Is it time to stop disliking Calipari and wish him well

[MegaBlue05]

A lot of relationship gurus suggest it takes at least a month per year of being together for someone to move on from their past relationship mentally, so we should be good in about 14 months.

In all seriousness, I don’t hate Cal personally like some of yall do. I am glad he’s gone, and if he would’ve went somewhere outside the SEC that wasn’t a rival, I probably would pull for his team if they weren’t playing UK. Not a chance now.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

I appreciate his contributions and accomplishments but I also acknowledge the recent shortcomings and failures. No disdain or anger towards Cal but I'm glad there's a new coherent voice.

 

[KYFOSSIL]

I mean, we should. He's irrelevant to our program now. Time to move on.

I agree, but keep posting about him is not moving on

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

What is is?

True Detective, Season 1.

It took Nic Pizzalatto a decade the write the screenplay.

It shows. It has the best dialogue for any series I've seen in television history. Absolutely brilliant screenplay.

 

[Catfanlou]

He refused to start two lottery picks . And to play the three Rs together all season until they had to come out. Had he done so we would.
have been a number one seed and probably gone to the final game .

He did it for his own purposes and in doing so was disloyal to BBN.

You can’t serve two masters . He chose the NBA instead of UK who was paying him. That is reality and why any rational person who loves UK would take up for him is beyond comprehension.

 

[jeffky]

I know over the last few years I've been about as hard on him as anyone on here has. But let's look at it this way.

1. He didn't force UK to fire him & pay him the 33 million dollar buyout.

2. These last several seasons didn't go the way any of us wanted. No one wanted to win & advance deep into the NCAA tournament anymore than Calipari did. He did the best he could do. He didn't lose these games because he wanted to.

3. He coached here 15 years and not even a hint of scandal. He never did anything to embarrass the BBN & the UK basketball program. he ran as clean a program as anyone could.

4. The recruits he brought in here were all top notch high character young men. None of them did anything while they were here or after they left here to embarrass the UK basketball program.

Maybe it's time we, myself included gets off his back

 

[Ripcord65]

The OP's Point No. 1 is misleading and is unduly generous to CCC. What happened is - CCC went to Arkansas and played footsie with John Tyson, which led to CCC talking with Tyson substantively about the Arkansas head coaching job - WITHOUT FIRST GETTING PERMISSION FROM MITCH to talk about the Arkansas job. By doing that, CCC breached his contract with U.K., which gave Mitch legal grounds to fire CCC for cause and thereby avoid any obligation for the buy-out. So Mitch - to his credit - seized the opportunity to get rid of CCC and just told him (metaphorically), "Look, you breached your contract, and I've got you by the balls with a downhill drag. You resign as U.K. head coach, and we'll forget about the breach of contract ... but we won't pay you any part of the buyout. If you can get the head coaching job at Arkansas after you resign from U.K., carry on."
Now I can't prove it, and neither Mitch nor CCC will ever admit it ... but I'd bet a really big price that that's what happened.
Bottom line ... CCC didn't just leave the U.K. job to be nice. He screwed up, legally, and - as they say - the rest is now history. Good riddance ! ! !

 

[wildcatwelder]

I respect everyone's opinion on here regarding Cal, but for me I will never be able to forgive the man for what he's done to our program. I can't forgive the man for being the cause of my becoming apathetic towards the KENTUCKY program I grew up with and love with all my heart.

While I'm elated he left, the WAY he left just goes to show what a true scumbag he really is.

 

[Elliott Tim]

Poor attempt at gaslighting.

I agree. But as long as we respond the pro/ anti Cal posts will continue .
It's like trying to give a treat to a pack of hostile animals.
It's definitely a baiting post.

 

[TheBlueMist]

I’m just trying not to hate the folks who keep posting everything he says and actions he takes.

 

[CincinnatiWildcat]

The same reasons we wanted him gone, were the ones that resulted in where he is now. Cal cares about Cal and will always do what is best for him and then sell to everyone else why that was right move.

If he wanted to be in our good graces he would have stepped down and taken his role of being our head of basketball or whatever role. He didn’t do that he breached his contact to jump ship to an SEC rival. I hope he gets crushed and booed out of the building when he brings his team to rupp this year.

Like others have mentioned I think after Arkansas there is a decent chance he can mend the relationship and be welcomed back, but i also think there is a less than zero chance after the initial rift he goes stubborn Bob knight.

 

[chevyman 50]

Cal is all about Cal, I am not wishing him anything I don't hate him or anything but to me he is a has been.

 

[TFCats11]

I agree 100% percent! He did great things at UK and made some unforgettable memories for all of us, and to top it off, he left in the absolute best possible way he possibly could… And I respect him for that.

 

[Pygmy Sasquatch]

That's a negatory

 

[Skyguyb27]

I can dislike him while hoping he has a good
Life. I guess that’s the difference in being a mature adult.

 

[JHB4UK]

I'm going to Boo twice as hard in Rupp when Ark comes to town than I was planning because of this post

 

[ukfan1622]

"....No....."

I only clicked the thread to see how long it took for somebody to just post "no". lol

 

[know1]

No. But it's time to stop bringing him up constantly.

 

[oldcat52]

I, myself like many have posted, am glad CCC is gone. When he first arrived and brought in Wall and Cousins and team I was very impressed and excited for UK to be relevant again. However, after a couple of years there were grumbles of the one and done system; even from me. Then came along Davis and #8 and we loved CCC again. But when other coaches started doing the one and done system and doing it better, then the tide turned again. CCC did some good things but we all knew what we hired from day one. He made no bones about what he does and how he coaches. So, now he’s gone. Let’s boo him when he returns. Let’s beat his teams in Rupp and Fayetteville. But, we are better off without him. Let him go.

 

[Seth_C]

That’s like asking if it’s time to wish your wife the best a month after you found out she had been cheating on you for the last five years.

I hope he never wins another game the rest of his career. Not because he sucks, but because he absolutely didn’t care but kept cashing checks. **** him. Seriously, and indefinitely. I wish his career nothing but failure from now until he finally, a decade too late, chooses to retire.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Anyone with Cal in their name goes to ignore. Tired of hearing that name. Stop talking about that guy.

 

[Fox2monk]

I know over the last few years I've been about as hard on him as anyone on here has. But let's look at it this way.

1. He didn't force UK to fire him & pay him the 33 million dollar buyout.

2. These last several seasons didn't go the way any of us wanted. No one wanted to win & advance deep into the NCAA tournament anymore than Calipari did. He did the best he could do. He didn't lose these games because he wanted to.

3. He coached here 15 years and not even a hint of scandal. He never did anything to embarrass the BBN & the UK basketball program. he ran as clean a program as anyone could.

4. The recruits he brought in here were all top notch high character young men. None of them did anything while they were here or after they left here to embarrass the UK basketball program.

Maybe it's time we, myself included gets off his back

I do appreciate all those things, however he acted like he knew all these last 5 years and didn’t do squat. Treated everyone like we were idiots and that he would win huge doing it his way. His attitude and then his total 180 and that stupid ass Mitch and his video together was the worst. He was looking at a job in February with our best team in years. No surprise we lost 3 in a row at home, and guess who he blames it on? Home fans. He also stayed in conference because he’s that petty. I now understand why every fanbase he’s ever coached at hates him now.

 

[Fox2monk]

1. No points here. He knew next year was going to be tough so he bailed like the chicken shit he is (although glad he did)

2. Don’t believe this either or else he would have, well I don’t know, maybe tried harder. Little things like preparing for games, starting your best players and keeping productive lineups in together as much as possible.

Agree with numbers 3 and 4. But 1 and 2, for those reasons I’m out!!!! The answer is NO!!!!

As fast as his best assistant hire in the last 10 years bailed on him you can 100% see how he was coasting here. He can lose every game ever now and I’ll be happy.

 

[Jazzycat]

I appreciate all that Cal did while at UK. He was the perfect fit from 2009-2018. Everything changed when he stopped coaching and began putting all of his energy into becoming an agent and promoted his players during the season in order to secure them a high draft pick - at the expense of preparing his team and winning games. If you go back to what DeAndre Fox said after their regional 8 loss in 2017, that explains everything.

I have no negative feelings or opinions about him at all. He did save the University 33 million dollars by breaking his contract. He knew it was time to move on and UK knew it was past time. He will kill it at Arkansas because of his recruiting - at least the first couple of years. I do question whether he will have energy and stamina to coach beyond that. I think he would be more suited to broadcasting than anything. jmo

 

[BBUK]

ROTFLCGU

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

[cathouse]

I know over the last few years I've been about as hard on him as anyone on here has. But let's look at it this way.

1. He didn't force UK to fire him & pay him the 33 million dollar buyout.

2. These last several seasons didn't go the way any of us wanted. No one wanted to win & advance deep into the NCAA tournament anymore than Calipari did. He did the best he could do. He didn't lose these games because he wanted to.

3. He coached here 15 years and not even a hint of scandal. He never did anything to embarrass the BBN & the UK basketball program. he ran as clean a program as anyone could.

4. The recruits he brought in here were all top notch high character young men. None of them did anything while they were here or after they left here to embarrass the UK basketball program.

Maybe it's time we, myself included gets off his back

1. False. He tried and failed to force MB to fire him. (See St. Peter, Oakland, etc.)

2. False. Not playing your best players is not " doing the best he can do". Just one of a dozen obvious reasons Cal didn't give his total effort to winning games at UK.

3. False. He DID do something to embarrass BBN and the UK basketball program. Especially the top boosters. Not even going to go there.

4. False. Mostly true, but not entirely true.
If you really want everyone to move on from Cal, stop trying to rewrite his history at UK for the past 5 years. 2020-2024 really happened, and Cal did that.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

 

[BarefootBeach]

I'm too overjoyed at Cal being gone to reflect on what he accomplished his first few years

 

[ck-2]

To each their own but i absolutely cannot stand the guy and have felt that way for several years. My feelings won’t change overnight, and especially while he’s coaching a conference opponent. I hope he loses every game.

 

[Bkocats]

Appreciate what OP tried to do here
But I am not going to stop disliking Calipari
His attitude toward our fanbase in addition to nearly destroying our program precludes it
That being said, I don’t wish him ill…
Just very glad he’s no longer here

 

[thedahc]

He didn’t force us to fire him and saved us $33M. Yeah, true. But his initial intention was to strong arm the AD into getting something else he wanted. He treated the average fan like shit. So, no. We need to keep hating him for a while. Not even close to enough yet.

How did he treat their average fan like crap?

Seriously? He had a contentious relationship with some media members.

But spent a crap load of time with the fans. Always nice to me. I never saw him treat one fan like crap.

Please enlighten

 

[thedahc]

I know over the last few years I've been about as hard on him as anyone on here has. But let's look at it this way.

1. He didn't force UK to fire him & pay him the 33 million dollar buyout.

2. These last several seasons didn't go the way any of us wanted. No one wanted to win & advance deep into the NCAA tournament anymore than Calipari did. He did the best he could do. He didn't lose these games because he wanted to.

3. He coached here 15 years and not even a hint of scandal. He never did anything to embarrass the BBN & the UK basketball program. he ran as clean a program as anyone could.

4. The recruits he brought in here were all top notch high character young men. None of them did anything while they were here or after they left here to embarrass the UK basketball program.

Maybe it's time we, myself included gets off his back

I like Cal. More than that, I am thankful for him. I wish him well in life.

Hope he loses to us every time.

 

[kywildcat41086]

Would he wish you well, bennie?

Nah. He's earned at least a little ire. At least for a while.

These last 5 years of him breaking all the wrong records at a school like UK….. Yes his @$$ deserves a lot of heat for a while longer….

 

[thedahc]

I respect everyone's opinion on here regarding Cal, but for me I will never be able to forgive the man for what he's done to our program. I can't forgive the man for being the cause of my becoming apathetic towards the KENTUCKY program I grew up with and love with all my heart.

While I'm elated he left, the WAY he left just goes to show what a true scumbag he really is.

Apathy is always on the person who is apathetic and nobody else. You control your own reactions.

Sounds from your post that as a fan you're more pathetic than apathetic

 

[kywildcat41086]

I respect everyone's opinion on here regarding Cal, but for me I will never be able to forgive the man for what he's done to our program. I can't forgive the man for being the cause of my becoming apathetic towards the KENTUCKY program I grew up with and love with all my heart.

While I'm elated he left, the WAY he left just goes to show what a true scumbag he really is.

Exactly he is SCUMBAG! I will never forget 9-16, 15 seeded Peacocks, 14 seeded Oakland, 2 missed NCAA tournaments, lost the all time tournament wins to UNC, Robert Morris, Richmond, Evansville, Kansas State 2 times, and UNC Wilmington.

 

[Wildcats1st]

We have to honor those first six years. That was a nice run even though there is one title. Since then cal put it on cruise. He brought us a lot of nba talent and nothing to back it up in recent times no march. The guy needs a wake up call and apologize for his using the job as his path to generational wealth.

 

[Bluegrassking]

Love him, despise him, neutral, or whatever HE GONE!

Going to a rival in the conference means he cannot just be handwaived so now he is recruiting guru Rick Barnes or out of touch Nate Oates for the time being.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

When he was hired UK needed "Jimmy's and Joes". Cal provided that. Times were good. With Cal and top recruiting classes there was always "hope" that he would recruit enough talent to mask his shortcomings. College sports changed..Cal didn't. Good move for all parties no matter how it went down.

 

[DraftCat]

I'll say this and leave the thread.

Coach Cal did a crap ton of good for the State of Kentucky.

Basketball related however after 2015 the guy went through the motions or couldn't adapt to a changing game. I'm going to find my way into Rupp Arena vs. Arky this year somehow and you can bet your last dollar I'll be booing the absolute loudest I can.

He may of been an innovator and a great recruiter but he stripped UK of so much more during his tenure. Thanks for 2012 but I'm so glad it's over.