Do you miss Cal?
- Thread starter Farsight Clone
- Start date
I liked Cal and wanted him hired after Tubby. Was elated when we got him 2 years later. It was a Saban-to-Bama moment for us. Still remember his first press conference and feeling we were back in the conversation.
However, Cal was never the same after the 2015 loss to Wisconsin. We had some fun teams the years after that but it was tournament heartbreak and gut punches from there on out, doubly so in 2017 and 2019. And Cal's x and o challenges got old seeing. People joke about Rick Barnes doing less with more but it is amazing how Cal only won 1 title with the players we had. Anyway Cal was a shell of himself post COVID. Our offense was stale and it seemed like the game passed him by. He also got antagonistic to fans. It was time for a parting of ways.
However, Cal was never the same after the 2015 loss to Wisconsin. We had some fun teams the years after that but it was tournament heartbreak and gut punches from there on out, doubly so in 2017 and 2019. And Cal's x and o challenges got old seeing. People joke about Rick Barnes doing less with more but it is amazing how Cal only won 1 title with the players we had. Anyway Cal was a shell of himself post COVID. Our offense was stale and it seemed like the game passed him by. He also got antagonistic to fans. It was time for a parting of ways.
We're not laughing at you. If you see any posts that say different ignore them. Every fan base has people with a family tree that doesn't fork. You're Kentucky, a blue blood program with tons of tradition. Yall are going to be fine.
The reason I wanted Calipari way back in 2009 was because Tubby, and then Gillispie, never could seem to recruit the elite players. The thing that you could always count on with Cal was a couple (sometimes multiple) elite players to lead the team. Now he sent them away as quickly as he signed them, which was frustrating. But I put up with them leaving because there was always talent, and even when they left others replaced them.
Now, at the end, when there were terrible postseason results, it was time for him go. I'll never deny that.
However, here we are again. It's back to Tubby talent. That's what this team is. Tubby was always likeable but his teams just couldn't keep up against the top teams.
Let me just add- when you're spending $22mil in NIL, there is NO REASON to not have a couple studs on the roster. Pope signed 12 role players- all giving us the same kind of things. But no shooters?!! I'd prefer last season's flaws to these. Those guys could score. This team is better defensively, a little, but can't score or shoot. Can't win if you can't shoot the ball.
I voted that I do miss Calipari and I hate it. Gotta have elite talent to be a legit contender.
Now, at the end, when there were terrible postseason results, it was time for him go. I'll never deny that.
However, here we are again. It's back to Tubby talent. That's what this team is. Tubby was always likeable but his teams just couldn't keep up against the top teams.
Let me just add- when you're spending $22mil in NIL, there is NO REASON to not have a couple studs on the roster. Pope signed 12 role players- all giving us the same kind of things. But no shooters?!! I'd prefer last season's flaws to these. Those guys could score. This team is better defensively, a little, but can't score or shoot. Can't win if you can't shoot the ball.
I voted that I do miss Calipari and I hate it. Gotta have elite talent to be a legit contender.
I’d rather take a hot poker to the ads than ever listen to Cal again. Not happy with this season so far but not happy is better than suffering that narcissistic *******. It’s not like he was ever going to accomplish anythibg important at Kentucky ever again, whether he stayed another 5 years or 50. He was cashing a paycheck, shutting on the fans as if it was his full time job, and not giving a single **** about much of anything beyond feeding his own ego.
You people are ready to torch Pope because he is currently 5-4 in his second season (it sucks, that isn’t the point). Calipari finished a season 9-16 just 5 years ago. I guarantee you Pope finds a way to get us to 10 wins this season, and I guarantee I wouldn’t want to punch him in the face if I had to listen to him. Obviously I loved Calipari circa 2012 but that guy died the day he won a championship. He sent us straight to the NIT tbe year after and became an insufferable tool immediately after. No thanks.
No, I don't miss Cal. He simply lost his mojo and was no longer getting it done here.
The problem is, we went out and brought in a guy who seems to be hopelessly in over his head. Why the hell couldn't Mitch Barnhart do what he did when the women's team needed a new coach? He went out and found Kenny Brooks, a guy who showed immense potential. Now he's killing it here! Why the hell didn't we try to find someone like him to fill the men's basketball coaching vacancy?!?! This isn't brain surgery folks. Mitch has done a pretty damn good job hiring coaches for women's basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, etc. But when it comes to men's basketball, he's now completely **** the bed twice! I just don't get it.
The problem is, we went out and brought in a guy who seems to be hopelessly in over his head. Why the hell couldn't Mitch Barnhart do what he did when the women's team needed a new coach? He went out and found Kenny Brooks, a guy who showed immense potential. Now he's killing it here! Why the hell didn't we try to find someone like him to fill the men's basketball coaching vacancy?!?! This isn't brain surgery folks. Mitch has done a pretty damn good job hiring coaches for women's basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, etc. But when it comes to men's basketball, he's now completely **** the bed twice! I just don't get it.
Was for sure his time to go, and it would not work at all if he magically returned somehow, but a couple things about him:
- Guy knows talent -- it wasn't just throwing darts at 5 stars like a lot of us (myself included) thought. Evidence is SGA -- best bball player in the world now, was a 4 star 40s recruit. Was a top Cal priority. Yeah he missed on a few guys, but so does everyone. Remember Josh Selby?
- He definitely did "roll the balls out" and did very little coaching, but as I am seeing now, the game is sort of gravitating towards that. Oats said something like (paraphrase) "my offense is working when I don't have to call a play for them". Obviously Oats is not a bad coach. Rolling the ball out with the correct players and focus in practice is the key.
- Players love him and respect him, and that's lacking at UK right now. Maybe the players do love Pope but the respect isn't there. If it was there, the total lack of effort games would not be happening.
- Guy knows talent -- it wasn't just throwing darts at 5 stars like a lot of us (myself included) thought. Evidence is SGA -- best bball player in the world now, was a 4 star 40s recruit. Was a top Cal priority. Yeah he missed on a few guys, but so does everyone. Remember Josh Selby?
- He definitely did "roll the balls out" and did very little coaching, but as I am seeing now, the game is sort of gravitating towards that. Oats said something like (paraphrase) "my offense is working when I don't have to call a play for them". Obviously Oats is not a bad coach. Rolling the ball out with the correct players and focus in practice is the key.
- Players love him and respect him, and that's lacking at UK right now. Maybe the players do love Pope but the respect isn't there. If it was there, the total lack of effort games would not be happening.
Not one bit ... He flat out sucked here his last five years
Not at all, especially that 9 - 16 season while having the #1 recruiting class. His last season here he had the most talented team in the country ( #3 and #8 picks in the draft that came off our bench) and once again lost in the 1st round.