Cal vs. Mitch; battle for a new practice facility, basketball GM, football apology

[KYCAT78]

I was ready to argue with the OP a bit until I read it.

Barnhart has to go

Both have to go, why do we need a new practice facility when the sorry B cannot coach in the one he has. If he is serious then donate his salary to the facility the next 3 years. Fire the bums.

 

[KYCAT78]

Big NO on number 2. UK still needs a football-focused AD (but with a brain unlike Barney).

Also, the new AD should actually GET ALONG with the coaches! I figured that would be a qualifier.

So true, College basketball has become a joke. Nobody cares about CBB until the tournament. Football pilots the plane and basketball rides in Coach.

 

[YardCat]

I can't imagine any athletic department turning down $30 million and a new facility. It just doesn't make sense. If it is true, then we definitely need new leadership. I suspect that's not the whole story and probably not what's going on.

I have a feeling that Cal is bullshitting Mitch and was called on it to show him the money. If you have 30 million, let’s talk to the players and see if they really are going to donate to UK the amount Cal is saying. Hard to believe a person that has lied to us before.

 

[Magilla Gorillla]

John Welch...... Keep up.

It was reported that he was going to be hired for individual development. You’re saying he’s the offensive coordinator? What kind of offense does he run? When is it gonna be official, I have heard a word about him for 2 weeks.

 

[bthaunert]

It was reported that he was going to be hired for individual development. You’re saying he’s the offensive coordinator? What kind of offense does he run? When is it gonna be official, I have heard a word about him for 2 weeks.

I believe that one aspect he is being hired to do is take over the responsibilities that Robic had with game planning for opponents. Not sure why it's not been made official. A little research on him shows that Jason Kidd hired him in Brooklyn to be the offensive coach, so while I can't answer your question specifically about what kind of offense he runs, the fact that he has been an assistant in the NBA for about 20 years is a positive in that he probably understands the modern NBA offense. Now, if Cal actually listens to him in implementing an offense that doesn't include 2 bigs that can't shoot from the outside is yet to be seen.

 

[Magilla Gorillla]

I believe that one aspect he is being hired to do is take over the responsibilities that Robic had with game planning for opponents. Not sure why it's not been made official. A little research on him shows that Jason Kidd hired him in Brooklyn to be the offensive coach, so while I can't answer your question specifically about what kind of offense he runs, the fact that he has been an assistant in the NBA for about 20 years is a positive in that he probably understands the modern NBA offense. Now, if Cal actually listens to him in implementing an offense that doesn't include 2 bigs that can't shoot from the outside is yet to be seen.

I didn’t know much about him so I looked him up on wiki. He has a strong NBA resume but hasn’t coached since 2020. If he can draw up an inbound play that’s not just lobbing it up to a big guy that will satisfy me alone.

Still not sure what the holdup on making it official is.

 

[Bluesbrother]

If true, this makes Barnhart look like a total clown. He is actively holding the basketball program back from improving.

According to Kyle Tucker, Cal has secured $30 million in funding for a new facility. He is doing the fundraising alone on this and much of it has come from former players. However, Barnhart will not let him proceed with building the new facility.

From The Athletic:

To the first question: If I were GM of Kentucky basketball … the first item on my list would already be covered. Kentucky basketball needs a GM. I would argue every major program in the country today does. With the transfer portal and name, image and likeness transforming college sports — and deeply affecting the building, retention and management of your roster every year — you’d better be highly organized with a sharp leader at the top. To his credit, I’ve heard that Calipari pitched something like this to Barnhart in recent years and was shot down.

Which brings us to that question of athletic director culpability, and absolutely some of this lands at Barnhart’s feet. For whatever reason, he and Calipari no longer have a relationship of any significance. They don’t speak to each other, Barnhart attends fewer games and he hasn’t been to a Kentucky basketball practice in ages. His response to Calipari’s regrettable “basketball school” comments this summer was bizarre at best. Calipari wanted to immediately publicly apologize and was told by Barnhart to keep his mouth shut. Barnhart then joined football coach Mark Stoops for a stunning press conference that felt like an hour-long clapback at Calipari. How in the world was fanning those flames productive?

The bottom line here is that Barnhart signed Calipari to the crazy contract that means they are married to each other, like it or not, for the foreseeable future. So he’d better start talking to his basketball coach and work with him to try to fix this thing. The whole “basketball school” comment came during a Calipari rant about needing a new practice facility to keep up with the Joneses the way Georgia and Alabama football do, even if their current facilities are still fine. Calipari has already secured pledges of about $30 million in private funding — mostly from his former players in the NBA — but Barnhart refuses to let him proceed with planning a facility. He has balked at any request by Calipari to add support staff for basketball (UK’s staff is small compared to other top programs) while handing the football program a blank check.

There's nothing wrong with the UK practice facility. Arguing that an upgrade is needed to compete is just one of Cal's excuses to deflect from his own incompetence and failures. The fact that Cal and Barnhart don't speak says more about Calipari's dysfunction than anything. Cal is a narcissist pinheaded idiot who's on some delusional mission to end generational poverty, forgetting why he was hired. The man has always left his employers worse off for having hired him in the first place. Calipari will never be one of us ... never part of BBN. He's a carpetbagger. He's gives nothing and takes all.

 

[Magilla Gorillla]

There's nothing wrong with the UK practice facility. Arguing that an upgrade is needed to compete is just one of Cal's excuses to deflect from his own incompetence and failures. The fact that Cal and Barnhart don't speak says more about Calipari's dysfunction than anything. Cal is a narcissist pinheaded idiot who's on some delusional mission to end generational poverty, forgetting why he was hired. The man has always left his employers worse off for having hired him in the first place. Calipari will never be one of us ... never part of BBN. He's a carpetbagger. He's gives nothing and takes all.

As if Anthony Davis would have never made the NBA without Cal. Gotta live the arrogance of thinking he’s responsible for elite 5 star recruits success.

 

[Oboro3]

As if Anthony Davis would have never made the NBA without Cal. Gotta live the arrogance of thinking he’s responsible for elite 5 star recruits success.

You obviously do no know Davis's backstory and how he gives Cal full credit for his development...

 

[Magilla Gorillla]

You obviously do no know Davis's backstory and how he gives Cal full credit for his development...

Why wouldn’t I know his backstory? Wasn’t Anthony Davis the #2 recruit laughably behind Austin Rivers? You’re saying The #2 recruit in the country developed because of 9 months with Cal? I guess he developed Shaedon Sharpe too and turned him into a lottery pick.

 

[Bluesbrother]

You obviously do no know Davis's backstory and how he gives Cal full credit for his development...

... in one year? I just can't believe that. Davis was a special talent and was destined for NBA greatness. UK was the national platform, centerstage, to introduce Davis to the NBA. Cal has proven consistently he is mediocre, at best. No coach can prepare any player for the rigors of max-contract stardom in the NBA in one year. No one. That's just another pint of snake oil being peddled by Cal and bought by some. Davis would have been the same player without UK or Cal because he's that good.

 

[Myth Buster51]

To me the entire practice facility 'story' is nothing more than another Calipari propaganda scam. Is my understanding incorrect that not a single dollar of the supposed $30 million has been deposited/is being held in trust?

I keep waiting for Mitch to tell Calipari to STFU by putting Indiana back on the basketball schedule. I'm among those who believe that would go a long way in reestablishing the pecking order in Lexington. Reasonable minds can differ.

 

[CatPatrick13]

It was reported that he was going to be hired for individual development. You’re saying he’s the offensive coordinator? What kind of offense does he run? When is it gonna be official, I have heard a word about him for 2 weeks.

You can look it up online bud. Do you have a tough time reading?

 

[STL_Cat]

You obviously do no know Davis's backstory and how he gives Cal full credit for his development...

lol ... no.

 

[Magilla Gorillla]

You can look it up online bud. Do you have a tough time reading?

I have a tough time understanding offensive coordinators in college basketball. I thought you had it figured out since you were outraged by us not have one.

 

[CatPatrick13]

I have a tough time understanding offensive coordinators in college basketball. I thought you had it figured out since you were outraged by us not have one.

When was I outraged about it?..... Don't talk out of your ass.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

When people "like" your good points from 3 months ago: