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

whether true or not, this is one Cal probably should have kept to himself. Doesn't help anyone or anything to state it. Just confuses us, makes people wonder who it was, and sends a weird message to recruits. Just no point. Cal fumbled.
 
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.

THIS!!!!
 
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.

I take it that you don't think not having Willie was a reason for us not playing as well as previously?
 
Coach Cal backtracking on "relieved" comment... From CoachCal.com...


I just watched the interview with Fran Healy. In hindsight, knowing what those kids had to go through, knowing the pressure that was on them, I agreed with many of my friends who said that maybe it would have been better to lose a game before the tournament.

Having said that, if we’re ever in that position again, all of you who know me know that we’re going to try to win every game.

In the interview, I used the term relieved to describe what I saw in the locker room. It wasn’t relief about wanting the season to end. That team wanted to win all 40 games – and thought they were going to. So did their coach.

When I walked in that locker room, I didn’t know what to expect. When I looked around, a few of them looked like they were in a daze.

I was talking to Karl Towns about it and his comment was, “We were in shock. The response wasn’t tears and anger. It was more of, ‘What just happened, we’re done playing.’ ”

I agree with Karl. They were in shock. A few were devastated, but what I saw more than anything when they settled in their seats was they were being reflective of the season and what had just happened.

If you have never been through what we went through, it would be hard to understand or describe. That’s what I tried to do.

I’ll say this one more time: I couldn’t have been more proud nor did I have more fun coaching a basketball team than I did last year.
 
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.

That's 100% false...but I am not going to waste my time listing occasions where I did not agree with Cal's game strategy or something he said. Yes, I defend Cal more than I put him down...but that is what a legit UK fan should do IMO. I look at you as one who is much more negative towards Cal so yeah I am going to defend him againist your ilk.

I do apologize if you have had to deal with a kid dying of cancer or had to go on dangerous military missions...although the latter was your choice post-draft...if we are even talking about you and not a hypothetical. And yes, there was a HELL OF A LOT OF PRESSURE on those guys last year, and yes they may have more personal pressure later on, but as far as "job" related pressure it was pretty dang high. For you to say they do not know pressure because they are young was just a silly comment, especially when you just mentioned dangerous military missions...that 18, and 19 year olds are sent to die on all the time. So while I will grant you I went far in my response, you should admit your original one was a bit ignorant as well. I bet you do not though.
 
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.


College basketball and college sports in general are a multi-billion dollar business predicated on entertainment and tv deals. The college athletes in general are pretty much taken advantage of, aren't really students, and make millions for the school. The coaches themselves are multi-millionaires many times over. I'm an alumnus of UK, went to the games as a student, love the basketball team and watch all the games throughout the year with the hopes they'll win the championship, which we seem to be in the discussion every year. That's my relationship with UK b-ball. I guess I don't really understand your question. Do you want me to want my daughter to date Coach Cal or something? Should I insist he go get a degree from UK and sit in the stands or something? I really have no clue where you are going with your questions. What am I supposed to be expecting of him? What do you expect from the coach of whatever team you follow? I honestly don't really understand what point you are trying to make.
 
Coach Cal backtracking on "relieved" comment... From CoachCal.com...


I just watched the interview with Fran Healy. In hindsight, knowing what those kids had to go through, knowing the pressure that was on them, I agreed with many of my friends who said that maybe it would have been better to lose a game before the tournament.

Having said that, if we’re ever in that position again, all of you who know me know that we’re going to try to win every game.

In the interview, I used the term relieved to describe what I saw in the locker room. It wasn’t relief about wanting the season to end. That team wanted to win all 40 games – and thought they were going to. So did their coach.

When I walked in that locker room, I didn’t know what to expect. When I looked around, a few of them looked like they were in a daze.

I was talking to Karl Towns about it and his comment was, “We were in shock. The response wasn’t tears and anger. It was more of, ‘What just happened, we’re done playing.’ ”

I agree with Karl. They were in shock. A few were devastated, but what I saw more than anything when they settled in their seats was they were being reflective of the season and what had just happened.

If you have never been through what we went through, it would be hard to understand or describe. That’s what I tried to do.

I’ll say this one more time: I couldn’t have been more proud nor did I have more fun coaching a basketball team than I did last year.
Everyone was "shocked". Well, except a few on this board that only worry about Cal.
 
Why do we persist in hyper-analyzing Cal's quotes? What does he have to do to earn the collateral of trust from us??
 
Cal is a spin master, some on here obsess over every word he utters, some negatively, some think he is above any criticism, both sides are wrong.
 
Interesting... Did he say he agrees a loss would have been at least somewhat useful?
 
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