OT: Kentucky Fan on Calipari

[willie99]

Squid's best years are when he was the big fish in a little pond. Even then, both his programs suffered sanctions as he walked out the door ( and not because he was honest when he reported his APR scores)

At UK, he became the king of one and done, showing the world that experience matters. He's proud his kids that would have been drafted out of high school were still drafted after one year at UK. But their fans want rings, not an eight month layover. He doesn't coach kids up.

For me, he showed his true character when he tried to throw Ray Ray, Calhoun and UConn under the bus because he was being investigated for violations. Pure scum

 

[Scot-e]

As much as I dislike Kentucky I have to respectfully disagree. Kentucky might have down years with a coaching change. But because they are a huge, passionate, fan base that has been that way for 70+ years they’ll always do whatever it takes to get back to prominence. They aren’t UMass.

So said Indiana.
A Large fan base and name recognition doesn’t always do it for you. The fact the Squid’s method of turning kids around for the nba quickly and finding them a way to get paid us been diluted by NIL will not help them either.

 

[SCNCHuskie]

Well, we did shoot 88% at the line during those 6 tourney games.

If I am not mistaken, the team shot 88% during the tournament. However, the ball handlers were shooting closer to 100% at the end of the games.

 

[tzznandrew]

Squid's best years are when he was the big fish in a little pond. Even then, both his programs suffered sanctions as he walked out the door ( and not because he was honest when he reported his APR scores)

I'd say his best years were 2010-2019, during which he won a title, made another title game, went to 4 Final Fours and 7 Elite Eights. He didn't have anywhere near that consistency in the A10 or CUSA.

 

[willie99]

I'd say his best years were 2010-2019, during which he won a title, made another title game, went to 4 Final Fours and 7 Elite Eights. He didn't have anywhere near that consistency in the A10 or CUSA.

Every year landing the best class, all one and done players, always top ranked with the highest of expectations, and one title, Underachieved with the talent level

If he has won as much as he was predicted to win, this thread wouldn't exist

But he always has excuses, even at halftime when walking off the court, he's making excuses

Some people like the man, I think he's scum

 

[BGesus4]

I’m not a fan of him, but he’s done that job better than anyone else prob would’ve or could’ve.

His numbers are comparable to or better than any coach they’ve had since Rupp (ie, the era when college bball was actually competitive), and he elevated their brand to another level.

 

[tzznandrew]

I’m not a fan of him, but he’s done that job better than anyone else prob would’ve or could’ve.

His numbers are comparable to or better than any coach they’ve had since Rupp (ie, the era when college bball was actually competitive), and he elevated their brand to another level.

Winning titles is hard. He has a lot of talent, but a lot of talent that is young and looking towards the NBA rather than March Madness.

He's not the best coach in the country. But since he's gotten to UK only Coach K and Jay Wright won multiple titles.

 

[UCTitleTown]

That call was therapy right there. Lives were probably saved....

This reminds me of "Artie" who calls WFAN and blows a gasket on every call. Someone needs to be reminded sometimes that sports are entertainment, not worth bursting an aneurysm over.

 

[Mike Honcho]

I'd say his best years were 2010-2019, during which he won a title, made another title game, went to 4 Final Fours and 7 Elite Eights. He didn't have anywhere near that consistency in the A10 or CUSA.

If not for UConn in 2011 and 2014, Squid's resume and reputation in the tournament might look very different... Shabazz/Kemba and the rest of the Hungry Huskies played somewhat of an outsized role in shaping this narrative. And I'm here for it.

(Not to mention, we beat them in the second round in 2006 but that was 3 years before Cal's reign)

 

[David 76]

Winning titles is hard. He has a lot of talent, but a lot of talent that is young and looking towards the NBA rather than March Madness.

He's not the best coach in the country. But since he's gotten to UK only Coach K and Jay Wright won multiple titles.

I think you are forgetting one other team

 

[tzznandrew]

I think you are forgetting one other team

I said coaches, not programs, for a reason.

 

[David 76]

I said coaches, not programs, for a reason.

Yeah, I caught that. But since he returned to college coaching, Calhoun has two championships and almost 3.
Don't you think Calhoun has out-coached him too?

 

[tzznandrew]

Yeah, I caught that. But since he returned to college coaching, Calhoun has two championships and almost 3.
Don't you think Calhoun has out-coached him too?

Calhoun has 1 national title since Calipari went to Kentucky. He only coached D1 in two of those years, to be fair, but I don't quite understand the nit-pick. Roy Williams also has more titles that Calipari, but that went unmentioned because only one of them came in the timespan.

 

[jeff99]

He really missed on his evaluation of Bryce Hopkins. He barely played him last year, now Bryce is becoming a star at Providence. 29 points and 23 rebounds last night.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Someone should really let that poor guy know Cal is a great "recruiter" and an ok coach. This is common knowledge. Unless he has overwhelming NBA caliber talent at every position his teams are usually mediocre.

They may have the overwhelming NBA talent next season. 4 top 10 recruits including the #1 player Wagner and #2 player our friend Justin Edwards.

Next season is make it or break it for Cal

 

[MDHuskFan]

He really missed on his evaluation of Bryce Hopkins. He barely played him last year, now Bryce is becoming a star at Providence. 29 points and 23 rebounds last night.

They’re handling this well on Twitter

 

[gsmooth]

He really missed on his evaluation of Bryce Hopkins. He barely played him last year, now Bryce is becoming a star at Providence. 29 points and 23 rebounds last night.

yeah I have a difficult time understanding how he couldn't work Bryce into his rotation for regular playing time at Kentucky-that's a mistake on Calipari's part. Bryce was a beast last night against Marquette.

 

[David 76]

Calhoun has 1 national title since Calipari went to Kentucky. He only coached D1 in two of those years, to be fair, but I don't quite understand the nit-pick. Roy Williams also has more titles that Calipari, but that went unmentioned because only one of them came in the timespan.

Calhoun has 1 national title since Calipari went to Kentucky. He only coached D1 in two of those years, to be fair, but I don't quite understand the nit-pick. Roy Williams also has more titles that Calipari, but that went unmentioned because only one of them came in the timespan.

Not important. I just didn't see why Calipari's career gets to be defined by his Kentucky years only. Calhoun totally out coached him. As have others beside Jay and Williams. He's good but probably not top 5 of his contemporaries.
What you wrote is totally factual. I just have disdain for Coach Cal and don't want that cheater to get any extra credit

 

[tzznandrew]

Not important. I just didn't see why Calipari's career gets to be defined by his Kentucky years only. Calhoun totally out coached him. As have others beside Jay and Williams. He's good but probably not top 5 of his contemporaries.
What you wrote is totally factual. I just have disdain for Coach Cal and don't want that cheater to get any extra credit

Because I was responding to someone who said his best years were when he was a big fish in a small pond, like at UMass and Memphis. They are not his best years. His best years are at Kentucky. To prove that point, you have to look at his results at Kentucky and compare those years (and those years alone) to what other coaches did in the same time period.

Calipari's success at UMass is frankly more impressive in a number of ways. I don't like Coach Cal, but he's largely underrated because his own fan base is incredibly entitled and delusional and our fan base has had Calhoun who is indisputably better.

 

[CL82]

Not important. I just didn't see why Calipari's career gets to be defined by his Kentucky years only. Calhoun totally out coached him.

As did Kevin Ollie/Glenn Miller, for whatever that’s worth.

 

[whosurdaddy2720]

The Rupp Rafters message board is a serious trip. Is there such a thing as a fanbase that's TOO passionate?

The venom they spew about a man who's brought them to four final fours and a championship is almost scary. They really expect him to be damn near perfect "or else". There has to be a point where even 9 million a year isn't worth the insanity.

 

[BGesus4]

Their message board will be interesting after tonight’s game

Edit: doesn’t disappoint Next year's class is worthless...

 

[HooperScooper]

Their message board will be interesting after tonight’s game

Edit: doesn’t disappoint Next year's class is worthless...

Well at least Calipari will be happy that he'll get a few more kids into the NBA. Since he can't win championships that's what he seems to care about the most. Which is a noble cause but fans want championships. Rightfully so.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The deal was never just Calipari gets a lot of money but has to deliver. Kentucky offered the perfect platform to Calipari. Money for him, but also a willingness to help the dirtiest coach in college basketball history cheat at a level never before imagined. Does anyone think Calipari was able to put together an unprecedented series of recruiting classes because he was so charming? He was able to stockpile class after class of NBA lottery picks because he was paying them very well.

Kentucky had the resources to pay these recruits, and the muscle to protect Calipari from getting caught and his wins vacated like he did at UMass and Memphis. But in return, they wanted championships, and lots of them. One championship and four Final Fours for a program that has had the amount of top tier NBA talent come through that Kentucky has bought is pathetic.

Now it is all over. There is basically no such thing as cheating, and the talent can and will go anywhere and get paid. I think people really do not appreciate what a seismic shift NIL is for college sports, and especially for programs like Kentucky basketball.

 

[ucp990411]

Well at least Calipari will be happy that he'll get a few more kids into the NBA. Since he can't win championships that's what he seems to care about the most. Which is a noble cause but fans want championships. Rightfully so.

These players that Calipari gets to the league come to him ready to play in the league. Has he ever gotten a fringe player into the league by helping that player improve? Whatever happened to those supposed can't miss Harrelson twins?

 

[HooperScooper]

I usually don't revel in other people's failures, but this does warm my heart.

The big national headline, however, is still that Kentucky will enter January with zero Quadrant 1 wins and even less of an identity. Calipari has neither the type of overwhelming NBA talent he's normally had at UK, nor an obvious understanding of how to maximize the pieces actually in the program. That's a bad combination that's led to a rough start to this season and the removal of the Wildcats from Thursday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings.

Calipari has always had his critics, sure, but the concerning thing for him now is that his most intense critics are diehard fans of the program he's running, and that's never really been the case for him at the collegiate level since he began his head coaching career more than three decades ago.

Is there still time to get things right?

Of course.

But history tells us once your own fans turn on you to this degree it's difficult to completely win them back over, and the fact that KenPom is now projecting Kentucky to lose eight more times before Selection Sunday suggests that Big Blue Nation will likely spend the next three months just growing more and more disgruntled with a very expensive coach who is finding it harder than ever to meet expectations.

College basketball rankings: Kentucky falls from Top 25 And 1 as John Calipari critics grow louder

The Wildcats, No. 1 in KenPom.com's preseason rankings, dropped to 8-4 after a blowout loss to Missouri

www.cbssports.com

 

[WestCoastHusky]

The deal was never just Calipari gets a lot of money but has to deliver. Kentucky offered the perfect platform to Calipari. Money for him, but also a willingness to help the dirtiest coach in college basketball history cheat at a level never before imagined. Does anyone think Calipari was able to put together an unprecedented series of recruiting classes because he was so charming? He was able to stockpile class after class of NBA lottery picks because he was paying them very well.

Kentucky had the resources to pay these recruits, and the muscle to protect Calipari from getting caught and his wins vacated like he did at UMass and Memphis. But in return, they wanted championships, and lots of them. One championship and four Final Fours for a program that has had the amount of top tier NBA talent come through that Kentucky has bought is pathetic.

Now it is all over. There is basically no such thing as cheating, and the talent can and will go anywhere and get paid. I think people really do not appreciate what a seismic shift NIL is for college sports, and especially for programs like Kentucky basketball.

NIL is really a game-changer for college sports.