State of the Program

[Im The Village Idiot]

Iirc...most didn't play by the same rules. Different leagues and states had different protocols. It was all very inconsistent. Some games getting canceled and added. It was all just one big goofy mess to try to keep a revenue stream flowing.

IMHO, none of it really mattered. Cals 9-16 record all the way to the FF and national championship team. It happened, sure. But none of it felt legitimate at all.

I find it inconsistent that some of the same people who allow very little context when discussing Pope will have this type of view when it comes to the 2021 Kentucky team under Cal. I’d go as far as considering myself a Cal defender in many respects, at least compared to most, but I don’t think there was any good reason for that team being as bad as they were. The same goes for the 2014 regular season and the 2023 team. I do think there’s a difference between weighting context and making excuses. To me, the 2021 year gets helped out by a lot of people making excuses. Too much talent to have been that bad.

And yes, I still think Cal was an outstanding coach, far better than most of the Kentucky fanbase gives him credit for, but he didn’t bat 1.000 — no one does. That was a pisspoor coaching job by a HOF level coach.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I find it inconsistent that some of the same people who allow very little context when discussing Pope will have this type of view when it comes to the 2021 Kentucky team under Cal. I’d go as far as considering myself a Cal defender in many respects, at least compared to most, but I don’t think there was any good reason for that team being as bad as they were. The same goes for the 2014 regular season and the 2023 team. I do think there’s a difference between weighting context and making excuses. To me, the 2021 year gets helped out by a lot of people making excuses. Too much talent to have been that bad.

And yes, I still think Cal was an outstanding coach, far better than most of the Kentucky fanbase gives him credit for, but he didn’t bat 1.000 — no one does. That was a pisspoor coaching job by a HOF level coach.

That's just it. It's not a pass for Cal and that season as much as it's just a that season for EVERYONE was just a nothing thing. You're right, there's no reason they should've been that bad. Cal was completely checked out. I don't think he took is seriously at all.