So why haven’t these elite boosters gotten their elite checkbooks out and bought him out? I mean it’s common knowledge that he’s alienated the big ones that helped bring him here yet he remains. Gillespie drank himself out of the job and made himself a PR nightmare that button up Mitch didn’t want to deal with. How can I, the common disgruntled fan, bring about the change as you claim we have the collective power to do becomes the question. And why hasn’t it happened yet?
I dare any remaining Calipari supporters to watch the last 5 minutes of each of these games.
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
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I was hesitant about the contract because he got it during a weird time when he was "successful" but the program had lost that spark the 2010-16 teams had. I figured he could turn it around, so I wasn't particularly worried. Pitino, K, and Ol Roy kept up the success into their golden years. So why not our guy? Why, indeed. Cal's been a disappointment for years now. It's sad to see.
Coach has crafted so many narratives over the years that I don't think he can keep up with it.
- lack of success is because we couldn't recruit after that platoon year.
- bring in a rock star class and fail with it then claim that "championships don't matter"
- we need more experience
- we have experience and not enough talent
- talent but no experience (which is fair most years).
What happened to the Cal that said something along the lines of "You come to Kentucky to add to the wall (of NCAAT Titles). That's why you wanna coach... Here."?
But yes, Cal's fall from grace has been something to behold. Given his first years at UK, I think it's fair that some fans agreed with that lifetime contract.
Give it time. Some Kentucky media made a good point that there's a real dilemma regarding the boosters (who do, in fact, count as fans). According to Lexington media, the boosters are having a hard time with the idea of writing a check to a man they hate.
I noticed you didn't address the Tubby Smith exit. Why do you think he left? Because of the AD? It was the pressure from the fans. When 2 1/2 million UK fans turn on a coach over the course of a few seasons, you don't think the coach feels that? You don't think his family feels that?
Literally every news outlet was taking shots at Cal today. Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Chris Broussard, the entire CBS panel, the entire tournament panel, Rich Eisen, Paul Finebaum, etc.
They're directly addressing the fan response to Cal. That's how it happens. Fan disgruntlement becomes the constant narrative, literally everywhere, regarding Kentucky. That's why Tubby left. It will only be even worse for Cal in the modern age of social media.
The pressure will be a fever pitch.
I don’t care to admit I didn’t have a problem with that contract but I didn’t foresee us hitting all time lows with one and done recruiting. It’s a sad time as a fan. This board right now, a lot of us are in terrible moods because our team hasn’t lived up to the hype. I include myself with that. I hate seeing what’s happened to our program.
I remember them very well thank you! I will never get over 2015 and I definitely don’t want to re-live it.
Every single game next year will be under a microscope, every loss with be magnified. If they can’t shoot? Oh boy, that will be fun.
It was my understanding that Tubbys time ran it course and was let go/retired based on his on court performance. I’m not aware of any fan influence that affected his exit. I guess it remains to be seen but I still don’t see how the common fan, even with the media can run Cal off. It hasn’t happened yet and this poor performance is not anything new. I remain skeptical and believe it’s beyond the power of the anti Cal mob to do anything of substance to get it done.
Not even the self-proclaimed Nostradamuses could've predicted this. I get that tensions are high. We're a passionate fanbase that literally watched a live stream of a door in 2009. There'll be better times for the program down the road.
For now, we enjoy bourbon. Or if you're me, fishing and morel hunting this weekend. And bourbon. It'll be nice to disconnect for a bit.
I agree, I kinda wish I could actually enjoy something like a drink this week. Unfortunately that would cause my life to spin out of control. I miss being able to drown it out, I don’t miss the consequences of it though.
Joking around on the board with people and talking about random things has actually helped me today. I still have posted things I shouldn’t have. All we can do is hope for the best right now. Mitch has a big issue that he has to resolve and let’s hope he does the right thing
I don't mean to sound disrespectful, so please don't take it this way, but it sounds like you don't know what it's like to live in a fish bowl. I do. My dad was a minister for almost 50 years. I have dozens of friends who are in church positions. The pressure is often overwhelming, and that's in relatively small congregations.
That said, I know of one church in my area that has 5 pastor's wives who are on antidepressants.
I'm not sure you know much of anything about what pressure can do to a man and his family. These pastors serve at a churches of 800 people. Take that pressure, and now apply it to a fan base that is easily 2 1/2 million people strong. That's the UK fan base.
Tubby left because of that pressure. It seems like you're trying to create an independent variable for Tubby leaving that has nothing to do with the fan base. With all due respect, but that's a bit of a stretch by any argumentative standards. He didn't "retire." He went on to coach at a program with lesser expectations at Minnesota. Why do you think that was?
That is true and pressure next year is not only coming from us. The National and local media won’t protect him anymore either.
Im just here to talk about Kentucky basketball. Nobody said I would have to do homework. I hope the test is at least open video.
Lempface recently had a conversion experience. He's finally seen the light.
I don't remember the last 5 minutes of the last show I watched. I certainly wouldn't be able to recall each game at the end minute by minute for 4-5-6-7 seasons
I’ve often lamented Cal’s comments about not watching the “tape” of the last game. Here’s some of his comments. I think maybe if he had watched the tapes, he might have learned there are certain predictable patterns that could be avoided. One thing’s for certain: opposing coaches preparing to play UK watched the tapes.
Rewatching 2015 Wisc.
With 7:45 to go we were still perfect from 3 and free throws. Ahead by 2, but the stat just said they’ve lead 21 minutes to our 6
kentucky.forums.rivals.com
Boycotts do in fact work. Got joker out of here did it not? A 1/3 full or even half filled Rupp arena would certainly work. Basketball is the crown Jewel at KY and has been for decades. Not filling Rupp is not a good look. Attendance not what it used to be for a variety of reasons but overall it’s still really good. Fans need to let cal know he is no longer wanted here. Make him want out.
I don't drown it, thankfully. Just contemplative sips from a glass or two. Regardless, congrats on your sobriety, Friend. Hope you're able to go out and find some peace this weekend. Good Lord knows the fans need it.
Mitch doesn't seem to take initiative without some lackluster finances applying leverage. I suspect he's going to get his arm twisted the next few days.
If he does, I hope MB knows who his first three calls are. Dude's legacy at Kentucky could hinge on the next hire. It's like sitting on pins and needles. There's a certain comfort in a burned fanbase's camaraderie.
Gillispie did that on his own. Tubby was ready to leave. The fans may have influenced it but the writing was on the wall way before then.
Do you really keep a list of names? And why?
You too my friend! Enjoy it. I have no issues with anyone who does or can for sure.
Tubby "was ready to leave" because the fans were done with him. You're ignoring the whole reason why he wanted to get out of here. His entire family was sick of the pressure. These moves don't just happen in a vacuum. He continued coaching for another 15 years after he left here for lesser-paying jobs. Why do you think that was?
There ain’t no way I am watching any of that. It’s Saturday morning.….my Weekend is already ruined enough
Frank, I know it's a new handle but I haven't seen you on here in a long while. Welcome back.
He had teams at UMass and Memphis that wasn’t loaded with oodles of NBA talent. Firing or pushing Cal out at this point could do more damage to the UK program. He currently has a .77 win percentage at UK and .76 overall. With as many EE, FF and championship appearances he’s had at UK alone, who are you going to replace him with? It would be better to let Cal leave on his own terms at this point. He’s also 2nd behind Rupp in wins at UK. Truth is with all of these COVID players phasing out things will more than likely go back to somewhat normal status.
The days of these 6+ year college players are just about over. Gohlke played 5 years of Juco ball and one year of D1 ball. Let that sink in for a minute. A dude that should either be in the NBA or starting his career in the workforce is still playing college ball at 24!
Lot of casual posters here dont realize the level of harassment / name calling etc the few posters have gotten the last 3 years for keeping Cal on blast . Like it or not , we were right all along . And we took all kinds of ridicule . Now some want act like they have clean hands , not that easy to forget years of constant harassment from people the very moment the light comes on. Yeah we take UK basketball VERY seriously , and I'm not apologizing for it . Our passion is what makes us BBN .
There’s a lot of resentment for how the Cal supporters acted (in a couple of cases continue to act.) There was a lot of name calling, frankensteining threads, and banning.
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Man I think that Cal is dead. Cal at UMass and Memphis was still hungry, post-2015 Cal is lazy and prefers to put kids in the NBA than over winning championships.
We like to laugh at Virginia’s offense, but Cal’s offense in the last five minutes of a game is the ugliest basketball you’ll ever see.
The narrative that no one could see this coming is just.........wrong.
Many refused to see it. Many didn't want to see it. Many saw it and didn't recognize what was happening with Cal driving our program in the wrong direction on a one way street to irrelevance in the CBB world.
The fans that did see it got blasted for speaking up about what was coming.
OAD was a one way street to hell for the UK program. Welcome to hell for the past 5 years. This is what it feels like to be irrelevant in March.
That is NOT UK BASKETBALL!!
Many refused to see it. Many didn't want to see it. Many saw it and didn't recognize what was happening with Cal driving our program in the wrong direction on a one way street to irrelevance in the CBB world.
The fans that did see it got blasted for speaking up about what was coming.
OAD was a one way street to hell for the UK program. Welcome to hell for the past 5 years. This is what it feels like to be irrelevant in March.
That is NOT UK BASKETBALL!!
I know where you can purchase 4 lower arena's next year, less than face value, if there isn't a coaching change...
Don't worry about it...just make sure you don't make the list!
The guys that keep having issues with the Cal Cult being called out are the Cal Cult members themselves. My favorite ones are the guys that woke up a short time ago that are “not wanting people called out” because they know it’s referring to them.
It was asinine how much crap was thrown the way of the guys that called this from the beginning.
The simple thing to do here is this. If you were wrong and attacking people who were right, admit it and everyone would move on. Flacat just admit it. You were wrong.
Then everyone just accept no coach will come before the program again. They either win or they are pushed out.
This isn’t hard. Just do it.
It was asinine how much crap was thrown the way of the guys that called this from the beginning.
The simple thing to do here is this. If you were wrong and attacking people who were right, admit it and everyone would move on. Flacat just admit it. You were wrong.
Then everyone just accept no coach will come before the program again. They either win or they are pushed out.
This isn’t hard. Just do it.
A couple still came on yesterday and today to attack other posters. You have to think these peoples aren’t really UK fans the way they unconditionally support Cal.
Seems like they make the same mistakes over and over again. Makes me sick to my stomach
