Cal vs Pope…. 5 year prediction

[Short-Dawg-69]

Simple who has the better record?

- Normal season wind
- SEC Tournament wins
- SEC tournament wins
- Sweet 16
- Elite 8
- Final 4
- Runner up
- Champion

 

[Tf2217]

I would pick a fence post to have a better post season record than Cal.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Pope has every advantage being at UK so he's the obvious pick here.

People also forget Cals first 5 seasons at UK were pretty decent. KY effect.

 

[catsfan325]

I'd be very surprised if Calipari is at Arkansas in 5 years

 

[Smashcat]

I would pick a fence post to have a better post season record than Cal.

Yup. Cal’s best years are way behind him.

 

[DreadLox]

I'd be very surprised if Calipari is at Arkansas in 5 years

This. Calipari is already 65 years old. Arkansas has the scent of a half-way house job for him. More than a hobby but less than something he really needs to do.

 

[BBNinSC]

This. Calipari is already 65 years old. Arkansas has the scent of a half-way house job for him. More than a hobby but less than something he really needs to do.

Cal will be 66 before the next NCAA tournament and his best days are long gone.
I give him 3 seasons at Arkansas

 

[G-PIP]

I'd be very surprised if Calipari is at Arkansas in 5 years

What if Calipari isn’t really going to change his roster building, despite suggesting (but not committing) that he would? What if he relies heavily on freshmen and brings in the #1-2 ranked recruiting classes (full of 3-4 OADs) each year at Ark by telling them they're all one-and-done before even stepping on campus – which I expect he can and will? More casual fans will be entranced by those recruiting classes and the attention the program gets due to those expected draft picks. So, it might take 5 years for a program like Arkansas to finally have an “aha” moment and realize those recruiting classes don’t produce teams that are good enough to compete for titles. Also, is it possible that just being in the upper third of the conference, which Calipari might be able to do with some of those recruiting classes, will satisfy Ark. fans?

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

A lot of what I thought Cal would do at Arkansas involved Quaintance being there two years and Dybantsa, Wilson, Acuff, Thomas, and maybe even Peterson joining him in year 2.

Now it's clear that Cal's dream roster scenario will never come to fruition.

I think that if Cal had landed those guys and gone 36-4 or something like that in 25-26, he'd probably stick around Arkansas for the full duration of his contract there. But it's clear that the "best of the best" no longer really want Cal like they used to. He gets shatter shots of the elite, but he longer lands guys like Dybantsa, Banchero, or Zion. That fact is only going to become more clear the longer he's at Arkansas.

I thought Dybantsa was his best shot to return to getting that type of player, but it looks like AJ is BYU-bound.

 

[catsfan325]

What if Calipari isn’t really going to change his roster building, despite suggesting (but not committing) that he would? What if he relies heavily on freshmen and brings in the #1-2 ranked recruiting classes (full of 3-4 OADs) each year at Ark by telling them they're all one-and-done before even stepping on campus – which I expect he can and will? More casual fans will be entranced by those recruiting classes and the attention the program gets due to those expected draft picks. So, it might take 5 years for a program like Arkansas to finally have an “aha” moment and realize those recruiting classes don’t produce teams that are good enough to compete for titles. Also, is it possible that just being in the upper third of the conference, which Calipari might be able to do with some of those recruiting classes, will satisfy Ark. fans?

They were happy to see Musselman go and I'd be very surprised if Calipari does as good or better than Muss.
I picture him going around 22-10 with no deep tournament runs for a few years and then both sides checking out

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I'd be very surprised if Calipari is at Arkansas in 5 years

100% agreed. I'm surprised he doesn't retire and go work for espn. He would be on GameDay in no time. If bobby knight and clam chowder Calhoun could work at espn then cal can.

 

[electricat2]

100% agreed. I'm surprised he doesn't retire and go work for espn. He would be on GameDay in no time. If bobby knight and clam chowder Calhoun could work at espn then cal can.

right or wrong cal wore out his welcome with me. i was ready for a change.
with that said i think he would absolutely kill it as a color commentator.

 

[Hoskins91]

Oh, okay. I misunderstood. I was getting ready to say you’re setting him up to fail to expect him to replicate Cal’s first five years.