Just the aspect of getting a coach, not knocking Pope but are we in a worse situation now then we were when we hired Coach Pitino being on probation?
For the older folks!!
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Won't lie, it's gonna suck until we see what kind of roster is available. But this is in no way worse than back then.
We did have Reggie, Farmer, Pelphrey, Feldhaus and Woods. They could all play. Then added Mashburn. Then just took off from there. If we still have Reed, Perry and Z, that is something to build on. But we won't know until we see the roster.
What we didn't expect was that Pitino ran them like dogs that off season, and they were in the best shape of their lives. That allowed for pressing full court. It was exciting and refreshing. The rocket ship was lit. Can that be done again? Maybe. We'll just have to see. Gotta see the roster first.
We did have Reggie, Farmer, Pelphrey, Feldhaus and Woods. They could all play. Then added Mashburn. Then just took off from there. If we still have Reed, Perry and Z, that is something to build on. But we won't know until we see the roster.
What we didn't expect was that Pitino ran them like dogs that off season, and they were in the best shape of their lives. That allowed for pressing full court. It was exciting and refreshing. The rocket ship was lit. Can that be done again? Maybe. We'll just have to see. Gotta see the roster first.
No. This is far better situation. Pitino was an incredible coach. But it was the darkest of times. I have a good feeling about this
What I really liked about Pitino that we've never seen from Cal is that Pitino would always take away the the opponents best option and make them win with something else. I don't think Cal ever taught these guys how to play defense as a team. It was just use your athleticism and guard your man. That really showed in the last 5 years.
You want to see how it was done, go back and watch the SEC tournament game against TN. Cats won 101-40. Alan Houston scored only 2 points at the end. It was beautiful to see. Alan Houston was one of the most prolific scorers in my lifetime, and they shut him down that game.
You want to see how it was done, go back and watch the SEC tournament game against TN. Cats won 101-40. Alan Houston scored only 2 points at the end. It was beautiful to see. Alan Houston was one of the most prolific scorers in my lifetime, and they shut him down that game.
Like other have said, it isn't even close. Miles apart. When Pitino was here we were going with walk ons. Now we have the portal to at least get some scholarship players.
For Pitino's 1st season the roster was like a high school team. Ask the same question on October 15 when practice starts.
No, not even close. Pitino's original roster had no chance to win. Pope will be able to build a better roster than Pitino because of the portal. Depending on who comes back, we may have a pretty talented roster next year or we might have a mediocre one, but it shouldn't be as bad as Pitino's first year.
Rick Pitino was 37 years old when he was hired and had already led Providence to a Final Four and led The New York Knicks to a division title.
Mark Pope is 51 and has never won a single NCAA tournament game even though he's coached five years at a school that has been to two Elite Eights and Five Sweet Sixteens.
The challenges we faced in 1989 with a superstar coach and three years of probation (including TV blackout in a still fairly radio era with Caywood) were absolutely nothing in comparison to what we face now.
Mark Pope is 51 and has never won a single NCAA tournament game even though he's coached five years at a school that has been to two Elite Eights and Five Sweet Sixteens.
The challenges we faced in 1989 with a superstar coach and three years of probation (including TV blackout in a still fairly radio era with Caywood) were absolutely nothing in comparison to what we face now.
Yeah, back then the roster was gutted, no televised games for a year, no post season for two years, and reduced scholarships. Not even close.
The year before Pitino came, in Eddie Sutton last year, because of the scandal and Sutton’s drinking problem, the team finished 13-18. Then all the best players transferred. All they had left was players that barely got a scholarship and walk ons. Pelphrey, Farmer and Feldhause all from KY and Woods from Indiana stayed.
Pitino still took them to 14-14 record his first year with a fun style and they played with so much heart and hustle. They beat LSU when they had Shaq, Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts.
The next year they added Mashburn and had the better record in the SEC but was ineligible to be called champions because of probation.
You probably know the rest of the story when we basically owned basketball along with Duke in the 90s
Pitino still took them to 14-14 record his first year with a fun style and they played with so much heart and hustle. They beat LSU when they had Shaq, Chris Jackson and Stanley Roberts.
The next year they added Mashburn and had the better record in the SEC but was ineligible to be called champions because of probation.
You probably know the rest of the story when we basically owned basketball along with Duke in the 90s
Yep, but Pitino had already shown he could take a team to the Final Four in Providence and he had won the division with the NBA's Knicks. Quite the polar opposite of who we just hired. But no, the situation was much worse in the 80s.
Not yet...but getting there. That was the only time I felt more pessimistic about the program than I do now.
No, was much worse then. The universal perception of the basketball community was very negative toward us. Fans were very angry and disheartened. even worse than they are now
Everybody knew we had hired a superstar coach in 1989. I love Mark Pope and I’ll get fully behind this but it’s a big question mark as we sit right now.
I've been around since the Joe B days and this is nothing like that at all. This is just another bump in the road.