Cal vs Pope…. 5 year prediction
- Thread starter Short-Dawg-69
- Start date
I would pick a fence post to have a better post season record than Cal.
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.
People also forget Cals first 5 seasons at UK were pretty decent. KY effect.
I'd be very surprised if Calipari is at Arkansas in 5 years
Yup. Cal’s best years are way behind him.
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
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?
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.
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.
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
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.
Cals best attribute was talking. Kinda guy that could sell a Eskimo ice kinda deal. He would be good at commentary he would just ramble the whole time.
It was always been my impression a lot of the media doesn’t like him. I could see some UK fans losing their minds if he did work for ESPN and started making little remarks here and there to slight UK.
Why the obsession with our former coach? He's gone. To me, he doesn't exist any longer. Just another coach of another team, one we plan to beat over and over.
NBA connections and large NIL. That's the biggest recruiting tool there is.
You’re right, history and prestige don’t mean as much to kids these days
I'd be shocked if Pope not only has a better record than Cal after 5 years in Arkansas, but I'd also be shocked if those 5 years of Pope's aren't more successful than Cal's LAST 5 here at UK.
The recruiting for Pope is really starting to pick up. We have two top25 picks for 2025, and the #1 ranked class so far. And we're in on I think 3 other top25 guys. It seems almost any way you slice it, barring a big setback, Pope/UK is going to end up with a top5 recruiting class for his first full year.. and that's damn near amazing.. I wasn't sure if he'd EVER get a top5 class, certainly not in his 1st season.
Hard to imagine Pope not doing better than Cal, when their recruiting might be on par with each other, and we actually have the guy that's hungry and modern.
Hard to imagine Pope not doing better than Cal, when their recruiting might be on par with each other, and we actually have the guy that's hungry and modern.
Agree, I fully expect Pope to have a better five years than Cal at Ark, and the next five years will be much better than our last 5.
This year Cal may get more wins than Pope but that's not a guarantee with a roster that can't shoot. But starting next year, I think we see UK take off majorly. I am still not sure we don't end up top 10 this year fighting for the Final Four, but history is against us with a team of transfers
Other than Tyson, find somebody in Arkansas of influence that wanted Cal. The fan on the street from Blytheville to Texarkana is worried about who their next football coach will be.
They will have to have two to get all of the UK fans in.
He may assemble enough talent to win the SEC one year and maybe get an elite 8 or a couple S16’s. I’d say Pope will for sure if he recruits like he’s doing now. I like his style and his staff and he’s coming into his prime in his career.
I can’t wait to see Kal take off his shirt after a win. Actually, I can.
He'll be selling Kal Kan dog food for walmart in a few years. Or Kal Kant.
Man I dont want to come on here and seem like an ass but Cal is doing at Arkansas exactly what you wanted him to do there. Avoid the all freshman all the time.
WHat he did at Arkansas is basicly Keep Wag,Z, and Thiero in his system. Went out and go t top transfers in Brazile,Adoo and the number 1 transfer in Davis. Then added three top freshmen. Dont spendd it all on 17 yr olds. When was the last time Cal had that type of class age wise? Just saying he is doing what he said he was going to do at his Ark presser. That is portal alot more and we will know after seasons end what we will look like the next year. Not 18 months out like it used to be.
i predict Pope still here winning games in 5 years and Cal retired. He will be in the RALI group (Retired And Liking IT) group.
Don't give a damn what he does at Arkansas. Appreciate what he did through 2015. That will soon be 10 years, a decade. He didn't give a damn about UK basketball. He cared as a narcissist about himself. His only goal and mission was put kids in the NBA. I am just thankful he is gone...don't care if it is Arkansas or Chico State. We have our program back...our focus is back to winning SEC and NCAA Championships and winning for KENTUCKY.
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Thank goodness he didn’t ever mention coaching and in game adjustments.
He wouldn't ever shutup.. it would be like Dickie V rambling on until commercial break then the other guys might try talk a second only to be interrupted until the next 4 minute timeout.
If Calipari changes his roster building approach that would be beneficial to competing against the top tier teams, but also a pretty big surprise. That is the antithesis of who he has been for more than 15 years. Getting one-and-done freshmen drafted on potential (regardless of production) is Calipari’s schtick. So, I suspect Ark.’s roster construction this season is a result of Calipari taking over so late in the process. Nevertheless, I think it benefits Ark. this season. But going forward????
The other problem Ark. may have this season and beyond is that the offensive scheme is not likely to reflect a belief in the importance of the 3pt. shot. Calipari has generally relied on athleticism, which traditionally fit freshmen better. As others accepted the statistical advantage that good 3pt. shooting brings, combined with better 3pt. shooting from all positions, Calipari resisted. Plus, 3pt. shooting is not a natural strength of top ranked high schoolers (although that is getting better too as the game’s emphasis continues toward 3pt. shooting). So, instead of scheming harder for open 3pt. shots, Calipari is going to take more long-2s because that what the defense is most happy to give.
Now if Calipari’s approach drastically changes Ark. will benefit, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Winning really seems to be his secondary goal. He wants to be known as the guy who made all these Pros.
I hope he does because it will show how small the man truly is. I doubt that he does because Pope will have things rolling at UK without any negative coming from him, only praise for Cal.
I think Cal will be a title contender each of the next 5 years myself. He will change things he knows he needs to. He just wouldn’t change them here and concede to the Bennies.
They will probably be better than us, and may win a title, within the next two years and then we will trend up in about year 3 if we haven’t destroyed Pope by then.
They will probably be better than us, and may win a title, within the next two years and then we will trend up in about year 3 if we haven’t destroyed Pope by then.
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