Justus and Barb are the difference

[CHAPDAV3]

When UK started missing out on top recruits. And became a step behind other programs on the floor. The difference has been our assistants. Robic is now in the shadows. Ant of course left to coach. Slice bounced. But he would of been a top recruiter and coach. We are left with.a guy who did numbers for Cal. And a failed coach. Cal was not the only driving force behind those gr w at classes. Robic and Ant had built great relationships with players. And ill just say it. Robic and Ant were cool. Players related to them. And Slice. Had he stayed, ugghhh. Sorry but Justus just seems blahh. Barb brings nothing but two failed HC stops. Honestly. Everyone is asking whats differenr. Well the people and probably the culture this team use to have around it. Now we look like we got a couple dorks calling the shots.

 

[kevcat]

So Cal gets the credit for being a great recruiter, but Justus and Barbee get the blame when we don’t land the top 5 guys.

Seems fair.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

I don't see anyway there isn't a major staff shakeup on the horizon. Cal's basically taken Joel off lead of the remaining targets. Joel's basically landed noone and provides only moderate bench help.

Barbee is just an altogether zero.

One things for sure, Cal can't keep carrying this load. For that reason if there isn't a major shakeup, it shows Cal doesn't intend on being here much longer imo

 

[JAC71]

I agree and I would hate to see him leave but I wonder how much longer he can keep this up.

 

[Codeblue96]

I don't see anyway there isn't a major staff shakeup on the horizon. Cal's basically taken Joel off lead of the remaining targets. Joel's basically landed noone and provides only moderate bench help.

Barbee is just an altogether zero.

One things for sure, Cal can't keep carrying this load. For that reason if there isn't a major shakeup, it shows Cal doesn't intend on being here much longer imo

Agree if he doesnt change soon he wont

 

[Wall2Boogie]

Did robic get fired? Based on the op it sounds lik it

 

[KyFaninNC]

I agree and I would hate to see him leave but I wonder how much longer he can keep this up.

You can see it has aged him and I worry about his health.

 

[UK-Chulo]

Disagree about Slice making a difference if he was here. The conversations on this board when he was here was that he was not pulling many recruits.

 

[JAC71]

You can see it has aged him and I worry about his health.

Everyone ages obviously after ten years as far as his looks but he just sounds tired during interviews. Makes you wonder how he wants to spend the rest of his life, satisfying us fans or the only one he should be worried about which is his wife.

 

[Woodrow24]

I think losing Coach O hurt a lot with recruiting but I think one big factor that I haven’t seen mentioned in awhile is that we were the only major Nike program that didn’t participate in the PK80 tournament. Phil Knight called Cal just to let him know he wasn’t happy about it. I remember reading an article about it on KSR. I think that was a major mistake. It’s bad enough to have all of these schools negative recruiting against us, but to piss off the founder of Nike was a bad move for obvious reasons.

 

[UK-Chulo]

I think losing Coach O hurt a lot with recruiting but I think one big factor that I haven’t seen mentioned in awhile is that we were the only major Nike program that didn’t participate in the PK80 tournament. Phil Knight called Cal just to let him know he wasn’t happy about it. I remember reading an article about it on KSR. I think that was a major mistake. It’s bad enough to have all of these schools negative recruiting against us, but to piss off the founder of Nike was a bad move for obvious reasons.

The minute you think you can go toe to toe with a billionaire who has more of a reach in your profession then you can ever imagine...

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Everyone ages obviously after ten years as far as his looks but he just sounds tired during interviews. Makes you wonder how he wants to spend the rest of his life, satisfying us fans or the only one he should be worried about which is his wife.

Something tells me Ellen probably doesn't mind $8 million a year in exchange for ignoring Rafters and Twitter critique.

Cal's not fighting tyranny in third world country. He's coaching a basketball game in an atmosphere where, at the most he hears a half-dozen boos and gets a provocative media question once in a while.

He's chilling in the biggest ivory tower our society affords.

 

[kywildcat1021979]

Did robic get fired? Based on the op it sounds lik it

No it's just Robic had something going on a couple years ago might've been health related but I can't remember but he stepped aside from the recruiting aspect and that's when Joel Justus basically got his promotion.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

Did robic get fired? Based on the op it sounds lik it

He was "demoted" to special assistant. Which promoted Justus. Robic can't have any player instruction. Just scouting basically.

We haven't been the same since.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

I think losing Coach O hurt a lot with recruiting but I think one big factor that I haven’t seen mentioned in awhile is that we were the only major Nike program that didn’t participate in the PK80 tournament. Phil Knight called Cal just to let him know he wasn’t happy about it. I remember reading an article about it on KSR. I think that was a major mistake. It’s bad enough to have all of these schools negative recruiting against us, but to piss off the founder of Nike was a bad move for obvious reasons.

Imo it did hurt but for a different reason. During that period:

Payne developed big men

Robic was essentially coach 1B game planner and bench coach.

O was the recruiter/sidekick

Cal was the program salesman and coach 1A

Right now Payne's role is the same. But Cal has basically all the other roles.

 

[CHAPDAV3]

I just see a huge difference. Honestly the swagger seems fake sometimes. Robic and Coach O were cool. Players loved those guys. Not as coaches. But personalitys. Joel and Barb. Ughhh. Ya not real swaggy and fun. And yes Cal gets credit for getting top recruits and his asst get blame for missing out. Just the way it is. Life aint fair.

 

[Letcher County Blue]

Imo it did hurt but for a different reason. During that period:

Payne developed big men

Robic was essentially coach 1B game planner and bench coach.

O was the recruiter/sidekick

Cal was the program salesman and coach 1A

Right now Payne's role is the same. But Cal has basically all the other roles.

I think we have missed Strickland on the recruiting and especially guard coaching as much as anything. Man developed guards very well and they could talk to him. Cal pretty much has to do it all. To much for one man imo.

 

[JAC71]

I think losing Coach O hurt a lot with recruiting but I think one big factor that I haven’t seen mentioned in awhile is that we were the only major Nike program that didn’t participate in the PK80 tournament. Phil Knight called Cal just to let him know he wasn’t happy about it. I remember reading an article about it on KSR. I think that was a major mistake. It’s bad enough to have all of these schools negative recruiting against us, but to piss off the founder of Nike was a bad move for obvious reasons.

Does anyone know if that really happened, Phil Knight calling Cal and veing pissed off? Or was it another rumor on a messageboard thats been posted so much we took it to be fact.

 

[Woodrow24]

Does anyone know if that really happened, Phil Knight calling Cal and veing pissed off? Or was it another rumor on a messageboard thats been posted so much we took it to be fact.

http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/nike-founder-not-happy-uk-skipped-the-pk80/

 

[Blue_2_the_bone_rivals]

So Cal gets the credit for being a great recruiter, but Justus and Barbee get the blame when we don’t land the top 5 guys.

Seems fair.

Exactly. I love Cal but if our assistants are the problem then he deserves the blame for taking them.

 

[JAC71]

I always just took that as coach speak and actually forgot all about that article. Thanks for reposting. Petty of that old dude if you ask me.

 

[Doc4UK!]

Strickland was an excellent point guard coach.

 

[BlueEmpire]

I think we have missed Strickland on the recruiting and especially guard coaching as much as anything. Man developed guards very well and they could talk to him. Cal pretty much has to do it all. To much for one man imo.

Surprised this wasn’t mentioned sooner. Good call. Strick was an asset.

 

[yoshukai]

I think losing Coach O hurt a lot with recruiting but I think one big factor that I haven’t seen mentioned in awhile is that we were the only major Nike program that didn’t participate in the PK80 tournament. Phil Knight called Cal just to let him know he wasn’t happy about it. I remember reading an article about it on KSR. I think that was a major mistake. It’s bad enough to have all of these schools negative recruiting against us, but to piss off the founder of Nike was a bad move for obvious reasons.

The reason Cal didn't participate in in the PK80 tournament was because NIKE had ALREADY started guiding their top prospects to Duke .

 

[Woodrow24]

The reason Cal didn't participate in in the PK80 tournament was because NIKE had ALREADY started guiding their top prospects to Duke .

I haven’t seen or read that anywhere but this board. Not saying it’s not true, so don’t take me wrong. Anything involving favoritism towards Duke is believable lol

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Serious question! Again...because I keep seeing the same topic repeated regarding changing assistant coaches. How do any of us know how well or how poorly the assistants perform their assigned tasks? Do you folks attend practices? Do you travel with the team? Are you in the sideline huddles? I really need to know. Cause personally, I have no idea how they perform. It just seems to me that folks are grasping at straws, hoping to make a change for the sake of change, in hopes the team will perform better.

 

[yoshukai]

I haven’t seen or read that anywhere but this board. Not saying it’s not true, so don’t take me wrong. Anything involving favoritism towards Duke is believable lol

Yeah , I agree , it's hearsay.

 

[Pickle_Rick]

This is what I KNOW about Barbee. He was a loser at Auburn. Why Cal thinks having him on the staff as an asset, you'd have to ask him.

 

[jrm693]

Surprised this wasn’t mentioned sooner. Good call. Strick was an asset.

Strick was accumulating DUIs and I believe he had to move on, hated to see him go too, but it was going to have an adverse affect on program.

 

[AlbanyWildCat]

If things get any worse, maybe Mitch will step in a force changes with the assistants?

 

[Joneslab]

This reminds me of the whole thing with David Hobbs and Reggie Hanson. I.e. that they were the problem and that everything would be fixed if Tubby just cut them loose.

I don't discount that the assistants are a problem, in fact I never really understood the hiring of Joel Justus. Justus has almost no basketball pedigree to speak of and seemed just sort of random.

BUT Cal is the man here. I've seen him coach in practice; the assistants are definitely vital but he is the guy. The players come for him. He's the closer. He's the face of the program.

If there are issues, and clearly there are, Cal needs to take the fall and not his assistants.

 

[JAC71]

Strick was accumulating DUIs and I believe he had to move on, hated to see him go too, but it was going to have an adverse affect on program.

Never understood why someone in his position would ever have to get behind the wheel after drinking, I mean you are rich and get anyone to drive you wherever it is you need to go. But I also think he's missed on recruiting trail even though he couldn't leave campus.I remeber a player speaking highly about Rod during the recruitment.

 

[AllBall]

When UK started missing out on top recruits. And became a step behind other programs on the floor. The difference has been our assistants. Robic is now in the shadows. Ant of course left to coach. Slice bounced. But he would of been a top recruiter and coach. We are left with.a guy who did numbers for Cal. And a failed coach. Cal was not the only driving force behind those gr w at classes. Robic and Ant had built great relationships with players. And ill just say it. Robic and Ant were cool. Players related to them. And Slice. Had he stayed, ugghhh. Sorry but Justus just seems blahh. Barb brings nothing but two failed HC stops. Honestly. Everyone is asking whats differenr. Well the people and probably the culture this team use to have around it. Now we look like we got a couple dorks calling the shots.

Slice's recruiting prowess is overrated by many.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

This reminds me of the whole thing with David Hobbs and Reggie Hanson. I.e. that they were the problem and that everything would be fixed if Tubby just cut them loose.

I don't discount that the assistants are a problem, in fact I never really understood the hiring of Joel Justus. Justus has almost no basketball pedigree to speak of and seemed just sort of random.

BUT Cal is the man here. I've seen him coach in practice; the assistants are definitely vital but he is the guy. The players come for him. He's the closer. He's the face of the program.

If there are issues, and clearly there are, Cal needs to take the fall and not his assistants.

It falls on Cal as he runs the ship. But from here he needs to look inwards and figure out who (if any) aren't carrying their weight. If a team isn't struggling well, it's usually a shakeup internally that needs to happen. If Cal can't fix what may or may not be the problem, then the eyes go to him.

I can't really say I know enough about the assistant coaching going-ons. But I don't recall any of them possibly leaving for a better job in the last few years. Antigua, but that's it. To me that says these guys aren't that great if they aren't sought after. Appears to me they are a little complacent.