Cal killing the fanbase...

[Pickle_Rick]

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

 

[Big Cat fan]

The passion is still there for me. Like beating UT this year or winning at KU last year. That felt so good. But yes, the losses don't hurt as much anymore and sometimes it's expected.

 

[Ukgold]

Passion yes expectations are low and thatS with our great recurring class.

 

[BlueSince92]

My passion for Kentucky basketball is still 100%. I just feel like I haven’t really seen a lot of it lately. Not in terms of the way our players always used to be ready to take a bullet for our program. Not in terms of the way we always used to be the school that won the games through beyonder-level teamwork, and let the other schools be the guys who had superstar players but that didn’t add up to winning like we did. Not in terms of the way we always used to generally have a chance in any big games and payback was generally hell for the few games we dropped if we played that team again. Not in the way we always used to at least slapp around the other SEC schools. Not in the way our coaches used to always love the fans and hate themselves when they lost, which was a way to keep us always loving them. Not in a whole lot of ways

I feel kind of like a man who loves cheeseburgers and who’s been fed cardboard for a long long time. And also called a cheeseburger hater by some particular folks here because I’m not happy with the new “cheeseburgers”.

I love cheeseburgers.
Enough with the cardboard.

The emperor is butt naked, people.

 

[Oldbluefart]

UK basketball used to be fun and exciting; other teams feared us and we were in some ways the other teams "Super Bowl" moment but all that is gone. The thrill, the excitement, the fear; all we have now is drama.

I started on this board about the time Coach Cal came around. I knew he was good for us but I questioned what the OAD was going to do not only to UK but college basketball in general.
My screen name is Old Blue Fart and that is exactly what I am. I have lived a good life and still have many good days ahead of me. But making a UK basketball game a priority is no longer something I do and that is all because of what Coach Cal has done. He has taken the fun out of UK basketball and replaced it with drama.

When you get my age, you do not want any additional drama in your daily life. It is time to lie back and take things easier and enjoy the fruits of your hard work.

Now they have added in this NIL and made things worse in my opinion. Last year with the Sharpe kid, that was the tipping point for me with the direction of college basketball. That showed me the players are now in control.
There are some who think players needed more control like getting paid, being able to transfer and all that. I get where they are coming from but in real life, it does not work like that.

There is always someone out there to take your place. You earn your paycheck by showing up everyday and being better today than you were yesterday. Doing that, you will get rewarded by your high ups.
This "me, me, me" mentality has gotten much worse and mixed in with the NIL, transfer when and anywhere you want rules, has taken college sports down a bad road and fans will suffer because of this.

Old traditions will fade out. College basketball is nothing more than a business now and we have a crappy CEO

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Not sure he cares about the fans anymore.

 

[wildcatwelder]

Same here. I grew up listening to UK on the radio, ( often when I was supposed to be asleep I had a small transistor radio with an earpiece under my cover, lol)

Then it was staying up until 11:30pm to watch the taped delay of the game. I've loved this program all my life, through thick and thin, through the probation years, the BCG debacle, the ;78, '96, '98 and 2012 titles; I've been cheering on my Cats with a fervent passion, but no longer. Cal HAS to go, period.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Wow, like reading a script from General Hospital.

 

[KYCAT78]

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

I like you had that passion. I would sit in my car here in Alabama trying to catch a snippet of the game, I could not wait for my copy of the Cats Pause to arrive. Now I just do not care anymore, Cal has ruined my interest as a fan.

 

[uk78]

I like you had that passion. I would sit in my car here in Alabama trying to catch a snippet of the game, I could not wait for my copy of the Cats Pause to arrive. Now I just do not care anymore, Cal has ruined my interest as a fan.

I did the same driving into the Florida Everglades. I also still have in my desk drawer the Cats Pause 78 Championship write up.

In Florida we have many "snow birds" who live somewhere else in the summer and here in the winter. As I projected future retirement I would fantasize maybe to do the opposite. Buy a house in Lexington and get season tickets to see all the home games. Plus maybe even be one of the fans that does all the road trips too. If that had happened I would now feel myself being one of the biggest fools in the world. I still care very much about Kentucky basketball but last season I didn't even watch some of the games and that was a first for me.. What I see currently going on should scare every fan. When I hear "we are young" this year that may be it!

 

[TopCatCal]

I started following UK basketball in 1969. For the first 34 years I never missed a game until the night my brother passed away in 2003. Then I went the next 16 or 17 years and never missed a game. Now over the last 3 or 4 seasons I've missed probably a dozen games. I 100% totally blame John Calipari for my dying interest in UK basketball. My passion for UK basketball has just about reached a point where if Calipari would leave here at the end of the upcoming season & we would hire a great coach Jay Wright, Dan Hurley, Billy Donovan or Scott Drew. I've got serious doubts if I would even care then. Calipari has ruined UK basketball for me. I'm afraid the damage he's done is irreversible.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Never changed for me. Of course as I get older things don't bother me as much as they used to. That includes losing basketball games. But I love UK basketball and everything about it just as much as always. If Tubby couldn't kill my passion no one person can.

We've gone thru a rough 3 year patch because we just didn't have UK caliber players on the team. Not enough anyway. Taking problem transfers from other places was a huge hit with one notable exception.

Even with that we have had some marvelous wins the last 2 seasons with a cobbled together roster. One of the biggest mistakes Cal has made here was bring in Wheeler and installing him as our starting point guard.

That mistake has been rectified. Things are looking up now.

Spending too much time at this site will shade your view if you take the naysayers seriously. I didn't get to as many games as I would like the past year but I did go to the Bahamas, London, NY and Nashville. Being around the fans at those venues was night and day different from what I read here.

 

[clevenger32]

I remember the first time I step through the northwest entrance into the balcony of Memorial Coliseum and looked out onto the most magnificent basketball venue in the World. My team warming up in those baggy white warmups…soon the student section gave out with a “Hello Adolph!” and the Man in the Brown Suit waved back. That was 60 years ago. Those memories are all I have left.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

Not sure he cares about the fans anymore.

Cal only cares about making a name for Cal. All of his publicity stunts are for national attention and his ego

 

[littlecreek]

I am with all of y’all on this. Like many of you I listened on the radio with my dad and watched tape delays too. I now give most of my sports attention to my son’s middle school sports and soon to be high school sports. However, it’s about as aggravating as Cal to see “daddy ball” coaching going on in middle and high school sports but that’s a discussion for another day. We need a coach, and I can’t believe I am saying this, with a Bobby Knight tough mentality and attitude to kick this program back into shape.

 

[cats2010]

Never changed for me. Of course as I get older things don't bother me as much as they used to. That includes losing basketball games. But I love UK basketball and everything about it just as much as always. If Tubby couldn't kill my passion no one person can.

We've gone thru a rough 3 year patch because we just didn't have UK caliber players on the team. Not enough anyway. Taking problem transfers from other places was a huge hit with one notable exception.

Even with that we have had some marvelous wins the last 2 seasons with a cobbled together roster. One of the biggest mistakes Cal has made here was bring in Wheeler and installing him as our starting point guard.

That mistake has been rectified. Things are looking up now.

Spending too much time at this site will shade your view if you take the naysayers seriously. I didn't get to as many games as I would like the past year but I did go to the Bahamas, London, NY and Nashville. Being around the fans at those venues was night and day different from what I read here.

Sorry but you go to games for enjoyment and entertainment, you don’t sit down with the fans and have discussions with the state of the program. A lot of those same fans you enjoyed being around loathe cal as well, can pretty much guarantee it.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

One of my favorite memories as a kid living in Michigan, was going to a local baseball field to listen to UK games. We lived in Flint, and there was too much interference. Had to go to an open area to pick up 840.

My dad and I would grab some snacks and a coke and listen to the games in the car together.

I still love UK basketball, and I always will.





But Cal still blows.

 

[Hank Camacho]

But Cal still blows.

His years of being an obnoxious asshole are a definite detriment now that he's lost his fastball.

 

[zannmann]

Any coach who goes 9-16 at UK should be fired immediately.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

My overall excitement for sports in general has decreased as I've gotten older. We only get one life most likely so a lot more interesting things to do in life than watch a ton of sports on TV and worry about each of my teams.

I enjoy this forum for talking sports while at work each day as my remote job allows it but it doesn't take much time to post on here.

I've made peace with the fact until calipari leaves we aren't winning a 9th title or probably making another final four. Just remains to be seen how long it takes for a change to occur.

 

[natchezrule]

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

He killed it for me dude. I just come here to read. I watched zero basketball the past two seasons

 

[thedahc]

Cal only cares about making a name for Cal. All of his publicity stunts are for national attention and his ego

So if someone raises and donates millions of dollars for people in need and it's a "publicity stunt", does that mean that it doesn't help those people & it doesn't do any good?

Publicity stunt, ego, or not Cal has done a lot for people in Kentucky and elsewhere.

 

[uk78]

It occurs to me that one of the challenges for us older fans is knowing more how things use to be and not just in the Cal era. I clearly remember teams coming to Memorial or Rupp and being intimidated. An opposing team came knowing they are going to be playing the elite and lose. The question was by how much. All gone.........

 

[thedahc]

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

You say to "get in his face when he is out and about"? Do you really think this is how people should act?

Do those of you who liked the original post agree with that notion?

Being upset about a game is one thing, but that's unhinged.

 

[uk78]

So if someone raises and donates millions of dollars for people in need and it's a "publicity stunt", does that mean that it doesn't help those people & it doesn't do any good?

Publicity stunt, ego, or not Cal has done a lot for people in Kentucky and elsewhere.

I don't question Cal as a individual, and yes he has done a lot for Kentucky and for others. Unfortunately, that as much as can be admired, is not why he is our basketball head coach for at one time the most historical college basketball program. Well, at one time......

 

[CatPhight]

Caught in a trap...

 

[thedahc]

I don't question Cal as a individual, and yes he has done a lot for Kentucky and for others. Unfortunately, that as much as can be admired, is not why he is our basketball head coach for at one time the most historical college basketball program. Well, at one time......

I agree I was replying to the post that said any good thing he does is just for publicity and ego. There are many valid critiques of Cal, that one is way off

 

[ck-2]

But ….. but….. there’s only a handful of people who don’t like Cow. Everyone else is thrilled with how he’s doing. 🙄🙄

 

[dl51344]

Cal only cares about making a name for Cal. All of his publicity stunts are for national attention and his ego

I think it is mostly his money now.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

You say to "get in his face when he is out and about"? Do you really think this is how people should act?

Do those of you who liked the original post agree with that notion?

Being upset about a game is one thing, but that's unhinged.

Only an uneducated moron would get up in anyone's face about this. The only thing that might result in is calipari adding security and some dumb rednecks getting their asses beat by said security.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Sometimes it is good to cull the weakest, most self-pitying, whiny and entitled members from any group.

If a couple mediocre years of Kentucky basketball accomplishes getting rid of thousands of cry babies and spoiled losers who give the whole fan base a bad name, it'll be worth it to those of us who never waver in our love of the program.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I began listening to UK games with my dad and grandpa on the radio. I wasn't a fan at that age but I was doing something with my dad and grandpa, and that's all that mattered. It wasn't until the '78 season the my real Fandom started. I would listen to Cawood call the game in the car in the cold, bundled up. And if I was lucky, I'd sneak up and watch the game on delay and my parents would sleep through it.

As I grew older I learned that UK doesn't always win, but we would the next time the teams met. Life stayed that way for decades. Then came Cal. And at first it was pretty dang fun. Then the wheels started to wobble, like when he said draft night was the greatest night in UK history. Losses to teams began to pile up, and there was no next year victory. I wasn't happy, but I was getting comfortably numb to it. Then 9-16 happened, and you all no what a shit show Cal has produced since then.

And now I'm no longer numb to the losses. That man is gone, erased in history by Cal... every loss is accompanied by his smug face, and his smarmy speeches. That sanguine even tempered guy is dead and buried. Now I just loathe Cal and wish him gone. How, I really don't care. Pay him off, give him demands he can't possibly agree too, keep putting up for sale signs at his house, get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed the found feelings I had when I could remember my dad, my grandpa. Eff Cal and eff Barney for protecting his fat ass.

Man, I mirror that story almost exactly. One thing though, I'm never gonna let him ruin UK basketball for me and my kids and grandkids. The legacy is too important to me to let that jackass ruin it. I graduated in '78 and in my opinion that team epitomized what UK basketball is all about. Those guys had hearts if Champions.
I will always go to the games with my grandkids and teach them about UK's greatness.
Yeah it sucks right now, but his days are numbered and I think despite all the NIL BS we will be back. When we see his tail lights leaving Lex it will be a very happy day and UK basketball will be back.
GBB

 

[catzfanjim]

So if someone raises and donates millions of dollars for people in need and it's a "publicity stunt", does that mean that it doesn't help those people & it doesn't do any good?

Publicity stunt, ego, or not Cal has done a lot for people in Kentucky and elsewhere.

Any basketball coach at Kentucky has the power to raise money because he’s more powerful than the governor. Cal is paid to win basketball games and he’s done a piss poor job of that recently.

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Any basketball coach at Kentucky has the power to raise money because he’s more powerful than the governor. Cal is paid to win basketball games and he’s done a piss poor job of that recently.

Tubby did a lot of charity work but everyone seemed fine that he was gone.Why is Cal any different?

 

[thedahc]

Tubby did a lot of charity work but everyone seemed fine that he was gone.Why is Cal any different?

Come on this is silly. Follow along.

I did not say it had anything to do with coaching and success or even keeping his job. I was replying to a post that said his giving was a "publicity stunt" or "ego".

My reply was basically that you can critique him in many ways but philanthropy as a critique is a big swing and a miss.

Do you agree with that premise @cornbreadnmilk & @catzfanjim?

 

[luv2hit63]

get in his face when he is out and about. He has killed

Get in his face when he is out and about… that sounds like a tactic right out of the democrats play book.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Sometimes it is good to cull the weakest, most self-pitying, whiny and entitled members from any group.

If a couple mediocre years of Kentucky basketball accomplishes getting rid of thousands of cry babies and spoiled losers who give the whole fan base a bad name, it'll be worth it to those of us who never waver in our love of the program.

In other words: Support the coach of your team no matter how far he drags the program down. Got it.

What an asinine post.

 

[Bluesbrother]

So if someone raises and donates millions of dollars for people in need and it's a "publicity stunt", does that mean that it doesn't help those people & it doesn't do any good?

Publicity stunt, ego, or not Cal has done a lot for people in Kentucky and elsewhere.

That's not what he was hired to do. If he continues "do a lot for Kentuckians", asking for donations ... people who give WON'T GIVE BECAUSE OF HIM. He wants to believe it's because of HIM but it sure as hell won't be because of him. He's destroyed this program and needs to be FIRED. He's a lying clown and he's a Sick and Twisted delusional narcissist. JMO.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

Sometimes it is good to cull the weakest, most self-pitying, whiny and entitled members from any group.

If a couple mediocre years of Kentucky basketball accomplishes getting rid of thousands of cry babies and spoiled losers who give the whole fan base a bad name, it'll be worth it to those of us who never waver in our love of the program.

If loving Cal is wrong….you don’t wanna be right….lol

“I’m ready to lose thousands of fans if they don’t believe like I do and love them some Calipurrri!!!”

 

[NociHTTP]

Get in his face when he is out and about… that sounds like a tactic right out of the democrats play book.

Oh, both parties are doing this. Now, run along with your rag tag political drivel, to the political forum.