Eating our own...

[Blueaz]

About halfway through the season I started a thread about how Cal. was is a no win situation this year.
If UK went 40-0 or at least won the NCAAT it would "of course, look at the talent"
If UK did not win the NCAAT it would be "see, he stinks; he can't coach"
Little did I expect that most (most) of the media not say anything of the sort. Very little Cal. bashing.
It is our own fans and supporters doing the bashing. SMH at BBN sometimes...

 

[Xception]

Some of BBN will turn on you if their expectations aren't met , they make the entire fan base look bad .

 

[kyboy1998]

You think this is bad?

Wait until Cal leaves and we cycle through coaches for a couple decades because of expectations that "Cal" helped build.

Our fanbase has the ability to ruin the program and turn us into a history book/museum of basketballs past like UCLA.

It can happen.

 

[MegaBlue05]

It's what we do.

Some people have expectations that aren't realistic (Title or bust every year, sign 4 top-10 guys every year, win every game by 40, etc.)

Others aren't happy unless they're bitching about something (See certain posters who were absent all season, but started happily posting constantly starting with the day we lost to Wisconsin)

There are others who played JV basketball in high school, and therefore are experts and better coaches than a guy who gets paid millions of dollars a year to coach and who was just elected to the HOF.


Then, there's the other 98 percent of UK fans who are rational people who support their team in good times and bad and only ask to be "in the conversation" every season.

 

[johnnyflcat4life]

You think this is bad?

Wait until Cal leaves and we cycle through coaches for a couple decades because of expectations that "Cal" helped build.

Our fanbase has the ability to ruin the program and turn us into a history book/museum of basketballs past like UCLA.

It can happen.

I see what you are trying to say, but to imply that we may not be able to continue success after Cal is insane. If we can get through some of the tragedies in our past I think we can survive Cal's success. We are not UCLA or Indiana for one simple reason. We are Kentucky.

 

[CBBCrazy]

It's what we do.

Some people have expectations that aren't realistic (Title or bust every year, sign 4 top-10 guys every year, win every game by 40, etc.)

Others aren't happy unless they're bitching about something (See certain posters who were absent all season, but started happily posting constantly starting with the day we lost to Wisconsin)

There are others who played JV basketball in high school, and therefore are experts and better coaches than a guy who gets paid millions of dollars a year to coach and who was just elected to the HOF.


Then, there's the other 98 percent of UK fans who are rational people who support their team in good times and bad and only ask to be "in the conversation" every season.

True this ^ I have read post from names I have never seen on this forum, the unrealistic come out of the woodwork to post doom and gloom. We couldn't win the Championship with a loaded roster last year, why so much concern when we have a good team is beyond me. Years have taught me if you win a championship in a decade it is great, some have no idea how hard it is. Those fans are in for a long life as a UK fan, banners aren't hung every year guys.

 

[blubo]

You think this is bad?

Wait until Cal leaves and we cycle through coaches for a couple decades because of expectations that "Cal" helped build.

Our fanbase has the ability to ruin the program and turn us into a history book/museum of basketballs past like UCLA.

It can happen.

doubt that would happen with uk. ucla fan base could care less about bball unless ucla is winning. like al mcguire said: "They had it before you, they had it during you, they'll have it when you're gone"...."

 

[ZZBlueComet]

Only issue I had with how the season ended was pulling the air out of the ball, with only a 4 point lead, in the middle of a big run, with almost 5 minutes to go - besides that, Cal gets an A+ for last year's team.

I'm just curious how he adds a couple of more front guys for next season - can't imagine where some folks see that as tearing Cal apart.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

I see what you are trying to say, but to imply that we may not be able to continue success after Cal is insane. If we can get through some of the tragedies in our past I think we can survive Cal's success. We are not UCLA or Indiana for one simple reason. We are Kentucky.

UK will absolutely not be able to continue success on this level of 4 Final Fours in 5 years and being in the title hunt 5/6 seasons. Hell, UK's history shows us that as 25% of UK's Final Fours have come in 5 years, while UK had 13 in the 70 years of NCAA Tourney play before that. UK was pretty much no threat to win the national title for the decade before Cal got here so it could certainly happen again if UK hires the wrong coach again. And with Mitch hiring Coach G and Joker...no one should 100% rule that out.

 

[kats23]

You think this is bad?

Wait until Cal leaves and we cycle through coaches for a couple decades because of expectations that "Cal" helped build.

Our fanbase has the ability to ruin the program and turn us into a history book/museum of basketballs past like UCLA.

It can happen.

I feel sorry for the next coach to step in the program but I can't see UK ever becoming what UCLA or IU has become. The people that make the money and donate the money won't allow it. Think about it. Donors/boosters got Billy G ran out of here after just 2 years. Part of your statement is true. The expectations will make it harder to lure a coach if the program stays in the current state. This was the case when Tubby left. From the outside looking in, Smith has won a ton of games, won a title, and had been in the mix for a Final Four most years. What the unhappy fans saw were his past 2 years coupled with the drought of a Final Four and a lack of superstars looking at UK. So UK had a bunch of guys turn the job down. It's the hardest job in college basketball. Arguably, the hardest sports job in America. So I would expect some of the same.

Expectations are the reason the program is where it is. UCLA's big money people quit caring, IU's fans lowered their expectations. UK has thrived bc of the fans.

 

[Blueaz]

and, what happens this season; with this "very poor team"?
If they do well (final 8)...Cal. will be vilified "if he can do that with this team, why couldn't he go 40-0 last year"
If they do less than final 8..."see, he can't coach...UK is ruined by his platoon and players first"

 

[Blueaz]

This site is a safety valve for the Big Blue Nation, a place to howl at the moon anonymously, and without consequence. Most of us on the board regularly have been guilty of hyperbole, histrionics and nonsensical exaggerations. It is just frustration talking, when the team we love falls short of our dreams.

I sincerely doubt even the most negative posters here are blind to the fact that Kentucky is in the midst of a great run, and that, overall, balancing out everything, Calipari is the best at what he does. For some, this board is just a place to lay off a deposit of bile and vitriol that would seem silly to utter aloud around mature Kentucky basketball fans in their circle of family and friends. It is best not to take anything said here very seriously.

I wish I could agree, but there seem to be many who think Cal is not the right fit. But those same posters can NEVER name the right fit.

 

[jameslee32]

Any For Sale signs yet?

 

[jameslee32]

UK was pretty much no threat to win the national title for the decade before Cal got here so it could certainly happen again if UK hires the wrong coach again. And with Mitch hiring Coach G and Joker...no one should 100% rule that out.

So Mitch would hired CBG and CJP again huh? In addition, UK was a #1 seed in 2003 and 2004. Usually those teams are threats.

 

[cats2010]

About halfway through the season I started a thread about how Cal. was is a no win situation this year.
If UK went 40-0 or at least won the NCAAT it would "of course, look at the talent"
If UK did not win the NCAAT it would be "see, he stinks; he can't coach"
Little did I expect that most (most) of the media not say anything of the sort. Very little Cal. bashing.
It is our own fans and supporters doing the bashing. SMH at BBN sometimes...

Sorry when you recruit as much talent to the university as Cal does expectations will be raised. You cant be propped up on a pedestal for recruiting and sending over 20 players to the NBA in 6 years without getting a little criticized for coaching while only winning one title during the same period. True, they are very hard to win but consider the fact that both Duke and UCONN has won two titles during this same time period and UCONN may be the two worst teams to actually win a title in the last 25-30 years.

And your OP is embellishing the "he stinks" crowd as I don't think there is anyone who says he stinks. He simply could be better in certain areas of his coaching than he has been. Say what you want but if this were not Cal and any other coach in the country we were talking about, this board would be littered with post about how horrible the coach is for his inability to win with so much talent even while coming close. The coach would be labeled a choke artist, you know it, and I know it.

 

[crazyqx83]

You think this is bad?

Wait until Cal leaves and we cycle through coaches for a couple decades because of expectations that "Cal" helped build.

Our fanbase has the ability to ruin the program and turn us into a history book/museum of basketballs past like UCLA.

It can happen.

UCLA is UCLA because nobody cares about UCLA basketball.

What's more dangerous to the program is an administration that is complacent with coaches like tubby.

I agree it's ludicrous to think cal is failing here. If you don't get to a final four every 4-5 years, you should be on the hot seat. There is not much else that's a given. Winning a title is tough. Not sure what our criteria should be there.