From Nation of Blue.....Cal said and I quote

[louisvilleblue]

"A few players were actually relieved in the locker room after the Wisconsin loss. I thought they would be devasted". Evidently that was not the case. Maybe too much pressure for some of our young kids?

Sorry having a hard time linking on my IPad.

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan]

I don't understand that at all.

 

[Dakota25]

There was a lot of pressure on them but people need to remember that there is a lot of pressure on pro athletes as well and they play more games so the pressure was great preparation for their futures. I also think they would have been more relieved after a championship but it was a great season none the less.

 

[Smashcat]

http://www.nationofblue.com/john-calipari-says-some-players-were-relieved-after-final-four-loss/

 

[Hoskins91]

I'm sure the pressure that was laid on them over the course of the season created extra tension. While they fell short of the goal, it was still a big weight lifted off their shoulders.

 

[WeWant9]

Ugh what?

I always try to find positives here, but come on man. Relieved to lose in the final four? That's just crazy to think. It makes you wonder who cal perceived as being relieved?

 

[bigc45157]

They are kids playing on the biggest stage. IT's not an easy gig and our guys went through it for months on end.

 

[LetsHang#9]

Taken out of context. In retrospect a loss during the season would have eliminated the undefeated pressure. They weren't happy to lose but to some extent there's relief because the pressure is gone.

 

[LetsHang#9]

Oh and.... FARRRRR CAL!

 

[Feez13]

OP is a terrible poster

 

[UKWildcats#8]

People that take this the wrong are the unintelligent UK fans. This quote does show that maybe a loss would have been a good thing for some of the guys mentally as clearly it shows some of them were drained by all the pressure/stress of last season. Everyone of the players wanted to win the national title, and expected to do so, but I am sure after almost a whole year of the highest pressure of any UK team of all time (IMO) they were glad to be able to relax. It just sucks it was after a loss and not winning it all.

 

[Untouchables22]

Honestly what I find more troubling then this was how poorly we played under pressure against Connecticut in the national championship game the year before. James Young was the only one who didn't become a prisoner of the moment and refused to play scared. Certainly our program under Cal is different with Freshmen and Sophomore's being thrust into these pressure filled moments traditionally reserved for upperclassmen but I do think we need to maybe think about changing some things in the program to try and make our young players more comfortable with the biggest of stages.

 

[LetsHang#9]

I do think we need to maybe think about changing some things in the program to try and make our young players more comfortable with the biggest of stages.

Nothing can prepare you for 38-0.

 

[Trouthound]

I don't quite get it. Cal seems to want to be loved and admired because he brings in the most talent every (or nearly every) year, but wants sympathy for the expectations placed on the most (or nearly) so talented team.

With this, and his other comments about getting kids to the League as fast as possible as his primary objective, are any UK fans dubious about his priorities or intentions?

You were Kentucky before he got there. You have an incredible history of winning. Great coaches, phenomenol tradition.

Do the comments at all bother you? He clearly recruits for the NBA, not UK. He recruits your school as a stepping stone.

In my mind UK, like KU, Duke, and previously UNC, was a DESTINATION. Not a parking spot.

I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just weirded out by some of the things Cal says.

He is a great recruiter, good coach and has had a ton of success. Beyond doubt.

 

[Untouchables22]

Nothing can prepare you for 38-0.

I completely agree with you. It was a once in a lifetime situation and is excusable. However, I don't think the Connecticut championship game is excusable. Perhaps you just need one senior as a steading influence in the rotation. Looking at Freshman dominated teams to make it to the championship game. We had Darius in 2012 and Duke had Quinn Cook this year.

 

[Chuckinden]

Pressure? People that young don't know what real pressure is.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Pressure? People that young don't know what real pressure is.

Oh I can assure you, the pressure they felt for last year's b-ball season is far more than you have ever had to deal with in your irrelevant life up to this point (and same goes for me). No one cares about your issues...while everyone who covers college basketball in every way cared about their issues an the pressure and stress of the journey.

And to the guy bitching about the UCONN game...how come you didn't mention the key injury to WCS? That is what hurt UK the most. The injury that Poy was getting over, and Randle as well...UCONN was pretty healthy. I mean if you are going to whine about a team full of freshman (almost literally in 2014 with just a SOPH POY) in the rotation struggling to deal with pressure in the national title game...maybe you do not know how things work. Experience does matter.

 

[wildcatwelder]

I don't quite get it. Cal seems to want to be loved and admired because he brings in the most talent every (or nearly every) year, but wants sympathy for the expectations placed on the most (or nearly) so talented team.

With this, and his other comments about getting kids to the League as fast as possible as his primary objective, are any UK fans dubious about his priorities or intentions?

You were Kentucky before he got there. You have an incredible history of winning. Great coaches, phenomenol tradition.

Do the comments at all bother you? He clearly recruits for the NBA, not UK. He recruits your school as a stepping stone.

In my mind UK, like KU, Duke, and previously UNC, was a DESTINATION. Not a parking spot.

I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just weirded out by some of the things Cal says.

He is a great recruiter, good coach and has had a ton of success. Beyond doubt.

No, his comments don't faze me in the least. In today's way of getting to the NBA, it wouldn't matter WHERE Cal coached, he'd still be trying to bring in the best players he could. It just so happens he's at UK, and I'm cool with that.

What are we supposed to feel like? "No, don't recruit those elite one and done players Cal, recruit like Ten Loss Tubby and keep all those guys for 4 years." I don't think so.

 

[Jazzycat]

If that is the case,,,,why didn't he say that a loss would help that team in the long run? They are young kids who still get mentally tired and feel the pressure of success. Somehow, good coaching includes knowing where players are mentally, emotionally and physically and what they need and when they need it.....

 

[5iveStarRecruit]

lol oh Cal..

 

[KyFaninNC]

Relieved that they lost???????????? There was ONLY ONE MORE game to play. If that is just Cal trying to spin the loss, he missed the boat, if it is true, then I am glad whomever it was is gone.

 

[EvilMD]

Pressure, guys. It's not something you can touch, but it's real. Roger Maris started losing his hair the year he was chasing Babe Ruth's home run record. It's one thing to go out there and perform when both teams have something to lose. But when you play game after game after game with most of the country fascinated with the possibility of your failure, it wears on you. The first two games in Louisville we looked tight as hell. That kid for West Virginia took the pressure off of us in that game, but Notre Dame had serious ballers playing with the house's money.

 

[tank2009]

Its going to always be a disadvantege having freshmen if they are playing experienced seniors who have been there before.....like wisconsin had, but I surely am not complaing about 38 1 and ff appearance. Every so often we will get a run like davis group had when it all comes together at the right time.....

 

[nookam]

Anyone who doesn't understand the meaning of the quote go hang yourself, plenty of strong trash bags, perhaps in the kitchen or garage.
WCS not being able to play against UConn cost us and even with all the talent we had last season, we needed Poythress's defensive ability on the switches Wisconsin succeeded on. Alex is a lock down defender.
We surprised people by beating tOSU ,the overall #1 and UNC with the Brandon Knight team, before losing in the FF to UConn. We lost by 1 and shot 5-12 from the free throw line. Terrance Jones went 0-5 himself. The winner got Butler who UConn destroyed. A few breaks and Cal has 4 championships. As the folks from Kansas, who have only 3 NC like to say, it is a crap-shoot.......unless it is UK playing.
4 FF in 5 years, an EE, along with winning a championship is not bad. Bill Self has been to 2 FF and won a NC by Memphis not hitting Ft in his 12 seasons at KU, along with about a 50% flame out rate against mid majors.
We are fine. Be happy. remember Tubby and BCG? nothing to bitch about now.

 

[jameslee32]

Troll alert!!!

 

[ukbengals5787]

That's an unfortunate comment...not necessary but he is human.

 

[irishcat1965]

Lol. The quote doesn't bother me one bit.

 

[Blueaz]

I see nothing wrong with him saying that. Is it a "jab" at some of the players on that team? of course. but without context maybe he was just saying that some were glad the season had ended. and IF you wanna be on the porch with the big dogs (play at UK)...you better be a big dog and have a big dog attitude

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

Even if they were if Im Cal Im keeping that one in house.

Not kool.

 

[EvilMD]

I bet I know who he's talking about.

 

[kybassfan]

If that statement surprises you, you have ZERO understanding the amount of pressure that team was under. What they were attempting was unmatched in the history of college basketball. That one or more of them were relieved is to be expected.

 

[MWes11]

Everyone of those kids on last years team were competitors. I guarantee they were all devastated after that loss. I love Cal to death, but I think we can all agree he says some crazy sh@t lol.

 

[brianpoe]

I don't quite get it. Cal seems to want to be loved and admired because he brings in the most talent every (or nearly every) year, but wants sympathy for the expectations placed on the most (or nearly) so talented team.

With this, and his other comments about getting kids to the League as fast as possible as his primary objective, are any UK fans dubious about his priorities or intentions?

You were Kentucky before he got there. You have an incredible history of winning. Great coaches, phenomenol tradition.

Do the comments at all bother you? He clearly recruits for the NBA, not UK. He recruits your school as a stepping stone.

In my mind UK, like KU, Duke, and previously UNC, was a DESTINATION. Not a parking spot.

I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just weirded out by some of the things Cal says.

He is a great recruiter, good coach and has had a ton of success. Beyond doubt.

Thanks for sharing. Does all the Kansas illegal stuff bother you?

The pump brothers?

Coaches getting busted for drugs.

Loans to recruits.

And much more.

I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just weirded out by some of the things KU does.

 

[Chuckinden]

Oh I can assure you, the pressure they felt for last year's b-ball season is far more than you have ever had to deal with in your irrelevant life up to this point (and same goes for me). No one cares about your issues...while everyone who covers college basketball in every way cared about their issues an the pressure and stress of the journey.

And to the guy bitching about the UCONN game...how come you didn't mention the key injury to WCS? That is what hurt UK the most. The injury that Poy was getting over, and Randle as well...UCONN was pretty healthy. I mean if you are going to whine about a team full of freshman (almost literally in 2014 with just a SOPH POY) in the rotation struggling to deal with pressure in the national title game...maybe you do not know how things work. Experience does matter.

I never said anything about "my issues". If you think winning basketball games emit more pressure than someone dealing with a kid dying of cancer or someone in the military going out on a dangerous mission, then no one can help you.

You just defend Cal in whatever he says and does. He is a pure saint to you and you have no credibility for being so myopic. Cal isn't infallible...except maybe to you.

Sheesh! Stop with all the sack licking.

 

[brianpoe]

I never said anything about "my issues". If you think winning basketball games emit more pressure than someone dealing with a kid dying of cancer or someone in the military going out on a dangerous mission, then no one can help you.

You just defend Cal in whatever he says and does. He is a pure saint to you and you have no credibility for being so myopic. Cal isn't infallible...except maybe to you.

Sheesh! Stop with all the sack licking.

I don't want to get into this "stress" argument, but why is Cal is wrong when he states his opinion of something like this. He was there in the room, not any of us. This seems to be Cal's personal opinion of the situation regarding a couple of kids.

 

[Chuckinden]

I never said Cal was wrong in what he said.

 

[brianpoe]

I never said Cal was wrong in what he said.

Misread your statement then, sorry Chuck.

 

[bigbluedon]

No one ever mentions the basket interference call that UCONN had against Vargas that would have been the difference in the game. Ball sitting on the rim and UCONN kid knocks it off..Ridiculous no call..Cal needs to tweak the offense more to get more movement so that our players are harder to guard. Do that and the success and titles follow.

 

[TUL]

Definitely absolutely put me in the "a loss would have helped" category. Some of the kids were clearly feeling a nation worth of pressure, and it didn't help with the end goal of winning the title.

Not sure if Cal should have shared this, or why. Almost feels like maybe a tinnnny bit of deflection of blame... Like, what could he have done if there were guys who didn't really want to win. But I might be completely misreading it, could just be Cal being honest and open.

 

[EvilMD]

Definitely absolutely put me in the "a loss would have helped" category. Some of the kids were clearly feeling a nation worth of pressure, and it didn't help with the end goal of winning the title.

Not sure if Cal should have shared this, or why. Almost feels like maybe a tinnnny bit of deflection of blame... Like, what could he have done if there were guys who didn't really want to win. But I might be completely misreading it, could just be Cal being honest and open.

I saw it as a message to incoming recruits. I want guys who want that pressure.