When we lost Antigua our recruiting went down now with him and Chin back we are once again on top this will help plus we need to invest more in the transfer market
Do we take Cal for granted?
- Thread starter LtBarnett_25
- Start date
The first part I’d say is a question mark. The Nike machine doesn’t necessarily disappear without Cal. No doubt he has been good at keeping off court issues tamped down. But he draws attention to issues much more than he did in the past.
The only thing that's been different since 2019 is the 9-16 season, which is obviously such an outlier I'm not sure why people really care much at this point. It's over and done with and the very next year we were a 2 seed. And as people are hopefully slowly realizing, losing in the first round last year is just something that was bound to happen at some point, especially in this current era of college ball.
2020 should be disregarded in everything except stats that accumulated in the games they played and the wins and losses. Everything else is just guessing.
Counting 2020 is for losers? What are you talking about. I’m not defending Cal, I’ve been as upset as anyone last few years. All I was saying is that team had a chance and we was cheated in 2017. No need to resort to name calling
I don’t disagree about the loss last year being something that happens to everyone, and it was actually impressive we had avoided that for so long. But I think it’s just been tough because it was right after the 9-16 year, and obviously the year before that the tournament getting cancelled sucked (not that it was anyone’s fault). We’ve just been thirsty for tournament success as a fanbase
Tell that to Tubby, Bobby Perry, and Sheray Thomas. Tell that to Keith Bogans ankle.
Just win baby. This is the pinnacle. Close doesn’t cut it for long. Time to move along and give someone younger and hungrier a shot at the chair.
I really do not understand this line of thinking. Fox,Monk,Bama was a jumpsuit away from Final 4 and possibly a Title. PJ,Herro,Keldon team was an OT away from Final 4 and another possible Title. Last year's team was maybe the best team in the country until injuries hit, they mopped the National Champion on their home floor in late Jan. This doesn't even mention the Quickley,Maxey team that was primed for a run or the Ulis,Murray team who got beat by a good IU team on an off night, it happens
The poster you responded to was providing proof that people don't understand "ebb and flow'.
Acting like we might have won it in 2020 is a loser ploy. Sorry. Every team could do that, and we would be fairly far down the list of teams with a legitimate claim. Kansas would be at the top.
You're wrong. We always have one of the top classes. It's basically meaningless at this point.
The soft power of his verbal persuasion tools diminishes as examples of hypocrisy, lying, and duplicity accrue over time.
Mediocre results accelerates the atrophy of his grip on the wheels of the program.
Yeah I get the feeling, I just try to be objective about things if possible. And the whole narrative around Cal recently is completely different if we change the results of a handful of shots over the last ten years. The '11 and '14 Final Fours were as lucky as the '17 and '19 Elite Eight losses were unlucky. And that's not enough for me to want a change just yet.
Ha yeah. We were barely top 30 in Kenpom and had the 52nd ranked team in adjusted defensive rating.
That was with 2 NBA guards and Nick Richards on the roster, no less.
Why doesn't he suggest the hanging of almost final 4 banners. Maybe you can convince the NCAA to give out some almost trophies and rings. Almost conversations are for those who only have "almosts" to talk about. You must be from the participation-trophy generation,
Last edited:
I think what he means is that next year’s class is at a level it hasn’t been at since the Fox/Monk team. In the 4 years we’ve had 3 top 10 recruits we have one championship, a final four, and two elite 8s
Yeah that’s exactly what I pointed out in my original post. We had a couple shots go our way in ‘11 and ‘14 and those same plays just went the other way in ‘17 and ‘19.
And that’s not even including PJ missing 10 free throws in 2018
Every team? Use common sense man. We were playing great at end of that year. Quickly was SEC player of the year. Lighting it up from 3. We had a better shot than most. I wasn’t claiming it. Just saying we had a good chance that year. That said the 9-16 year is worst in our history
The money doesn't ebb and flow, he is rich and is family is set for life, he has a contract that is difficult to buy out, and he loves to be right and will not change...because he doesn't have too and their is nothing short of making him richer that can be done about it. He doesn't get the best of the best anymore which is what he set the tournament wins with. I dont dislike him and hope he turns it around and sails off into the sunset on top of the College basketball world, but he has become complacent and it is something most humans would do under similar circumstances but it has adversely affected the Kentucky basketball program. When he came I hoped he would coach here until they had to roll him out in a wheelchair and I did not put stock in the "its a 10 year job" talk but I am believing now there may be something to that.
That’s not his point. He’s just pointing out that we haven’t been as far off as many people like to think. No one thinks the last few years have lived up to expectations, but if a couple plays go our way this is a much different conversation.
Right. Great team ‘17, ‘19, ‘20, ‘22 and a decent team still alive in ‘23.
That’s the “trend”. And trending up for next year.
If other coaches can win without have overwhelming talent, why do you think a coach who needs that deserves praise? If the level of talent is so great that a coach isn't required, why have one. Just hire a full-time recruiter and allow the best players to be player coaches.
Last edited:
His point is that he is searching hard for some feel-good story or reason to praise Cal. When the coach's salary syncs up with almost winning, bring your discussion back. Winners are about result and not feel-good cliche's.
I think that’s essentially what Cal wanted to do and our wonderful athletic director turned him down.
But that is according to Tucker so who knows.
This Program with Cal as “GM” is next level good and innovative again.
How many engineers are applauded for almost successfully designing, developing, and launching a product that the company spent millions of dollars on?
I agree. My dislike of Calipari isn't results based. So no amount of winning could change my mind.
I’m not praising him I’m just pointing it out.
I don’t think that argument holds true. Clearly we’ve learned that it isn’t all about talent in college basketball, you can have all the talent/potential in the world but it doesn’t mean you can win 6 games in a row in March. Duke had 3 top 10 recruits this year and lost in the 2nd round. They also didn’t make a final four with 3 top 5 recruits the Zion year. That’s just two of countless examples.
I don’t think a lot of us are praising Cal. I’m certainly not. I’m just trying to be objective and say that it hasn’t been the absolute hopeless disaster that people think
None of those teams were 1 seeds. None of them made the Final 4. One of them had the worst tournament loss in program history.
You’re also conveniently omitting he worst season in program history.
We have a different definition of “great” I guess
If you want the basketball world to recognize us as the best, stop acting like we are in need of undeserving praise.