ADVERTISEMENT

I wonder if Cal will trumpet our success in the draft again.

BigBlueFanGA

All-American
Jun 14, 2005
21,368
21,160
113
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
 
Had we won it all you'd never see this thread.

Dean Smith won 2 titles in 11 FF tries. I suspect thats what we will get here with Cal, 2 titles in 12-14 years of coaching, which i would take in a hearbeat. They are afterall very hard to win. He wants to win more than you do, so let him run the program and do things as he sees fit is my opinion.
 
4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
 
And we'll be right back in contention for a title next year. That's really the only reasonable expectation, to be in contention. This championship or bust mentality is embarrassing.
 
100% disagree!!! When I first heard Calipari make the statement he did about Wall, Cousins, Orton, Bledsoe and others going in the draft after his first season was "one of the greatest accomplishments at Kentucky's program"......at first I was kind of put off, but Calipari has proven himself to be dead on 100% right as it opened the doors for unbelievable recruiting. He has recruited at a level that will probably never be duplicated again by the time he retires. Calipari is the King of Recruiting and his methods are ground breaking!!! The results speak for itself.

He brings in the amount of talent each season that takes most programs (not named Duke) at least 2 or 3 seasons to accumulate. There is no "smoke and mirrors" game going on here. The man is "telling it like it is" which is the perfect way to sift through all the top notch talent and get the best fits for our program and Calipari's style. Before Calipari, it was pretty much all about the program and that is why you saw most of the talent going to Duke, North Carolina and Kansas (especially during the Tubby and Gillespie era). Calipari has finally put our program at the top of the list for most 5 star prospects and it is his vision of putting the "players first" that makes it happen.
 
So long as we keep making the FF I'm ok. Historically, most programs hit a title on 1 of every 4-5 tries, aside from UCLA. So we are on par with that. Most programs don't get there in 4 of 5 seasons so close together though. Its painful to come home empty but I am sure that so long as Cal is here for another 6 years we will have 1 or 2 more. I'll take that.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
I agree, why do we need to tell these future recruits about our ability to help them achieve their dreams? It's downright pathetic and annoying....
 
I happen to disagree with you for 2 different reasons. One, you have enjoyed going to 4 final fours in 5 years, in part because Cal sends a lot of players to the league every year, thus the most of the top players want to play for him. So you can look at it like this, the draft day is very important because it gives a recruiting advantage to Cal that is hard to overcome most of the time.

The second reason is because that is being very selfish, and a win at all cost type mentality that we as UK fans have been labeled with by a lot of people. When you say you could care less, then that says that you really don't care about the players at all, only about winning, and more specifically winning titles. Isn't that the same label most give these one and done players? They don't care about the school, only about getting to the NBA?

Our historical average is 1 title every 8 or so years, which means if every season is title or bust, then there is going to be a lot of disappointing seasons. And by the way, realize that as great as UK has been in it's history, only one coach has won multiple titles at UK, and that was Rupp.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
rolleyes.r191677.gif
How do you people still NOT GET IT?
 
Sadly its just how the game is played . I don't like it either . But its the world we live in . Hopefully the NCAA and NBA will make adjustments to better protect young players .
 
The best two teams in his time here has been when we have returned key contributors so no issue with fans being a little disappointed when there is a mass exodus, especially when you have players leaving that could go undrafted and would not be leaving if they played for 300+ other programs.

Bottomline, his pitch is most receptive to guys that are hellbent on going as soon as they are draftable. Most of the time that is going to work out very well for us.

With other top programs going harder after those players and other teams selling hard against UK related to minutes, it will interesting to watch how Cal adjusts, if at all.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
You probably wanted your dog to stay a puppy his whole life too....right?

I don't even know where to begin....your post is so nonsensical.

Since UK had a BB team...kids come and go. Whether it be the NBA or just graduation, there has always been the cycle of reloading. In this day and age, the best recruits will end up in the NBA...that's a fact. The best will want to go to a program that gives them the best exposure...that's also a fact. The best want to play for a coach that can polish their game and highlight their talent...another fact.

Thus...
Cal (and UK) are not going to stop the best kids from going to the NBA
Cal (and UK) get the best because of the past success in preparing them for the NBA
Cal (and UK) benefit from having the best

But....you think this is all about Cal?

Your logic is bizarre...It's like turning down Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to manage your 100 year old $250k a year family business because all the media attention will be on him.

If tooting the NBA draft horn in any way lands UK the best....I don't understand why it bothers you.
 
When ur recruiting guys whose main focus is not what they can do for the school but what the school, in this case UK, can do for them, then you have to show them.
Can u get me to the league? Nice campus...don't really care. Great fans...that's cool but not required. Education opportunities...yea right lol.

Can u get me to the league...and how quickly can u do it.

So, yes, he will trumpet those who get drafted as he has in the past.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
Calipari has put UK in a position to do that "almost" every season he's been at Kentucky...think about that. Pitino lead UK to 3 Final Fours, Smith 1, Gillispie 0. Calipari has done it 4 times in 6 seasons putting UK in a better position to win it all than the other three.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
Yeah lets go back to recruiting guys who don't get drafted and we still don't win titles or even make final fours. I miss Tubby, Shagari, Sheray, Saul and those guys.

sign0091.r191677.gif
 
Originally posted by wcc31:

Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
rolleyes.r191677.gif
How do you people still NOT GET IT?
Still not get what????
 
Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
 
I sure hope he does. It is part of the reason he has 5-star kids waiting to come here.
 
Originally posted by barryn2000:
You probably wanted your dog to stay a puppy his whole life too....right?

I don't even know where to begin....your post is so nonsensical.
Since UK had a BB team...kids come and go. Whether it be the NBA or just graduation, there has always been the cycle of reloading. In this day and age, the best recruits will end up in the NBA...that's a fact. The best will want to go to a program that gives them the best exposure...that's also a fact. The best want to play for a coach that can polish their game and highlight their talent...another fact.
Thus...
Cal (and UK) are not going to stop the best kids from going to the NBA
Cal (and UK) get the best because of the past success in preparing them for the NBA
Cal (and UK) benefit from having the best
But....you think this is all about Cal?
Your logic is bizarre...It's like turning down Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to manage your 100 year old $250k a year family business because all the media attention will be on him.
If tooting the NBA draft horn in any way lands UK the best....I don't understand why it bothers you.
I'm afraid your lack of logic is odd. Tell me, how many banners are hanging in Rupp because of our draft success? That would be none. That is because the program comes before the players. They are a blip on the radar. Titles are all that really matters. Like it or not, you'll be hard pressed to refute it. If you applaud our draft success in an underachieving year, you may be part of the problem.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You're either very young, a troll, or an idiot. Do you know how frigging hard it is to win a NC. Or better stated, how easy it is to trip up in one of 6 games. Appreciate what we have, or go back to the Card board.
 
Originally posted by 3rex:
When ur recruiting guys whose main focus is not what they can do for the school but what the school, in this case UK, can do for them, then you have to show them.
Can u get me to the league? Nice campus...don't really care. Great fans...that's cool but not required. Education opportunities...yea right lol.

Can u get me to the league...and how quickly can u do it.

So, yes, he will trumpet those who get drafted as he has in the past.
The question is, is that what we really want?
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by barryn2000:
You probably wanted your dog to stay a puppy his whole life too....right?

I don't even know where to begin....your post is so nonsensical.
Since UK had a BB team...kids come and go. Whether it be the NBA or just graduation, there has always been the cycle of reloading. In this day and age, the best recruits will end up in the NBA...that's a fact. The best will want to go to a program that gives them the best exposure...that's also a fact. The best want to play for a coach that can polish their game and highlight their talent...another fact.
Thus...
Cal (and UK) are not going to stop the best kids from going to the NBA
Cal (and UK) get the best because of the past success in preparing them for the NBA
Cal (and UK) benefit from having the best
But....you think this is all about Cal?
Your logic is bizarre...It's like turning down Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to manage your 100 year old $250k a year family business because all the media attention will be on him.
If tooting the NBA draft horn in any way lands UK the best....I don't understand why it bothers you.
I'm afraid your lack of logic is odd. Tell me, how many banners are hanging in Rupp because of our draft success? That would be none. That is because the program comes before the players. They are a blip on the radar. Titles are all that really matters. Like it or not, you'll be hard pressed to refute it. If you applaud our draft success in an underachieving year, you may be part of the problem.

Unless you live under a rock, UK's recruiting message is "we will get you drafted"

Recruits = Players

Players = Wins

Wins = Banners

Banners since Cal arrived = 4 FFs and 1 Title


Your lack of thought process is the problem here. You are spoiled by our success, yet you don't even realize how we achieved this success.

Big time players do not come to schools for the school name anymore, get over it.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by 3rex:
When ur recruiting guys whose main focus is not what they can do for the school but what the school, in this case UK, can do for them, then you have to show them.
Can u get me to the league? Nice campus...don't really care. Great fans...that's cool but not required. Education opportunities...yea right lol.

Can u get me to the league...and how quickly can u do it.

So, yes, he will trumpet those who get drafted as he has in the past.
The question is, is that what we really want?
We? You don't have to be a part of this fanbase. You can go 70+ miles to the west and join the four year philosophy.

Honestly speaking, you're either young, dumb or a troll. I'm not going to pick, you know which one you are. Regardless, I hope he trumpets the hell out of it. We want the best of the best coming to our basketball team. Why wouldn't we?

Your argument is half a thought at best.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You are doomed to a BBN version of hell, a life of misery....

If you were born in the 60's....you've only been happy, satisfied, 4 times.....out of 60+

How depressing...
 
Originally posted by meeksfor3:


Originally posted by BigBlueFanG
Yeah lets go back to recruiting guys who don't get drafted and we still don't win titles or even make final fours. I miss Tubby, Shagari, Sheray, Saul and those guys.

sign0091.r191677.gif
Ah, there we have it. No middle ground. Either you recruit the one and dones or you recruit the bottom of the bucket. I was afraid there was a middle ground.
 
Is he gonna trump that our players are being drafted? NOOOOOOOOOOO he's gonna do everything he can to call attention away from it because recruits hate it when a school shows their players get drafted....
flush.r191677.gif
 
I want to be in contention for a title every year, it is incredibly difficult to win a title all you can ask is to have a chance. The way Cal is recruiting and sending the guys to the NBA is perfectly fine for me. We have had a shot at the title 5 of the 6 years he has been here, it would have been all 6 if Nerlens did not go down. Hard to argue with that kind of success.
 
Originally posted by acatnamedmyra:

Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You're either very young, a troll, or an idiot. Do you know how frigging hard it is to win a NC. Or better stated, how easy it is to trip up in one of 6 games. Appreciate what we have, or go back to the Card board.
Perhaps I'm an idiot, but I've been on this board far longer than most. I appreciate success. I don't want to hear what a great day the draft is when we had the most talented team in the country and didn't even make the final game. Perhaps you're more of a Cal fan than a UK fan.
 
Originally posted by barryn2000:
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You are doomed to a BBN version of hell, a life of misery....

If you were born in the 60's....you've only been happy, satisfied, 4 times.....out of 60+

How depressing...
No kidding. I guess some people love being miserable.
 
BrIanpoe, are you really interested in final four banners? We have more than we need. Will you be happy when Cal trumpets our success on draft day, considering we didn't make tha final game and we had the most talent, again?
 
Do I like players leaving early every year? No.
Do like rebuilding most seasons? No.
Last year we had 2 leave but more stayed. That was a nice change of pace.

But let's be real here. That 2009-10 which lost in the Elite 8 and then sent Wall, Bledsoe, Patterson, Cousins, and Orton to the NBA is one of the main reasons we're in the position we're in. It's that simple. If Cal spent the weeks after the season trying to talk players into staying instead of getting them NBA feeback for a wise decision, we'd still be scraping for recruits and hyping 3-star and 4-star guys as the next coming of Mashburn.

Instead, we've just had a 38-1 season and, though we're likely to send 6 or 7 more to the NBA this season, we're looking to reload with more top 5-star recruits. So, do I like losing these guys? No. But I like the alternative even less.

Hey, I have an idea. Let's bring Tubby back. That way, we can keep our guys longer and really get to know them as they lose 10+ games every year, and then when they leave we have to rebuild with more bad players. You remember, that was back when the only Final Four we'd ever sniff was in a discussion of the best programs who couldn't get past the first weekend of the Dance. Or better yet, I bet Gillispie would take the job again.

If we weren't winning, I think you'd find a sympathetic ear for your post. But since we just had a 38-1 season, I'm guessing most folks won't bite. Hey, it sucks we lost. I hate it. We're all still hurting. But this kind of post is just an example of how spoiled we have become. We had 2 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 4 freshmen on this team who were the primary players. It wasn't 8 freshmen and 2 sophomores and a huge number of one and dones. We should be happy with that. Now is not the time to complain. If it really is championship or bust with you, I can't help you. The best team doesn't always win.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by acatnamedmyra:

Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You're either very young, a troll, or an idiot. Do you know how frigging hard it is to win a NC. Or better stated, how easy it is to trip up in one of 6 games. Appreciate what we have, or go back to the Card board.
Perhaps I'm an idiot, but I've been on this board far longer than most. I appreciate success. I don't want to hear what a great day the draft is when we had the most talented team in the country and didn't even make the final game. Perhaps you're more of a Cal fan than a UK fan.
First off there are plenty of us that have been here longer than you.

If you only want kids to play for UK because they love UK, then all you will get is a bunch of white boys from the mountains. But then again, all you care about is National Championships. So now you will never be happy.

Cal's success has only happened 3 times in UK's history. Yet you are not happy with it. Cals success is based upon kids getting drafted, as was Duke's this year.

For some reason your head cannot comprehend how big boy college bball works nowadays.

You are being totally unreasonable and making yourself look petty and silly.
 
This is in no way agreement with OP, but yeah I'd rather have 2 titles in the last 6 years like Uconn and Duke and sit through their associated flameouts, than what we did. But in all other measures, it is signficantly better than what any other school has accomplished during that time frame and we will get another title at some point with Cal here, if not so what enjoy the ride and we'll get another title with someone else when we get... this is Kentucky after all.
 
Nssdigitalchumps, I bet I've been a part of this fan base since before you were born. I'll say what I please. You don't have to agree with me. You can also view Cal and the players as more important than the program. That choice is yours.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
BrIanpoe, are you really interested in final four banners? We have more than we need. Will you be happy when Cal trumpets our success on draft day, considering we didn't make tha final game and we had the most talent, again?
We have won 8 titles in 100 years man. And that is the second best!

Look at what you are saying.
 
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:
Personally, I'm tired of that. It's great if our players fill up the draft, but it is far more important to millions of UK fans for us to win titles. That is the goal here, right? So we lost again when we shouldn't have, we'll have 6-7 players jump to the NBA and Cal will once again sing our praises for what a great day draft day is for UK. The program is first Cal, not you, not the players. This smoke and mirrors game is getting old for me. Deep down, whether you will admit it or not, I think most agree. Ok, now bash away.
Nope. I don't even slightly agree with this line of thinking. I don't understand with all of our recent success how anyone could think this way, without some other agenda. I could possibly see how someone's dislike of Cal's approach to things and his personality may rub someone wrong and let that skew their logic, but I don't see this as "smoke and mirrors". I see real, tangible success. Like others have said, Dean Smith, 2 championships in 11 FFs. Give Cal some time, he'll get more. And if you can't see that Cal uses the draft to further promote UK and get the next crop of recruits, you are either blind by choice or ignorance.
 
Originally posted by barryn2000:
Originally posted by BigBlueFanGA:

Originally posted by kyfan606:

4 final 4's in the last five years and people still want 4 year players unbelievable. We could always go back to before when we could only dream of seeing a final 4.
I didn't say that at all. I simply refuse to mark our achievements by anything other than a NC. Particularly so when we have an overwhelming level of talent.
You are doomed to a BBN version of hell, a life of misery....

If you were born in the 60's....you've only been happy, satisfied, 4 times.....out of 60+

How depressing...
50, but that is part of my issue. do you agree with Cals "greatest day" statements on draft day? I bet you don't.
 
Why not wait to see if he says it again before you make assumptions. With the flack Cal took, and rightfully so, I highly doubt he will say anything like that again.
 
ADVERTISEMENT