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Cal's rosters have potential, they don't have talent.

Before anyone takes this as a defense of Cal, it's not. His roster construction strategy is outdated and doesn't work. He's the guy who is ultimately responsible for putting the team together.

Everyone has been saying all year how talented this team is, but is it actually? Is it real college basketball talent? No. It's a team full of prospects who may be good in two or three years. But it's not full of guys that are good now. EvanMiya puts together great statistics on player efficiency and how good individual players are. This team only had two in the top 100. Just two. Rob and Reed. Reed is 6 and Rob is 36. Edwards is 143, Reeves is 160, Bradshaw is 193, Mitchell is 280, Thiero is 746, Wagner is 966 (!). Nobody else in the team is in the top 1000.

How does that stack up against other teams this year?
  • UConn has six in the top 35
  • Houston has five in the top 60
  • Auburn has six in the top 100
  • Marquette has four in the top 100
  • Purdue has four in the top 100
  • UNC has four in the top 100
  • Arizona has four in the top 100
  • Duke has four in the top 100
  • Iowa St. has three in the top 100
  • Tennessee has four in the top 100
Our team had prospects, it didn't have college basketball players. The freshmen strategy is outdated and doesn't work anymore, and there are objective statistics showing it to be true.

We obviously should have beaten Oakland. Zero excuse for this to happen twice in three years. But this team probably wasn't going far even in the best case scenario.

It’ll be easier to raise $33 mil to fire Cal than it would be to raise $5 mil for NIL with him as coach

That in reality is what Mitch has to look at, along with a drop in athletic department donations and ticket sales if Cal is kept. Matt was alluding to it on KSR, functionally this just cannot be run back due to fans and donors being done. So a deal needs to be made or they buyout paid, so that we can actually have a season next year.

Incredible stat: 2020-24 Kentucky is the 12th most successful program in the post-season…..NOT nationally, in the SEC

Stunning: 2020-24 Kentucky is 12th most successful SEC program in post season​

That is #TWELVE in a 14 team conference. 5 teams can still add to their wins totals:

1. Arkansas 11-6 (3-3 in SECT, 8-3 in NCAAT)

2. Texas A&M* 11-7 (7-4 SECT, 0-2 in NCAAT, 4-1 in NIT)

3. Alabama* 10-5 (6-2 SECT, 4-3 NCAAT)

4. Tennessee* 9-5 (5-3 SECT, 4-2 NCAAT)

5. Vandy 9-6 (5-4 SECT, 0-0 NCAAT, 4-2 NIT)

6. MSU 8-8 (5-4 SECT, 0-3 NCAAT, 3-1 NIT)

7. Florida* 6-7 (4-3 SECT, 1-3 NCAAT, 1-1 NIT)

John Robic won those games

I will take a page out of the UL fans comments when it came to Kenny Payne. There is a direct correlation between Robes departure and this fiasco of the last 5-6 years. Robes was the one who did the film work, scouting prep, opponents walk throughs, scouting reports. He also could tell Cal he was wrong.
Before all the Cal is a good man BS comes out, Cal did Robic dirty, totally dirty and left him when Robes probably needed him and his family needed him. Good ole philanthropist Cal, ole great ambassador Cal.
They were tight because they were not prepared for the moment or the zone defense. Rick Pitino's teams were overly prepared, no stage fright because you were best schooled and best conditioned team on court. UK is neither of those things anymore. Going bowling or losing the SEC to get rest is not the way to get team to play loose. Play loose by knowing you have every t crossed etc. Out of bounds plays.
For goodness sake, awareness of team is to not be aware of the one + one, throw the ball back to official. Inexcusable. They almost did not rebound another one later in game. Those are things that players know in 3rd grade. Terrible preparation. Lack of attention to detail, small things, lack of an offense that can play.

This would all be ok if Cal would accept responsibilty, accept his failings. The man talks as if the Covid year was a national championship.

Cal on if he’ll change re: freshmen

Listening to his post game comments from last night and this stuck out. He says it’ll be really hard to change how he does things and he probably won’t because, GET THIS, HE’S CHANGED SO MANY KIDS’ LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES’ LIVES. That’s all he cares about and he’s said it over and over. He will continue to use the university and program to get “his players” rich. That’s essentially what he is saying if you read between the lines. Idk how to link, but have a listen if you can stomach it.

Time 2 Look in the Mirror

Due health I will not b here 4 another season. I do have a parting thought 2 share.
I have long been a "supporter of the Cats and Cal but I have 2 accept that the relationship has become toxic and it is time for a change.
But let's take a look in the mirror. The toxicity of the parents (the fan base and Call) has affected the kids (players). They play tight because of the tension this rift has caused. I am a supporter of my team not a fan(atic). Too many fans are negative, sad, unhappy folks who would rather bitch, moan and second guess the coach (whoever it is) than support the team.
Cal was never accepted due 2 the 1 and done philosophy but rather tolerated when it garnered success.
When the new coach arrives many fans will b angry because he wasn't their choice. I implore each of You 2 b supporters and not fanatics. Help 2 rebuild this proud program. Wish I could b there with You. C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS!

Sweet 16 Thread

Magoffin County avenged an early season loss to Perry County and picked up their first ever Sweet 16 win, 54-47.

Lyon County came from down 41-34 with 5 minutes left to stay alive against Ashland Blazer 45-43. Future Wildcat Travis Perry went 1-7 on threes.

Magoffin most likely gets future Wildcat (hopefully) 7'1" Malachi Moreno next, assuming Georgetown Great Crossing gets by Spencer County tonight.

Lyon plays the winner of Adair County versus Marshall County. Lyon beat Adair 98-48 last month, and Lyon would probably be favored by 20 against Marshall County as well.

I think Lyon will settle in now that they know they will be in Lexington for a few days. Here is the Sweet 16 program.

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It’s Bigger than Cal and UK, IMO

We are on the precipice of the complete collapse of collegiate sports as we’ve known it throughout our collective lives. The vast overwhelming majority of these guys have no tie or buy in, it’s all about getting to the next level, not just here, any program, there are thousands of positions overseas for a solid Div I player. NIL, the portal, money, corruption, politics, etc., destroyed anything and everything we loved earlier in our lives. Today’s attitude “I‘m gonna get mine” no matter the impact to everything and everyone else, it’s me, me, me...

SMU

Listen this might be a longshot but the Field of 68 mentioned this last night. SMU just fired their coach yesterday, they are in Dallas have a lot of money and is in Dallas. They are also going to the ACC. This could be a situation where they could buy Cal out of here. I don't think it's going to happen but hey I can dream.
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This is how it hope it all plays out / Best case scenario…

Almost any other school would want Cal bc they would be enamored with the recruits and think maybe it would be different there. And maybe it would. Maybe he will go somewhere new and be rejuvenated and have a chip on his shoulder and some fire. But he is worthless here and now.

This gets him out of UK. This also means the class goes with him, because make no mistake. Recruits don’t come here because it’s KENTUCKY. They don’t care about the winningest program, the banners, the tradition, etc. They were in 1st grade or so when we won the last title in 12. They don’t care or remember. They care about one thing. They see Calipari and half the league’s all-stars. They see draft picks every year. Most don’t even care about wining. College is a means to an end. That’s the culture he’s created here.

But you can’t be worried about losing players/talenr, because what good has having all the talent done for Kentucky anyway? We all know the (lack of) results. He hasn’t been the same in years. We haven’t been Kentucky for years, yet he still calls us the gold standard.

He’s combative with fans and media. He’s incredibly stubborn. He thinks he’s above reproach. He doesn’t have has his reams mentally prepared to play or execute a game plan. He makes zero in-game adjustments.

I’m pretty sure any earnings if makes if accepts another job go against the buyout. So let’s all hope some other school, Michigan or whoever, calls and offers him a massive contract because they think he’s the answer for them.

He is washed at Kentucky.

Menawhile you make Stevens. Donovan and Wright all tell you no. If they do we get a coach who can recruit at Kentucky better than (Baylor, Auburn, Gonzaga, etc.) here. A guy who is hungry and actually coaches his ass off. Hit the portal and things can turn around quicker than you think.

I’ve been saying it for years, but last night surely was (and seems like) it was a breaking point for the last group of fans who supported him.

We have to part ways, somehow, someway. This is Kentucky basketball. It’s being ruined and it can’t continue.
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