Cal took a pay cut to leave.

[Drudis]

According to Thameltoe and Borzello.

“Slightly less” money and obviously less pressure, with $5 mil per year in NIL money. Sounds like he made the right choice.

 

[JonathanW]

No one wants to be where they aren't wanted. Also, I'm sure he could see the writing on the wall, F4 next year or be fired, and so I doubt his ego wanted to be fired (even if he would be paid). Lastly, that kind of NIL will allow him to do a lot.

 

[BlueBomb]

Regardless of what he says, Cal's ego has been absolutely crushed. For all those that have been saying he doesn't care about winning, you couldn't be more wrong. He cares. He just wasn't able to do it. So he acted like it didn't bother him that much. .

But make no mistake, the dude is licking his wounds right now.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

He had to get his baby boy a job as an assistant

 

[TankedCat]

Regardless of what he says, Cal's ego has been absolutely crushed. For all those that have been saying he doesn't care about winning, you couldn't be more wrong. He cares. He just wasn't able to do it. So he acted like it didn't bother him that much. .

But make no mistake, the dude is licking his wounds right now.

lets clarify

he cared about winning his way

dude doesn't start Shep and Dilly?

doesn't play Shaedon Sharpe?

yea, don't tell me he puts winning over everything else

 

[WeWant9]

I always thought if Cal kept coaching after UK, it would’ve been at a smaller school. I think he’s going have a lot of pressure at Arkansas with what they are paying him + a fanbase that wants to get back to a FF. He won’t be in a pressure cooker like Lexington, but it isn’t going be all fun and games for him there either.

 

[true blue1]

He had to get his baby boy a job as an assistant

I don’t blame him at all for that. I would do the same.

 

[SemperFiCat]

Regardless of what he says, Cal's ego has been absolutely crushed. For all those that have been saying he doesn't care about winning, you couldn't be more wrong. He cares. He just wasn't able to do it. So he acted like it didn't bother him that much. .

But make no mistake, the dude is licking his wounds right now.

There isn't a lot of evidence that points to Cal wanting Kentucky to win. He had other priorities.

But you are right, he wasn't able to win.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

I don’t blame him at all for that. I would do the same.

Most would. This is the best for everyone

 

[BlueRunner11]

Regardless of what he says, Cal's ego has been absolutely crushed. For all those that have been saying he doesn't care about winning, you couldn't be more wrong. He cares. He just wasn't able to do it. So he acted like it didn't bother him that much. .

But make no mistake, the dude is licking his wounds right now.

He was able. He had done it his whole career. He just chose not to prioritize it anymore. The reasons being would deserve its own thread.

 

[BlueRunner11]

According to Thameltoe and Borzello.

“Slightly less” money and obviously less pressure, with $5 mil per year in NIL money. Sounds like he made the right choice.

I think it’s about as good a move as he could make tbh. Just a few years too late.

As Pitino did, he will eventually look back and wish he had handled things much different and happily retired at UK.

 

[Short-Dawg-69]

I think it’s about as good a move as he could make tbh. Just a few years too late.

As Pitino did, he will eventually look back and wish he had handled things much different and happily retired at UK.

Agree
All the work Cal put in with most of the former coaches.
Cal wanted to be loved here for the rest of his retirement and old age.

Now it’s so toxic I’m not sure that will ever happen here.

 

[buster3.0]

He had to get his baby boy a job as an assistant

Eeerily similar path Tubby Smith took. I believe Tubby added his sons to his staff once he left UK.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

Eeerily similar path Tubby Smith took. I believe Tubby added his sons to his staff once he left UK.

I’m pretty sure he did

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

lets clarify

he cared about winning his way

dude doesn't start Shep and Dilly?

doesn't play Shaedon Sharpe?

yea, don't tell me he puts winning over everything else

I don’t disagree l, except the starting part.

Sheppard played 35 minutes a game. Who tf cares about a jump ball.

 

[qwesley]

There isn't a lot of evidence that points to Cal wanting Kentucky to win. He had other priorities.

But you are right, he wasn't able to win.

He exhausted his marketing phrases in pursuit of winning. Actual coaching not so much.

 

[TankedCat]

I don’t disagree l, except the starting part.

Sheppard played 35 minutes a game. Who tf cares about a jump ball.

When you spot a team 8 points it matters

 

[trueblujr2]

I think it’s about as good a move as he could make tbh. Just a few years too late.

As Pitino did, he will eventually look back and wish he had handled things much different and happily retired at UK.

If Pitino had stayed, we’d be in Louisville’s boat right now. Is that where we wanted the program to go?

 

[Blue Bigfoot]

And all the Cal cultees said Cal was going nowhere and the fans raising hell wouldn't help. Eat it! Behold the power of bitching in mass.

 

[BlueRunner11]

If Pitino had stayed, we’d be in Louisville’s boat right now. Is that where we wanted the program to go?

Maybe, maybe not. Hard to know how it would’ve played out. Jurich wouldn’t be UKs AD. I’d like to think UKs compliance dept would keep things much cleaner than a desperate to win UL programs ever did.

Pitino could’ve had titles second only to Wooden at this point at UK.

 

[dl51344]

He had to get his baby boy a job as an assistant

I think this was a major consideration for Cal.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

I think this was a major consideration for Cal.

Yeah I’d say it was

 

[zannmann]

Earned not given baby.

 

[ukfan1622]

I don't blame him. I'd have also taken a small pay cut...for him to leave.

 

[anonymous_2011]

Going to Arkansas was the best thing Cal has done for the program since 2012

 

[KyCatFan]

Eeerily similar path Tubby Smith took. I believe Tubby added his sons to his staff once he left UK.

Plus shopped for a job during the season.

 

[TankedCat]

Plus shopped for a job during the season.

and sucked as a coach at the end

 

[blackcat714]

Maybe, maybe not. Hard to know how it would’ve played out. Jurich wouldn’t be UKs AD. I’d like to think UKs compliance dept would keep things much cleaner than a desperate to win UL programs ever did.

Pitino could’ve had titles second only to Wooden at this point at UK.

We could have had as many as Uconn has had since then

 

[NociHTTP]

If Pitino had stayed, we’d be in Louisville’s boat right now. Is that where we wanted the program to go?

I don't believe that to be true, at all. Just because it happened there, does not mean it would have happened here. Rick broke himself with some dumb career decisions, and that manifested itself in ugly ways. He would have had a dynasty here.

 

[2003Elite8]

Writing was on the wall. He was going to be bought out, asked to leave, or out and out fired eventually. Tubby did the same thing when he went to Minnesota. I'm sure most folks were ecstatic then, too.

 

[sluggercatfan]

No one wants to be where they aren't wanted. Also, I'm sure he could see the writing on the wall, F4 next year or be fired, and so I doubt his ego wanted to be fired (even if he would be paid). Lastly, that kind of NIL will allow him to do a lot.

Hog fans do realize his priorities will be players first, whether they chose to ever play or not, promised playing time, regular season and SEC tournaments don't matter and draft night will be the greatest day in Razorback history. His dog and winning unless it interferes with "breaking a player's heart." Given not earned to his chosen ones.

 

[Seth_C]

Writing was on the wall. He was going to be bought out, asked to leave, or out and out fired eventually. Tubby did the same thing when he went to Minnesota. I'm sure most folks were ecstatic then, too.

I was here, then, and it wasn’t like this. Tubby’s lows were so much higher than Calipari’s. Admittedly, most people realized when he left that it was the right thing for both parties, but no one had spent several years despising him and wishing he would GTFO. He left before people started hating him. Calipari should have done the same, and would have but he’s a selfish egotistical prick.

 

[NamelessOne]

According to Thameltoe and Borzello.

“Slightly less” money and obviously less pressure, with $5 mil per year in NIL money. Sounds like he made the right choice.

Same reason UK won't find another top tier coach now

 

[TankedCat]

He left before people started hating him.

ehhh....hate is a strong word but there was a lot of animosity toward Tubby near the end, and it divided the UK fan base, especially those that went to the race card