How will everyone remember Cal’s tenure?

[Fox2monk]

I think of it in 2 ways.

1.) I was so glad he came and resurrected the program and brought great players. Thankful for the first 8-9 years where we always had a chance and the best rosters in a long time. The first 5 years were some of the most fun years I’ve ever had as a UK fan. Having a strong NBA presence was nice to have finally after it was UNC for so long.

2.) I didn’t like who he became, he overstayed his welcome when he was declining. I blame Mitch for this as the contract he signed made him bigger than the program. No accountability led to no results. Wish he left after 2019 so we all had really fond memories of his time, even though we had some hard losses. Recruiting and NBA aspirations became more important than any winning as a program, Sharpe was a breaking point for me.

 

[yes_takeaside]

Way too long

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

I am grateful for what he did here but it's time to move on.

 

[BigTyrone]

He will eventually be well thought of, like Tubby who tanked his final few years and Sutton who really screwed the program up.

It will take a few years though. 😂

 

[TOMCATS1990]

Homerun early strikeout late

 

[syrus12]

2 eras

2009-2015 : Vintage Kentucky basketball
2016-2024: Underwhelming at times to downright catastrophic.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

You guys need to stop living in the past.

 

[Mash 2.4]

Possibly the greatest collection of talent in the history of college basketball. Monumentally wasted.

 

[syrus12]

Possibly the greatest collection of talent in the history of college basketball. Monumentally wasted.

He put Dean Smith to shame.

 

[Smashcat]

Too early to comment. I’m sure there will some ‘interesting’ behind the scenes stories coming out about the last few years.

 

[BlueSince92]

I was ecstatic for his first exactly five years.

After that I started to see through his schtick and I am forever grateful that that dude is packing his bags.

 

[PhattyJ4UK]

Should be thought of as great and as long as he doesn’t make an enemy he left when it was time to leave. Also should be thought of as coming up a little short of overall title hopes but gd we got screwed in some of them too.

 

[shockme76]

He will be remembered for over staying his welcome just like Tubby. Coaches think that they can win a national championship and stay as long as they want no matter the result. Not here! We won't support mediocrity.

 

[bbncal02]

“You either [leave] a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”

Cal did the latter.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

It will be missed opportunities and how he did less with more. Will never get the NBA/one and done stigma away from his legacy. It is going to be a long time before I can ever view him like Tubby is to most fans now. We will have to win the next National Championship first for me to put it in the past. No doubt those first 6 years from 09-15 were fun outside of 2013 but Cal ran his course here. It was time to move on! Glad he did so before finishing out that contract than sticking it to us four more years. Not soon enough for my liking though hitting all-time low points and negative records in school history.

 

[fisherscatfan]

Cal is a POS who did all he could to burn UK basketball to the ground when he left.

 

[CincyUKFan]

Used car salesman from beginning to end whom most UK fans did not like before he arrived at UK. A generational talent won him his only title and his inept coaching prevented him from winning titles with loaded rosters at UK and Memphis.

I enjoyed many of the players he recruited and still follow some of them now.

 

[Fox2monk]

Too early to comment. I’m sure there will some ‘interesting’ behind the scenes stories coming out about the last few years.

I bet so as well.

 

[Blue_2_the_bone]

Fun ride until the wheels fell off!

 

[HeismaNole]

He bounces for a pro job in 2015 or 2017, idolized forever. Now? He will be remembered pretty badly for a long time especially now that he's going to another SEC team.

It will only be looked at fondly once he's done coaching. It was a bad breakup.

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Down the road,IF the program rebuilds fairly quickly,I think his accomplishments at UK will be the prevailing judgement. If we continue to slide with the next hire I think his negatives will be what's mainly remembered

 

[GoCats53]

I think of it in 2 ways.

1.) I was so glad he came and resurrected the program and brought great players. Thankful for the first 8-9 years where we always had a chance and the best rosters in a long time. The first 5 years were some of the most fun years I’ve ever had as a UK fan. Having a strong NBA presence was nice to have finally after it was UNC for so long.

2.) I didn’t like who he became, he overstayed his welcome when he was declining. I blame Mitch for this as the contract he signed made him bigger than the program. No accountability led to no results. Wish he left after 2019 so we all had really fond memories of his time, even though we had some hard losses. Recruiting and NBA aspirations became more important than any winning as a program, Sharpe was a breaking point for me.

He did a good job at first but due to poor coaching could not win the big games. But in the end he stayed too long.

 

[crxohio]

He came here to build us into a championship winning program again. He was able to accomplish that. But never recovered fully from a fatal bullshit ref'd game in his last final four. And became a excuse giving, lazy, stubborn, less of himself incompetent coach. But here's too the fun ride it once was! But it is time!

 

[HeismaNole]

Looking forward to seeing Erin arguing with dumb twitter fans. That should be comedy.

 

[ukypug]

Already forgotten the last 5 years! LFG!

 

[entropy13]

2 eras

2009-2015 : Vintage Kentucky basketball
2016-2024: Underwhelming at times to downright catastrophic.

This is the correct answer. You could also break the 2nd era down into two more, 2016 to 2019-2020, and then 2020-21 onward.

 

[bbncal02]

Not gonna lie. It’s a bittersweet day.

I still miss the Cal that came here and hasn’t been seen since March of 2017. That Cal was fun. Liked being here. And liked UK I think. Since the. Though, it’s been a declining marriage.

 

[crxohio]

I think of it in 2 ways.

1.) I was so glad he came and resurrected the program and brought great players. Thankful for the first 8-9 years where we always had a chance and the best rosters in a long time. The first 5 years were some of the most fun years I’ve ever had as a UK fan. Having a strong NBA presence was nice to have finally after it was UNC for so long.

2.) I didn’t like who he became, he overstayed his welcome when he was declining. I blame Mitch for this as the contract he signed made him bigger than the program. No accountability led to no results. Wish he left after 2019 so we all had really fond memories of his time, even though we had some hard losses. Recruiting and NBA aspirations became more important than any winning as a program, Sharpe was a breaking point for me.

Sharpe was the icing on the cake. Absolutely a inexcusable situation.

 

[crxohio]

Possibly the greatest collection of talent in the history of college basketball. Monumentally wasted.

Wasted is an understatement. Just another inexcusable situation. Atrociously disappointing. Him leaving on his own, was the only way it saves his grace. He went from one the greatest icon's in college sports to a complete disgrace.

 

[Fox2monk]

Not gonna lie. It’s a bittersweet day.

I still miss the Cal that came here and hasn’t been seen since March of 2017. That Cal was fun. Liked being here. And liked UK I think. Since the. Though, it’s been a declining marriage.

We all do, I genuinely thought he would end up in the Rupp tier of coaches after 2015. Just a sad situation. I always wonder what would have happened if we didn’t get screwed by UConn and UNC in the tourney.