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Cal’s Return

LexCatnOhio

Blue Chip Prospect
Mar 27, 2009
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Just curious of the consensus about Cal’s return to Rupp Saturday. For those of you who are going to the game, what will it be? Rupp is a classy venue and hope it will be a bittersweet moment for us all. I know I choked up when Pitino came back this year. Did I agree with his style especially late? No, but I was happy we signed him and the fun that ensued when he did. Hoping the crowd pays him a tribute for those good times. Also hoping we beat their a**es.
 
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Call will get that in a few years. It's gonna be hostile in Rupp. Just like how it was when Pitino came back in 2001.

Agree - the great successes for the first 2/3 of his tenure will likely eventually earn him some respect/good grace w/BBN. However, his lack of success since 2019 combined with his nasty, condescending attitude toward BBN during that time has earned him whatever negative reactions he receives this weekend.
 
Call will get that in a few years. It's gonna be hostile in Rupp. Just like how it was when Pitino came back in 2001.
Agree he's getting booed like Pitino did on his first return. Also fans want a chance to voice their displeasure in how he had underachieved for the past few seasons, so he's going to get an ear full.

Hope Pope and the Cats blow them out.
 
The best reaction that I read here that I agree would really eat at Cal's ego would be... no reaction at all.

Just dead silence when his name is called...maybe more than anything else, narcissists don't like being irrelevant/dismissed.

It won't happen, but this announcement would be glorious,

"A moment of silence with regard for Arkansas Head Coach John Calipari... as you are dead to us now."
 
I think the actual game will be a wild environment. Im not sure what to expect when they announce Cal, probably a mixed bag. I’d rather it just be silence for him, you know that’d kill him more than the booing.

Right now he’s coaching a team that’s 1-6, so his “swag” level is way down and he seems to be saying pretty good things about UK. So, I really don’t see it being a nasty reception for him.
 
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I think it will be a mix of polite applause and boos.

If I were going, I wouldn’t boo. 2010-2019 holds a special place in my heart and I appreciate Cal leaving in the middle of the night and saving us a ton of money.
 
No idea what happens, but I am firmly in the camp that UK fans should give the guy his due. For few reasons:

  1. I think it gives us an advantage in game to show that UK blood is thicker than water. We appreciate our own. UK fans forced him out, but he also did a lot ton of good in the community and gave us many memories.
  2. For the players, I think the same. I want Z to feel happier at Kentucky than Arkansas. I want to remind them of what they left behind. I want Z crying realizing what he left behind.
  3. I think it plays into their hand to be angry and emotional. I think it's kind of swaggy and better PR for the program if we give them a warm welcome
Having said all that, controlling this fanbase is impossible. I honestly have no idea what will play out. I suspect there will be some boos, but a largely positive atmosphere.
 
He can get applause in 10-15 yrs or maybe when he shows a little humility like Pitino did after years of getting booed. He left for a rival (maybe) in the same conference, plus all that he’s said the past several years…….i suspect they’ll be a lot of loud booing but like someone said, silence would really eat at his ego.
 
I personally think he deserves to be boo'd for a few years. Not in a "we hate you" way, but more so in a way that let's him know he's the enemy now. We have the next 20 years to eventually bring him back.. that doesn't need to happen just 8 months after he took another job (and took about 8 players with him), regardless of how happy we were that he went to Arkansas.
 
Cal loved it here, and did win us a NC, should have been 1 or 2 more. I don't approve of his approach to running our program however, and losing games he should not lose. It was glad to see him go and go in a different direction for sure, but it would probably be a golf clap at best from me, but no booing.
 
It depends. If they put up a video of the 2012 championship and the final fours and the Harrison shots and the win over OSU and him kissing players, he will get a big cheer.

But my guess is that video doesn't happen this time. He will get a standard visiting coach introduction, and will get a mix of good cheering and some boos.

The later video will honor the man when he comes back as a neutral party well into his retirement.
 
Listened to the post game last night with Goose- he spoke briefly about the game Sat and Goose said he will stand and clap when Cal's name is announced- said he did a lot of great things at UK and we need to remember where we were when Cal took over- and then he said he hoped we blow Arkansas out
 
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John saying he gave 15 years of his life here, 15 years! Ok John. Flip side brother, we gave you 15 years of The Greatest Tradition In College Basketball. We gave you the best job in college basketball. We gave you 15 years of the best of the best. Also gave you hundreds of millions of dollars. I think we paid for what we got for a while, then you started stealing money. You prioritized your personal agendas over the priority of the program. Talking down to fans, intentionally playing the wrong line ups for TWO SEASONS? Sitting next to Mitch and saying you are here, you want to be here, you want to fix it. Two days later talking to Arkansas, then trying to use that for your own personal gain. lol. Get out of here man. Boo as loud as possible people.
 
Too early for sweet. Maybe in 20 years. Need to be amped up bitter on Saturday. Boo the crud out of that man. Tribute? C’mon… maybe in 20 years. He’ll still be thirsty for it.
I have a serious thought and question, not being rude. I am a die hard and obviously do not post much. If he is boo'd, would that indicate you are upset he is gone? I've had that thought for a while. It is obvious our productivity the last few years was not Kentucky standards, he saved us by leaving, so is booing catering to his ego and does it indicate he is missed? I would give a clap for Cal for making us relevant again, the roars should be when Mark Pope is announced as our head coach. Just my opinion.
 
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I personally think he deserves to be boo'd for a few years. Not in a "we hate you" way, but more so in a way that let's him know he's the enemy now. We have the next 20 years to eventually bring him back.. that doesn't need to happen just 8 months after he took another job (and took about 8 players with him), regardless of how happy we were that he went to Arkansas.
That is my general take as well. He is the opposing coach now and used to be our coach. Our fans should take that as a challenge, we are going to make sure he has the most hostile environment we can bring we he shows back up. How Cal takes that is up to him, he can take it as respect or hatred that's not our issue. Now when he eventual retires and kisses the ring I will welcome him back with open arms, but while he is the opponent, he should expect us to make it as hard on him as possible.
 
Every opposing player and coach gets booed during introductions (with the students adding on a "sucks" after each player name is called and a "he sucks too" after the coach is introduced). This should be no different. It is not about Cal, it is about SEC visitors entering a hostile Rupp Arena and all hostiles getting the same treatment!

When Cal comes back later in life as part of a special presentation, I'll clap for him as for the most part I appreciate his time here and found him to be entertaining. Until then, he is an opposing coach coaching an opposing team.
 
If I could be there, I would boo him as loud as I could. He ended his career at Kentucky with years of trying to destroy the program because he wanted to be known as the one and done NBA coach. In that process, he didn't care if Kentucky won or not. He trashed the fan base every chance he got, screw him! Boo him loudly, let the Cats beat the hogs and MAYBE somewhere down the line, applaud him when he's not an opposing coach and returns to Rupp!
 
I have a serious thought and question, not being rude. I am a die hard and obviously do not post much. If he is boo'd, would that indicate you are upset he is gone? I've had that thought for a while. It is obvious our productivity the last few years was not Kentucky standards, he saved us by leaving, so is booing catering to his ego and does it indicate he is missed? I would give a clap for Cal for making us relevant again, the roars should be when Mark Pope is announced as our head coach. Just my opinion.
No… you boo because you’re venting 5 years of frustration in one game. You boo because it wouldn’t have been appropriate to boo all that soft crap the last 5 years while he was still the coach. You wanted to (not you specifically), but you couldn’t. And now you can. You are booing built for March, the tweaks are coming, basketball bennies, name on the back of the jersey, jack from procurement dropping threes all over errbody face and nobody could do a thing but get bounced, all that. College sports is passion.
 
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If I could be there, I would boo him as loud as I could. He ended his career at Kentucky with years of trying to destroy the program because he wanted to be known as the one and done NBA coach. In that process, he didn't care if Kentucky won or not. He trashed the fan base every chance he got, screw him! Boo him loudly, let the Cats beat the dogs and MAYBE somewhere down the line, applaud him when he's not an opposing coach and returns to Rupp!
Never understood the garbage he directed at the fans? Truly think he just hated that the fan base started seeing through his bullshit and called him on it. I loved Cal from 2010 to 2015, liked him a lot from 2015 to 2017. After I just began a downward slope into just not liking him as a coach. Good guy. I had two personal experiences with him and he was very nice and just seemed down to earth, but still, coach has to perform, he was not. And didn’t care. Bad combo.
 
Listened to the post game last night with Goose- he spoke briefly about the game Sat and Goose said he will stand and clap when Cal's name is announced- said he did a lot of great things at UK and we need to remember where we were when Cal took over- and then he said he hoped we blow Arkansas out
I somewhat agree but if not for the transfer portal, UK basketball post Cal may have been left in just as bad of shape. Who knows if Thiero, Z, Wagner and others would have stayed if the 1 year rule of sitting out were still in place? Recruits would have surely been released.

My two cents is even though I don’t care for Cal, it would be best for fans to be indifferent to him. UK is bigger than any coach or player so internally boo the shit out of them but externally reflect we have moved on. Cal did some great things but also is not without some significant negatives during his tenure. I kind of hope the fanbase steals the thunder from the media and seems indifferent towards him and the players with UK ties.

I’m sure some media will paint UK fans negatively no matter what but would be funny to steal their narrative.
 
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