Is Cal the worst Game Manager in Power 5?

[Soupbean]

“Somebody go make a play” is not a strategy?

Yeah this is kind of my issue with him. I've said before there is no doubt the guy knows basketball but he has a weird aversion to any formality to coaching and it shows up in games and hinders the positive impact he could have on outcomes of games. He hates the idea of strategizing and thinks its silly. He's the jazz musician who thinks the classical pianist is lame. Instead he coaches primarily by substitution and from individual performance at the time good or bad. If just to a little more in game coaching what a difference it would make. Thins like . . .

Having set inbounds plays to try and score
Changing defenses to change disrupt other teams flow.
Changing defenses to prevent man breakdowns or mismatches
Changing defenses to avoid foul trouble
Targeting other teams guys who are in foul trouble
Targeting other teams mismatches on offense with called plays to isolate those matchups.
Managing foul count late in games (when teams are in double bonus so we stop fouling and giving up easy points)
Attacking with the the lead instead of withdrawing.
Sensing when spacing and movement is shrinking to call time out and correct it.
Sensing with our shooting is cold to create spacing and called drives to get to the foul line ourselves and break scoring droughts.
Use occasional trapping and pressure to create our own energy or change tempo.

 

[bbncal02]

Interesting - Painter is actually pretty good. Of course, couple bad upsets, but that's really not a good indicator - show me a coach without a couple bad upsets...

He's had a lot of bad upsets. His tourney record is awful. He's had some headscratchers in season too (Like Rutgers....twice...lol)

 

[clevenger32]

I don't include Billy Gillispie in any comparisons of UK coaches but I watched everyone of them from Rupp to present. I don't care how he compares to coaches in the business. All I know is that he is hands down the worse game coach that we have ever had at UK. He may be arguably the best recruiter, but he is definitely the worse teaching, Xs and Os, Game coach we have ever had.

 

[kybassfan]

When those of us who give money withold it, they care.

I notice it hasn’t had much effect.

 

[kybassfan]

Panic pulse

Another loser.

 

[cats2010]

Pretty sure this thread isn't about whether he's the "best coach in the game"..

The thread itself no, the post I responded too below, yes, said he was the best

Probably the best. Won more games against higher seeded teams than any coach over the last 14 seasons. His NCAA record at UK in games decided by 5 points or less is 10-3.

The whine doesn't pair well with the cheese he moved.

 

[jeffky]

If you can't play a zone when you're getting killed trying to gu a rd the ball no inbounds plays and holding g your time outs after the game plsyers cant shoot free throes the verdict is out he can't coach a lick he is embarrassing should have easily won 4 national titles with the talent 14 yr tenure being here

 

[ukdaven]

I think his main issue as a coach is his team quite often allows the other team to play at their tempo. He needs to coach his team to force their will on other teams and play the game to his teams' tempo. When Pitino was here, he forced his style of play and tempo on just about every team he coached against. Tubby will get lulled into rock fights as does Cal's teams. Many times, it happens when his teams face smaller quicker point guards. UConn twice in the tournament, last year vs K-State, and last Saturday vs UNC-Wil. There have been other times. I like Cal. I think he is a great recruiter but as a coach he gets really stubborn and does not get out of his man-to-man defense when smaller quicker guards can beat his taller guards. And he then allows those smaller quicker guards to dictate tempo and style of play on his teams.

very true, well said!

 

[Sejonesy]

Probably the best. Won more games against higher seeded teams than any coach over the last 14 seasons. His NCAA record at UK in games decided by 5 points or less is 10-3.

The whine doesn't pair well with the cheese he moved.

This board is getting worse by the day. Biggest bunch of cry babies I have ever seen. There are some good follows on Twitter/X that bring me back to reality that not all UK fans are as miserable as so many in this board. Just brutal here.

 

[jeffky]

This board is getting worse by the day. Biggest bunch of cry babies I have ever seen. There are some good follows on Twitter/X that bring me back to reality that not all UK fans are as miserable as so many in this board. Just brutal here.

Feel good don't hang Banners and we have got a 10 million dollar coach that's not getting it done

 

[kybassfan]

I think his main issue as a coach is his team quite often allows the other team to play at their tempo. He needs to coach his team to force their will on other teams and play the game to his teams' tempo. When Pitino was here, he forced his style of play and tempo on just about every team he coached against. Tubby will get lulled into rock fights as does Cal's teams. Many times, it happens when his teams face smaller quicker point guards. UConn twice in the tournament, last year vs K-State, and last Saturday vs UNC-Wil. There have been other times. I like Cal. I think he is a great recruiter but as a coach he gets really stubborn and does not get out of his man-to-man defense when smaller quicker guards can beat his taller guards. And he then allows those smaller quicker guards to dictate tempo and style of play on his teams.

You do realize setting the tempo slowing down a game is trivial to do? Only 2 steps. One, use your shot clock on offense. Two, set sail after a shot and prohibit the fast break. Then get into the passing lanes and make them shoot over you.

Under no circumstances should a defender be slower than some guy dribbling the ball. That’s a discipline learned at 12.

 

[NociHTTP]

LOL, the game with Penn will tell the world whether Cal can see the obvious, and do the obvious.

 

[deep3]

I don't include Billy Gillispie in any comparisons of UK coaches but I watched everyone of them from Rupp to present. I don't care how he compares to coaches in the business. All I know is that he is hands down the worse game coach that we have ever had at UK. He may be arguably the best recruiter, but he is definitely the worse teaching, Xs and Os, Game coach we have ever had.

Spot on

 

[YardCat]

I think his main issue as a coach is his team quite often allows the other team to play at their tempo. He needs to coach his team to force their will on other teams and play the game to his teams' tempo. When Pitino was here, he forced his style of play and tempo on just about every team he coached against. Tubby will get lulled into rock fights as does Cal's teams. Many times, it happens when his teams face smaller quicker point guards. UConn twice in the tournament, last year vs K-State, and last Saturday vs UNC-Wil. There have been other times. I like Cal. I think he is a great recruiter but as a coach he gets really stubborn and does not get out of his man-to-man defense when smaller quicker guards can beat his taller guards. And he then allows those smaller quicker guards to dictate tempo and style of play on his teams.

Wish this could be forwarded to Cal and have someone read it to him and see what he has to say.

 

[Mike-McD]

The only thing more tiresome than continued bashing Cow for his terrible coaching decisions is your blind devotion to defending him at all costs. Do you even know what you're defending anymore? Would you defend him if he were 2-6 instead of 6-2? At what point would admit that he's bad for the program? We bash him because he stubbornly continues to shout at the rain instead of making logical adjustments. Is that so wrong?

He's 11-5 in our last 16 home games.

 

[cats2010]

This board is getting worse by the day. Biggest bunch of cry babies I have ever seen. There are some good follows on Twitter/X that bring me back to reality that not all UK fans are as miserable as so many in this board. Just brutal here.

Must be tough reading such harsh criticism of your hero. One has to wonder why subject yourself to such. Of course you could offer up a reasonable rebuttal but regarding the topic I really don’t think there is one or I suspect you would have. I know that’s how I roll anyway. I guess the fanbase just expects too much from their 9 million dollar coach when it comes to “actual coaching”.

 

[CatsFanIL]

He's had a lot of bad upsets. His tourney record is awful. He's had some headscratchers in season too (Like Rutgers....twice...lol)

Sure, and again show me someone who hasn't. But to the point, you don't have the kind of success he's had if you're "one of the worst managers" in the game. We notice the upsets because his team DOES have success...

 

[Mike-McD]

Yeah this is kind of my issue with him. I've said before there is no doubt the guy knows basketball but he has a weird aversion to any formality to coaching and it shows up in games and hinders the positive impact he could have on outcomes of games. He hates the idea of strategizing and thinks its silly. He's the jazz musician who thinks the classical pianist is lame. Instead he coaches primarily by substitution and from individual performance at the time good or bad. If just to a little more in game coaching what a difference it would make. Thins like . . .

Having set inbounds plays to try and score
Changing defenses to change disrupt other teams flow.
Changing defenses to prevent man breakdowns or mismatches
Changing defenses to avoid foul trouble
Targeting other teams guys who are in foul trouble
Targeting other teams mismatches on offense with called plays to isolate those matchups.
Managing foul count late in games (when teams are in double bonus so we stop fouling and giving up easy points)
Attacking with the the lead instead of withdrawing.
Sensing when spacing and movement is shrinking to call time out and correct it.
Sensing with our shooting is cold to create spacing and called drives to get to the foul line ourselves and break scoring droughts.
Use occasional trapping and pressure to create our own energy or change tempo.

You could just spend a couple hundred making a nice sign over the door saying "Somebody go make a play" and then hire a manager for $100k to sub in the players.

 

[Mike-McD]

Sure, and again show me someone who hasn't. But to the point, you don't have the kind of success he's had if you're "one of the worst managers" in the game. We notice the upsets because his team DOES have success...

How do you define "success?" And I'm sure you will set the bar very low so that you can point to something recent.

 

[CatsFanIL]

How do you define "success?" And I'm sure you will set the bar very low so that you can point to something recent.

Right, and I'm sure you'll be soooooo unbiased and void of manipulating the context. But I'll play along...

First, Matt Painter is at Purdue - a far cry from Kansas, UNC, UK, UCLA, Arizona, etc. I'm sure recruiting to friggin' West Lafayette, IN is such an easy task. So that context matters

He's taken Purdue to 6 Sweet 16's, and an Elite 8.
4 times he's won the Big 10 regular season conference
Twice he's had Purdue win the Big 10 Conference Tournament
4 times he's been the Big 10 coach of the year
He's only the 5th coach in the history of the Big 10 to win 400 games, overall record going into this year being 400-193

I know this board is huge on hating Cal and blasting everyone who isn't as quick to hate him. But looking at Purdue and Matt Painter - would be ignorant to try and hold his "success" to the standard BBN has set for Cal. Just because you haven't won a Final 4 doesn't make you the most overrated coach in basketball. Just because Painter hasn't made a Final 4 doesn't make him "one of the worst managers" in basketball.

In fact, I'd be willing to bet that the people who level those accusations probably haven't done much - if any - coaching in their lives.

 

[bbncal02]

Sure, and again show me someone who hasn't. But to the point, you don't have the kind of success he's had if you're "one of the worst managers" in the game. We notice the upsets because his team DOES have success...

What success would that be? They've had ONE EE appearance since the year 2000 (2019), And TWO Big 10
titles while he's there. That's really about it.

He's average at best. The man has been there for 18 years and doesn't have too much to show for it. Not even 1 FF. Yeah, it's Purdue....but they have always had a decent basketball tradition (like most B1G schools- basketball and football are important). I mean 158 Coaches have been to the Final Four at least once.

 

[Mike-McD]

Right, and I'm sure you'll be soooooo unbiased and void of manipulating the context. But I'll play along...

First, Matt Painter is at Purdue - a far cry from Kansas, UNC, UK, UCLA, Arizona, etc. I'm sure recruiting to friggin' West Lafayette, IN is such an easy task. So that context matters

He's taken Purdue to 6 Sweet 16's, and an Elite 8.
4 times he's won the Big 10 regular season conference
Twice he's had Purdue win the Big 10 Conference Tournament
4 times he's been the Big 10 coach of the year
He's only the 5th coach in the history of the Big 10 to win 400 games, overall record going into this year being 400-193

I know this board is huge on hating Cal and blasting everyone who isn't as quick to hate him. But looking at Purdue and Matt Painter - would be ignorant to try and hold his "success" to the standard BBN has set for Cal. Just because you haven't won a Final 4 doesn't make you the most overrated coach in basketball. Just because Painter hasn't made a Final 4 doesn't make him "one of the worst managers" in basketball.

In fact, I'd be willing to bet that the people who level those accusations probably haven't done much - if any - coaching in their lives.

So when asked to explain Cal's "success" you go on a rant about...Matt Painter? Talk about changing the subject. Captain Red Herring.

Figures you couldn't come up with a definition.

And you are welcome to show how I'm "manipulating" any context. Go ahead, Captain Strawman.

 

[CatsFanIL]

What success would that be? They've had ONE EE appearance since the year 2000 (2019), And TWO Big 10
titles while he's there. That's really about it.

He's average at best.

Did you miss the post above? I outlined his accomplishments for you. If you want to pretend that's average, it says more about your awareness of college basketball than it does about Matt Painter.

Just bizarre how delusional some of us are when it comes to success. He's at Purdue, not some blue blood. We've got people pandering for Tommy Lloyd and Shaka Smart, somehow they've had more "success" than Painter?

Scott Drew is another favorite on this board. He's won 1 national title in 20+ years of being a head coach. He has a 17-9 record in the NCAAT, which I can guarantee most of you would consider unsuccessful. He's only been to 1 Final Four. How many times was Baylor upset in the NCAAT with Drew as head coach?

 

[bbncal02]

Did you miss the post above? I outlined his accomplishments for you. If you want to pretend that's average, it says more about your awareness of college basketball than it does about Matt Painter.

Just bizarre how delusional some of us are when it comes to success. He's at Purdue, not some blue blood. We've got people pandering for Tommy Lloyd and Shaka Smart, somehow they've had more "success" than Painter?

Scott Drew is another favorite on this board. He's won 1 national title in 20+ years of being a head coach. He has a 17-9 record in the NCAAT, which I can guarantee most of you would consider unsuccessful. He's only been to 1 Final Four. How many times was Baylor upset in the NCAAT with Drew as head coach?

That's fairly average. Two conference titles- la di da. Rick Barnes has that, and in two different conferences I might add.

Winning a national title in college basketball is HUGELY successful. 1 title in 20 years isn't Kentucky standards, sure. But it's still successful.

Painter has had multiple high ranked squads choke in the tourney.

Tommy Lloyd has been a HC for two years. Just two. And already has as many conference titles as Painter has in 18 years. That says a lot. I wouldn't call Zona a blue blood either.

 

[CatsFanIL]

That's fairly average. Two conference titles- la di da. Rick Barnes has that, and in two different conferences I might add.

Winning a national title in college basketball is HUGELY successful. 1 title in 20 years isn't Kentucky standards, sure. But it's still successful.

Painter has had multiple high ranked squads choke in the tourney.

Tommy Lloyd has been a HC for two years. Just two. And already has as many conference titles as Painter has in 18 years. That says a lot. I wouldn't call Zona a blue blood either.

And if Arizona fans were Kentucky fans, Lloyd would probably be ran out of town, right?

Again, consider the context - can't even begin to compare recruiting to Arizona like recruiting to West Lafayette, Indiana. And for the record, he has 4 conference titles, not 2...

Hell, look at Scott Drew - posters on here want him as the next coach - look at his "success". He's only won 1 game in each of the NCAA Tournaments since the national title. That doesn't appear to be trending in the right direction, correct?

Listen, I'm just saying. A lot of posters are creating a narrative of "success" in which basically only Bill Self belongs. Even Dan Hurley, who I have no beef with, he won the national title but hasn't won the conference - and you know exactly how Kentucky fans would respond to finishing 3rd, 3rd, and 4th in the conference.

 

[CatsFanIL]

That's fairly average. Two conference titles- la di da. Rick Barnes has that, and in two different conferences I might add.

Winning a national title in college basketball is HUGELY successful. 1 title in 20 years isn't Kentucky standards, sure. But it's still successful.

Painter has had multiple high ranked squads choke in the tourney.

Tommy Lloyd has been a HC for two years. Just two. And already has as many conference titles as Painter has in 18 years. That says a lot. I wouldn't call Zona a blue blood either.

Painter DOES have multiple choke jobs, yes. And so does Lloyd's Arizona team.

Would you agree that Arizona is much more in the "blue blood" conversation than is Purdue?

And more to the point - which one do you think is more likely "managing the game" as opposed to having superior athletes and highly touted recruits?

And for the record, I AM a Tommy Lloyd fan - honestly I am. And yes, he belongs on the short-list for a potential Cal replacement. I'm just pointing out that it seems we reallllllly enjoy pointing out Cal's flaws and underperformance, but for some reason want to ignore the same characteristics for potential replacements?

 

[natchezrule]

Yes

 

[Disappointed Cat]

Who is worse? I am so sick of his inability to close a game during stretch time!

I think you already know the answer to that question.

 

[wfm101981]

Probably the best. Won more games against higher seeded teams than any coach over the last 14 seasons. His NCAA record at UK in games decided by 5 points or less is 10-3.

The whine doesn't pair well with the cheese he moved.

Can u explain losses like allowing unc wilinngton to beat us? Especially after a big win against Miami? The lose in unexplainable. Yes I feel we have a goof team this year but you can't lose to unc fking wilmington.. period.

 

[kartmd]

And if Arizona fans were Kentucky fans, Lloyd would probably be ran out of town, right?

Again, consider the context - can't even begin to compare recruiting to Arizona like recruiting to West Lafayette, Indiana. And for the record, he has 4 conference titles, not 2...

Hell, look at Scott Drew - posters on here want him as the next coach - look at his "success". He's only won 1 game in each of the NCAA Tournaments since the national title. That doesn't appear to be trending in the right direction, correct?

Listen, I'm just saying. A lot of posters are creating a narrative of "success" in which basically only Bill Self belongs. Even Dan Hurley, who I have no beef with, he won the national title but hasn't won the conference - and you know exactly how Kentucky fans would respond to finishing 3rd, 3rd, and 4th in the conference.

We are finishing 3rd and 4th in the conference, but with fewer tourney wins than Baylor…and we’re KENTUCKY lol

 

[Ripcord65]

Sorry I'm just now getting to this thread, but ... in answer to the posted question ... Calipari is the worst game manager ANYWHERE ... not just in a Power 5 conference, not just in Division I, not just in college basketball ... ANYWHERE ! ! ! In high school basketball or Pee Wee league basketball ... ANYWHERE ! ! !
Nevertheless, and in spite of Calipari, I'll always say - Go 'Cats !
The players can't help it that he's rightly known by the acronym "CCC".

 

[The_Ghost_of_Born_and_Bread]

Sorry I'm just now getting to this thread, but ... in answer to the posted question ... Calipari is the worst game manager ANYWHERE ... not just in a Power 5 conference, not just in Division I, not just in college basketball ... ANYWHERE ! ! ! In high school basketball or Pee Wee league basketball ... ANYWHERE ! ! !
Nevertheless, and in spite of Calipari, I'll always say - Go 'Cats !
The players can't help it that he's rightly known by the acronym "CCC".

You’re probably right with these statements.

 

[UKNothinButNet]

So when asked to explain Cal's "success" you go on a rant about...Matt Painter? Talk about changing the subject. Captain Red Herring.

Figures you couldn't come up with a definition.

And you are welcome to show how I'm "manipulating" any context. Go ahead, Captain Strawman.

“... Squirrel ! ” 😂