Good Lord - everyone needs to chill...

[Cawood86]

wow...smh
a sports loss in the semifinals would not only ruin that great season; but also, the next season...
If that is your yardstick, I have a question for you.
How did you ever survive the end of Tubby and BCG? Those three years or so should have ruined the next 30 years.

I guess I did a poor job expressing how I feel about this. First of all, there were no expectations of NC's Tubby's last few years or at all with BCG after a few games.
Last year's team was loaded and had real depth at every position. Just look at how they are performing at the next level. I love Cal and would not want anyone else and dread the day he leaves, but they should have won it all last year. Just no excuse for losing to Wisc. I'm still upset over that loss. So disappointing. Doesn't mean I don't have hope for this team. But hope is different than expecting something to happen. Still don't understand how they lost.

 

[Jkwo]

"Made Cal look like a rec league coach"? How? Wisconsin was one of the best teams in the country last year -- and wanted that win bad after we got them the year before. We had a 4 point lead after being down 9 with a few minutes to play. Was the end sickening? Yes, I'll grant you that.

How have we been "overrated since 2013"? We made it to the title game the next year and the FF the year after! Because of 10 losses in 2014 and not going 40-0 we're "overrated"?

"Good draw"? Are you serious? That was a murder's row of opponents -- and we made the title game! "Miracle shots"? Dude -- do you even watch March Madness? That's 99% of what it's about! Games like last year when we wiped the floor with WVU just don't happen because you're playing the absolute hottest teams in the country at the time. Speaking of MM -- it's not a guarantee you win with the best talent -- look at early 90s UNLV and Michigan's Fab Five for example -- made it to the title game and couldn't get it done. It happens -- and yes, it stings.

Someone just said we got a good draw in '14 to try to make a point?!?


That's when you know we're not having a rational debate.

That was literally called the toughest region in tourney history by half the commentators - go back and read the articles - they were lamenting how Wichita State got screwed because they're a mid major, etc - and yet revisionist historians on here will go to any length to discredit the run. I just can't believe it.

 

[brianpoe]

I guess I did a poor job expressing how I feel about this. First of all, there were no expectations of NC's Tubby's last few years or at all with BCG after a few games.
Last year's team was loaded and had real depth at every position. Just look at how they are performing at the next level. I love Cal and would not want anyone else and dread the day he leaves, but they should have won it all last year. Just no excuse for losing to Wisc. I'm still upset over that loss. So disappointing. Doesn't mean I don't have hope for this team. But hope is different than expecting something to happen. Still don't understand how they lost.

I dont believe he really ever wanted to play the platoons and Alex getting hurt helped him out of it. Remember all of the "this aint communism" lines?

Fact is the platoon was great and no one had an answer for it.

I wish Cal would have sucked it up and rotated Dom and Derek in that 10th spot and ran with it.

 

[Jkwo]

I guess I did a poor job expressing how I feel about this. First of all, there were no expectations of NC's Tubby's last few years or at all with BCG after a few games.
Last year's team was loaded and had real depth at every position. Just look at how they are performing at the next level. I love Cal and would not want anyone else and dread the day he leaves, but they should have won it all last year. Just no excuse for losing to Wisc. I'm still upset over that loss. So disappointing. Doesn't mean I don't have hope for this team. But hope is different than expecting something to happen. Still don't understand how they lost.

Well, Tubby had a number of teams that were best or one of the best in the country (First half of his tenure) which didn't even make a F4, which Cal does way more often than not. And then I'm not sure how his recruiting dropping off in the second half or BCG's drunken escapades of failures using random should've-gone-to-the-MAAC players are somehow more heartening than Cal's excellent recruiting and results that haven't been matched but a couple times in CBB history?

How is there "no excuse for Wisconsin"? Do you realize that they had the highest rated Kenpom Offense in the history of the database, and was one of the top rated teams overall as well? No, they weren't as good as UK, but that 15 UK had already beaten 38 other inferior opponents, and they lost by single digits to one that was just a little inferior (ie. also really great). That's something that happens to every team every single year - it just happened to come at the wrong time.

People who don't understand probability are the ones who seem to have the hardest time with good teams losing and understanding the NCAA tourney. The single elimination format gets rid of a lot of "ought to". In 7 game series, if there is a team head and shoulders above the others, they will win. In March, that's just not necessarily true.

Understanding that this isn't a random numbers game, just to illustrate the point for some of you guys - suppose the cats had a 95% chance to win every individual game. That means after 39 games, they have a whopping 13.5% chance of being undefeated. Does that register with some of you guys? If you play something out over a long season, all kinds of crazy stuff can happen in a single game scenario. The most statistically unbelievable thing that happened last year was not the team losing to a great Wisconsin team - there was probably like a 30% chance of that happening. What was unbelievable was winning 38 straight before.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

what more do you want 3Rex? UK has the most regular season and most post season wins the past 6 years.

You want a coach who will win multiple titles ?? uK hasn't had one of those since Rupp over 50 years ago.

Maybe our past suggests a new coach will win our next title but I sure as Sh*t don't trust Barnhart to hire the next coach. I get violently ill every time I remember the list Matt jones gave of the top coaches he's heard Barnhart say he liked. Greg Marshal, Shaka Smart, Archie Miller????

So if those names sound better than Cal to you, keep complaining

 

[Cawood86]

I get all of that, but UK had made it that far and had a lead. Have to finish and they didn't. I am not unrealistic. Don't expect a title this year based on the way this team is playing right now. I don't expect one every year either.
But UK not winning it all last was a disappointment. Not sure how it isn't.

 

[rickscot]

This team isn't as bad - could never be as bad - as the 2013 team - thanks to Ulis - but just maybe it will be Cal's worse team after 2013. We always knew there would be a "next worse" team after 2013 eventually. After all, under Cal, exempting 2013, we've never had a "made the tourney, early exit" team. We are spoiled effing rotten.

Think we'll still make the tourney and who knows - if we only win 1 or 2 games that's the level of performance that Kansas, UNC, Duke, Indiana, UL fans have experienced multiple times over the last few years while we were regulars in the
Final Four.

The good news is that 2016 is shaping up to be 2014 redux as far as talent on the floor, and I still think this team could come around and make a deep tourney run. Even if it doesn't though, I'm fine with it.

I agree. Sit back, chill, and wait for the 16-17 season to start.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

if you are going to look upon a 38-1 record as a disappointment , then maybe sports isn't right for you

to expect a title any year is unrealistic. Unless you have cheat codes or you are paying millions of $$$$ to buy games, nothing is a given.

 

[3rex]

what more do you want 3Rex? UK has the most regular season and most post season wins the past 6 years.

You want a coach who will win multiple titles ?? uK hasn't had one of those since Rupp over 50 years ago.

Maybe our past suggests a new coach will win our next title but I sure as Sh*t don't trust Barnhart to hire the next coach. I get violently ill every time I remember the list Matt jones gave of the top coaches he's heard Barnhart say he liked. Greg Marshal, Shaka Smart, Archie Miller????

So if those names sound better than Cal to you, keep complaining

I haven't been complaining so not sure how I would keep doing so. You keep stating that Cal has us in the hunt every year. I simply said that's not true.
Cal is a really good coach. So are those other guys. Yes, Cal is better for us at this time, but I certainly don't get "violently ill" at the thought of Shaka Smart coaching here one day. He is really good & I like the style he plays.

 

[Blueaz]

I guess I did a poor job expressing how I feel about this. First of all, there were no expectations of NC's Tubby's last few years or at all with BCG after a few games.
Last year's team was loaded and had real depth at every position. Just look at how they are performing at the next level. I love Cal and would not want anyone else and dread the day he leaves, but they should have won it all last year. Just no excuse for losing to Wisc. I'm still upset over that loss. So disappointing. Doesn't mean I don't have hope for this team. But hope is different than expecting something to happen. Still don't understand how they lost.

I agree with most of those sentiments... Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Jkwo]

I get all of that, but UK had made it that far and had a lead. Have to finish and they didn't. I am not unrealistic. Don't expect a title this year based on the way this team is playing right now. I don't expect one every year either.
But UK not winning it all last was a disappointment. Not sure how it isn't.

I agree it was certainly disappointing. But I'd way rather be in the position to do it a bunch of times and rarely win than rarely be in the position in the first place. Unless you're John Wooden, that's how basically all the great coaches got their precious few championships.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Lol 3rex isn't complaining at all guys.

And Shaka Smart's highest recruited player, #38 ranked recruit committed to Texas this year. Not going to win titles recruiting like that

 

[3rex]

Lol 3rex isn't complaining at all guys.

And Shaka Smart's highest recruited player, #38 ranked recruit committed to Texas this year. Not going to win titles recruiting like that

Hey genius
You're apparently the only person in the country who believes you equate what #ranked players a coach gets at Texas, to what he will bring in when he has the UK logo on his sweats.
How many #1 recruiting classes did Cal bring to Memphis vs what he has brought to Lexington?

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

Hey slow toddler, Rick Barnes was pulling in top 25 players to Texas and he's considered an average coach at best. Also Cal was recruiting top 20 players to memphis. Perhaps you ignore basketball history outside the state of Kentucky but Cal recruited Stoudamire (even though he went straight to the pros) D. Wagner, D. Washington , D. Rose, T. Evans , Shawne Williams etc...

Shaka Smart has never landed a top 25 player... not even as an assistant. A UK coach doesnt have to have #1 classes.... but being able to at least land 1 top 25 player is something that should be expected.

If Shaka Smart's coaching career isnt good enough to lure a top 25 player into Texas yet, then what makes you think its good enough for UK?

 

[3rex]

Hey slow toddler, Rick Barnes was pulling in top 25 players to Texas and he's considered an average coach at best. Also Cal was recruiting top 20 players to memphis. Perhaps you ignore basketball history outside the state of Kentucky but Cal recruited Stoudamire (even though he went straight to the pros) D. Wagner, D. Washington , D. Rose, T. Evans , Shawne Williams etc...

If Shaka Smart's coaching career isnt good enough to lure a top 25 player into Texas yet, then what makes you think its good enough for UK?

Glad you're not in charge of hiring the next coach. Using your logic, we will have to just leave the coaches chair vacant from now on. No one is pulling in top 5 classes where they are so there's no way they can be expected to come here & do so. Ridiculous.

And by the way, a player that didn't come, doesn't count. So you listed 5 guys, in how many years?
Thanks for proving my point for me.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

By the way, Auburn is the 73rd team in RPI....... Wisconsin is 82. I guess Michigan State is a horrible team now.

 

[3rex]

Not sure if you're talking to me but I've never said were a horrible team. Only that were not "in the hunt" this season.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

I said a UK coach has to have experience at some point in his career at landing a top 25 player.. How in the hell are you equating that to needing a top 5 class?

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

That wasn't directed at you.... it was directed to the people in this thread basically saying we sucked because we lost to Auburn

 

[jrpross]

Glad you're not in charge of hiring the next coach. Using your logic, we will have to just leave the coaches chair vacant from now on. No one is pulling in top 5 classes where they are so there's no way they can be expected to come here & do so. Ridiculous.

And by the way, a player that didn't come, doesn't count. So you listed 5 guys, in how many years?
Thanks for proving my point for me.

I'm genuinely curious. Were you happy about our coaching situation when it was Gillispie? Or Tubby?

 

[3rex]

I'm genuinely curious. Were you happy about our coaching situation when it was Gillispie? Or Tubby?

Ha no...definitely not.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

So with guys like Donovan, Sean Miller, Frank Vogul, Brad Stevens ........ etc.. you are ok with Greg Marshal and Shaka Smart being at the top of Barnhart's wish list????

When Cal leaves , you offer Donovan 10 million a year right off the bat. and you up that amount until he says yes. What he's already accomplished plus now being able to tell recruits that he's coached in the NBA guys like Westbrook and Durant and had a playoff team or several (by the time Cal leaves) He'd be the only for sure slam dunk hire.

 

[donkat]

That wasn't directed at you.... it was directed to the people in this thread basically saying we sucked because we lost to Auburn

We sucked because we lost to Auburn.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

We sucked because we lost to Auburn.

Losing to Auburn sucks.... losing to anyone sucks. But the team does not suck. all the math points to UK being a top 20 team still and a top 20 team does not "suck"

 

[3rex]

I think Gregg Marshal is a good coach. Not really too sure about his style of play or personality. He wouldn't be on my list of top choices.

I wanted Billy D when we hired Tubby. Still think he would be great here depending on timing.

Brad Stevens is proven. Would be a really good hire no doubt.

I just have a feeling Shaka could be really good here, even great. Love his style of play. He & Billy D would be my top choices with Stevens right behind.

 

[catfan144]

We can look like top 10 in one half and look like a NIT team the next. Its crazy how this team fluctuates.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

We can look like top 10 in one half and look like a NIT team the next. Its crazy how this team fluctuates.

and yet the troll inside you wants to focus on the bad half and assume thats how we'll play the rest of the season.

 

[catfan144]

I agree with 80% of the things Cal does, wouldn't want no one else. Some on this board have elevated him to a almost God like status and act like it is sacrilegious to question some of the things he does not do well.

 

[Jkwo]

UK was number 25 and would have still lost to UF and UT even with Noel. I mean they were still better than this UK team but they weren't top 20 either.

LOL

Our defense was bad the last half of conference play last year. Do you not remember this. A sure sign that teams were figuring it out. Against Wisconsin we ran into a team that had enough manpower to take us.

False. Bad compared to healthy Poythress version of '15? I guess - considering that was the statistically strongest CBB defense in history, at least as far back as comparisons can be made.. and with no close second.

Yes, they dropped from that lofty status afterwards, but they were still better than everybody else.

That Wisconsin team? The highest rated Kenpom offense in the history of the database. It doesn't take some defensive collapse to drop a game to a team like that in a single-elimination scenario.

And yes, Cal didn't coach a perfect game (neither did Bo when Cal beat him the year before). But the point is, the meme that UK was floundering the rest of the year except the beginning is ridiculous. Those cats had the highest margin of victory of any team in 20 years. A team staying withing single digits was big news and enough to bring out our eeyore posters.

 

[dckala2]

Wild thread, but Donovan is numero uno imo. Just not sure he'll ever go back to college.