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Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 11-23-2021, 01:53 PM:
 
I guess I'll start by saying that I'm ready for a coaching change in the UK basketball program. I've lost just about all excitement for UK basketball, and I'm a guy people knew better to call my house when a game was on. Years ago a friend had a shirt made for me that says "Can't talk - game is on." Most of my life revolved around UK basketball. Now there are quite a few things that have started weighing on me over the last few years.

I don't know - maybe this is just me getting old and grumpy. I just don't have much enthusiasm for UK basketball and sometimes I don't even care if I see the game or not. I miss the old days.
 
Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-23-2021, 03:25 PM:
 
I have to admit my enthusiasm for UK basketball is somewhat down. They are my #1 team and believe they always will be. I attribute my waning interest to one and done. I believe it affects us more than most teams because of Cal’s insistence of recruiting the best of the best, a philosophy that I may not like but agree with.
I’m not ready for a change of coaches. I am ready for a change in the “one and done era”. About the time I know which name and number that goes with the face, they’re gone. This year is somewhat better.

I know what you mean about getting old and grumpy. My enthusiasm for other things in life have waned as well. I’m 75 now and am only interested in sex 3 about times daily. A great disappointment to my wife,

[ 11-23-2021, 03:42 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 11-23-2021, 06:24 PM:
 
In the old days it wasn't a chore to listen to the games on radio because that was what we expected, except for those few games that were on TV. Yesterday I added a Disney+ special pkg that included ESPN+ to my Dish program for $10. I had their service on the phone helping me get things set up and we got one of the 3 services set up (Disney) so I could view it. As of right now ESPN hasn't sent me the phone message so I can set up ESPN+ to view the streaming BB games. So I am p----- about that. One of the other 2 games is on Monday and the other is at the end of December. If they don't get on the ball and get me on for Monday's game I will have missed 2 of the 3 games that are streamed. If I miss two I am thinking about calling and cancelling that pkg. My son has it and he kept calling the score of the game down to me from his room and I actually couldn't have cared less what the score was. I was watching the Voice on TV live instead of watching it recorded after the ball game. Guess I am getting old too.

[ 11-23-2021, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
 
Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 11-24-2021, 09:13 AM:
 
Maybe it's my age but I feel no connection toward the cats that I had growing up. I feel the players are only for themselves, have no idea what it means to represent the state of KY. As far as Coach, he has said many many times "it's all about the players".

They are still my team but I am just not as enthusiastic about watching them anymore. I don't believe we will ever win another NC with the style of basketball and the abrupt departures of the coach and players.

I still watch and cheer but don't make an effort to stream any game.

I still prefer to listen to leach/pratt most of the time.
p.s. I have been following UK since Claude Sullivan was the announcer to date myself..

[ 11-24-2021, 09:16 AM: Message edited by: ukcatfannfl ]
 
Posted by Bluebird (Member # 954) on 11-24-2021, 09:35 AM:
 
quote:
Originally posted by PaulCat:
I guess I'll start by saying that I'm ready for a coaching change in the UK basketball program. I've lost just about all excitement for UK basketball, and I'm a guy people knew better to call my house when a game was on. Years ago a friend had a shirt made for me that says "Can't talk - game is on." Most of my life revolved around UK basketball. Now there are quite a few things that have started weighing on me over the last few years.

I don't know - maybe this is just me getting old and grumpy. I just don't have much enthusiasm for UK basketball and sometimes I don't even care if I see the game or not. I miss the old days.
All valid points and I tend to agree with you. I think a lot of fans are disgruntled, just look at all the empty seats at Rupp.
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 11-24-2021, 12:30 PM:
 
I tend to agree with most comments here. My thoughts about the 1 and done are maybe a little different. When it started with his first team of 3 top stars that he recruited and 3 top stars that Tubby had already recruited to UK he had one fantastic lineup, that should have won it all. From that year until now his ability to recruit the best has failed him to a degree. With Duke and K fighting for the same kids Cal hasn't won many of those battles. He may have recruited more kids to a roster than K but K has been able to get the better ones in most cases. If he wants to continue under this plan he better be getting the better recruits than anyone else or he is going to be heading down the same path as the last 5 or 6 years. No more championships. Never catch UCLA.
 
Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-24-2021, 02:05 PM:
 
Cal can wear on my nerves, for several reasons:

1. He can't speak English worth damn. Doesn't finish most of his sentences, instead spewing a slurry of clauses and phrases. Honestly, I expect better of a coach than this.

2. He keeps fans at arm's length, with cute phrases like "you people are crazy"; he doesn't have much respect for us, nor for the sports media. In short, he doesn't give a whit what we think. It is clear that he takes our support 100% as a given.

3. Not a fan of his politics. I'll leave that without elaboration.

4. He has taken the premier college basketball program and turned into a prep school for the NBA. Yes, we all want NBA-caliber players on the team, but the time spent here should be meaningful for the player and for the fans. One-and-done was fallout from the NBA players association, but Cal has embraced it and used it to squeeze the tradition and respect of the program completely out of it.

But Cal has some good points:

1. He does deliver wins, if not championships
2. He is a constant source of PR, appearing on every sports show on ESPN and elswehere.

So, you decide which is best. I think looking for a new coach is a difficult exercise (see the "Billy Clyde" chapter of UK history), and IMO very few coaches are capable of success at UK. So, just firing Cal isn't anywhere near a good idea. But I think a succession plan needs to be in place, with Cal's understanding and blessing. Hiring a superstar assistant coach who can be groomed to take over has worked at other schools, like Duke. It can work here too.
 
Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 11-24-2021, 02:19 PM:
 
I do love the Cats. I purchased ESPN plus just to watch them play last Friday, and Sirius satellite radio to here them when I'm traveling.
 
Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-24-2021, 06:22 PM:
 
I don't like it either but we still have to hang on to the program and believe things will turn around. We just need patience although it's hard to do when we are used to winning. We need talent but don't seem to be getting it like we used to. *Until" we start recruiting things won't change.

[ 03-01-2022, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]
 
Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-24-2021, 06:41 PM:
 
According to my wife's basketball wisdom, most of our problems last year were lack of fans and lack of experience. She is happy with the transfers this year.
 
Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 11-24-2021, 06:59 PM:
 
If your ultimate goal is NC's then this Cal era has been a major disappointment IMV. With the talent he has recruited, always top one or two class, and with the overall results, then something is wrong.

Once other teams started using the "one and done" recruiting method he has been outcoached and hasn't won much of anything since 2016.

In fact, he has been having trb getting the ones he wants as they go elsewhere - hence the transfers!!

A real bummer considering how much Coach had us believing when he was hired.

Hell, Hall and Tubby won one with far less talent!

O yea, but we have 29 or so NBA players - who really cares that much?
 
Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 11-25-2021, 12:43 AM:
 
I think in 98' Tubby had a loaded team. Coach Pitino left the pantry stocked. I believe the 96' team was the most talented UK team ever, and would beat any team coach cal has ever put on the floor including the 2015 squad, even though that's the best team cal has had. IMO.
 
Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 11-25-2021, 06:43 PM:
 
Maybe loaded in 98 but in terms of overall "talent" Coach Cal as done less with more than any other coach in the history of UK basketball (imv)
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 11-25-2021, 10:20 PM:
 
Several times he has had the right players but the team has blown it. I don't think he is responsible when the players blow the games. But I also think we should have at least 11 NCAA championships right now.
 
Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 11-26-2021, 06:47 AM:
 
Bama you may be right but imv that is where "coaching" comes in - a coach making 8 mill or so makes the right decisions to not allow this to happen.

An example is the UK/WV game back in 2008? where we just kept jacking up 3's and couldn't make one - fell right in what WV wanted us to do and Coach Cal made zero adjustments!
 
Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 11-26-2021, 10:33 AM:
 
I bleed Blue regardless, but I think we’ve been spoiled over the years. It is extremely difficult to win a NC. Coach K (🤮) has coached 41 years and has only 5 NC’s. Consider the favorable officiating they have gotten over the years and you’d think they’d have passed UCLA in NC’s.

Cal is not my favorite in-game coach, but if he had players make FT’s in the tournament he’d probably have 2 more NC’s on his resume.

As far as not getting to know the players, that is a result of the system. Players are looking for $$$, not endearing themselves to fans. They come to UK to get to the NBA, not stay in school for 4 years.

I do know that Cal has made some adjustments (we’re pressing more this year than any year since he’s been here) and I hope he continues to pay attention to changes that can be made to make us a better team. I look forward to a successful year and I’ll be pulling for the Cats to win it all…but not really expecting it. 🤞🏻
 
Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-26-2021, 07:01 PM:
 
ATT-TV channel 611 {SEC Channel} should get the game, but if you don't have that carrier I can't help.
 
Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 11-26-2021, 08:38 PM:
 
Bama, we definitely should have more than 1 championship in Cal's era. There is no way in hell that we should only have the one, and honestly he almost blew that one because he would go to that stupid circle play with 6 minutes left and we would just hold on. I think we won in 2012 in spite of Cal. Definitely should have won in 2015, again Cal goes to the circle play with 6+ minutes left. We lose all momentum against Wisconsin, have maybe 3-4 shot clock violations and lose the perfect season. And before that game Cal made a big point of saying he doesn't watch film. I remember Wisconsin saying they had watched film of UK about 8 times before that game, and it showed. They knew exactly what we were going to do, and were way more prepared. In Cal's time UNC has 2, Duke has 2, UCONN 2, and Villanova 2. Non of the schools have had more talent than UK in that time frame. He has said before that he just counts on his 5 being better than your 5, and I think that's 100% true. He is only going to win if he has superior talent. If it comes down to in game coaching and adjustments we are screwed more times than not. His offense is stagnate and outdated. This team should be making 8 threes or more a game. I still love UK basketball, but it is nowhere near how much I used to. Most of that is the one and done.
 
Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 11-26-2021, 09:51 PM:
 
Bama, I agree we should have won at least two more championships, but it's not the players fault. In the games we should have won, Cal let the air out of the ball instead of doing what got them the lead.
 
Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 11-26-2021, 10:19 PM:
 
Cal let the air out of the ball for sure vs Wisconsin. Should have thrown it inside to KAT instead of running 25 seconds off the shot clock only to have Andrew throw up a prayer or make a bad pass. He’s choked some away for sure, but he owns Louisville. I’ll give him a little slack. Go Cats!
 
Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-30-2021, 09:43 PM:
 
Is there any data regarding offensive rebounds on three point shooting verses two point shooting? I
think that frontline defensive players may be close enough to the basket that a missed three point shot might be over their heads.
 
Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 03-17-2022, 10:11 PM:
 
So Cal has now given us:

* NIT season
* Losing season
* 2-seed loss to a 15-seed mid-major

Folks, how many coaches would honestly survive this at a blue blood school?
 
Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 03-17-2022, 10:14 PM:
 
Not many. But if we were to ever let Cal go the national media would crucify us and say how stupid we are, how unreasonable of a fan base we are. I wold take the Villanova program of us any day of the week. Always seems to be a top 4 seed in the tournament, seems to have players that stick around, the coaches develop players and teams, and oh yeah has won 2 championships in the last 10 years.
 
Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 03-18-2022, 06:09 AM:
 
MY question is this:

If you are replacing Cal, give me three candidates to replace him.

Seriously, right now in the coaching world, I'm not sure who I would put in the on deck circle!
 
Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 03-18-2022, 07:12 AM:
 
Cal has more NCAA tournament wins than any active coach now that K has retired. Probably should not base your recommendations on that stat.

https://www.boydsbets.com/ncaa-tournament-best-coaches/
 
Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 03-18-2022, 07:37 AM:
 
Chris Beard, Scott Drew, Jay Wright, Mark Pope, Kenny Payne. I'm sure there are other good coaches that would do great at UK.

Just my thoughts on good coaches who I feel would be very successful at UK should Cal decide to go to the NBA or something else. Maybe he could retire from coaching and become an agent or analyst. I know he would love the TV time.
 
Posted by ALA_KAT2 (Member # 1559) on 03-18-2022, 04:58 PM:
 
M Hamilton, there’s a dozen or so coaches who could replace Cal and improve our pre-game and in-game strategy. Cal is a deadbeat as far as in-game coaching, and he’s admitted to not even watching game film of our opponents. UKMAN listed several names, but it’s a moot point, because I seriously doubt that Calipari is going anywhere while he continues to collect another $45M or more for the next 5 years.
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 03-18-2022, 07:38 PM:
 
Looks like the crowd wanting retirement is starting to grow but it will probably take several more disappointing seasons for that crowd to outnumber those who want him for life.... like Mr. Barnhart. I thought for sure I would see us catch UCLA in National Championships when Cal came here but it looks like I was dead wrong. Dead .... meaning I'll probably be dead before I see another National Championship at UK.
 


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