Hard to be a fan at times

[LeonThe Camel]

Blame the AD, you see something wrong with that? Throughout the threads on this forum are people blaming decades of incompetence and frustration with this football program on AD's. So now it is not the AD, got it.

Trying to figure out how the AD is to blame. He hired a coach the vast majority of the fans thought would be great. So while not seeking fan approval, he did what the fans wanted.

Now he is to blame. Still not sure how that works.

Hey mom, can we get McDonalds. Sure son. Hey mom, this burger s cold, you are terrible for buying me this.

 

[jc2010]

I see/read a lot of we could get this coach. but there are no guarantees. Who would have been better than Stoops. He came with accolades, he was an up and coming coach.

As for Calipari, we all know why he was passed over. There is no reason to pretend otherwise.

There was no good reason Calipari was passed over. Calipari did not change in 2 years. We passed over one of the best basketball coaches in the country to hire one of the worst. This does nothing for my confidence.

 

[taiza67]

I don't know if you would consider me young or not (26), but I still feel that Stoops deserves another year barring a total collapse. Our team will be much improved next year. Another year of experience for a talented O-Line, hopefully some improvement on the D line. We lose games at the kind of scrimmage and the coaching staff is doing everything they can to shore up those issues.

 

[jc2010]

Trying to figure out how the AD is to blame. He hired a coach the vast majority of the fans thought would be great. So while not seeking fan approval, he did what the fans wanted.

Now he is to blame. Still not sure how that works.

Hey mom, can we get McDonalds. Sure son. Hey mom, this burger s cold, you are terrible for buying me this.

I in no way believe Stoops was the coach the vast majority of fans wanted but that doesn't matter. The AD's job is to hire a coach to win football games. After he was hired fans thought Gillispie was going to be a good hire.

Its really pretty simple, if an AD hire a coach that doesn't win, he has failed, he does the hiring and firing,

 

[docholiday51]

I in no way believe Stoops was the coach the vast majority of fans wanted but that doesn't matter. The AD's job is to hire a coach to win football games. After he was hired fans thought Gillispie was going to be a good hire.

Its really pretty simple, if an AD hire a coach that doesn't win, he has failed, he does the hiring and firing,

One of the main reasons we hired Gillispie was a knee jerk reaction to the fact that his team beat UL in the NCAAT

 

[sluggercatfan]

No one in the SEC would hire Petrino when we were looking for a coach,some of you forget that little fact. Four years worth of water have gone under that bridge,if we had done that the fallout from within the conference,let alone the negative national attention would have set Petrino back a couple of years before he ever coached a down here.

Stoops may not be the answer here,the rest of this season will tell us that in no uncertain terms.I would submit that this is the year to pull the plug if it is to be pulled.We have a chance to play around .500 ball next year,maybe Stoops gets enough done this season to get a chance next year,if he does not when is the last time a first year coach showed up at UK and went .500 or better.

If there is a new coach on the sidelines coming soon I hope the administration has the good sense to give him a fighting chance to succeed from day one instead of starting another 3 or 4 year process.

Hell, let's just let him hang around like we did Curry! With logic like this Joker would still be here... Make all the excuses you want we should be in much better shape right now , but aren't because this man is in over his head. I just wish somebody else was in charge of making the selection of the next coach.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

give me a solution. fire stoops and hire who? No one wants the job.

You pay a man enough, he will take the job. The issue is making sure he can coach first before you pull that trigger on your wallet.

 

[sluggercatfan]

I in no way believe Stoops was the coach the vast majority of fans wanted but that doesn't matter. The AD's job is to hire a coach to win football games. After he was hired fans thought Gillispie was going to be a good hire.

Its really pretty simple, if an AD hire a coach that doesn't win, he has failed, he does the hiring and firing,

Sure wasn't mine. I wanted BP for the same reasons Jurich hired him! He is a winner and his history was an advantage to Jurich and he made the contreadact to HIS AND THE PROGRAMS benefit as such and not give the coach the upper hand like MB has done with MS!

 

[sluggercatfan]

give me a solution. fire stoops and hire who? No one wants the job.

Stoops begged for the job! Mike Leach, Jeff Brohm, Neal Brown and I'm sure there 15 others out there that are competent to take over this job. The bigger question is the man that is getting to make that selection. I have very little faith in him

 

[jc2010]

One of the main reasons we hired Gillispie was a knee jerk reaction to the fact that his team beat UL in the NCAAT

And that's a smart move by the AD?

 

[docholiday51]

And that's a smart move by the AD?

No,I have never been a big fan of the current AD but is he really that much different than Shively,Hagan or Newton?

 

[NavyCat88]

I still have not figured out how or why so many blame the AD for this. Kentucky has been a hole forever in football. Our longest sustained success with with Brooks.

When Stoops was hired he was unanimously touted as being the right person. Go back and look at the revelry from this board. everyone was behind him. He came from a top notch program in FSU. He began recruiting like crazy, some of our best classes are from him.

Things are not working out so it becomes the AD's fault. Just plain silly if you ask me. If a player drops a pass after being highly touted is it the QB's fault.

Misplaced anger if you think about it.

"Heavy lies the crown."

Why do people blame the AD? Answer--Only because it is AD's job to hire coaches who win.
Stoops was not unanimously touted as being the right person. Wishful thinking and optimism at best with BBN. Many wanted an experienced hand and Petrino and Leach were mentioned. Most of the other SEC schools said "Stoops?.....Who?....OU? no.....AZ? no....oh yeah, the other guy."

Finally, AD has not exactly been burning it up with money sport hires. BB--Town drunk before being forced to hire Cal (BCG was a firing offense IMO). Baseball--terrible while UL is in the post season regularly. FB--dumpster fire & national laughing stock while UL goes Top-5. He backed into the Brooks hire crying "No one wants to coach here." He should have been relieved on the spot for a loss of confidence when he publicly said that as he was admitting "I can't/won't do my job." Bad JuJu.

Like the old ship's Captain used to say: "Life's a lot easier when everyone does their d@mn job!" We need an AD that understands that his vocation is recognizing, hiring and incentivizing good coaches.

 

[brianpoe]

"Heavy lies the crown."

Why do people blame the AD? Answer--Only because it is AD's job to hire coaches who win.
Stoops was not unanimously touted as being the right person. Wishful thinking and optimism at best with BBN. Many wanted an experienced hand and Petrino and Leach were mentioned. Most of the other SEC schools said "Stoops?.....Who?....OU? no.....AZ? no....oh yeah, the other guy."

Finally, AD has not exactly been burning it up with money sport hires. BB--Town drunk before being forced to hire Cal (BCG was a firing offense IMO). Baseball--terrible while UL is in the post season regularly. FB--dumpster fire & national laughing stock while UL goes Top-5. He backed into the Brooks hire crying "No one wants to coach here." He should have been relieved on the spot for a loss of confidence when he publicly said that as he was admitting "I can't/won't do my job." Bad JuJu.

Like the old ship's Captain used to say: "Life's a lot easier when everyone does their d@mn job!" We need an AD that understands that his vocation is recognizing, hiring and incentivizing good coaches.

Lets not forget the $8M deal for our women's coach...

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

Ah yes.....the words of our lazy AD again resurface. You see.....HC performance is an issue, but not nearly as big an issue as AD performance. Current HC (and by extension his performance) is the byproduct of AD incompetence. Bring a competent AD on board, and I believe we will find FB HC hires can be done properly......and yes a competent HC can be sought and signed. The idea that "no one" wants a seven figure salary to coach our team in the SEC is laughable and also sad. It is sad that our school and fanbase were sold such tripe, and the AD was allowed to remain. It is even more sad some appear to buy this pathetic notion.

GBB!

So what you are saying is that UK hasn't had a competent AD since the 1950s? I'm skeptical of that view of the world.

Obviously, there are lots of people who want a 7 figure salary to coach an SEC team. We hire them every 4 or 5 years. Hell, I would take it for 7 figures. The point is that proven, big name coaches, don't want to coach here. There is too much risk involved. Big name coaches will makes millions over there career by picking schools that have a history of winning. Picking a school with a history of losing is a very risky proposition. If you fail, you start from scratch and cut your earnings over your career by a significant amount of money. It's simple economics. You don't take those kinds of career risks if you don't have to.

If it were as simple as you make it out to be, then why don't you see a high percentage of power 5 conference teams, with a history of losing, become consistent winners? It's not just UK that has had trouble turning their program around. Every power 5 conference loser has had trouble turning their program around.

 

[Shavers48]

vast majority wanted?!?!? feel free not to speak for me.

 

[Bank Cat]

I was in favor of giving Petrino a very long look - I wasn't sure that I could stomach him as HC but I figured I would get over it, especially if he did what he had done as a college HC and OC. When we hired Stoops and I heard about his plan to mine Ohio I was quickly on board.
I think what is the most frustrating for me personally is that in many ways, he has produced. The marketing of our program hit another level, the recruiting (stars on paper) hit another level, the facilities have definitely hit another level...we have upgraded in just about every facet of running a Power 5 program except that our results are still Curry/Joker. Stoops deserves a lot of credit for all of those positives and a lot of the responsibility for the primary negative, which is lack of on-field results.
I am afraid to say that I was 'encouraged' by how we played against Bama - would hate to get labeled as a 'sunshine pumper' or 'apologist' - but I did not see a team who looked like they have cashed in on the season. I would REALLY like to beat Vandy, get a bye week, then beat MSU. That would go a long way in the short term.

 

[jc2010]

No,I have never been a big fan of the current AD but is he really that much different than Shively,Hagan or Newton?

Well isn't that the problem, to make it worse, he has more money to work with than they ever had.

 

[jc2010]

So what you are saying is that UK hasn't had a competent AD since the 1950s? I'm skeptical of that view of the world.

Obviously, there are lots of people who want a 7 figure salary to coach an SEC team. We hire them every 4 or 5 years. Hell, I would take it for 7 figures. The point is that proven, big name coaches, don't want to coach here. There is too much risk involved. Big name coaches will makes millions over there career by picking schools that have a history of winning. Picking a school with a history of losing is a very risky proposition. If you fail, you start from scratch and cut your earnings over your career by a significant amount of money. It's simple economics. You don't take those kinds of career risks if you don't have to.

If it were as simple as you make it out to be, then why don't you see a high percentage of power 5 conference teams, with a history of losing, become consistent winners? It's not just UK that has had trouble turning their program around. Every power 5 conference loser has had trouble turning their program around.

We've had a couple of AD's incompetent enough to not hire a couple of "big name coaches" that were ours for the taking. One of them took the job up the road with a team that was playing in a baseball stadium and giving tickets away at Kroger. The other one has that same team in the top five in the country. If we have had a competent AD, would you please point him out.

 

[CB3UK]

I see/read a lot of we could get this coach. but there are no guarantees. Who would have been better than Stoops. He came with accolades, he was an up and coming coach.

As for Calipari, we all know why he was passed over. There is no reason to pretend otherwise.

Well Im quite certain youre aware that Petrino wanted the job so we can start right there. Cal wasnt hired the first time because Mitch's hand wasn't forced woth his job being on the line. Same reason he refused to gamble on Petrino.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

If you honestly believe Petrino wanted the job, then I have ocean property in Wyoming for sale. In all seriousness, who would be willing to come and coach here given the state of affairs, no pun intended, but it is funny.

 

[jc2010]

If you honestly believe Petrino wanted the job, then I have ocean property in Wyoming for sale. In all seriousness, who would be willing to come and coach here given the state of affairs, no pun intended, but it is funny.

You must not have been on this board when Stoops was hired, it was all over these boards that Petrino wanted this job, but I'm not going to dig it out.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

You must not have been on this board when Stoops was hired, it was all over these boards that Petrino wanted this job, but I'm not going to dig it out.

It was all over these boards by fans. The only thing ever attributed to Petrino was his father saying he thought he would be interested. It was to put his name in the media again. There has never been any evidence of Petrino saying he would welcome a discussion.

Like I said in the thread, we say "facts" enough times they become true.

 

[brianpoe]

It was all over these boards by fans. The only thing ever attributed to Petrino was his father saying he thought he would be interested. It was to put his name in the media again. There has never been any evidence of Petrino saying he would welcome a discussion.

Like I said in the thread, we say "facts" enough times they become true.

You were not here, so you did not see everything we did.

Thanks for participating though...

 

[LeonThe Camel]

You were not here, so you did not see everything we did.

Thanks for participating though...

Since I wasn't signed in as a member, I wasn't here. Gotcha

 

[brianpoe]

Since I wasn't signed in as a member, I wasn't here. Gotcha

I dont recall you getting into so many squabbles with others as a lurker...

 

[jc2010]

It was all over these boards by fans. The only thing ever attributed to Petrino was his father saying he thought he would be interested. It was to put his name in the media again. There has never been any evidence of Petrino saying he would welcome a discussion.

Like I said in the thread, we say "facts" enough times they become true.

Last word on the subject with you. Google it, you can read about Petrino's interest in the UK job on ESPN, USA Today, etc, etc.

 

[law1127]

And if you go thru McDonald's and get bad food,you go to the manager to present your complaint. If its the employee not doing his or her job properly ,then the manager has to make a decision whether the employee is capable of improving to a satisfactory level or needs to be replaced! Uk football is at that point in time! Part of the big bucks and the important decision making position!

 

[Blueaz]

Trying to figure out how the AD is to blame. He hired a coach the vast majority of the fans thought would be great. So while not seeking fan approval, he did what the fans wanted.

Now he is to blame. Still not sure how that works.

Hey mom, can we get McDonalds. Sure son. Hey mom, this burger s cold, you are terrible for buying me this.

No matter what the fans want...the AD is paid to make good, sound decisions.
The fans did not even know about Stoops until almost the end of the hiring process, remember; Stoops put his own name in the mix
So NO, the fans did not want Stoops, WE wanted (want) someone that can make a respectable football program at UK...It was thought that he (Stoops) may be the answer; so far, he is not

 

[WildcatofNati]

The only reason folks were against it was he was a former Louisville coach. Say what you will, but that is the true reason.

We can use his attitude, Arkansas, Atlanta to feel good, but the the real reason is he coached at Louisville.

Not for me, it wasn't. I liked the idea of having the former Louisville coach sticking it to Louisville. Kind of how they liked the idea of Pitino sticking it to us- which never really happened as much as they would have liked, even before Cal. They used to love, in conversations with UK fans about Pitino, calling him "OUR COACH" over and over. It would kind of be neat to get Brohm for that same reason, even if Brohm never coached there as head guy.

But I didn't his attitude, or what happened in Atlanta, or what happened in Arkansas, or how he would have left us, probably for Louisville, at first opportunity.

 

[orlie1904]

I will continue to say Major Applewhite is who we should go after.
Coaching Accomplishments
• Major Applewhite was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston on Jan. 8, 2015.

He sounds great and has been a top offensive mind for a while. I know it sounds like you're sold on him. But this puts us in position to hire a coordinator with no HC experience. In fact he sounds like CMS who came with the resume of having turned defenses into nationally ranked units. The question remains as to how we would be confident he is the guy since there isn't anything more to go with him as a HC as there was with CMS when he came.
Some on here liked Brooks. Some seem to think he was over rated. I liked the guy. The real miss was having his experience as a HC and his organizational skills without university support. And the recruiting could have been better. But he did develop the talent he had which seems to be the missing link now.

 

[Blueaz]

If you honestly believe Petrino wanted the job, then I have ocean property in Wyoming for sale. In all seriousness, who would be willing to come and coach here given the state of affairs, no pun intended, but it is funny.

so, with your above statement in mind, who would have been the correct choice? and you already have stated, emphatically, that in no way did BP want UK...
I'll just hang up and listens

 

[420grover]

There was no good reason Calipari was passed over. Calipari did not change in 2 years. We passed over one of the best basketball coaches in the country to hire one of the worst. This does nothing for my confidence.

Let's say Mitch hired Cal right after Billy. Then Derrick Rose ends up at UK and not Memphis. That would've played out great at UK.

 

[Shavers48]

It was all over these boards by fans. The only thing ever attributed to Petrino was his father saying he thought he would be interested. It was to put his name in the media again. There has never been any evidence of Petrino saying he would welcome a discussion.

Like I said in the thread, we say "facts" enough times they become true.

the only evidence you need is to see what Stoops made his first year at UK vs what Petrino made at WKU.

 

[jc2010]

Let's say Mitch hired Cal right after Billy. Then Derrick Rose ends up at UK and not Memphis. That would've played out great at UK.

Sandy Bell !!!!!! I doubt the Derrick Rose incident would have played out the same at UK.

 

[Ukbrassowtipin]

Why didn't UT and Auburn interview Petrino. They were all open in that time frame as well too. I get it, those schools can afford to be more picky, but did they reach out? I'm not defending anyone, just curious.

 

[billoliver40]

I'm gonna go on one last rant about the Petrino love fest and no more never. Guy is a really good football coach. Arkansas fired him. Tennessee wouldn't interview him. Arkansas wouldn't interview him. No one looking for a coach in either the SEC, the bIg 10, Big 12, Pac 10 has expressed interest in him yet. Only sportscaster and what seems like UK fans. He works for the Cards now. More power to him.

We missed on Jones, we missed on a lotta guys. We got who we got. We didn't get all this money everyone talks about for football until AFTER Stoops got hired. Barnhart didn't have that big money trigger to pull.

Get over the Petrino fixation and look for the next guy. Bristles, Hermann, Brown, alias Smith and Jones, whoever.

We've had a lot of coaches since Bryant. NONE of em have set the world on fire.NONE.

If UK is ever gonna be on the same page as Georgia, Florida, Bama, Clemson....then they have to be willing to play the same game....cut corners in recruiting, classes, cover up the off field stuff, and either don't get caught or just do the North Carolina route and deny.

Do that for four or five years, and you make thatcBaylor style jump from dogs hind leg to leading the pack just. DONT GET CAUGHT.

 

[Woodrow24]

I agree. My point is so many are blaming the AD for something we all thought was a good decision.

We cannot tell someone good job let's do this. And then when it turns out bad criticize the decision maker we all agreed with. I guess we should fire ourselves as fans.

Mitch should be blamed for that dumb contract extension he gave stoops. I don't blame him for giving stoops a chance to coach here. Mitch making a bad coaching hire is no surprise to anyone, but that extension was ridiculous. Mitch is not in the same boat as the fans. He gets paid 900 grand to hire/fire coaches. Any job in America, if you do bad your held accountable. Why should he be any different?

 

[taiza67]

I'm gonna go on one last rant about the Petrino love fest and no more never. Guy is a really good football coach. Arkansas fired him. Tennessee wouldn't interview him. Arkansas wouldn't interview him. No one looking for a coach in either the SEC, the bIg 10, Big 12, Pac 10 has expressed interest in him yet. Only sportscaster and what seems like UK fans. He works for the Cards now. More power to him.

We missed on Jones, we missed on a lotta guys. We got who we got. We didn't get all this money everyone talks about for football until AFTER Stoops got hired. Barnhart didn't have that big money trigger to pull.

Get over the Petrino fixation and look for the next guy. Bristles, Hermann, Brown, alias Smith and Jones, whoever.

We've had a lot of coaches since Bryant. NONE of em have set the world on fire.NONE.

If UK is ever gonna be on the same page as Georgia, Florida, Bama, Clemson....then they have to be willing to play the same game....cut corners in recruiting, classes, cover up the off field stuff, and either don't get caught or just do the North Carolina route and deny.

Do that for four or five years, and you make thatcBaylor style jump from dogs hind leg to leading the pack just. DONT GET CAUGHT.

Unbelievable

 

[BBBLazing]

You are absolutely correct....I approve this message, Bill Curry

Do you remember that we hired Bill Curry the year that he was National Coach of the Year?

 

[BBBLazing]

Stoops begged for the job! Mike Leach, Jeff Brohm, Neal Brown and I'm sure there 15 others out there that are competent to take over this job. The bigger question is the man that is getting to make that selection. I have very little faith in him

Who else wanted it? Stoops begged? Did anyone else want it? When we hired Brooks, he was like our fifth choice. He even said it during his fourth year when asked if he was on the hot seat. You act like we can fire stoops and hire anyone we want because we have money. Everyone has money. No one wants this job. Tell me one coach that has wanted this job other than Petrino that was worth a **** as a coach that we didn't hire. Go back to after Claiborne left. Tell me one.