I still can't accept it

[kybassfan]

I think we got caught in that "Perfect Storm" situation. Our defense, overwhelming as it was, had an achilles heel with teams that ran competent screens. Its not that we couldn't defend the screen, but it did give opponents a brief opportunity to avoid our shot blockers or put us in mismatches. We made a hero's effort to defend and I think that took us out of position to rebound. Combine that with a good veteran team that was on top of its game and we're potentially vulnerable. Further toss in a great effort on the part of Wisconsin, a bad call or few, a offensive dead zone and things can go South, and they did. A common response to that sort of offense would be a zone, though I don't know that it would have worked. Wisconsin was just on that day. Oh, to have had a "best of seven" series. . . I'm reminded of the Georgetown game years ago which from the Bowie/Turpin versus Ewing era. We were a better team than Georgetown then. We were a better team than Wisconsin. Just not that day

What REALLY gets me and I don't expect to ever recover, I think we took Wisconsin's best shot and drained them mentally if not physically. In that state, they were not ready for Duke in 48 hours. Puke, err duke won. I struggle with that still cause I REALLY . . . DO . . . NOT . . LIKE . . . Duke (or puke or whatever.) UGH!!!!

 

[Mojocat]

Mojocat fully endorses the comments of jkwo and Joneslab in this thread. Graves51 somehow misses the point, and gets extra demerits for overuse of exclamation points (!!). 3rex surprisingly has a take that reflects poorly on Cal. We know Pitino would have done better; haven't figured out yet how Cal owns him despite the clear advantage Rick has in every aspect of coaching.

 

[cats2010]

Amazingly it doesn't bother me that much. I was much more bothered losing to UConn last year, UConn before that and West Virginia and let's see oh Arizona in '97, LSU in '86, the dreadful Georgetown game.

The reason being is that I didn't really think we were the juggernaut that many were proclaiming. Yes we had a huge team length wise but we were not very fundamentally sound and could just disappear on occasions for good stretches of the game. We were just too offensively challenged.
We always played to the other teams style no matter what and a great team inflicts their will upon the other team and we never did.
We were just so much better in transition but yet we would never ever force the pace....ever. Only times we did play fast was when the other team would like Auburn or Ark etc. They paid for it, big wins for us. That should show everyone here how much better we were playing 94 feet instead 47.
When we played a half court game we always played into the other teams hands and they could keep it close and negate our advantages. Especially spread the floor and have their guys best us on the back door. Georgia showed the country on that, I saw that and was thinking we were going to have to change our D up but nope nothing changed and other teams started doing it and we ran into a team that could hit outside shots so we had to play them close and they just back doored us. We then gave them space and they hit threes, was just a back and forth game of that style.

In '96 we forced everybody to play our way and we shallacked em unmercifully. Routinely beating every team by 40+ then put the scrubs in to get themselves and the program ready for the future and the other team would cut the final score to 20-30 points.
That's why I said this team was not as good as the '96 team, '12 team or even the '97 team.

Everything you just mentioned especially the part of dictating the pace falls on one place and one place only and that is coaching. One would think if you are going to be inclined to not watch game film of your opponents then you are going to play your game which is fine and I would like that but that is not what we would do. We don't watch film, they do and then we play the style they want to play. It was a rather pompous and idiotic strategy that once again failed.

I have been rather critical of Cal's coaching but seems like more and more of you at least share the opinion that he should be better in some areas than he has shown. That does not mean I want him replaced, far from it, I think he is perfect for the job and I wanted him here since around 01' but he is not going to win another title at KY just relying on talent. He needs to get back to his early days of coaching and strategize for the opponent and be prepared to adjust when needed. Otherwise we as a fanbase are going to continue being disappointed with losses in late March that should not be happening.

 

[Joneslab]

I think the "we don't watch film" stuff was overblown and more of a psychological ploy from Cal. Seemed to be trying to get them to not put more pressure on themselves than was already there.

He said many times throughout the season that they watched game film in small increments because if you showed them longer pieces they just tuned out. Cal started to repeat the "We're just worried about us" thing as a way I think to try and not create this monster in his players' minds. He began to do that more and more as the media began picking against UK; I believe he was worried about the players buying in to the media narrative about the pressure eventually getting to Kentucky.

Best way to take pressure off is to publicly shrug off the idea that anybody's a threat. Privately you know the staff gameplanned the way they always do.

 

[83Cat]

To me, when Willy was ON, we were a different team...dominant. When he was invisible, we were taken advantage of over and over. That is the regret I have from the WISC game. I wish that he had played his best game. Not sure if that would have been enough,, but I think it would have been IMO.

 

[Poetax]

A classic example of what you get when you don't watch film of your opponent's games.

Or when you score less points. Some on here need medication more then anybody in the world. lol

 

[brian5562]

We caught them on a night where they were knocking down shots. Duke got them when Deckker couldn't throw it in the ocean.

I think Cal's coaching mistake wasn't the stall ball. It was going with a defensive lineup down the stretch rather than an offensive one. I can't say I blame him as defense was the teams calling card.

 

[3rex]

Good take Mojo...im obviously the only one in the thread, maybe on the whole entire board, who thinks Cal may have been out-prepared by Bo this time.

 

[kybassfan]

Brian, I don't disagree though I don't know that I'd call it a mistake. In his shoes in that moment, you tend to "dance with the one that brought you". Many times during the year, we'd frozen teams out in the last 5 minutes. I distinctly remember thinking when we were up 4 that we were looking good as the defense would carry the day as it had done many times before.

Not that day.

 

[carbonlib23]

We caught them on a night where they were knocking down shots. Duke got them when Deckker couldn't throw it in the ocean.

i'm pretty sure duke's defense had a bit to do with that....

 

[Mojocat]

Best way to take pressure off is to publicly shrug off the idea that anybody's a threat. Privately you know the staff gameplanned the way they always do.

isn't it fairly self-evident? Until 2 weeks ago, did anyone ever question why Cal never watched film, ever have reason to question it? maybe it takes a particular approach to deal with the pressure of an undefeated season. maybe cal was just talking for who knows what other reasons - I don't take everything he says at face value, as by now it's obvious he doesn't mean everything thing he says, or at least means things for different audiences differently. All I know is it seems to work, as he consistently has the top rated recruiting classes, we are hottest brand in college basketball, he's won well over 80% of his games, been in the final four 4 of 6 years, blah blah....

All that despite not knowing such basic things as how to break down tape, or even that he should watch it to begin with.

 

[Mojocat]

Good take Mojo...im obviously the only one in the thread, maybe on the whole entire board, who thinks Cal may have been out-prepared by Bo this time.

well, that's true, but then most of the others aren't quite as predictable as you. You really ought to save yourself some time and trouble: simply paste "what i always say" into any thread where you're inclined to comment. That is sufficient - the reader will instinctively know you mean to imply that whatever can be said or inferred to make Cal look the worst in the given situation is the natural essence of your thoughts on the topic. Think of how much time it will save in typing and reading!

 

[3rex]

well, that's true, but then most of the others aren't quite as predictable as you. You really ought to save yourself some time and trouble: simply paste "what i always say" into any thread where you're inclined to comment. That is sufficient - the reader will instinctively know you mean to imply that whatever can be said or inferred to make Cal look the worst in the given situation is the natural essence of your thoughts on the topic. Think of how much time it will save in typing and reading!

I'll consider that. Thanks.
And you could do likewise. Just put "I worship Cal." See how easy that is?

 

[brian5562]

Dekker had open looks vs Duke and didn't knock them down yet against us he hits a step back 3 to go back in front

 

[wcc31]

Dekker had open looks vs Duke and didn't knock them down yet against us he hits a step back 3 to go back in front

Hell, he tossed up an airball or two against Duke.

 

[yoshukai]

Same exact scenario last year and Kentucky won. Good call, dude.

I'm talking about this game . I'm not a Cal basher and I CAN'T STAND BO Ryan , but honestly, If you don't think Cal got out coached , both in preparation and during crunch time of THAT game then your fandom is clouding your judgement. Dude .

 

[yoshukai]

UK played the best 2 teams all year, in ND & Wisky...enough said

Well Duke beat Wisky twice , once at Wisky by double figures and they beat ND twice , once by 30 , and lost them once .

 

[Joneslab]

Well Duke beat Wisky twice , once at Wisky by double figures and they beat ND twice , once by 30 , and lost them once .

Believe Notre Dame beat Duke twice, once in the regular season and again in the ACC Tournament.

 

[FiveStarCat]

I'm talking about this game . I'm not a Cal basher and I CAN'T STAND BO Ryan , but honestly, If you don't think Cal got out coached , both in preparation and during crunch time of THAT game then your fandom is clouding your judgement. Dude .

Now please give me your thoughts on the game in 2014. I'm willing to bet you will not use words like "preparation" or "out-coached" to describe the reasons why Wisconsin lost. All I ask is for people to be consistent. If you're going to rip Cal for being out-coached in losses, give him credit for out-coaching his opponent in wins.

 

[UKFanForever]

I try not to think about it. Depressing.

 

[sluggercatfan]

It is still hard to accept that this team lost to Wisconsin. I always felt that if this team was going to lose it was going to be to a team that they did not see coming. I never dreamed after a week of hype and build up for this type of game that they would lose; as it seemed like we usually destroyed teams in that type of atmosphere. This one is still hard to take nearly three weeks later.

Probably the worst coached game in Cal's tenure at KENTUCKY

 

[SomeDudeCRO]

i'm pretty sure duke's defense had a bit to do with that....

you must have not watched the game to be that sure about something and so completely wrong. Dekker was totally out of sorts from the get go, badly missing a wide open three and looking generally very nervous which he never recovered from.

 

[Mojocat]

I'm talking about this game . I'm not a Cal basher and I CAN'T STAND BO Ryan , but honestly, If you don't think Cal got out coached , both in preparation and during crunch time of THAT game then your fandom is clouding your judgement. Dude .

Can you explain that in some detail - how exactly Cal got outcoached? What did Ryan do? What did Cal do or not do?

 

[CBBCrazy]

It's pretty easy to get over, we had a 4 point lead and instead of attacking like Duke did and step on their neck. We decided to play stall ball, was that a Cal thing or a Harrison thing? We may never know, but that is why we failed to hang #9.

 

[joester5612]

Again, you guys can talk coaching or the lack there of all you want, I am just still wondering why Devin Booker was constantly in one on one situations with kaminsky all night. I just can not figure it out. Cal is great, but he will not make adjustments in games; to dispute that is not being truthful with yourself. I love what he has done, I just feel like with all of the talent he has had, one title in 6 years is a disappointment. Maybe I am just being irrational though.

 

[Calsarmy]

Yea, that part of Cal's strategy has always made me nervous. I still cant figure out why Devin Booker kept getting caught in one on one situations with Kaminsky. After the first time it happened I thought, well, Cal will not let that happen again; but it kept happening.

That and 3 straight times Booker was caught on Deeker and he scores 3 straight times. So much in that game,,,,,,,,,

 

[catfaninsc]

Suck it up buttercup.. It's not the end of the world bro

+1

 

[Mojocat]

Again, you guys can talk coaching or the lack there of all you want, I am just still wondering why Devin Booker was constantly in one on one situations with kaminsky all night. I just can not figure it out. Cal is great, but he will not make adjustments in games; to dispute that is not being truthful with yourself. I love what he has done, I just feel like with all of the talent he has had, one title in 6 years is a disappointment. Maybe I am just being irrational though.

Have you noticed that we switch on screens all year? All screens, and at all 5 positions? And have you noticed that is the foundation of our defense?

That defense, by the way, was called the best in the modern era of college basketball by Sports Illustrated (metrics, not opinion). I suppose Cal could have said "you know, my crystal ball tells me that this is an awesome Wisconsin offense, and they will have their way with us. Three times Booker will be isolated against either Dekker or Kaminski, and each time they will exploited that, and get a 3 point play." So, when should he have made that change? Before the game? Not likely - even if he has a crystal ball, he has confidence in what we do (as he should, best defense in modern era), like all coaches he will stubbornly cling to what has worked. He's not going to wave a white flag before the game. So, once the game starts, when should he have changed, and dropped the switching? Let me ask you this: if you've done something one way all year on defense, and you tell the guys not to do that anymore - isn't there a real risk of confusion? How many times would we have a ball screen, and one guy remembers to stick, and the other guy is so used to switching that he switches - and you have then someone completely uncovered. How many times would you reasonably expect that to happen? 4? 5? 6? 12? Wouldn't that be worse than the 3 three point plays Booker gave up?

 

[yoshukai]

Can you explain that in some detail - how exactly Cal got outcoached? What did Ryan do? What did Cal do or not do?

I could but I don't want to . I want to just forget about the game . It makes me sick !

 

[Trinity92]

I'm still trying to figure out why UK got into so much trouble switching against Wisconsin when Duke beat them twice using exactly the same strategy-- switching everything. I'm honestly not sure why Duke didn't get hurt more on mismatches like UK did repeatedly with Booker helpless to stop a big in the paint. When you're trying to win a title, luck helps too.

 

[Joneslab]

I'm still trying to figure out why UK got into so much trouble switching against Wisconsin when Duke beat them twice using exactly the same strategy-- switching everything. I'm honestly not sure why Duke didn't get hurt more on mismatches like UK did repeatedly with Booker helpless to stop a big in the paint. When you're trying to win a title, luck helps too.

The two games were pretty similar. Wisconsin had a 9-point lead pretty late in the title game and looked to be ready to win.

The major difference in the two games had nothing to do with switching screens or any of that. Duke made shots in the last 3 minutes. Kentucky did not. Pretty simple.

 

[joester5612]

Have you noticed that we switch on screens all year? All screens, and at all 5 positions? And have you noticed that is the foundation of our defense?

That defense, by the way, was called the best in the modern era of college basketball by Sports Illustrated (metrics, not opinion). I suppose Cal could have said "you know, my crystal ball tells me that this is an awesome Wisconsin offense, and they will have their way with us. Three times Booker will be isolated against either Dekker or Kaminski, and each time they will exploited that, and get a 3 point play." So, when should he have made that change? Before the game? Not likely - even if he has a crystal ball, he has confidence in what we do (as he should, best defense in modern era), like all coaches he will stubbornly cling to what has worked. He's not going to wave a white flag before the game. So, once the game starts, when should he have changed, and dropped the switching? Let me ask you this: if you've done something one way all year on defense, and you tell the guys not to do that anymore - isn't there a real risk of confusion? How many times would we have a ball screen, and one guy remembers to stick, and the other guy is so used to switching that he switches - and you have then someone completely uncovered. How many times would you reasonably expect that to happen? 4? 5? 6? 12? Wouldn't that be worse than the 3 three point plays Booker gave up?[/QUOTE

That defense, by the way, was called the best in the modern era of college basketball by Sports Illustrated (metrics, not opinion). I suppose Cal could have said "you know, my crystal ball tells me that this is an awesome Wisconsin offense, and they will have their way with us. Three times Booker will be isolated against either Dekker or Kaminski, and each time they will exploited that, and get a 3 point play." So, when should he have made that change? Before the game? Not likely - even if he has a crystal ball, he has confidence in what we do (as he should, best defense in modern era), like all coaches he will stubbornly cling to what has worked. He's not going to wave a white flag before the game. So, once the game starts, when should he have changed, and dropped the switching? Let me ask you this: if you've done something one way all year on defense, and you tell the guys not to do that anymore - isn't there a real risk of confusion? How many times would we have a ball screen, and one guy remembers to stick, and the other guy is so used to switching that he switches - and you have then someone completely uncovered. How many times would you reasonably expect that to happen? 4? 5? 6? 12? Wouldn't that be worse than the 3 three point plays Booker gave up?

I understand our defensive philosophy very well. However, that is why there is a need for a coach on the sideline; if something goes wrong, you call a Timeout and adjust to it. If we just were going to do the same exact thing every game, why does Cal even need to be present at the game? Heck he could just watch from home, right? Cal needed to not have Booker guarding Frank Kaminsky after it happened one time; whether that means you go to a zone, you stop switching, whatever the case may be, the coach is there to change things up if the original game plan is not working. That did not happen on April 4th.

 

[BlueRunner11]

Coachspeak, They watch film....guaranteed.

 

[sonnyg333]

It is still hard to accept that this team lost to Wisconsin. I always felt that if this team was going to lose it was going to be to a team that they did not see coming. I never dreamed after a week of hype and build up for this type of game that they would lose; as it seemed like we usually destroyed teams in that type of atmosphere. This one is still hard to take nearly three weeks later.

Coach K knows how to use time outs when his team has 4 empty trips down court..

 

[Jkwo]

The team had 7 wins that were decided in the last 2 minutes. Most of those wins were against inferior opponents.

Yep. Fewer than every other great team in the modern era, except '96 UK and '91 UNLV.

That's including '12, who had more single digit games during the season AND lost to two vastly inferior teams. And remember that 10 point win vs Old Dominion?

Again, have some perspective.

 

[KyFaninNC]

It is still hard to accept that this team lost to Wisconsin. I always felt that if this team was going to lose it was going to be to a team that they did not see coming. I never dreamed after a week of hype and build up for this type of game that they would lose; as it seemed like we usually destroyed teams in that type of atmosphere. This one is still hard to take nearly three weeks later.

I was over it the same night. We choked it away. Either Cal, the players or both. When you play that way the last 4 minutes, you deserve to lose.

 

[calsgals]

Yea, that part of Cal's strategy has always made me nervous. I still cant figure out why Devin Booker kept getting caught in one on one situations with Kaminsky. After the first time it happened I thought, well, Cal will not let that happen again; but it kept happening.

This is one of the reasons I'm having so much trouble getting over this loss. I was at the game and the first time it happened said okay Cal won't allow that to happen again,I was wrong because it happened at least 5 times with frank scoring or being fouled every time. Then we go up on them with 4 to go and the badgeresque old man in front of us had tucked his hypothetical badger tail and we get 3 straight shot clock violations. I don't know how the offense at that point doesn't run through Towns, had that been the case and the shots just were not falling I could accept the loss. But 4 mins to go and the wheels fell off, and the badger turns to us and flashes his snarky wooden tooth smile with a gleam of hope in his eyes as I watched our guys just fold after such an incredible journey. I can't move past it this loss hurts more than anyone I can remember.

 

[joester5612]

This is one of the reasons I'm having so much trouble getting over this loss. I was at the game and the first time it happened said okay Cal won't allow that to happen again,I was wrong because it happened at least 5 times with frank scoring or being fouled every time. Then we go up on them with 4 to go and the badgeresque old man in front of us had tucked his hypothetical badger tail and we get 3 straight shot clock violations. I don't know how the offense at that point doesn't run through Towns, had that been the case and the shots just were not falling I could accept the loss. But 4 mins to go and the wheels fell off, and the badger turns to us and flashes his snarky wooden tooth smile with a gleam of hope in his eyes as I watched our guys just fold after such an incredible journey. I can't move past it this loss hurts more than anyone I can remember.

I feel your pain,I got drunk and cried after the loss,and I cussed Cal out the whole time. Not my finest hour.

 

[jedwar]

What kills me is when we finally got that 4 point lead and had 3 possessions to up that lead. I felt really good about it. But it's just a game after all. I have a neighbor with a brain tumor and he's just pretty much waiting to die now. I need to keep life in perspective.

 

[Mojocat]

I understand our defensive philosophy very well. However, that is why there is a need for a coach on the sideline; if something goes wrong, you call a Timeout and adjust to it. If we just were going to do the same exact thing every game, why does Cal even need to be present at the game? Heck he could just watch from home, right? Cal needed to not have Booker guarding Frank Kaminsky after it happened one time; whether that means you go to a zone, you stop switching, whatever the case may be, the coach is there to change things up if the original game plan is not working. That did not happen on April 4th.

That's true, and a fair response. I would say there are minor adjustments and major adjustments - and to tell everyone to not switch at all (or worse, to only switch on certain screens/players) after doing it exclusively all year seems to me to be a major adjustment. And like I said, with that kind of thing, there's a real risk of confusion and people running around wide open. Certainly going to a zone would be big deal, since we never play it. Major adjustments like that, to me it would look like panic, and I wonder if the players would take it as a sign of worry/weakness. This isn't like what K did before the UofL game. Duke's D had been shredded - he knew he had to do something, had several days to prepare and instituted a (gasp) zone. Worked wonders. That's not the scenario for UK leading to the Wisonconsin game. I don't know...

I do agree a timeout down the stretch would have been a good thing. Ironic. I watched the 2014 games repeatedly over the summer on a treadmill. What i finally came to appreciated about Cal's bench coaching is his feel for the game. He is not going to draw up some out of bounds play that will knock your socks off like Brad Stevens might do. No. His strength as far as in-game coaching is feel - when to make certain substitutions, when to exploit a certain matchup on either end, that kind of thing. And you know what stood out the most as far as that kind of thing, as I watched those tournament games? His use of timeouts. He was masterful with the timeout. Most especially against Wisconsin. Ironic. Even in this year's tournament, watch the ND game, where he called several timeouts to change the flow of the game. And then none against Wisconsin. So two choices. Either he froze, which several posters here would say is right. Or he saw something about this particular game, the flow of it, something about his own guys, something about the opponent or Ryan, that made him think calling a TO would do more harm than good.....