Coach Cal:We may never platoon again, but players will always come first

[Rhavicc]

I don't think this is true. Coach K has no problem getting elite players and he preaches Duke first, not players first.

You're a North Carolina fan blowing Duke and Coach K? No wonder you hang out here.
If you believe for a second that Coach K is like the old Coach K, you're fooling yourself. He used to rip kids for thinking about leaving and "ruining his program" or something to that effect. Now he just let Okafor, Winslow, and Jones walk out the door without as much as a peep on his part.

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

You're a North Carolina fan blowing Duke and Coach K? No wonder you hang out here.
If you believe for a second that Coach K is like the old Coach K, you're fooling yourself. He used to rip kids for thinking about leaving and "ruining his program" or something to that effect. Now he just let Okafor, Winslow, and Jones walk out the door without as much as a peep on his part.

Yep. Like I said, K is clearly program first, even you don't argue that, and he's getting top players. He just got a top pg to reclassify because he needed one. He has 5-stars transfer, become screen setters, enforcers, and has even kicked one out of the program. He's clearly not a "players first" coach, and doesn't pretend to be. Yet he still gets his pick of the litter.

 

[kybassfan]

Bobbi, Is this the same Puke team that went to the final four last three years? That talent laden, NBA stocking, rat faced coached, players cry first, not later basketball team you are talking about.

Oh, wait, I'm sorry, sometimes I get all the puke confused. It only this year they actually got past the second round after receiving that 5 layer cake walk to the finals.

I was always curious. Do they have a student exchange program with UNC?

 

[Rhavicc]

Yep. Like I said, K is clearly program first, even you don't argue that, and he's getting top players. He just got a top pg to reclassify because he needed one. He has 5-stars transfer, become screen setters, enforcers, and has even kicked one out of the program. He's clearly not a "players first" coach, and doesn't pretend to be. Yet he still gets his pick of the litter.

No, you're misinterpreting what I'm saying. There's that North Carolina degree kicking in. He's a basketball coach, and has to fulfill his obligations to his university as a coach now, and the only way to do that is to get the appropriate roster. Cal is a players first coach, and there are a ton of kids that never even come close to getting a Kentucky offer. There are even 5 star kids that don't get as much as a phone call. That's Calipari being a coach.
But both of them are doing what they can to improve players to give them the best opportunity to get drafted and last in the NBA, even after 1 year of college. Coach K isn't selling his program, he's selling opportunity for the kids. That's being a players first coach.
He knew he had to change his style to recruit players like that, and he did.

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

No, you're misinterpreting what I'm saying. There's that North Carolina degree kicking in. He's a basketball coach, and has to fulfill his obligations to his university as a coach now, and the only way to do that is to get the appropriate roster. Cal is a players first coach, and there are a ton of kids that never even come close to getting a Kentucky offer. There are even 5 star kids that don't get as much as a phone call. That's Calipari being a coach.
But both of them are doing what they can to improve players to give them the best opportunity to get drafted and last in the NBA, even after 1 year of college. Coach K isn't selling his program, he's selling opportunity for the kids. That's being a players first coach.
He knew he had to change his style to recruit players like that, and he did.

I must be misinterpreting what you're saying, because from here you're not really saying anything. I said, contrary to what is being pushed around here, you don't have to promote yourself as a players-coach, OR even have to be one, to get he job done...look no further than Duke and coach K. His players know from day one who's in charge and what's the greater goal, and it ain't getting to the league, it's getting him/Duke a championship. I'm not praising K for doing this, nor do I think he's more noble than Cal. I'm only saying that everyone knows K plays for wins, regardless what it means for those unfortunate enough to sit the bench with their MickyD rating. Yet, even after all of this, he's still getting top players to his school.

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

Bobbi, Is this the same Puke team that went to the final four last three years? That talent laden, NBA stocking, rat faced coached, players cry first, not later basketball team you are talking about.

Oh, wait, I'm sorry, sometimes I get all the puke confused. It only this year they actually got past the second round after receiving that 5 layer cake walk to the finals.

I was always curious. Do they have a student exchange program with UNC?

Oh, sorry, I'm talking about the champs.

 

[kybassfan]

Oh, sorry, I'm talking about the champs.

So you have one point on the graph and we're supposed conclude something from that? Average this year and two years ago and I see a half arse ball club. Wait, sorry Bobbi, forgot where you are from. I'll try to avoid higher math from now on.

Just another point, if Puke is getting so much talent that rat face can't figure out how to use them, that doesn't speak well for him. Add that to his inability to maintain control to the point he's has to kick kids off the team, those first and second round flame outs make more sense.

Let's give you a basic assignment in arithmetic. Compare the number of KY 1st rounders and tournament wins to Pukes over the last six years. Yes, you can use fingers and toes. Bigger numbers are better.

No, this this does not count toward your degree.

 

[BobbyG_tickle_swerv]

So you have one point on the graph and we're supposed conclude something from that? Average this year and two years ago and I see a half arse ball club. Wait, sorry Bobbi, forgot where you are from. I'll try to avoid higher math from now on.

Just another point, if Puke is getting so much talent that rat face can't figure out how to use them, that doesn't speak well for him. Add that to his inability to maintain control to the point he's has to kick kids off the team, those first and second round flame outs make more sense.

Let's give you a basic assignment in arithmetic. Compare the number of KY 1st rounders and tournament wins to Pukes over the last six years. Yes, you can use fingers and toes. Bigger numbers are better.

No, this this does not count toward your degree.

You're only verifying the accuracy of my statement. As bad as K is, according to you, he still is getting top-tier players. He flames out with Rivers, picks more top-tier players, he flames out with Parker, picks more top-tier players, he wins the championship with freshmen, picks more top-tier players...he kicks a stud off of his team, gets more top-tier players, ruins several 5-star college careers, gets more top-tier players, turns an all-american in nothing but a screen setter, gets more top-tier players, more flameouts, guess what...he STILL GETS MORE TOP-TIER PLAYERS.

Just so we're clear, I'm not saying Duke is the better program or Cal is the better coach, I'm saying K gets whoever he wants and has never once been labeled a players-first coach. This is not about K vs. everything else, this is about you coming up with top-tier players who've turned him down when he's really wanted them, and how he's able to get top-tier talent if, as was said by another poster, you must be a players-first coach.

 

[dave5164]

This is what hurt Kentucky's recruiting this spring was the platoon last year. Even though Coach Cal told all players even before this that there would be NO Platoon next year the negative recruiting from other Coaches was all about the platoon system. We already had 5 or 6 Five-Star player and 2 Four-Star players and the Head Coaches from other schools were saying to these boys in the spring if 3 or 4 of you go to Kentucky then you will be back to 8 or 9 Five-Star Players and Two or three four-star players and that it would be right back like last year with all this talent here at Kentucky and Cal would be back to the Platoon and only playing 18-20 minutes and avg. 8-10 ppg. This is exactly what the other Head Coaches were saying about Coach Cal and Kentucky for next year in recruiting and it was all negative. Even without the Platoon since Coach Cal arrived at UK six years ago there has always been negative recruiting but it has never stopped Coach Cal getting the #1 or #2 Recruiting class in the nation.

 

[Federal Cat]

We had a loaded bench, kinda made sense to platoon, don't think it hurt recruiting, maybe blue squad, white squad would have been better, I'll take 38 and 1, maybe they will win it all next year and then what will the talking heads have to say, they don't like his tie, Coach Cal I mean.

 

[kybassfan]

You're only verifying the accuracy of my statement. As bad as K is, according to you, he still is getting top-tier players. He flames out with Rivers, picks more top-tier players, he flames out with Parker, picks more top-tier players, he wins the championship with freshmen, picks more top-tier players...he kicks a stud off of his team, gets more top-tier players, ruins several 5-star college careers, gets more top-tier players, turns an all-american in nothing but a screen setter, gets more top-tier players, more flameouts, guess what...he STILL GETS MORE TOP-TIER PLAYERS.

Just so we're clear, I'm not saying Duke is the better program or Cal is the better coach, I'm saying K gets whoever he wants and has never once been labeled a players-first coach. This is not about K vs. everything else, this is about you coming up with top-tier players who've turned him down when he's really wanted them, and how he's able to get top-tier talent if, as was said by another poster, you must be a players-first coach.

Skal.

I see you were unable to complete your assignment. Hence your lack of understanding. When that happens in Ky, you fail. Sorry.

 

[wildcatdonf]

Unless we have 10 players that are so good that, they have to have significant playing time, then we'll do it again. I don't know what else he could have done with all of the fine players that were on last years team.

 

[kybassfan]

Unless we have 10 players that are so good that, they have to have significant playing time, then we'll do it again. I don't know what else he could have done with all of the fine players that were on last years team.

And those are the words of a sane man.

Short and to the point. Well said.

 

[bthaunert]

Wow, what a thread. The biggest thing for me is times have changed. I agree, that at times, it does get old hearing "player's first" all the time, but I also know Cal is saying as part of recruiting to get the best players possible. I loved it when guys stayed 3 and 4 years back in the day, but that is what all the top players did. A Jamal Mashburn type player is not staying 3 years in today's game. Times has changed, and if you want top talent, it's going to be different now. You're going to get guys who, regardless if they are ready or not, are going to leave after 1 and 2 years. For me personally, a few of the guys leaving this year (Harrison's, Johnson) was disappointing due to where I believe they will get drafted, but it's their choice, and i hope they are successful.