Coach Cal wants half of the NBA All-Star game to be Wildcats

[TankedCat]

Because we are asking them to come to a state they don't live in, to play basketball and share the ball with tons of other talent, and risk injury, for a goal (winning the title), that I really don't think most recruits even care about. That question works both ways. Why should they even care about winning?

Because our program has the ability to help them reach their dreams and get into the NBA faster than any other program. If winning isn't why they lace up every day, then they have picked the wrong school. That certainly isn't on me the fan.


I cheer for them because they chose to come to UK. I continue to cheer for them because they work hard and bring it every game. After their career at UK has ended and they go to the NBA, I'm thankful for their time here, but they move on to their next big thing and I move on to UK's next big thing

I don't see myself coming up short in the fan department.

 

[LineSkiCat]

You raise some good points, they move on, we move on. Ok, I can get on board with that.

But they certainly don't need Kentucky. No recruit does. No recruits needs Duke or UNC. We need them much more than they need us, simply because we are not the pinnacle of the game itself: The NBA is. The NBA holds the all the aces.

 

[TnKat]

I'm saying the guy who UK's paying $8M/year to coach the school's chosen sport is saying nothing, nada, nary a word about #9. It should be priority #1 but as long as there's a draft it apparently isn't. Can't you see how ridiculous that is?

If you can't see that ridiculousness is part of what gets them to Kentucky to begin with you may be lacking something.

 

[Federal Cat]

Dang, I have read all these post replies and now can't remember what the original post was, hold on, yeah it would be cool to see a bunch of ex Wildcats in the NBA all star game, to MDwildcat55 I'm apparently in group #3 can't remember shit group

 

[Ameoba Offense]

Ole' Cal seems to say something every week that insults a big segment of the fan base. I think he's got a low opinion of BBN as a whole and enjoys needling you people... JMO

 

[ulismyman]

I have no problem with true one and done guys...Wall Cousind Davis KAT...i get it i do buy the Teagues and Liggins and johnsons and aaron harrisons of the world. ..i dont get those stories. ...stay and help the Cats....going to d league and not ptoducing is very frustrating when your schhol could use ya

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Winning a NC highlights your players more than ANYTHING else. I have trouble understanding why Cals statements couldn't be more along the line of, " I want to help kids earn x dollars,get x players into the league, get x players into the draft, have half the Allstar team made up of UK players. And the best way to launch these kids every year is to win a NC and that's our goal every year." I'm not sure what is difficult in that statement other than if a NC is the top priority, is that somehow equated to program before player.

 

[shutzhund]

I'll continue to hope for another NC while some of you continue to kow-tow to all things Calipari. Maybe someday we'll both get our wish.

Have you ever been told that ENVY is an unattractive trait? Probably so but you decided to swim in a brackish pond anyway? Curious.

 

[brianpoe]

Winning a NC highlights your players more than ANYTHING else. I have trouble understanding why Cals statements couldn't be more along the line of, " I want to help kids earn x dollars,get x players into the league, get x players into the draft, have half the Allstar team made up of UK players. And the best way to launch these kids every year is to win a NC and that's our goal every year." I'm not sure what is difficult in that statement other than if a NC is the top priority, is that somehow equated to program before player.

Maybe Cal thinks it is funny that so many un-athletic, couch potatoes on message boards do not understand that at the UK level, the desire to win does not have to be drilled into these kids or coaches.

These players all have won championships, they have extreme determination, and these coaches are fanatical about winning. Only to those who never played sports and sit back and judge a guy with his record is the term "and also we want to win" necessary.

Cal took another shot at our "most intelligent fan base" which is a major joke, just the other day on KSR, when he mentioned our record the past six years and all the work it took to get there, and wondered allowed how people could question the players and coaches' will to win.

The fact Cal has to say we want to win to make some of you people happy is sad, and don't forget he stated early on how he wanted to catch and surpass UCLA, but I guess if he doesn't say that every time speaks he doesn't really want it...?

 

[brianpoe]

I have no problem with true one and done guys...Wall Cousind Davis KAT...i get it i do buy the Teagues and Liggins and johnsons and aaron harrisons of the world. ..i dont get those stories. ...stay and help the Cats....going to d league and not ptoducing is very frustrating when your schhol could use ya

I wish they would all stay, but kids do not stay for the school anymore, they have their life to consider and need to make decisions for themselves. If you ever attended college I'd be willing to bet you did not make one decision about your life based upon how it would affect that school's record in anything.

 

[Jkwo]

I have no problem with true one and done guys...Wall Cousind Davis KAT...i get it i do buy the Teagues and Liggins and johnsons and aaron harrisons of the world. ..i dont get those stories. ...stay and help the Cats....going to d league and not ptoducing is very frustrating when your schhol could use ya

Liggins had a daughter to take care of. Who was gonna pay for those gerber bottles and diapers while he was at school and not allowed to get a job because of current NCAA rules on student athletes? Were you gonna pay for them?

How much do you think Dakari or Aaron's stock was gonna rise given their styles of play? Dakari has no athleticism and Aaron is a 6'5 shooting guard who is a good but not great athlete at the NBA level. The kind of stuff that will make them better prospects - drill work that is position-specific and league-specific in terms of style of play - will increase way faster when it's a full time job than if you also have to be studying.

Teague, I agree, could've done much better for both himself and the school, but he'd just won us a championship and all of his friends were leaving at once. Hard to blame him.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Maybe Cal thinks it is funny that so many un-athletic, couch potatoes on message boards do not understand that at the UK level, the desire to win does not have to be drilled into these kids or coaches.

These players all have won championships, they have extreme determination, and these coaches are fanatical about winning. Only to those who never played sports and sit back and judge a guy with his record is the term "and also we want to win" necessary.

Cal took another shot at our "most intelligent fan base" which is a major joke, just the other day on KSR, when he mentioned our record the past six years and all the work it took to get there, and wondered allowed how people could question the players and coaches' will to win.

The fact Cal has to say we want to win to make some of you people happy is sad, and don't forget he stated early on how he wanted to catch and surpass UCLA, but I guess if he doesn't say that every time speaks he doesn't really want it...?

As I've already told you, people chase the goals they set. He restates his goals all the time. I truly believe Cal when he says it is a players first program. Players before program. If that is what you want, good for you, it isn't what I want. You can make fun of reasonable statements all you want, it doesn't change his words or, sometimes, his actions. We've already been down this road Brian. I am a UK fan first, Cal fan second and player fan third. That will not change regardless of the coach or players.

 

[catsfan70]

Seems like discussing NBA goals rather than UK goals is a bit backwards to me. All of these NBA draft/NBA All-star goals should be SECOND tier goals. The icing on the cake that happens after National Championships. I feel like the primary focus should be on our program. Who pays Cal's, salary.....The University of Kentucky! So like I have said in previous topics and posts, I would love to hear Cal say just one time that he puts UK first. To be honest that's all I care about.

 

[ulismyman]

Agreed

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

But you guys don't get it, we're supposed to infer that what Cal is really saying is the program is first. I wish Cal would at least make the goals equal.

 

[catsfan70]

But you guys don't get it, we're supposed to infer that what Cal is really saying is the program is first. I wish Cal would at least make the goals equal.

I see your point, and I know the good intention for the program is there. But damn, I just wanna hear it from time to time.

 

[Rhavicc]

I see your point, and I know the good intention for the program is there. But damn, I just wanna hear it from time to time.

I don't really see the big deal, at all. He recruits the kids, not you. The kids get what they want, you get what you want (a s**t ton of wins, and a lot of money for the athletics department). All while Cal gets what he wants. He runs the GOAT college basketball program, recruits how he wants, manages it how he wants, gets a ton of wins and accolades, puts kids in the NBA, so on and so forth. He markets UK to perfection. I'll take that over Cal stroking your ego (not beneficial to anybody except yourself) any day.
I don't need him to say "it's for the program". The results speak for themselves.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Clearly there is just a sharp divide in how we all view Cals words. That probably isn't going to change.

 

[brianpoe]

It's kind of bewildering that intelligent guys like you have to be self inspired by Cal's words.

Let me ask you this, if he always stated that winning was #1 would we have a better record?

Or would you just feel better?

 

[TankedCat]

Seems like discussing NBA goals rather than UK goals is a bit backwards to me. All of these NBA draft/NBA All-star goals should be SECOND tier goals. The icing on the cake that happens after National Championships. I feel like the primary focus should be on our program. Who pays Cal's, salary.....The University of Kentucky! So like I have said in previous topics and posts, I would love to hear Cal say just one time that he puts UK first. To be honest that's all I care about.

Cal talks about what the school can do for the kids - instead of what the kids can do for the school.

That approach has basically demolished UNC's recruiting because Roy Williams is still a "what will you do for my program" kind of coach (and now its even worse with the NCAA cloud of doom)

So Cal could talk about putting UK first and then you'd see top recruits considering other schools.

I can see where his approach threw some fans off. I must admit I didn't fully understand why he said his first class going pro was the greatest day for UK. As fans were scratching their head as to why, boom - we see our first final four by beating Ohio St and UNC, then two years later we see a national championship, a title game and another final four.

So I'm not really all that interested in hearing Cal talk about his priorities. The results speak much louder than any words he could add.

I'm sure Tubby and Gillispie talked about putting UK first.

 

[Nick Horvath]

Seems like discussing NBA goals rather than UK goals is a bit backwards to me. All of these NBA draft/NBA All-star goals should be SECOND tier goals. The icing on the cake that happens after National Championships. I feel like the primary focus should be on our program. Who pays Cal's, salary.....The University of Kentucky! So like I have said in previous topics and posts, I would love to hear Cal say just one time that he puts UK first. To be honest that's all I care about.

Wow.... a voice of reason on here.

NBA goals should absolutely be 2nd-tier goals. The NBA stuff is a by-product of Cal recruiting talented players and teaching them how to play good basketball. The NBA stuff will take care of itself if Calipari keeps winning titles at UK.

It's not necessarily a guarantee that winning titles will take care of itself if all you're worrying about is the NBA. As a matter of fact, it's pretty easy to see how having a mindset of only getting to the NBA would be hindrance to winning titles.

Calipari is blatantly hypocritical when he says stuff like his goal is to get X number of players drafted or have X number of NBA all-stars, while at the same time saying that playing for UK is about "sacrifice" and not about the individual. If your stated goal is to get INDIVIDUAL players drafted, then you're not thinking team-first. You can't have it both ways.

You can't brag about Anthony Davis being the 5th leading scorer on UK and saying "hey look it's all about the team here," while at the same time saying your stated goal is to get 8 players drafted instead of winning a national championship. The vast majority of these OADs would be OAD anywhere. That goes for UK's guys and Duke's guys. All of them. It's an absolute joke that people want to prop up this facade that these guys are truly "developed" over 1 year. What a joke. More like, they simply don't get screwed up.

 

[brianpoe]

Wow.... a voice of reason on here.

NBA goals should absolutely be 2nd-tier goals. The NBA stuff is a by-product of Cal recruiting talented players and teaching them how to play good basketball. The NBA stuff will take care of itself if Calipari keeps winning titles at UK.

It's not necessarily a guarantee that winning titles will take care of itself if all you're worrying about is the NBA. As a matter of fact, it's pretty easy to see how having a mindset of only getting to the NBA would be hindrance to winning titles.

Calipari is blatantly hypocritical when he says stuff like his goal is to get X number of players drafted or have X number of NBA all-stars, while at the same time saying that playing for UK is about "sacrifice" and not about the individual. If your stated goal is to get INDIVIDUAL players drafted, then you're not thinking team-first. You can't have it both ways.

You can't brag about Anthony Davis being the 5th leading scorer on UK and saying "hey look it's all about the team here," while at the same time saying your stated goal is to get 8 players drafted instead of winning a national championship. The vast majority of these OADs would be OAD anywhere. That goes for UK's guys and Duke's guys. All of them. It's an absolute joke that people want to prop up this facade that these guys are truly "developed" over 1 year. What a joke. More like, they simply don't get screwed up.

Thanks for the Duke input. Can you also advise our guys where they can get loans for jewelry while you are here?

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

It's kind of bewildering that intelligent guys like you have to be self inspired by Cal's words.

Let me ask you this, if he always stated that winning was #1 would we have a better record?

Or would you just feel better?

Perhaps. Is it possible that if his goal was winning first, would he make different personnel decisions in games? Do you remember at the beginning of the season he said another coach told him if he would just settle on a 7 guy rotation, they couldn't be beaten. He said he refused because everyone needs to eat. I admire his loyalty to his players, but yes, I do think it is possible if he was purely worried about winning first and foremost, then we may have had a better record. Neither of us has a way to prove our opinions, so we'll just have to deal with them. It is ok to disagree and do so without denigrating each other.

 

[kats23]

I feel like it's watching one of those birds that just bounce up and down drinking water out of a glass when it comes to our fans and Cal's priorities and agendas.

Cal cares about his kids and their professional career first and foremost. He should. Secondly, I would say most of these top recruits care about their pro career over an NCAA title. Call it a hunch but I bet these kids get more excited hearing Cal say he wants NBA All-stars and not saying titles are the most important thing. If you don't think every November Cal is gunning for a championship you are beyond batty. I think a 2nd title is uber important to Cal but he just doesn't talk about it. The guy isn't one of the top recruiters in the game for nothing.

 

[Hoskins91]

Perhaps. Is it possible that if his goal was winning first, would he make different personnel decisions in games? Do you remember at the beginning of the season he said another coach told him if he would just settle on a 7 guy rotation, they couldn't be beaten. He said he refused because everyone needs to eat. I admire his loyalty to his players, but yes, I do think it is possible if he was purely worried about winning first and foremost, then we may have had a better record. Neither of us has a way to prove our opinions, so we'll just have to deal with them. It is ok to disagree and do so without denigrating each other.

When has he ever given you the idea that he is intentionally not playing the person who gives us the best chance to win? I keep hearing people say this but they never give specific examples. In the Wisconsin game, he played the group that got us the lead and who he trusted to close the game out, he didn't have underlying motives.

 

[Jkwo]

Pretty sure the guy who is responsible for the best initial 6 year run in Kentucky coaching history (and arguably in CBB coaching history) knows how to get on court results.

Also pretty sure he knows that some UK fans (amazingly) still have a negative opinion of him despite all that, and so he says this stuff more and more often not only because he's the greatest recruiter ever, but also because it pisses you all off.

And you might say "why would he be so antagonistic?". And then I'd ask you - if you were the new CEO at a company, and you had a better initial run for both shareholders and employees than any other new CEO in the history of the company, wouldn't you get tired after a while at the couple naysayers who were still constantly taking shots at you?

And it makes me smile inside.

What's not to smile about?

1. UK basketball is as successful as it's ever been on the court.
2. Our kids are behaving as well as they ever have off the court.
3. Our rivals dislike us as much as they ever have, but they have zero ammo.
4. The eeyores and nancies all have their panties in a wad.


The fans whose happiness is directly correlated with UK success are like this:

And the rest of you can cry me a river.

 

[Wildcat Droppings]

Cal better start recruiting better players then if he wants that to happen.

 

[KDcats11]

Ole' Cal seems to say something every week that insults a big segment of the fan base. I think he's got a low opinion of BBN as a whole and enjoys needling you people... JMO

"You people" are the less than .5% of those who disagree with him. He doesn't needle any sensible UK fan, only fools like schwump, guys you can't even be sure about if they really are UK fans. Furthermore, why do you bother to interject when you're included in the most delusional, backwards, uneducated fan base there is, IU? You haven't seen anything resembling a decent program since the early 90's.

 

[brianpoe]

Perhaps. Is it possible that if his goal was winning first, would he make different personnel decisions in games? Do you remember at the beginning of the season he said another coach told him if he would just settle on a 7 guy rotation, they couldn't be beaten. He said he refused because everyone needs to eat. I admire his loyalty to his players, but yes, I do think it is possible if he was purely worried about winning first and foremost, then we may have had a better record. Neither of us has a way to prove our opinions, so we'll just have to deal with them. It is ok to disagree and do so without denigrating each other.

If you feel that Cal has caused our program to not achieve its fullest due to his "players first" way of thinking then I cannot debate you.

I am not sure that you can point to any evidence that cannot be easily debunked.

I would go out on a limb and suggest that his mindset is what helped us sign these players in the first place.

 

[Mike-D]

I'm saying the guy who UK's paying $8M/year to coach the school's chosen sport is saying nothing, nada, nary a word about #9. It should be priority #1 but as long as there's a draft it apparently isn't. Can't you see how ridiculous that is?

How idiotic do you have to be to not recognize this is a recruiting pitch?

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

How idiotic do you have to be to not recognize this is a recruiting pitch?

I would think a recruiting pitch of pushing for a NC every year would be a pretty good one also. You win titles, you get noticed and sometimes over valued. Teague is a perfect example of what happens when you win a title.

 

[brianpoe]

I would think a recruiting pitch of pushing for a NC every year would be a pretty good one also. You win titles, you get noticed and sometimes over valued. Teague is a perfect example of what happens when you win a title.

I do not disagree with Teague being overvalued.

I believe coaches have preached a national title goal to recruits since Naismith. How has that worked out for most schools? Only 7 times for us in over 100 years (before Cal) and we have the 2nd most titles... (Cal is on pace for double that, btw)

The times they are a changing and Cal is at the forefront. People can live in denial if they want to.

If you think we have suffered because of his philosophy then it doesn't matter.

Most people angry about it are simply still crying over the Wisconsin loss.

I just do not see how anyone can know his past and current success, watch the man act like an idiot on the sidelines, age 15 years in 7, and not think the man wants to win as much as any other coach.

Again, if you think it has cost us, that's one thing, I totally disagree and I will await your evidence.

 

[Mike-D]

I do not disagree with Teague being overvalued.

I believe coaches have preached a national title goal to recruits since Naismith. How has that worked out for most schools? Only 7 times for us in over 100 years (before Cal) and we have the 2nd most titles... (Cal is on pace for double that, btw)

The times they are a changing and Cal is at the forefront. People can live in denial if they want to.

If you think we have suffered because of his philosophy then it doesn't matter.

Most people angry about it are simply still crying over the Wisconsin loss.

I just do not see how anyone can know his past and current success, watch the man act like an idiot on the sidelines, age 15 years in 7, and not think the man wants to win as much as any other coach.

Again, if you think it has cost us, that's one thing, I totally disagree and I will await your evidence.

Sometimes it's just a lost cause.

 

[kats23]

I would think a recruiting pitch of pushing for a NC every year would be a pretty good one also. You win titles, you get noticed and sometimes over valued. Teague is a perfect example of what happens when you win a title.

Teague didn't get overvalued bc he won a title. He was drafted high due to a less than stellar guard class coming out and the fact he was a Calapari PG. That has way more to do with it than winning a Title. Most top 5 star recruits are not coming to UK to win a title, it's to get to the NBA. Sure, once the season gets going these guys are gunning for a title but that's not a recruiting pitch I would use and I'm guessing it isn't one Cal uses. The NBA is Cal's greatest recruiter.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

No, Teague was over valued due to the NC.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

I do not disagree with Teague being overvalued.

I believe coaches have preached a national title goal to recruits since Naismith. How has that worked out for most schools? Only 7 times for us in over 100 years (before Cal) and we have the 2nd most titles... (Cal is on pace for double that, btw)

The times they are a changing and Cal is at the forefront. People can live in denial if they want to.

If you think we have suffered because of his philosophy then it doesn't matter.

Most people angry about it are simply still crying over the Wisconsin loss.

I just do not see how anyone can know his past and current success, watch the man act like an idiot on the sidelines, age 15 years in 7, and not think the man wants to win as much as any other coach.

Again, if you think it has cost us, that's one thing, I totally disagree and I will await your evidence.

Cal isn't on pace for anything. He has won 1 NC, you cannot extrapolate future success on the basis of 1 NC. I also never said he doesn't want to win. I said his priorities may be out of line. Program first, players second.

 

[BostonCat2001]

Cal isn't on pace for anything. He has won 1 NC, you cannot extrapolate future success on the basis of 1 NC. I also never said he doesn't want to win. I said his priorities may be out of line. Program first, players second.

these are your priorities. for those who actually matters, whose lives/futures are on the line...priorities are different. players first...always and forever.

 

[Jkwo]

Cal isn't on pace for anything. He has won 1 NC, you cannot extrapolate future success on the basis of 1 NC. I also never said he doesn't want to win. I said his priorities may be out of line. Program first, players second.

If they were my kids, I'd want to hear kids' well-being first, wouldn't you?

And it doesn't matter if you're talking about NCs, F4s, wins, wins vs other HOF coaches, top 10 finishes - use whatever damn measuring stick you want. He's off to a better start than basically any other coach in the history of CBB. Go ahead and look around and tell me who was better in his first 6 at a new school. I'll give you the one and only name - Roy Williams at UNC, who was the beneficiary of the biggest scandal in the history of CBB.

Anybody else you can name? I'll wait.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

these are your priorities. for those who actually matters, whose lives/futures are on the line...priorities are different. players first...always and forever.

That's absurd, Rupp would have called you many interesting names.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

If they were my kids, I'd want to hear kids' well-being first, wouldn't you?

And it doesn't matter if you're talking about NCs, F4s, wins, wins vs other HOF coaches, top 10 finishes - use whatever damn measuring stick you want. He's off to a better start than basically any other coach in the history of CBB. Go ahead and look around and tell me who was better in his first 6 at a new school. I'll give you the one and only name - Roy Williams at UNC, who was the beneficiary of the biggest scandal in the history of CBB.

Anybody else you can name? I'll wait.

I never claimed otherwise.