Coach Cal: “Be mad at me (not the players)”

[HICATFAN]

I’ll go with this...

John Calipari to fans: “Be mad at me (not players)”

John Calipari says not to be upset with players like freshman Immanuel Quickley. Instead, be mad at the coach. (Jeff Houchin Photo)
By LARRY VAUGHT

After Kentucky struggled more than expected to beat VMI Sunday night, John Calipari did what a good coach does -- he told fans to blame him, not his players, for any shortcomings the team might have.

"This is going to be a process and it's not easy, it's not easy for these kids, it's not easy for our fans. And I would tell our fans, I said it on the radio, you should never be upset with these kids ... they're 17 and 18 and 19, they're doing exactly what I'm trying to get them to do. Be mad at me," Calipari said.

"You don't need to be mad at the kids. Cheer them on, it's hard to play here."

VMI guard Bubba Parham went off for 35 points against UK and hit 10 3-pointers in a game that Calipari joked the player would have his grandchildren watching one day.

"I mean, that's every game we play is this way. And so they don't need anything extra, they just need to just get better and you'll break through and try to continue to talk on those terms," Calipari said.

Then he did have a not so subtle message for his players.

"And here was the other thing. That locker room, even though there's some guys that really didn't play well, they better be happy for PJ (Washington), happy for Reid (Travis), happy for Quade (Green), hugging those guys," Calipari said.

"So when you play well they hug you. That's a learning process too. If I don't play well I'm mad. We won. We won a game we easily could have lost. So anyway, thanks, guys."

AlohaCat

 

[Big Cat fan]

It's good Cal is talking up Green he knows Green is the key to the season. Not only will we need him to hit shots but turn into running point guard before March.

 

[kyups01]

Yawn. Same coach speak, different year.

 

[kev69]

If Green is the key to our season, we’re in big trouble.

 

[Wildcatsworld]

Not mad at 17-19 year olds and never blamed them. I blame the guy that is trying to fit a square peg through a round hole.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I'm not mad the players. I can't get mad at guys who aren't expected to be first tier NBA prospects. It was very clear on opening night what their limitations are.

No worries, coach.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

If Cal is admitting that there's something he did to warrant being upset with him, then he's therefore admitting he could be doing better. I think that needs to be asked. And really, I think it needs to be asked, more particularly, of the entire staff.

It seems someone isn't cutting it. Recruiting, game plan, fundamentals, etc. Someone is failing their job.

 

[Wildcats1st]

Yawn. Same coach speak, different year.

He actually said this last season too. He needs to keep 80% of this team around for next season. Really anyone not named pJ or Reid.

 

[Big Cat fan]

If Green is the key to our season, we’re in big trouble.

We be 2-2 if Green missed that 3 when we were down 7 against So Ill with 14 mins to go. Yes Green is IMO the key. Now he won't be our top 3 player on this roster.. But if he plays his role well this UK team will be better for it.

 

[Calsthebomb]

Then fix it

 

[kev69]

I don’t know why Coaches even talk to these idiots in the media.

It’s a waste of everyone’s time.

 

[CELTICAT]

Who's mad at the players?

 

[the nail at the foul line]

I am mad @HICATFAN cause Cal said to be.

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

Why is it hard to play at UK?

Or is someone making it harder than it needs to be?

 

[HICATFAN]

I am mad @HICATFAN cause Cal said to be.

YEAH !!!! Me too !!! Sucking Hawaiian Haole !!!!



AlohaCat

 

[the nail at the foul line]

Who's mad at the players?

Promise you some women somewhere are.

 

[kev69]

We be 2-2 if Green missed that 3 when we were down 7 against So Ill with 14 mins to go. Yes Green is IMO the key. Now he won't be our top 3 player on this roster.. But if he plays his role well this UK team will be better for it.

Look, I’ll say this one last time. If Quade Green is the key to our season, we’ll be looking at another Sweet Sixteen exit.

He’s a 5’4 backup guard. He can occasionally play well against the Southern Illinois, Winthrop’s, and VMI’s of the world.

If you’re counting on him against the Duke’s, Kansas’s, UNC’s, Auburn’s, Tennessee’s, Florida’s of the world, you’re going to be sadly disappointed.

BTW, I love Quade Green.

 

[CELTICAT]

Promise you some women somewhere are.

Shid, I didn't even think about that

 

[K-Town Kat]

Cal channeling his inner Mike Gundy there.

 

[ukalumni00]

Cal is making too much money to have his teams struggle as much as they have since 2015. Struggling at KY is a different standard just like it is at programs like Duke, Bama in football, etc. Granted, Monk, Fox, and Bam made a run a few years ago, but by and large, KY Basketball and Cal have not been the same program since the loss to WI.

Something is off and it is his job to figure it out. He recruited these players. He coaches these players. Them not performing to KY/Cal standards is a mixture of not recruiting the right players and poor coaching. His schtick does not work anymore. He needs to figure it out and evolve.

I just hope when he does call it a career at KY he does not leave the roster a complete mess for the next coach to figure out.

 

[502 Wildcat]

If Green is the key to our season, we’re in big trouble.

False.

Green being the key to our season is no different than Teague being the key to our season in 2012. Being a key doesn't mean being the best player. We need a leader in the backcourt that can hit big shots, be a vocal leader, be a calming presence on the court, and play good defense. Green can do that, just like Teague did.

 

[JoeBeeHall]

I'm mad at the reds for trading off the big red machine

 

[TankedCat]

hey, well..Cal said be mad at him, that changed everything, 5 more years of this!

 

[thebluestripes]

So can we now give him down the road without being scolded by the pumpers?

 

[KentuckyCat420]

I am.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Cal, I am not mad at you, I am disappointed in you.

 

[Mike-D]

I still think this team will be really good by the end of the year. Quickley or Hagans has got to step up. Run some 3 point plays for Herro. Get him going Cal.

 

[*CatinIL*]

I am mad @HICATFAN cause Cal said to be.

I'm mad at HICAT because he's living in Hawaii! and I'm not!

 

[Kybluedude]

I guess I’m different. I like watching UK evolve into a good tourney team. I don’t mind the ups and downs. Young teams learning to play together. I didn’t expect us to win every game by 20.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

So can we now give him down the road without being scolded by the pumpers?

No.....

It is JCU to them.

 

[CatOfDaVille]

Why is it hard to play at UK?

Or is someone making it harder than it needs to be?

I think he's talking about the pressure playing here puts on these kids with the fan scrutiny, media scrutiny, etc.

 

[JC CATS]

I'm mad at the reds for trading off the big red machine

Oh my, they are gone?

 

[HICATFAN]

I'm mad at HICAT because he's living in Hawaii! and I'm not!

Every morning outside my beach hale....I have to wake up to this.....

AlohaCat

 

[HICATFAN]

This is her "warming up" before putting on traditional dress....cool, neh?

AlohaCat

 

[BostonCat2001]

If Green is the key to our season, we’re in big trouble.

but we are loaded at guard. and green came back because he was committed to winning. folks said those things all summer long

 

[HICATFAN]

I guess that's me ..... showing off major sand boarding air.....

AlohaCat

 

[CatfanMike47]

Why is it hard to play at UK?

Or is someone making it harder than it needs to be?

The fans

 

[K_TIME]

Might as well say...
1. Focus on me...I make 7M per year with plenty of years on it so it doesn't matter
2. Don't be hard on kids/team....but why say "Kentucky isn't for everybody".
3. "We're young"....so don' expect the team to play cohesive for major parts of season....but hope it finds a way to stick in March.
4. Go into March madness with 8+ losses and make jokes about NCAA seeding process but you're constantly in a position to have weird seeds .
5. Then end of season have marginal players go pro who had some moments but as a hole were mediocre to slightly above average all year but NBA top level.

Rinse and repeat this scenario for last few years.

 

[kev69]

Who's mad at the players?

Very good question.

 

[KopiKat]

First clear sign John Calipari may never have fully understood what he was getting into when he took the UK job. This is the last fanbase in sport that needs to be told who to be "mad at", which party is responsible, who to blame.

A lot more could be said but at this point . . . he's had his run and is in my hot seat.