I'm not sure. Next coach up, whoever and whenever that is, will have a tough ass job to do. But I sure hope he can when that time comes. All this negativity is wearing this old dude down.
Can anyone ever unite this fanbase?
- Thread starter Big BlueBeard
- Start date
Yes. You do it by holding true to the program values and winning. And if you can’t win you at least don’t get linked in Rupp.
And you know show up to press conferences.
Winning indeed cures a lot of ills!
I just want a coach that doesn't value his NBA status over winning here. Is that too much to ask? My radar went up after we had those 5 first round draft picks.
The fan base was united until our dipshit AD started handing out ridiculous contracts like candy on Halloween and the basketball coach lost his mojo and now exists only to milk the university of it’s money
Yep, the next coach that is all in on winning basketball games for the University of Kentucky and gives no $hits about the nba……
Winning…
But it also helps not to be a condescending prick who shoves the BILLIONZZZZ in contracts his NBA guys have made in your face all the time.
Talk about UK and the winning tradition.
Show up for the hard post game pressers.
That guy could do it.
Win and keep it about UK!
But it also helps not to be a condescending prick who shoves the BILLIONZZZZ in contracts his NBA guys have made in your face all the time.
Talk about UK and the winning tradition.
Show up for the hard post game pressers.
That guy could do it.
Win and keep it about UK!
A coach who wins will unite the fanbase again. I really think it’s that simple
What’s happening this season SHOULD be uniting the fan base. How much more do ppl need to see? It’s not a blip on the radar. We haven’t seen the 2nd weekend of the NCAAT since 2019. We haven’t won the SECT since 2018 & have only one regular season championship in that time. But, some fans will defend Calipari & his bs til the bitter end.
Rupp didn't win a title from 1959 through 1972, the year he retired. His last two teams not only didn't make a FF, but were destroyed by WKU 107-83 and by Florida St the next year by about the same margin as I recall. In fact, Rupp only made it to 1 FF in his final 13 years and that was 1966 when we lost to Texas Western. The game was evolving from Rupp's glory years and like many others such as Bobby Knight, for example, he never really adapted to those changes.
IMO, the closest any coach (aside from Rupp) has come to uniting the fan base was RP. He was not the recruiter Cal is, but he was probably the most well liked until he took the U of L job and the rest is history. If we lose Cal, whenever that may be, we will experience a big loss in the talent we bring in. That's very likely to happen, so be prepared and understand that anyone who replaces Cal is going to be under the most intense scrutiny. I wish whoever that person is a lot of luck because s/he will need it.
CB has changed so much since the early 60s when I first began following it and the job is so much more difficult with all the unsavory recruiting tactics, referee bias and maybe downright corruption, NIL et, etc. That's why I believe Jay Wright wanted out after winning those 2 NCs. I don't blame him. I hope UK'[s program is restored to the greatness it had for so long, but time will tell.
I honestly don’t see anybody defending him. I just see some that know there’s nothing they can do about it so they don’t beat their head against the wall since it won’t solve anything.
I honestly think this is how many, many fans feel.
The fanbase is so sick of Cal, that the next guy up will probably have a packed BBM. All you have to do is come in and talk about the program and playing for Kentucky. Just go the opposite of the NBA and chasing dreams.
This is the country we live in now. Tribalism has taken over and Americans have never been more divided. About everything. Tribalism is the death of discourse
But I suppose winning big would help in this case. I wish we could try it and find out
But I suppose winning big would help in this case. I wish we could try it and find out
Anybody new will unite us.
Plus, I think most are united now.
Plus, I think most are united now.
Pitino did. I’m not sure who that person is now, but he’s out there somewhere and I don’t think it’s an overly high bar to eclipse Calipari’s ability to do it.
The only way the new coach won't be embraced is if you let Barnhart hire him. He needs to go as well. He's a divisive little weasel.
Get a new AD, let them hire an elite coach and support him. The $ flow will start coming from sources not investing once the new coach states:
1. We are playing to win championships. SEC/NCAA. Period. That's the #1 goal of Kentucky Basketball
2. We will play in Preseason Tournaments that our fans enjoy/want us to play in. Additionally our non conference schedule will bring home/home games to let fans enjoy a great schedule (Cough--look how Nate Oats has scheduled at Alabama working hand in hand with Greg Byrne)
3. The focus is on giving our athletes every resource/advantage possible. That means the best staff/facilities and we need your help to get that done.
Those 3 things, you will have the fans behind you immediately. I'm a Nate Oats guy myself because I like how he operates the program/system he utilizes and how aggressively they play elite opponents in the non conference. They are prepared for the SEC schedule and think he's at that Pitino stage of his career-where he's close to winning but a program like Kentucky could get him to that next level. He's also got an in with a lot of the recruits UK has been landing--and if he were at Kentucky, they would either stay/come because he's got a bigger basketball brand to sell them. I mentioned them in another thread but he was on Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond, Travis Perry, and utilizes a big like Somto Cyril--I think his system would be far more attractive to a player like the 7'1 African player Mulach who is going to look at reclassifying. He also is in deep for AJ Dybantsa/Caleb Wilson and his talent evaluations of players is strong with guys who aren't top 20 McDonald's AA guys. He knows talent. He utilizes the Portal well too in his evaluations.
It's the perfect year to go after him and switch gears--but Barnhart is a spineless twerp who wouldn't have the balls to make this hire IMO. I know Drew has been thrown around and I'd be okay with that too, but don't think he'd get that done either. Remember the Athletic Department was once leaking Chris "****ing" Holtmann's name as a successor and Ohio State fans wanted him gone 2 yrs ago and finally will get their wish at end of this season. Fact that name was mentioned is disgusting and shows how little vision Barnhart and others have in evaluation of coaches.
Get a new AD, let them hire an elite coach and support him. The $ flow will start coming from sources not investing once the new coach states:
1. We are playing to win championships. SEC/NCAA. Period. That's the #1 goal of Kentucky Basketball
2. We will play in Preseason Tournaments that our fans enjoy/want us to play in. Additionally our non conference schedule will bring home/home games to let fans enjoy a great schedule (Cough--look how Nate Oats has scheduled at Alabama working hand in hand with Greg Byrne)
3. The focus is on giving our athletes every resource/advantage possible. That means the best staff/facilities and we need your help to get that done.
Those 3 things, you will have the fans behind you immediately. I'm a Nate Oats guy myself because I like how he operates the program/system he utilizes and how aggressively they play elite opponents in the non conference. They are prepared for the SEC schedule and think he's at that Pitino stage of his career-where he's close to winning but a program like Kentucky could get him to that next level. He's also got an in with a lot of the recruits UK has been landing--and if he were at Kentucky, they would either stay/come because he's got a bigger basketball brand to sell them. I mentioned them in another thread but he was on Boogie Fland, Billy Richmond, Travis Perry, and utilizes a big like Somto Cyril--I think his system would be far more attractive to a player like the 7'1 African player Mulach who is going to look at reclassifying. He also is in deep for AJ Dybantsa/Caleb Wilson and his talent evaluations of players is strong with guys who aren't top 20 McDonald's AA guys. He knows talent. He utilizes the Portal well too in his evaluations.
It's the perfect year to go after him and switch gears--but Barnhart is a spineless twerp who wouldn't have the balls to make this hire IMO. I know Drew has been thrown around and I'd be okay with that too, but don't think he'd get that done either. Remember the Athletic Department was once leaking Chris "****ing" Holtmann's name as a successor and Ohio State fans wanted him gone 2 yrs ago and finally will get their wish at end of this season. Fact that name was mentioned is disgusting and shows how little vision Barnhart and others have in evaluation of coaches.
What are these program values? Half of y’all wanted to cheat with NIL. What specifically are these values?
You must be confused. The Kentucky Fan Base has never been more united! We've realized for the last several years that our program has been hijacked by someone who wants to run a nba training camp instead of coaching a team to win games and championships. There is just a lot of calipari fans that like to post here and try to defend his indefensible actions. Hopefully they will go with him when he goes, and that will not be soon enough for Kentucky Fans!!
I'd take Oats in a New York minute. Without a doubt!
It's no coincidence that Roy, Coach K, and Jay Wright all retired around the same time.
I wouldn’t. Dude is a complete ass. Even RP could feign sympathy. Oats has none. Want a scandal to happen at UK again? Go Oats.
Yes. Based the love for UK Basketball. Not based one man's personality or agenda.
But they didn't have any off court stuff about Cal to base that on and Oats may be a different story.
I actually think BBN rallies around the new coach and proves we are the most passionate fans in College basketball.
Like every massive fan base, we have some crazies. Most of us don’t expect to win it all every year. We realize we have 8 total titles in our illustrious history. Here’s what I expect:
1. Do your job at a high level. You are being handed the keys to one of the top 5 programs of all time. (No one can argue that). Keep it at that level. I expect us to be in the conversation every year. Not just in the preseason polls. This isn’t UMASS or even Memphis. You aren’t our brand. We have our own history. Treat it with respect. I think that’s reasonable for $10 million a year.
2. Respect the fans. That includes answering questions, post game shows, and not being an overall jerk. We have no pro teams. Yes, we are obsessed. If you don’t like it, go coach UCLA or some place where you are the 5th show in town.
3. Keep up with the times and the changes of the game. Don’t run an outdated system. Stop refusing to change when everyone knows certain changes would help the team win.
4. Don’t cheat or embarrass/Shame the program. (This could include anything from BCG type behavior, Baylor murder scandal, New Mexico State mess, etc).
5. Don’t treat us like an NBA G league team. I love the one and done players, when it’s deserved. Get guys who want to play for the university, even if it’s only one year. Julius Randle was that guy, Sharpe wasn’t. Cal is an elite recruiter. I also loved Erik Daniels, etc. Just get us the right players. I’m sort of sick of athletes who can awe you at UK Pro Day but don’t know how to make a basketball play.
Just a few things I want to see.
1. Do your job at a high level. You are being handed the keys to one of the top 5 programs of all time. (No one can argue that). Keep it at that level. I expect us to be in the conversation every year. Not just in the preseason polls. This isn’t UMASS or even Memphis. You aren’t our brand. We have our own history. Treat it with respect. I think that’s reasonable for $10 million a year.
2. Respect the fans. That includes answering questions, post game shows, and not being an overall jerk. We have no pro teams. Yes, we are obsessed. If you don’t like it, go coach UCLA or some place where you are the 5th show in town.
3. Keep up with the times and the changes of the game. Don’t run an outdated system. Stop refusing to change when everyone knows certain changes would help the team win.
4. Don’t cheat or embarrass/Shame the program. (This could include anything from BCG type behavior, Baylor murder scandal, New Mexico State mess, etc).
5. Don’t treat us like an NBA G league team. I love the one and done players, when it’s deserved. Get guys who want to play for the university, even if it’s only one year. Julius Randle was that guy, Sharpe wasn’t. Cal is an elite recruiter. I also loved Erik Daniels, etc. Just get us the right players. I’m sort of sick of athletes who can awe you at UK Pro Day but don’t know how to make a basketball play.
Just a few things I want to see.
For all his insanely numerous faults, Cal has never put hands on an opposing player or brushed off a top player being tangled up in a murder. Cal is pretty much dead to me, and a narcissistic liar. But hes STILL a better human than Nate Oats. Let THAT sink in.
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