From Rupp thru Calipari. Did each UK coach leave the program in better or worse shape than he found it in?

[TopCatCal]

Rupp - Built the Kentucky brand. Clearly left the program in better shape than when he got here.

Hall - Fully integrated the program. His last 3 years, lost in OT in the Elite-8, made the Final Four, lost in the Sweet-16. Left the program in better shape than when he took over.

Sutton - Won 11 post season games in his last 4 years (his only 4 years) Left us on NCAA probation. Did however leave several decent players behind. Pelphrey, Feldhaus, Woods, Reggie Hanson, Derrick Miller, Jeff Brassow. Overall, left the program in much worse shape than when he got here.

Pitino - 26 post season wins over his last 4 years. Cleary left the program in far, far better shape than he found it in.

Tubby - 15 post season wins over his last 4 years. Didn't leave the program in as good of shape as when he got here, but considering the success that Pitino had it would have been just about impossible to have left it in better shape than when he found it in.

Gillispie - Left his successor some pretty good players. Patrick Patterson a 1st round draft pick plus Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, Josh Harrelson. Left the program in worse shape than he found it in

Calipari - 2-8 post season record over his last 4 years. Left the cupboard as bare as anyone could. Calipari is like an EF-5 tornado. After it blows through there's nothing left. It's a shame that we couldn't fire him after the Saint Peter's loss. We would be so much better off today. Left the program in far, far worse shape than he found it in.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Yes: Rupp, Pitino
No: BCG, Tubby, Sutton
Push: Calipari, Hall

 

[KMKAT]

2 coaches that were handed the job from his predecessor: Hall & Smith.

Had Pitino said Donovan, could you imagine the impact the next few years could have been?

Pope has to make a name for himself, then hand it off in what, 10 years, to an assistant.

Thanks Mitch for not considering Bruiser Flint.

 

[KMKAT]

Yes: Rupp, Pitino
No: BCG, Tubby, Sutton
Push: Calipari, Hall

Yes should be what makes you a legend in UK basketball.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Yes should be what makes you a legend in UK basketball.

If UK was an empire, which coaches could be seen as emperors who expanded our empire, which ones maintained the empire, and which ones lost chunks of the empire?

Pitino and Rupp expanded.
Cal, Tubby, and Hall maintained (Cal expanded our NBA pedigree, but lost ground on our prestige at the end).
Sutton and BCG lost ground.

 

[Rideordiewildcat]

I never got why people hated Pitino so much after. He nlbrough5 us back from death. Won a title and just missed another the following year. He left the cupboard full and a competent coach from his tree to win a title the next year.

When he was ready to come back to college the UK job wasn't open. He loved the state and took the Louisville job.

Cal on the other hand hated and taunted the fanbase while here. Put himself over the program and his players at all times. Then as we all knew left at a awkward time with the cupboard completely bare. Only reason for 1 guy, Perry is he came for Kentucky not Cal. On top of it all Cal took a job in our conference.

Neither man is perfect. Far from it but when I look back on Pitino vs Cal at UK it isn't even close.

 

[meow_cat]

Pitino going to UofL was a move a lot of people couldn’t handle. Unlike now, the rivalry was hot and spicy at the time. UofL has clearly fallen off a cliff since then.

I never got why people hated Pitino so much after. He nlbrough5 us back from death. Won a title and just missed another the following year. He left the cupboard full and a competent coach from his tree to win a title the next year.

When he was ready to come back to college the UK job wasn't open. He loved the state and took the Louisville job.

Cal on the other hand hated and taunted the fanbase while here. Put himself over the program and his players at all times. Then as we all knew left at a awkward time with the cupboard completely bare. Only reason for 1 guy, Perry is he came for Kentucky not Cal. On top of it all Cal took a job in our conference.

Neither man is perfect. Far from it but when I look back on Pitino vs Cal at UK it isn't even close.

 

[kats23]

Yes: Rupp, Pitino
No: BCG, Tubby, Sutton
Push: Calipari, Hall

I’ll say the jury is still out on Cal. Could push to a no if Pope stumbles getting players out of the portal since he’s a little bit behind the 8 ball and Cal is either taking most of Kentucky’s team or they are transferring elsewhere. Once the portal closes and out roster is known for next year, then Cal’s fate on how he left the program is decided.

 

[UKUGA]

Eddie Sutton took over a team that had a chance to win the national title in his first season (and he beat the national champs in the regular season). Two years later, Sutton’s team was pre-season #2.

Hall left the program in fine shape.

Whether or not it was “better” than where Rupp left it is almost not relevant, at all.

 

[Snarks0]

For Cal this is just the way bball is right now with the transfer portal. Heck, look at the women’s team…..Brooks left Va Tech and brought all their players and recruits with him. Just the way it works now.

 

[Catfan2226]

Rupp - Built the Kentucky brand. Clearly left the program in better shape than when he got here.

Hall - Fully integrated the program. His last 3 years, lost in OT in the Elite-8, made the Final Four, lost in the Sweet-16. Left the program in better shape than when he took over.

Sutton - Won 11 post season games in his last 4 years (his only 4 years) Left us on NCAA probation. Did however leave several decent players behind. Pelphrey, Feldhaus, Woods, Reggie Hanson, Derrick Miller, Jeff Brassow. Overall, left the program in much worse shape than when he got here.

Pitino - 26 post season wins over his last 4 years. Cleary left the program in far, far better shape than he found it in.

Tubby - 15 post season wins over his last 4 years. Didn't leave the program in as good of shape as when he got here, but considering the success that Pitino had it would have been just about impossible to have left it in better shape than when he found it in.

Gillispie - Left his successor some pretty good players. Patrick Patterson a 1st round draft pick plus Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, Josh Harrelson. Left the program in worse shape than he found it in

Calipari - 2-8 post season record over his last 4 years. Left the cupboard as bare as anyone could. Calipari is like an EF-5 tornado. After it blows through there's nothing left. It's a shame that we couldn't fire him after the Saint Peter's loss. We would be so much better off today. Left the program in far, far worse shape than he found it in.

Pretty much the way I see it. Fair analysis.

 

[NC Weasel]

No, no, no. Billy was a train wreck. Thank God we acted quickly, but Christ the man had 1 foot in rehab and the other at the Bunny Ranch.

The program dropped from great heights from CAL'S peak. But we aren't Billy G bad. Its the portal rules that change what the cupboard looks like. But shape of the program? Billy G is the worst hire we ever made. Sutton got us in the most trouble because we let his drinking go too long.