Cal Replacement Article

[Dr.LutherSan]

Just a little realistic note for those mentioned:

-Mark Few doesn't need UK in order to succeed. Although they haven't committed yet, it looks like he has two top 10 players (including the #1) coming in next year and will more than likely have some key returnees. I don't see Mark Few having the ego that previous UK coaches have had. If he has a down year in Spokane, he won't get nailed to a cross. If he had been there for only a few years, I think he would leave, but he's been there for 20.

-Spoelstra lives in Miami, works for the best GM in the NBA, and just came off an NBA Finals appearance.

-Vogel lives in LA, just came off an NBA championship, and coaches one of the greatest players of all time and a top 5 current player. Fans say that "UK recruits itself". Los Angeles is a destination job.

-I think if the Bulls job doesn't work out for Donovan and he doesn't get another offer in that carousel, then it MAY be a possibility. However, one of the reasons he left Florida is because he was tired of the recruiting in the college game.

-I realize the attachment to Mark Pope. However, just because someone "uNdErStAyNdS kEnTuCkY bAsKeTbAlL" and is an alumni does not mean that they will succeed. He hasn't done anything except two CBI appearances.

-Although Oats has potential and is trending upwards, he still hasn't proven enough.

-Wright isn't leaving.

-The Pitino name is the only reason Richard hasn't been canned yet in Minnesota.

-Everyone in America thought that Shaka was going to get the boot last year. Now that Texas is a top 5 team you think he would automatically succeed at UK?


-Although his brand of basketball is a little outdated, it's still effective. I think Bennett would change his strategy if it no longer worked. He would also absolutely DOMINATE in the SEC. Now would he leave Virginia after winning a championship and consistently being at the top of the best basketball conference? I dunno.

-Even with his rebuilding seasons, I think Beard would be worth a call.

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Please stop naming Stevens, Wright, and Few. For the love of Pete, please stop naming these guys.
Wright has 2 Natty's at Nova. WHy would he leave there to come here?
Stevens is a total pipe dream.
Few is in a dream scenario for him. Very weak conference. Fanbase is small and nowhere near as rabid as UK's. Absolutley no pressure on him to win titles.
Please just stop with these guys.

If it ever happens, it will likley come from younger up and coming guys or guys in college who have won at lower level schools at a high level.

What exactly had Tubby or Hall done before he got to UK that was earth shattering. Pitino as well. Cal actually had the best resume of any of them before coming to UK.

 

[Inlumine]

I agree. Waste of time to even call them.

Typically, if someone offers a lot more money, an employee will make the jump. I don’t know what world you guys are living in, but money turns the wheels in mine.
If Stevens is really making 3.7mm- or anywhere under 5mm for that matter- he would certainly listen to an offer for 10mm. Gun to my head, I say he accepts.

 

[TankedCat]

I think Cal's plan long term was to be the next Joe B. Hall - just be a mentor and elder statesman to the University, and I believed that before he had the opt out in 2024 on his contract.

I hope it doesn't end badly, but there is a rift that is growing pretty large . Who knows if it can be forgotten and forgiven on both sides.

Like everyone else I'm sure, I wanted Cal to win a couple of titles here, walk out on top, get a banner with his name hung in the rafters, do the occasional TV gig and just hold court every morning at Dunkin Donuts until he is 90.

Somewhere along the way he decided he needed more than that - he needed a lifetime achievement award for turning AAU kids into millionaires - and I'm afraid the cost of that is going to be sacrificing his dream of being eternally beloved in Lexington.

 

[TankedCat]

Typically, if someone offers a lot more money, an employee will make the jump. I don’t know what world you guys are living in, but money turns the wheels in mine.
If Stevens is really making 3.7mm- or anywhere under 5mm for that matter- he would certainly listen to an offer for 10mm. Gun to my head, I say he accepts.

I think the only way Stevens considers UK is if he thinks his run at the Celtics has an expiration date in the near future.

 

[TankedCat]

What exactly had Tubby or Hall done before he got to UK that was earth shattering. Pitino as well. Cal actually had the best resume of any of them before coming to UK.

Can't really compare Hall and Tubby. Hall was kind of coach in waiting after Rupp left, just Rupp didn't leave fast enough for their timeline.

As for Tubby, I think the bigger statement is our lessons learned from Tubby AND Gillispie.

We have to stop thinking that somehow being the coach of UK makes them a better coach than where they were before. Either he knows how to build a team and coach a team to a final four or he doesn't - and he should be able to do that at his current job before even being considered for UK.

Anyone else is just rolling the dice and means if it doesn't work out we're stuck with them for at least 4 years - with 3 of them being ugly and costly to the program.

The guy we bring in has to put fans in the seats, has to be able to recruit and has to play an exciting brand of basketball.

If there is any question that the guy can't check those boxes AND has proved he can get to a final four, then why waste everyone's time?

That's why everyone says back a truck up to Stevens and get a hard no from him....twice, before you move on to someone else because its really him and everyone else (unless someone thinks Donovan would say yes after previously telling us no twice)

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

Please stop naming Stevens, Wright, and Few. For the love of Pete, please stop naming these guys.
Wright has 2 Natty's at Nova. WHy would he leave there to come here?
Stevens is a total pipe dream.
Few is in a dream scenario for him. Very weak conference. Fanbase is small and nowhere near as rabid as UK's. Absolutley no pressure on him to win titles.
Please just stop with these guys.

If it ever happens, it will likley come from younger up and coming guys or guys in college who have won at lower level schools at a high level.

What exactly had Tubby or Hall done before he got to UK that was earth shattering. Pitino as well. Cal actually had the best resume of any of them before coming to UK.

Pitino had a Final Four and was coaching the Knicks at the time.
Tubby Smith had 3 Sweet Sixteen appearances in only 7 years of head coaching. Two of those from lowly Tulsa.
Joe B. was a long time assistant to Rupp, but hadn't done anything really. That was 40+ years ago though.

 

[UK90]

Before I call Beard I call:

Donovan, Stevens, Spoelstra, Vogel, Casey.

And you’d immediately hear no, no, no, no .......and maybe...

But why would we want Casey? The dude is old and his connection to a cheating scandal is the only thing folks remember about his college coaching days.

 

[CoachKcursesAlot]

stevens

I like him too but don’t think he will leave NBA but worth a try.
Starting to get intrigued by Oates but I am sure they will say does not have enough experience.

 

[TankedCat]

our most successful coaches after Rupp

Pitino - took previous team to final four, coached in the NBA,
Calipari - took previous team to final four, coached in the NBA

also both are Italian. If only the coach of the Celtics was named Brad Stefano

 

[sk73]

Dude had Herro his first year and knew to run screens for him like crazy unlike some people.

HUH?

 

[Kampus Korner_rivals164031]

Stevens could. He runs the celtics.

I agree about Stevens. I must have overlooked his name.

 

[irishcat1965]

I hate that its come to some of the fans having conversations about replacing Cal. I know I've been one of many instigators on this but dammit, Cal brought this on himself.

If you're going to be stubborn, then you better be right. 4-8 isn't close to being right.

4-8 with some humility would go a long ways with the fanbase. 4-8 with what is perceived to be an F.U. attitude to the fans is just toxic.

Good post. No one is happy about the results and Cal is the responsible for it. But the fan discontent is beyond the results- its Cal’s condescending attitude towards the fans and his stupid post game comments and lack of self awareness.

 

[maysvilleky]

Just wondering if there would be any interest for n Kenny Payne?

 

[DelkBowl]

Drew seems dirty to me

 

[DelkBowl]

Bennett has experimented with a five out offense and has shown he is willing to do what works. His pack line defense would help us.

Pack line D sucks

 

[stereonut]

Nick Saban?

[winking]

 

[CatCrazyChuk]

The post game press conferences wouldn’t be very lively.

Might be as equally coherent,
less insulting and more tangible as compared to the current ones though.

 

[CatCrazyChuk]

Calipari will be Kentucky’s coach next year and the year after that and the year after that. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.

Sadly true.

 

[wildcatdon]

And this happens how often? We are in the thick of it most years and I would bet most of them would take Calipari in a heartbeat. This year sucks so far no doubt but I’m going to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

You go right ahead.

 

[CatCrazyChuk]

Just the fact that these types of articles are being written is very telling...

Indeed

 

[FirewithFire]

Spoelstra is an interesting study. I wonder how Riley would feel about him leaving Miami for UK? I would love to have him here. You know he has serious connections.

Another thing to consider here is age. Wright would be great but I think he is around 62 or 63. That doesn't leave much time until retirement. Casey is up there as well, and Few is 58 so thats doable but he isn't leaving the west coast.

We need someone young enough to establish himself here and then build a legacy. Stevens would be perfect, and who knows, he might just be interested for the right price. The IU job certainly didn't interest him, however. Course, who could blame him on that one.

Shaka Smart is young but he seems like a gimmicky sort of guy. idk.

That really doesn't leave much to choose from. I think Oats at Bama is really in the lead here. We poached Georgia's coach once. Might as well see if we can steal another one from their neighbor.

 

[CatCrazyChuk]

However, just because someone "uNdErStAyNdS kEnTuCkY bAsKeTbAlL"

Yet another discriminatory remark against Kentuckians with an Appalachian heritage who speak with an accent and communicate via colloquialisms. If this same thing were being done to any other minority group of people in these threads some on this board would be in full tilt virtue signaling mode and making claims of racism. SMH...

 

[wildcatdon]

And you’d immediately hear no, no, no, no .......and maybe...

But why would we want Casey? The dude is old and his connection to a cheating scandal is the only thing folks remember about his college coaching days.

Kids these days have no clue about that. They only know he is an NBA coach. And he was exonerated anyway so why be so negative.

 

[qwesley]

Stevens, Donovan, Vogel, etc. are in no way leaving the pros for this or any other college job. Anyone who thinks so is delusional.

Only caveat would be if the opening is after next season and if Donavan has had two really bad years which is really possible. He may want more stability.

Oats is the best and most realistic option.

 

[TankedCat]

Sadly true.

I don't have any insight to it, but what I can say with some certainty is Cal doesn't get another year like this, and now they know the tell tale signs of what to look for before it happens.

I also happen to believe if it does look like that, then what UK owes on a buyout will not come into play - at least at face value.

 

[Bluebl00d]

How it plays out in my mind that Cal is so miserable there is a negotiated buyout that is significantly less than what is technically owed. Cal knows he can't put in 2 crap years at UK. This isn't Memphis or UMass.

My fear is next year we have something like a 25-8 season and get to the sweet 16 with no mea culpa from Cal on changing his ways

now we are in middle of the road. It won't be good enough for the fans but its not a dumpster fire of a season so Mitch isn't going to force anything.

I fear that your fear is indeed the most likely outcome.

 

[wildcatdon]

Oh, it'll be quite the giddy bunch here on Rafters when Kentucky next reaches the Final Four -- with John Calipari as the coach. The Mass Wave of Amnesia on the part of people desperate today to see him run out of town on a rail will be hilarious -- and also sad.

He will never reach another final four as our coach. Just won’t happen.

 

[Wlson961]

If we were to part ways with Cal, my favorite options would be Donovan and Stevens. Donovan sits at around $6mil a year and Steven's at $3.6mil. I'm sure we could make an enticing offer for both

 

[FL2287]

It will be BD. He will get anything he wants.

 

[Anon1679859502]

Just wondering if there would be any interest for n Kenny Payne?

The way some fans are treating a Hall of fame coach after one bad season I think it may be tough to get a really good coach after Calipari. But I would give Payne a shot if he would be willing to coach here, after all he is friends with Cal.

 

[Sparkaces]

It may have been posted somewhere, but what is Oates making at Alabama now?

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Oh, it'll be quite the giddy bunch here on Rafters when Kentucky next reaches the Final Four -- with John Calipari as the coach. The Mass Wave of Amnesia on the part of people desperate today to see him run out of town on a rail will be hilarious -- and also sad.

Final Four of what?

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

The way some fans are treating a Hall of fame coach after one bad season I think it may be tough to get a really good coach after Calipari. But I would give Payne a shot if he would be willing to coach here, after all he is friends with Cal.

Do you really think this is about one season? This season? Do you really believe that?

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Pitino had a Final Four and was coaching the Knicks at the time.
Tubby Smith had 3 Sweet Sixteen appearances in only 7 years of head coaching. Two of those from lowly Tulsa.
Joe B. was a long time assistant to Rupp, but hadn't done anything really. That was 40+ years ago though.

Plenty of coaches out there right now with those accomplishments.

 

[*CatinIL*]

1.Brad Stevens
2.Tony Bennett
3.Chris Beard
4.Nate Oates
5.literally anybody but cal
6.my coffee table
7. my neighbors dead dog
8.the candy bar wrapper in my trash can
9.Coach Rupp’s casket
10.Literally anyone on this board.

I think Tony Bennett is the way to go!

 

[HerrosHeroes]

This will have more pages after Georgia beats us this Wed.

Georgia is not beating UK, lol.

 

[*CatinIL*]

Georgia is not beating UK, lol.

Be careful HH...just sayin'

 

[TankedCat]

LSU might beat us like a rented mule but Clappy will find a way to have Georgia lose.

 

[KyFaninNC]

They ran screens for Herro all day. No clue what you are talking about.

False. 5 Pinocchio’s