John calipari jokes with mark pope "dont you ruin my program man "

Feb 15, 2025
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2022 - 2 seed
2023 - 6 seed
2024 - 3 seed

I still respect and appreciate Cal —— at the end it just wasn’t the same and he did the right thing by moving on.
Yep. Was time to go for sure. That said the coach who had the most ncaa tournament wins from 2009-10 to 2023-24 was John Calipari. The last 4 years (not 5, not 7, not 10) weren’t good. But running it in the ground doesn’t really apply.
 

ImTheVillageIdiot

All-American
May 18, 2024
3,396
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Yep. Was time to go for sure. That said the coach who had the most ncaa tournament wins from 2009-10 to 2023-24 was John Calipari. The last 4 years (not 5, not 7, not 10) weren’t good. But running it in the ground doesn’t really apply.
I think running it in the ground is strong language for my taste but he was pretty far off the standard imo from 2021-2024. It’s not a knock on Cal, as I absolutely adored the 2022 team but I try to be as honest as I can be. He really lost some juice and didn’t adapt to the changing landscape enough. He also make a massive mistake letting Robic go —- that’s when things changed in a negative way.
 

*Fox2Monk*

Heisman
Jun 10, 2009
42,879
76,233
113
Who cares what seed he started with, it’s what he did with those seeds. Two first round flameouts with a second round loss sandwiched between them. And of course, you didn’t include the 9-16 season before that.
A second round loss to Jerome Tang ugh. He couldn’t beat Kevin Ollie and Jerome Tang, also lost to the most mediocre coach ever in Bruce Weber.
 

bbnkat02

Heisman
Nov 14, 2017
46,052
68,175
113
Cal was ruining the Commonwealth's program. I know he was just joking, but I'll never believe a part of him didn't think it was his.
Some jokes are just in poor taste. Especially when you have a history of saying infuriatingly tone deaf, stupid crap.

And I'm so glad someone else calls it the Commonwealth. We're one of four and I'm dang proud of it.
 

bbnkat02

Heisman
Nov 14, 2017
46,052
68,175
113
A second round loss to Jerome Tang ugh. He couldn’t beat Kevin Ollie and Jerome Tang, also lost to the most mediocre coach ever in Bruce Weber.
But beat the likes of Pitino, Marhsall's insanely good Shocker team, Self, etc. Cal will just forever be an enigma.

And you'll never convince me something didn't happen to him during Covid. He was NEVER the same Cal after that.
 

EliteBlue

Heisman
Mar 27, 2009
16,751
20,269
0
Yeah. A 2 seed in 2 of his last 3 years here. Oh, the horrors!!
Do we need to talk about the record vs other ranked teams and other bluebloods? Do we need to talk about Evansville, Wilmington, Oakland, St.Peters? Or the worst season in UK history?

He had a great decade here but do t act like the last 4-5 years was sunshine and roses
 

Wildcats1st

Heisman
Sep 16, 2017
18,949
28,911
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Cals gone he was the problem. The people who defended him so long are culpable in the worst stretch of bb in our history from the end of 2019 until cal left. Worst season in history. Worst losses. Best players in history and 1 title. In his 15 years he had as much talent as the all history prior at uk combined. 1 title
 

bucsrule8872

Heisman
May 30, 2005
24,397
29,352
0
But beat the likes of Pitino, Marhsall's insanely good Shocker team, Self, etc. Cal will just forever be an enigma.

And you'll never convince me something didn't happen to him during Covid. He was NEVER the same Cal after that.
He started the descent after he won the title.. It was a slow go, thanks to getting incredible talent. It kept him afloat for a short time. Then he bottomed out during the Pandemic. That was it. It was all over but the crying after that.
 

gracetoyou

Heisman
Apr 19, 2009
18,992
27,010
113
Cal loves UK & never wanted to leave here. He kept thinking he'd get over the hump & the magic would return. But there came a point of no return & he finally saw it & bowed out. That was harder for him than you think. I'm one who thinks we should always respect Cal! I totally understood disappointment from fans, but I never understood the hate.
 
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Bowfreak.

All-Conference
Mar 26, 2009
1,667
2,658
66
Cal loves UK & never wanted to leave here. He kept thinking he'd get over the hump & the magic would return. But there came a point of no return & he finally saw it & bowed out. That was harder for him than you think. I'm one who thinks we should always respect Cal! I totally understood disappointment from fans, but I never understood the hate.
Cal was getting killed on the court and it was Cal’s own doing. He never admitted things needed to change. He may have given lip service but he never did anything different. Also, Cal made a mockery of the fan base and talked down to us and belittled Kentuckians whenever he could near the end. I don’t hate him but I am glad he’s gone. He will need 10+ years of separation before he is ever considered to be welcomed back for anything relating to UK for me.
 

bbnkat02

Heisman
Nov 14, 2017
46,052
68,175
113
He started the descent after he won the title.. It was a slow go, thanks to getting incredible talent. It kept him afloat for a short time. Then he bottomed out during the Pandemic. That was it. It was all over but the crying after that.

Nah, That descent started after we got hosed by effing Higgins in that 2017 game. I honestly thing that was the punch that Cal just said "Eff it, I'm not trying anymore." And once COVID happened, I think that it was accelerated.

I've never been a man to hold grudges, but when John Higgins goes, I'm not gonna be to upset by it.