's you're a moron or if you don't live on this board daily, you're a troll. I was away for nearly a decade off and on, yeah I missed a lot of years posting, wow - now since I don't have "likes" during most of my posting from years ago, I'm a loser and troll, laughable.

You forgot liar.

 

[CatColumbia]

Cal is a hell of a coach, plain and simple. His Achilles is he does poor job on roster management. His ‘Kentucky is not for everyone’ mentality and where he’s ok with having average/role guys leaving the program (Humphries, Matthews) hurts him and the team. It comes across as ‘hey you can stay on, but next year I’m bring in a one and done’. And as a program we’re becoming a perennial 10 loss team that’s peaking in March but loses to teams they shouldn’t because of their inexperience. Same song different year

 

[UK90]

I'm sorta cracking up at the "declining recruiter" description.

Because I notice the OP fails to mention that what he's "declining" from is by far the greatest recruiting run any coach has ever had in the history of the sport, which is exactly what his recruiting was his first 6 or 7 years here.

Well, you know, anyone would be declining from that, because there's no place to go from the very tip top of a mountain but down. But the fact remains that he's still a better recruiter than 99 percent of the other coaches out there.

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

Indiscriminate reading of this board necessarily lowers IQ. If only there was a way to gather the village idiots and put them in a nice little fenced in area. Over there somewhere.

 

[skcatfan]

Since 2015 duke national championship they have pounded us on the recruiting trail. Yes that killed momentum against duke on the recruiting trail cal enjoyed from wall cousins to booker towns. KAT is the last “trancedent” player we had. No one compares since and no one on the radar for next year all those guys are going to duke so Don’t tell me not winning the tourney and duke being victors doesn’t have anything to ratface out recruiting cal since.

Ugh now I have to agree with the Duke fan. You don’t know you’re talking about. Look at the last two seasons for Duke compared to ours. And it hasn’t hurt their recruiting one bit. We can debate why and how but K is recruiting better than he ever has. The past two classes Cal didn’t get a top 5 guy but his recruiting is still better than anyone besides Duke.

 

[FiveStarCat]

Some of you “fans” don’t deserve Cal. That or you were never taught how to handle a loss. Suck it up... not every season ending L is an indictment on Cal’s coaching ability. If that were the case, not one single coach in history would be considered great.

In summary: y’all are babies.

 

[UK90]

What I'm about to say is not meant to bang on Cal, but to make us all take a step back and truly look at the change in our program. Whether this change is for better or worse is up to you.

Kansas State's best player had a broken foot. If health is on a percentage scale, that puts him at sub 50% health wise. Yet he dressed, and when called, went into the game and even contributed 4 points. He had a broken foot and still played. I can't imagine the boost that gave his team.

Vanderbilt had a sprained ankle and many, including Coach Cal, had him at around 80-90% healthy. He didn't even dress. The possibility of him playing was never an option. There was never a moment of "Coach, if you need me I'll play. I'm not 100%, but if the team needs me I'll do what I can to help". Why? And more frightening, who's decision was that?

Say what you want, but something isn't right with that picture. What seems like many years ago now, Keith Bogans laced them up and gave it a go with a terribly sprained ankle to give UK a shot to advance. He had pro aspirations too. Kansas St's best player had a broken foot and played. Vanderbilt didn't even dress. Someone please convince me of how this is a good thing.

There was always something odd about Vanderbilt's sprained ankle. I never saw him in an actual boot, never saw him limping, and he seemed to be walking around quite normally during the whole time he was out.

And at one point I believe Cal said he was 90 percent, but then a week later changed it to 80. Huh? That make so sense, that's not the way sprains work, the percentage is supposed go up over time, not down...

 

[shutzhund]

IMO, that's just how I see it, he never calls the TO late game, unless he's put in a position to where he has no choice. Think back over the years of how many times he said he should've called a TO, he doesn't know what to call or command during one. BW simply out-coached him, as did JUCO Bob, Bo Ryan and many others. He's bringing in far less talent than he has over the past few years and as of now, that looks to be the case for next year as well.

Took a bunch of raw freshmen within three points of the Elite Eight. You, my man, may not be an idiot but you sure think like one.

 

[DelkBowl]

No coach has more expectations placed on him. Every loss is blamed on him. Any other coach can lose and they are still great coaches. You don't make first ballot hall of fame for recruiting. He's one of the best out there.

Imo he misses on some recruits because they have thier hand out or want to go somewhere else for some reason or another. It's crazy difficul to construct a roster needed to win it all. All coaches miss on recruits but only Cal is blamed.

Insane expectiotions for only one coach in America. Please stay as long as you want Cal. OP? You may go anytime.

 

[Blue Decade]

No, it's that you don't agree, which is fine - I'm entitled to my own thoughts and opinions, as are other posters.

No, it’s that you don’t understand the game of college basketball. That isn’t stopping you from pretending like you do, but other people are pushing back.

 

[philstat]

No, it’s that you don’t understand the game of college basketball. That isn’t stopping you from pretending like you do, but other people are pushing back.

Please enlighten me, wise one.

 

[philstat]

There was always something odd about Vanderbilt's sprained ankle. I never saw him in an actual boot, never saw him limping, and he seemed to be walking around quite normally during the whole time he was out.

And at one point I believe Cal said he was 90 percent, but then a week later changed it to 80. Huh? That make so sense, that's not the way sprains work, the percentage is supposed go up over time, not down...

Look at some of the injuries that occurred over the recent years: remember Willis and that ankle picture, TJ when he turned his ankle in the NCAA tourney, nasty looking, Bogans in the SEC tourney. JV just comes across as soft, just does - he was more concerned with self preservation than anything else.

 

[mdlUK.1]

I've done more **** in my life than you could ever imagine, there' s a reason a some of us aren't on here posting every GD night, some of us are out making **** happen so your happy *** can!

That you Rambo?

 

[crpoore]

I humbly disagree.

What exactly are you disagreeing about?

 

[philstat]

That you Rambo?

I wouldn't expect you to understand, just keep sitting there talking ****!

 

[mdlUK.1]

I wouldn't expect you to understand, just keep sitting there talking ****!

[roll]

 

[Hopmix]

Check out the top ten recruits over the past few years and get back to me. No doubt, Duke and others are leading to get the most elite, AD, JW type of players right now. When the NBA ceases the one and done, it will be Cal's demise, than coaches that coach players up for 2-3 seasons will dominate the game. He won't be able to get the elite players and it will be then on coaches who are exceptionally strong X and O coaches, of which he is not.

End of one and done will help cal. They are going to make it a two year min. So he gets players and extra year. Last I checked Kentucky was still a massive name brand in college basketball. There is no better place to build your brand.

 

[Blue Decade]

Please enlighten me, wise one.

Based on your body of work here, I doubt that is possible.