Here’s where I am with cal

[Rockfly78]

No.

He continues to be a person I don't like. His arrogance is off the charts and the way he justifies things, is ridiculous.
I mean, he finally plays the lineup we all said he should have been playing and he gets smug with the fans, like he figured out something nobody could have ever known.
He will always play favorites, he will always coach for the NBA draft, he will never fully adapt to today's game and it's clear to me that he has won all the titles he’s going to win. 1.

Fair enough. A lot of people feel that way. It’s really weird to me personally since I only care about winning. I don’t need to like the coach. But I’m a minority in that line of thinking.

How did we ever handle Ricky’s arrogance? It’s because he never went to the NIT. Winning will always cure all I say

There’s lore attached to Kentucky basketball. The honor, the prestige, the tradition, and all that kinda stuff is real. It’s real only because of the wins. We don’t have any of this without the wins. To me, if the coach is cool that’s just an added bonus. Just win at any cost then you can write your own story and frame your tradition any way you like.

Go cats

 

[kyjeff1]

Fair enough. A lot of people feel that way. It’s really weird to me personally since I only care about winning. I don’t need to like the coach. But I’m a minority in that line of thinking.

How did we ever handle Ricky’s arrogance? It’s because he never went to the NIT. Winning will always cure all I say

There’s lore attached to Kentucky basketball. The honor, the prestige, the tradition, and all that kinda stuff is real. It’s real only because of the wins. We don’t have any of this without the wins. To me, if the coach is cool that’s just an added bonus. Just win at any cost then you can write your own story and frame your tradition any way you like.

Go cats

I don't recall Rick ever barking back at the fans while he was here.

But my issues are more business than personal. He's stubborn, he's not going to change to a modern offense and he's not going to stop prioritizing the draft. He's still doing pro days, that pisses me off.

He's never going to win another title here, that much is obvious.

Watching him totally crap his pants in every game in 2021, crap his pants against SP, then ridiculously mismanage this season with a damn good roster, tells me he has some mental issues.

How can he possibly think putting Ware, Collins and Wheeler, on the court together, for 20-30 minutes, was a good thing?

Why is it we knew the best lineup in August, but he watched us lose 6 times before he put close to the right lineup in?

He can't get out of his own way.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Then I should fascinate the hell out of you. 75, 84, 92.

I'd add '93 and '97 as well. Especially '93. We were the best team in the country that year, Fab 5 be damned.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

If Cal can continue to coach like he is paid to do and also win games. That's fine for me. Looks like he is finally going to cut back on Wheeler's minutes.

Cal's coaching performance against A&M is proof that he isn't a complete moron.

 

[Rockfly78]

I don't recall Rick ever barking back at the fans while he was here.

But my issues are more business than personal. He's stubborn, he's not going to change to a modern offense and he's not going to stop prioritizing the draft. He's still doing pro days, that pisses me off.

He's never going to win another title here, that much is obvious.

Watching him totally crap his pants in every game in 2021, crap his pants against SP, then ridiculously mismanage this season with a damn good roster, tells me he has some mental issues.

How can he possibly think putting Ware, Collins and Wheeler, on the court together, for 20-30 minutes, was a good thing?

Why is it we knew the best lineup in August, but he watched us lose 6 times before he put close to the right lineup in?

He can't get out of his own way.

Not to go down a total rabbit hole but Rick is easily 3 times more of an asshole than any coach we have ever had. Not counting Clyde because I don’t know how much of that was his addiction. Rick is not a good person. He has never been a good person. One of the best kept secrets in this state is ricks true self behind the scenes and all the shit that he was able to get away with. He existed in the pre-internet era while at UK and he’s lucky he did. The way he interacted with people on a personal level, the way he handled fan run ins, his lack of accessibility, the way he treated people in the service industry, the way he treated his marriage, etc. The best thing he ever did publicly was arrange for kightly to get a truck and that was so well crafted from a PR level. Rick was smart. He never bit the hand that fed him but he did not respect us or this state. Don’t be naive.

I have not been pleased with Cal’s production but one thing I know for certain is that he is a good man. I will maintain that I do not care if our coach is a good person and I don’t care how he speaks to the fanbase. But each time I see our fans get riled up about cal as a person I just shake my head. Rick is a scoundrel. But Rick won at a high level here and got out before the dip. So he gets a pass.

It all comes back to winning. You win, you’re cool. You don’t win, we slice you up.

 

[Big Cat fan]

He's going to have to get better that simple

 

[aceman509]

The Tennessee game still feels a bit like fools gold. We match up way better against elite defensive teams then against elite offensive teams because of how poor we are at allowing drives for layups and kick out 3s on defense. Tennessee has always had great defensive teams that can go ice cold on offense for stretches and that happened against us.

Now look at the Gonzaga game. Good offensive team, questionable defensive team, and they boat raced us. Alabama is another good example, although Alabama is elite defensively as well.

 

[kyjeff1]

Not to go down a total rabbit hole but Rick is easily 3 times more of an asshole than any coach we have ever had. Not counting Clyde because I don’t know how much of that was his addiction. Rick is not a good person. He has never been a good person. One of the best kept secrets in this state is ricks true self behind the scenes and all the shit that he was able to get away with. He existed in the pre-internet era while at UK and he’s lucky he did. The way he interacted with people on a personal level, the way he handled fan run ins, his lack of accessibility, the way he treated people in the service industry, the way he treated his marriage, etc. The best thing he ever did publicly was arrange for kightly to get a truck and that was so well crafted from a PR level. Rick was smart. He never bit the hand that fed him but he did not respect us or this state. Don’t be naive.

I have not been pleased with Cal’s production but one thing I know for certain is that he is a good man. I will maintain that I do not care if our coach is a good person and I don’t care how he speaks to the fanbase. But each time I see our fans get riled up about cal as a person I just shake my head. Rick is a scoundrel. But Rick won at a high level here and got out before the dip. So he gets a pass.

It all comes back to winning. You win, you’re cool. You don’t win, we slice you up.

I'm not sure why you would say "don't be naive", that’s not what’s happening here. Heck, I don't even know why we are talking about Pitino in this convo. He put in his time here, he won and won big and he left us wanting more. Cal has overstayed his welcome IMO.

The only personal complaints I've heard about Cal, would be the way he talks to fans. Most of the time it's uncalled for. There's no need to call us Bennies, when YOU'RE the one that is losing in historic fashion and YOU'RE the one that created this one-and-done system that causes so many problems. Don't talk down to me while YOU'RE the one that is failing, WHILE being heavily compensated.

Cal gets 8.6 million a year BECAUSE of those crazy fans that he is mocking.

On a personal level, as far as I can tell, he is a phenominal person, he should become a mayor or a governor, he would be great at that, but when you’re the head basketball coach at UK, you better prioritize UK basketball and win at a certain level, Cal is not doing that, Rick Pitino did.

 

[JC CATS]

This season has been horrendous for the most part compared to our preseason feeling, polls, etc. We could very well still end up outside the tournament for which I cannot support. I’m not going to drop my expectations that just leads to this coach squatting in the position for however long.

If cal can get us firmly into the tournament, not limping or backing our way in rather playing our way to know by the last 2 weeks we are on. If cal can win a couple ncaaT games. I’ll be on board for one more season with the guy given the class he’s brought in. I’ll bring some excitement but my expectations will be through the roof.

One more season means TITLE oR BUST. We win a title and cal can stay a little longer. We lose in ff no way. It’s all or nothing. To be granted a mulligan for the past 3 trainwreck cal has to deliver a title. This year or next

If we do not get in or get bounced first round this year all bets are off he can take his class elsewhere.

Where are you at this point?

So will you fire him if he doesn't live up to your expectations, and I want at least 1 more Tournament win than a couple