Pitino

[WildcatUKx]

 

[Catluv]

Thanks RP Cal had some great years early. I think it is best he left fans should give him a warm welcome and then hopefully beat the socks off Arky!! While Cal was here I wanted him to win as I did all our coaches. Now don’t really care how he does.

 

[Runt#1969]

I appreciate Coach Pitino's words, and agree with him. Thanks Coach !

If everyone were to really stop and THINK about it, welcoming back Cal with a shower of applause that would drown out any boos would be the classiest and BEST thing fans could do. I've been all in on showqing Cal class and respect and not re-opening the wounds of the bad feelings leftover.

It's been difficult enough on Cal this year. There's no need to be hateful or disrespectful to Cal, considering all we have to be thankful for that he gave us.

Let by gones be by gones. Reign it in. The headlines would all be larger and bolder if we show him class and respect, and then we go out and win the game.

 

[WeWant9]

Just beat Arkansas and lets be done with this circus for at least a year.

 

[JonathanW_rivals]

I agree. Be classy. Show that we are above petty'ness, and have moved on to our bright future.

 

[littlecreek]

Wow. I guess he's right and understands the situation Cal will be in more than anyone. Rupp should show some class Saturday, that would stick in the crawl more than anything to BBN's detractors. And then beat the snot out of Arkansas.

 

[yabbadabbadoo_rivals213851]

I appreciate what Cow did for us, but as time went on it became evident that it was just relative to how the scope of the game was structured at that time. He took advantage of the young phenom system until it didn’t work anymore. He didn’t change when it was obvious that the game was changing and he got left in the dust. He became very condescending and pretty much as ***. That’s what stuck with me. I won’t be at the game but I hope we win by about 40. I want to be laughing at my TV as he shouts and stomps and the camera does an occasional scan of Chin and Brad.

 

[ORCAT]

I will be in Rupp and plan to applaud when Cal is introduced. Serves no purpose to boo and show disrespect at this point and only makes our fans look bad on national TV. Cal did some great things and gave us exciting teams and players to watch. He won a title and was in numerous Final Fours. I know the last 5 years were horrible and we all wished he had won a title or 2 more with all the talent he had but he did do a lot of good stuff while here. I'm very happy to have Pope here instead of Cal now but I will not be booing.

 

[acp_10]

Obviously Cal didn't want to leave. Winning just didn't go his way like he had hoped and it was time to move on. It was best for both parties. Nobody should be mean about it.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Will do coach.

 

[TankedCat]

wow...class move by Pitino.

dude is doing well with life right now

 

[know1]

I'm still very mad at what Cal did at UK in the last several years of his time here. But it's pretty easy to envision clapping and cheering in enthusiastic joy when he comes in and is NOT our coach anymore. Nobody will know the motivation of why you are clapping

 

[littlecreek]

I'm still very mad at what Cal did at UK in the last several years of his time here. But it's pretty easy to envision clapping and cheering in enthusiastic joy when he comes in and is NOT our coach anymore. Nobody will know the motivation of why you are clapping

Clap enthusiastically because he's no longer our coach and that Mark Pope is.

 

[know1]

Clap enthusiastically because he's no longer our coach and that Mark Pope is.

That's what I'm saying! It would make far more sense to boo Cal if he was STILL the coach than to boo him now when we're all thrilled and happy he's gone.

 

[TucsonCat]

Fans, do whatever you want Saturday.

But I better never see Mark Pope give his opinion on what BYU or Utah State fans do if some ex coach is coming back. You're my coach now. Keep your nose to the grindstone for my team and out of someone else's drama. And don't be making videos about how awesome those places were.

If I was a St John's fan, I'd be furious. Again.

 

[Wildcat Sheli]

Pitino didn’t have to say those kind words, yet he went out of his way to hopefully make Cal’s homecoming less painful. Pitino never (well…almost never:>) hid his feelings about his love for UK and I could always sense it was extraordinarily difficult for him—who refers to us as Camelot—to get booed by some of those he loved most. It took a long time for him to receive a warm welcome back to the place he holds dearest. I think it was classy of him to speak up on Cal’s behalf, especially considering their complicated relationship.

 

[richbrookstomato]

Fans, do whatever you want Saturday.

But I better never see Mark Pope give his opinion on what BYU or Utah State fans do if some ex coach is coming back. You're my coach now. Keep your nose to the grindstone for my team and out of someone else's drama. And don't be making videos about how awesome those places were.

If I was a St John's fan, I'd be furious. Again.

And it’s especially egregious when this same coach CHOSE TO coach at our BIGGEST rival and actually FLIPPED OFF our fans in Rupp after he lost!!!

Do I appreciate what Rick AND Cal did at UK, sure, but don’t tell me HOW I can react to a previous coach’s return to Rupp while coaching another team!!!

And this is in hopes that he can get a “standing ovation” when he returns again someday.

 

[truebluewildcat_rivals34254]

Not sure why Cal would get booed when everyone was pretty much in agreement that it was time for him to go.

I think the door should be open for him to come hang around the program once he retires.

Same for RP…and Tubby

 

[MWes11]

Pitino has become UK’s biggest advocate recently and he doesn’t hide it. He is correct here. The back end of Cal’s tenure wasn’t great, but let’s not forget the ride he took us on in the earlier years. Was truly magical. Do the right thing and applaud him Saturday.

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

Very short and succinct video, Coach Pitino. Always a man who doesn’t take long to get his business done

 

[Panthur]

Such a classy guy. Not easy words at all to just up and offer unprompted considering all the circumstances. Gotta respect that. I’m not going to this game unless someone unloads a ticket real cheap last minute. But if I do go I’ll cheer Cal now for the reasons Rick laid out. I wouldn’t have done that before watching this.

I like this new role he’s unofficially taking on, too. People keep bandying about the idea of Cal being an elder statesman for us, and I just don’t think that will ever be right with Cal.

But I think it works with Rick.

Good for him.

 

[will1976]

It's the minority internet fringe that are mostly angry with Cal like you see in Rafters. Watch and see what happens in Rupp tomorrow when BBN's classy fans drown out any boos with love for what Cal accomplished here. Plus he will never flip BBN off!

 

[JimboBBN]

This wouldn’t be a conversation if Cal left just because of his win loss record. Everyone agrees that was bad but that’s something we can get over.

What we can’t get over is the ego, talking down to, downplaying of the state of the program while we kept racking up losses, and just the overall disconnect with the fanbase that was blatant towards the end. There will come a day where I’m fine with Cal, but if I was at the game Saturday, you’re damn right I’m booing him.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Booing him would just feed his ego. He is expecting it.

If you cheer, he might be too gullible to know it’s cheering that he is gone.

What I wish would happen is the building go absolutely silent when he is announced.

That would utterly shock him and show him how much he doesn’t matter to us now.

As they say, silence is golden.

He wouldn’t know what to make of it.

 

[Jazzycat]

I won't be in the audience, but if I was I would definitely not boo. Calipari had a tremendous run at UK and went to 4 Final Fours and won a championship. This is about where Kentucky is NOW - and thankfully, Calipari left without UK having to pay him off.

The Cats just need to come out and jump on the Hogs from the tip off and not let up. Kentucky needs a solid win over Arkansas and this will speak volumes about where the program is headed. Prove it on the court....

 

[ImTheVillageIdiot]

The perfect result would be a unanimous and thunderous ovation for Calipari. Then the Cats step on the neck from the jump and win by 45 points. We look like a million bucks as far as fans and the state of the program would be an undeniable shining star. This would be the final death nail in the “let’s see what happens to y’all” narrative.

 

[FurdTurgason]

I hope he gets a small ovation. Pitino was different because of who he went to. Remember it was Cal that lifted us up to a place Pitino couldn't compete with.

The last five years sucked, but the future is bright again so let's make our new coach proud.

 

[Ukbrassowtipin]

The best program of all time doesn't need to boo, it means you still care. You clap and say hope you're doing well, we are.

As someone said in another thread, his last 5 years weren't great, but he gave us several great years and right at the start when we could've went the way of IU

 

[AJG-15]

I agree 100% with Coach Pitino. If we are saying that we the best program and have the best fans in the world , we need to show class and applaud Coach Cal. He brought number 8 and many other good memories for the basketball program and Kentucky communities.

I listen to Cal’s presser and he still cares a lot and always will about Kentucky. He is gone. He will only come in Rupp every two years.

This is more about BBN showing that we are the best fans in the world!

 

[ukcatz12]

What we can’t get over is the ego, talking down to, downplaying of the state of the program while we kept racking up losses, and just the overall disconnect with the fanbase that was blatant towards the end.

This is just who Cal is though. You gotta take the good results with the bad results. He's had an ego and been talking down to people for decades. When everyone told him one and done would never win a title he was arrogant, talked down to them, and went and won a title.

The only difference with Cal in the beginning and the end is how much he was winning. He was still arrogant and talking down to people at the beginning, we just didn't care because we were winning and everything was new and exciting. Part of the reason he wore out his welcome was the fanbase got sick of hearing the same exact thing for 15 years. But Cal himself never changed how he treated people.

John Chaney didn't want to kill the guy for no reason.

 

[ib4ky_rivals111873]

(Sorry For Length)
A THANK-YOU TO CAL AND ARKANSAS
Cal coming back to Rupp is like seeing an ex-wife a year after a bitter divorce that was brought on by years of disrespect, condecension, eventual cheating and betrayal.

LIfe together was mostly good in the earlier years but the enjoyment of being a team together, with what was thought to be common goals, just fell apart and in the end a separation HAD to happen.

Both of you have went your separate ways now and you've BOTH hopefully learned from your previous mistakes about what is truly important in life (basketball life), winning titles and not faux green-room success in June!!!

While you have now reunited with what seems to be a genuine, loyal, life-long partner (Pope) who truly appreciates you for what you are, is full of humility for their current situation and seems to truly understand what the end result of the assignment is supposed to be.

Then one day you see your ex who disrespected and cheated on you and now has hooked up with some trashy "baby-daddy" (Arky) and who is living with the envy that you are really happy and successful NOW and not suffering AT ALL with them NOT being in your life.

SO BEFORE, I TRULY WANTED CAL AND HIS 23/24 UK REJECTS TO GET BOOED EVERY TIME THEY BREATHED KENTUCKY AIR AND TO BE BLOWN OUT OF RUPP ARENA SATURDAY NIGHT!!!!!! But now, I still want Kentucky to spank those Razor-Asses in the game, while the fans being courteous and respectful to Coach Cow and the few Ex-UK players, because there were some good times along the way since Cal pulled UK and Barnhart out of the latter Tubby and BCG era.

My pre-game response to the EX-UK players and coaches will be:
Cal
Payne
Ulis
Thiero
Z
Wagner
The rest of the coaching staff, ex-UK recruits and other players

 

[mrjuk]

I won't be in the audience, but if I was I would definitely not boo. Calipari had a tremendous run at UK and went to 4 Final Fours and won a championship. This is about where Kentucky is NOW - and thankfully, Calipari left without UK having to pay him off.

The Cats just need to come out and jump on the Hogs from the tip off and not let up. Kentucky needs a solid win over Arkansas and this will speak volumes about where the program is headed. Prove it on the court....

ABSOLUTELY !!! Need to win BIG. Need to prove a point that our program has finally been turned around by a coach who understands BBN. Rock Rupp with a huge victory and an electric enthusiastic crowd.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

I’ve changed my mind over the last couple of hours. Watching Rick, watching Cals pre game presser, watching Pope presser - I’ve decided that a nice ovation for Cal is the best thing we can do here. I’ve been trying to be more empathetic to others recently, and I believe this is the right thing to do. Hope the rest of Rupp feels the same on game day.

 

[TheBlueMist]

Just be silent. I won't cheer for a coach who lazily, egotistically, and greedily dialed it in at my university for five years, but given his early success, I won't boo him.

Maybe one day, as time passes, we'll have Cal back to honor him (as Pope suggested), but Saturday is not that day. Go Cats!

 

[kywildcat1021979]

I’ve changed my mind over the last couple of hours. Watching Rick, watching Cals pre game presser, watching Pope presser - I’ve decided that a nice ovation for Cal is the best thing we can do here. I’ve been trying to be more empathetic to others recently, and I believe this is the right thing to do. Hope the rest of Rupp feels the same on game day.

I just can’t get over the last 4 years that easy. Not saying I would boo him but definitely not going to cheer for him( for a very long time if I’m even still alive when I decide to ever). I love Pitino for what he did for UK when he was with UK in the 90’s . He came in brought us from ashes and rose us back to the top of the mountain and when he left UK that’s where we were flying. Cal did the total opposite and it’s going to take more than 3/4 of a season for me to forgive him for what he did to the University of Kentucky!

 

[RoyKent]

“I’m not best friends with John Calipari”

 

[jeffky]

I like Rick alot but we don't need to be told how to treat cal ..the last 6 years he hated the fanbase, talked down to us got fat and lazy with that big lucrative asinine lifetime contract . Left our storied program a embarrassment among the other blue blood teams . For each his on, but for me I would ignore him. I am to old to boo someone anymore. no respect for this snake oil salesman none

 

[billoliver40]

Keeping angry at Cal isn't beneficial. I tend to think we should focus on our own. I really don't keep up with former Cats or coaches in the pros or at other schools. Not to say the Pitino/Jurich meltdown at Louisville wasn't in ways very satisfying...but we got a program to support and cheer here. A big portion if us wanted Cal gone. Not many of us threw a fit when he took Memphis signees and brought em here.

Thanks for the memories (the good ones) coach Cal .life rolls on. Hope Lentucky wins by a bunch.

 

[AFKY_Blue_RedsBengals]

I am fine with Pitino's words here. Fans are free to do what they want as they should. They are going to no matter what anyone tells them to do. However, it was big on Pitino's part as he is the only one who has been in Cal's shoes to know what he will face coming into Rupp as a rival coach after being at UK.

 

[Bleedin Blue in Ohio]

I always liked Pitino more than I liked Cal when they were at UK. Pitino is my all-time favorite coach. Liked his style of play, liked his teams, and liked some of the greatest games in my memories are when he was coach. Cal brought that much of those feelings back 2010 thru 2015 but just could not sustain. When Pitino coached at UL I did not hate him, I never Booed him, but I wanted UK to beat him every time they played. I think I will be much the same with Cal. I would not boo him, I do not dislike him, but I sure do not want to see him beat UK.