Is it really the players

[willievic]

A lot of the post on here blame the players, and some posters NEVER blame the coach. I agree that Cal needs to recruit some players that are not interested in going to the NBA after one year. Well, let's take a look at this year. We have two 5th year players, a second year player and two Freshmen starting. That's not a bad starting lineup. Sarr and Mintz, have played quite a bit of college ball. Maybe Mintz should have been the leader. At this time, I don't see a leader on this team. Is that the players fault, or the coach's fault. Jackson and Boston are good players, when they play within themselves, and don't try and do to much. Toppin and Ware could play for a lot of teams. Overall, we have better talent then any team in the SEC. We will have more players go to the NBA, then any other team in the SEC. What's wrong then? It's the coaching! If a players messes up, and Cal thinks he can go to the NBA after this year, he refuses to bench him. He needs to set him down, explain to him, what he did wrong, instead of screaming at him while he is on the floor. Cal only teaches one thing, the "Dribble Drive." I understand, that allows a player to show the NBA what he can do, speed, first step, and leaping ability. That doesn't always work in college. Most of these players never had to depend on basics before, because they were more athletic then the players they were playing against. That is no longer true. I am NOT a Cal hater, even though some on here think I am. With his recruiting, if he would just make some subtle changes, he could go from being an average coach to a good coach. The Dribble Drive works for a lot of teams, but that is not the only thing they do. You must make the defensive man guard you, and your team mates know how to set a screen, the correct way, to run the Dribble Drive. If everyone can stay back, it's hard to Drive. We saw that when Auburn's guard tried to drive against us.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[North Carolina Blue Wildcat]

It’s not the players, I’m not a D1 coach, but I do coach high level basketball. The pieces don’t fit the scheme and the players don’t fit one another. No PG is the first issue. Couple that with a lack of shooters and it’s easy to see why we are where we are.

If you can’t consistently score on drives, it’s not possible to kick the ball out to open shooters. This lack of ball movement allows the defense to just stand still for the most part. Cal has made a few adjustments here and there, but the moment teams go to a zone-we are pretty much done. Add in Cal’s inability to adjust, manage his bench, and the player rotations and we become what we are today-a terrible team.

 

[CatPhight]

An uncanny inability to make in game adjustments is just simply off the chart laughable.

A team goes zone and all Cal does is make erratic substitutions and scream.

Unprepared and always deflecting blame...this shit show needs to be flushed.

 

[Cobb4uk]

There are not many coaches that win games when their center, forward and point guard scores a combined 10 points and your best player is in foul trouble and plays less than half a game.

 

[SmedMoley]

I'll bring Matt Jones into this, just as a prop. A caller on the post-game show mentioned how disappointing Sarr has been. He pointed out that he did much better at Wake Forest. Matt cut him off and said, "well, his coach only won 9 games and got fired. Don't tell me he's better than Cal." I laughed and thought, Matt, Cal only has 8 wins, you fool! 8 wins. 8 freaking wins. That's less than 9. I'm going with coaching on this.

 

[docholiday51]

Boston and Clarke have been much of the problem from day one. The original plan was to redshirt Toppin but the team wasn't good enough to keep him off the floor. Askew wasn't ready and likely has been destroyed because of being forced to play.

Cal has mismanaged this team for the sake of Boston and Clarke, he(Cal) dug a hole that the team couldn't escape from. Cal knew he was screwed probably before anyone else did. Cal is not very good at damage control, the Fletcher and Clarke situations only add drama and more questions to an already bad team dynamic.


This type of season could have happened anywhere along the way, so in one sense Cal has led a charmed life here. He has pissed away at least 3 titles that he should have won. Cal will be here for at least a couple of more years even though he is effectively done. It is a scary thought to contemplate where the program is headed

 

[cats#1again]

It’s not the players, I’m not a D1 coach, but I do coach high level basketball. The pieces don’t fit the scheme and the players don’t fit one another. No PG is the first issue. Couple that with a lack of shooters and it’s easy to see why we are where we are.

If you can’t consistently score on drives, it’s not possible to kick the ball out to open shooters. This lack of ball movement allows the defense to just stand still for the most part. Cal has made a few adjustments here and there, but the moment teams go to a zone-we are pretty much done. Add in Cal’s inability to adjust, manage his bench, and the player rotations and we become what we are today-a terrible team.

A pg.
That is all you had to say.
We have no pg

 

[MakinMusic]

A lot of this is players. Period. Plain. And. Simple. There is always an element of coaching but most is players. I won’t go into details but I’ve been around sports my entire life. Coaches can only do so much then it becomes the players responsibility to execute. Dumb to even have this conversation.....it’s just a given. Unfortunately, the average fan throwing a tantrum, as mentioned in another thread, has to have someone quick to blame because they can’t see the issues in game.

The only additional thing I will mention to the OP is ALL these kids are interested in going to the NBA in year one, if they could make it happen. It’s the current college basketball culture. You wouldn’t see any stay if they knew they could go first round and some even second round. Some would go if they knew they could just get a one year contract with no further guarantees.

When Calipari arrived our recruiting was in the hole of holes for any program, much less a blue blood. He brought it back and it’s created a culture that is difficult to change. However, it was the greatest thing ever for the first 5 years.

Take a step back. Kentucky basketball is not life. Let it play out and let’s see what happens next season.

 

[Philstat]

We have the most overpaid and overrated coach in all of CBB, though he's heavily protected and the media will do anything to keep this narrative alive. We are to believe he's a HOF coach that he gets the absolute best out of his players and every year he's a threat to win it all, LOL, GTFO!

 

[rolaid]

It’s 90% players
No point guard worth a damn
Boston Clarke Sarr huge disappointments
Ware never developed
Brooks looks lost and is a really poor defender & ball handler
Jackson refuses to play smart keeps picking up fouls

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

It’s 90% players
No point guard worth a damn
Boston Clarke Sarr huge disappointments
Ware never developed
Brooks looks lost and is a really poor defender & ball handler
Jackson refuses to play smart keeps picking up fouls

The players are a lot of the problem but not 90%. Cals just as much of a problem as the players are.

 

[susan2361]

A lot of the post on here blame the players, and some posters NEVER blame the coach. I agree that Cal needs to recruit some players that are not interested in going to the NBA after one year. Well, let's take a look at this year. We have two 5th year players, a second year player and two Freshmen starting. That's not a bad starting lineup. Sarr and Mintz, have played quite a bit of college ball. Maybe Mintz should have been the leader. At this time, I don't see a leader on this team. Is that the players fault, or the coach's fault. Jackson and Boston are good players, when they play within themselves, and don't try and do to much. Toppin and Ware could play for a lot of teams. Overall, we have better talent then any team in the SEC. We will have more players go to the NBA, then any other team in the SEC. What's wrong then? It's the coaching! If a players messes up, and Cal thinks he can go to the NBA after this year, he refuses to bench him. He needs to set him down, explain to him, what he did wrong, instead of screaming at him while he is on the floor. Cal only teaches one thing, the "Dribble Drive." I understand, that allows a player to show the NBA what he can do, speed, first step, and leaping ability. That doesn't always work in college. Most of these players never had to depend on basics before, because they were more athletic then the players they were playing against. That is no longer true. I am NOT a Cal hater, even though some on here think I am. With his recruiting, if he would just make some subtle changes, he could go from being an average coach to a good coach. The Dribble Drive works for a lot of teams, but that is not the only thing they do. You must make the defensive man guard you, and your team mates know how to set a screen, the correct way, to run the Dribble Drive. If everyone can stay back, it's hard to Drive. We saw that when Auburn's guard tried to drive against us.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

Always love your posts.

 

[Cats192]

This isn't the NBA where you're given a roster by the GM. Cal is the GM.

The roster is what it is because of Cal.

1. He recruited the guys not living up to expectatioins.
2. He doesn't keep guys that go undrafted/2nd round
3. We don't give guys like Baker/Juzang a fair chance so they transfer.

 

[SemperFiCat]

People can say it's the players, but who's coaching those players? Who put together this team? Who's created this downward spiral culture? The buck starts and ends with the coach, not the players.

 

[willievic]

Always love your posts.

Thanks very much.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[willievic]

There are not many coaches that win games when their center, forward and point guard scores a combined 10 points and your best player is in foul trouble and plays less than half a game.

Look at Sarr when he played for Wake Forest, what did he average? A coach has to be able to recognize what his players can do, then put them in the correct position. These players were good players in AAU and high school. It's not the players fault their struggling.
I remember Cal trying to make other players, play with their back to the basket, and it didn't work. Cal refuses to bench a player who he thinks can go to the NBA, after his Freshmen year. Instead, he just stands and screams at them, which is embarrassing to the player. Set the player down by him, and explain what he needs to do.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[seccats04]

A pg.
That is all you had to say.
We have no pg

Who recruited him and didn’t have a backup signed?

 

[cats#1again]

Who recruited him and didn’t have a backup signed?

What's your point?

Askew was the backup plan genius. You can't hold a gun to a kids head and make him come to your school

 

[willievic]

A pg.
That is all you had to say.
We have no pg

Wrong, we need a lot more then a pg. Whose fault is it that we don't have a point guard. The fans did not recruit the players. Evidently our coach cannot judge talent. He just goes after the ones they say are 5 stars, even if they may all be forwards and centers.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[cats#1again]

Who recruited him and didn’t have a backup signed?

We went after 4 pgs and they went somewhere else. We then got askew to reclass. Hagan's entered the draft aswell.
5 options fell through
It happens

 

[cats#1again]

Wrong, we need a lot more then a pg. Whose fault is it that we don't have a point guard. The fans did not recruit the players. Evidently our coach cannot judge talent. He just goes after the ones they say are 5 stars, even if they may all be forwards and centers.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

We actually don't. A pg gets everyone in position and leads the team.
How have we managed to be in every game with 3 mind left if our players and coach and everyone sucks so bad
Think before posting
DONT HIT SEND

 

[willievic]

A lot of this is players. Period. Plain. And. Simple. There is always an element of coaching but most is players. I won’t go into details but I’ve been around sports my entire life. Coaches can only do so much then it becomes the players responsibility to execute. Dumb to even have this conversation.....it’s just a given. Unfortunately, the average fan throwing a tantrum, as mentioned in another thread, has to have someone quick to blame because they can’t see the issues in game.

The only additional thing I will mention to the OP is ALL these kids are interested in going to the NBA in year one, if they could make it happen. It’s the current college basketball culture. You wouldn’t see any stay if they knew they could go first round and some even second round. Some would go if they knew they could just get a one year contract with no further guarantees.

When Calipari arrived our recruiting was in the hole of holes for any program, much less a blue blood. He brought it back and it’s created a culture that is difficult to change. However, it was the greatest thing ever for the first 5 years.

Take a step back. Kentucky basketball is not life. Let it play out and let’s see what happens next season.

A lot of coaches can take your players and beat his, or his players and beat yours. Cal is not that coach. How can you blame the players. They are talented according to people who know basketball. Cal must have thought they were. What would we had without Mintz and Sarr? Not a lot. I doubt you have been around basketball, or played it any more then I have. Instead of looking at the first 5 years as you say, let's look at the last 6. We have continued to go down. Your correct on one thing, basketball is not life, and I never forget that.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[willievic]

What's your point?

Askew was the backup plan genius. You can't hold a gun to a kids head and make him come to your school

No, you shouldn't have to. A coach should know he is not going to get everyone he wants, especially if other top schools, or schools in the state where he is at, are recruiting him. Not having another point guard is the coach's fault, PLAIN and SIMPLE!

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[willievic]

We went after 4 pgs and they went somewhere else. We then got askew to reclass. Hagan's entered the draft aswell.
5 options fell through
It happens

It's still the coach's fault, not the fans.

OLD STOLL F

We actually don't. A pg gets everyone in position and leads the team.
How have we managed to be in every game with 3 mind left if our players and coach and everyone sucks so bad
Think before posting
DONT HIT SEND

We have the talent, according to the posters who judge them. Cal must think so. We lose in the closing minutes, because opposing coaches make changes, and Cal is a "One Trick Pony." Proof read before posting.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[seccats04]

What's your point?

Askew was the backup plan genius. You can't hold a gun to a kids head and make him come to your school

I don't understand how you can't see this is Cal's fault. Quit pushing kids out the door and choosing to reload with brand new teams every year and you won't have this problem. I mean how can you look at Askew and think he can lead UK? Obviously Cal didn't do his homework, he just saw the rankings next to his name and went after him. We've had a serious talent evaulation problem the last few years.

 

[cats#1again]

A lot of coaches can take your players and beat his, or his players and beat yours. Cal is not that coach. How can you blame the players. They are talented according to people who know basketball. Cal must have thought they were. What would we had without Mintz and Sarr? Not a lot. I doubt you have been around basketball, or played it any more then I have. Instead of looking at the first 5 years as you say, let's look at the last 6. We have continued to go down. Your correct on one thing, basketball is not life, and I never forget that.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

When are you going to understand there's a grand canyon gap between highschool and college? Just because a player is talented doesn't mean he will be great the first week on campus.
Do you think he forgot what he has told every team every season? I mean, this is year 12. It's worked every season except this year so he must have forgotten the words. Yea 13' was bad but it was because of injury. That's not an opinion.
We would have been no less than a 5 seed that season with Noel

 

[megablue]

Yes. It is. Talent is lacking.

 

[seccats04]

We went after 4 pgs and they went somewhere else. We then got askew to reclass. Hagan's entered the draft aswell.
5 options fell through
It happens

In order for Cal's OAD model to work he has to get the best players, which he hasn't done the last several years dating back to 2017, which was our last really good team. If Cal can't get the best players anymore then he needs to change his recruiting model and approach to have a more sustainable roster. He doesn't appear to want to do that.

 

[PsychoticGerbil]

Boston and Clarke have been much of the problem from day one. The original plan was to redshirt Toppin but the team wasn't good enough to keep him off the floor. Askew wasn't ready and likely has been destroyed because of being forced to play.

Cal has mismanaged this team for the sake of Boston and Clarke, he(Cal) dug a hole that the team couldn't escape from. Cal knew he was screwed probably before anyone else did. Cal is not very good at damage control, the Fletcher and Clarke situations only add drama and more questions to an already bad team dynamic.


This type of season could have happened anywhere along the way, so in one sense Cal has led a charmed life here. He has pissed away at least 3 titles that he should have won. Cal will be here for at least a couple of more years even though he is effectively done. It is a scary thought to contemplate where the program is headed

Gospel truth here

 

[track42]

In order for Cal's OAD model to work he has to get the best players, which he hasn't done the last several years dating back to 2017, which was our last really good team. If Cal can't get the best players anymore then he needs to change his recruiting model and approach to have a more sustainable roster. He doesn't appear to want to do that.

I don't understand why Cal didn't at least add a 4 or 3 star point guard to go along with Askew.Mintz is a 2 guard so to go into a season with one point guard on the roster is inexcusable.

 

[cats#1again]

I don't understand how you can't see this is Cal's fault. Quit pushing kids out the door and choosing to reload with brand new teams every year and you won't have this problem. I mean how can you look at Askew and think he can lead UK? Obviously Cal didn't do his homework, he just saw the rankings next to his name and went after him. We've had a serious talent evaulation problem the last few years.

How has he pushed any kid out the door

I don't understand how you can't see in this day and time the kids do what they want.
My god if Diallo coming here and testing the waters didn't show you people that it's today's culture, nothing will

I gaurentee you the rankings are never looked at. How did he come up with Jamal Murray ? SGA?
He's recruited several players in foreign countries that went other places, WCS???

 

[willievic]

When are you going to understand there's a grand canyon gap between highschool and college? Just because a player is talented doesn't mean he will be great the first week on campus.
Do you think he forgot what he has told every team every season? I mean, this is year 12. It's worked every season except this year so he must have forgotten the words. Yea 13' was bad but it was because of injury. That's not an opinion.
We would have been no less than a 5 seed that season with Noel

I don't think you wil ever understand, so no need explaining to you. If you think the last 6 years are great, then you and I differ. Number ONE recruiting class, the last 6 years, no Final Fours, Losing season for the first time in my lifetime, only coach to ever fail to go to the NCAA Tournament twice, since it went to 64 teams, only coach to lose in the First Round of the NIT in the last 12 years. So tell all of us how great you are in knowing basketball. I WILL NOT be responding, since you don't know $hit about basketball. Most fans on here have forgot more basketball then you will ever know. Your just a Cal lover.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[willievic]

Yes. It is. Talent is lacking.

Then why do we have big leads in the first half, and lose in the second? Other coaches make adjustments, Cal does NOT. Cal and the people who rate them think they are talented, and we will see what the NBA thinks after the season. They are a better judge then you or I.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[fatguy87]

Cal also still throws out insane lineup combinations.

I want to throw up whenever he puts a big at the 3.

 

[cats#1again]

In order for Cal's OAD model to work he has to get the best players, which he hasn't done the last several years dating back to 2017, which was our last really good team. If Cal can't get the best players anymore then he needs to change his recruiting model and approach to have a more sustainable roster. He doesn't appear to want to do that.
[/QUOTE
Really? 2019 was a more polished better overall team than 2017


You want him to recruit better players that are ranked lower and really don't want to make money playing.
Think about that

He has dipped down into a different level of recruit recently. Herro, Askew, ware, 2 players coming in next season. It's still not good enough for the fans until the kids stay 3/4 years. That's not gonna happen.

 

[seccats04]

I don't understand why Cal didn't at least add a 4 or 3 star point guard to go along with Askew.Mintz is a 2 guard so to go into a season with one point guard on the roster is inexcusable.

This.

 

[seccats04]

2019? The team that lost to Duke by 36 and didn't win the SEC regular season, SEC tourney or get to a F4? On paper they should've been better than they were but we've seen that a lot since 2015. Cal has to upgrade his assistants and get one that knows offense, especially how to combat a zone defense because in 12 years he still hasn't figured it out.

 

[cats#1again]

Yea they got destroyed by Duke. That mattered absolutely none. In fact it helped them if anything. At seasons end that team was really good. Pj got hurt and it's hard to beat a team 3/4 times in a season.
2017 didn't get to a final 4 either

 

[cats#1again]

Cal also still throws out insane lineup combinations.

I want to throw up whenever he puts a big at the 3.

Who ? Who at the 3 are u calling a big?
I know you really want Allen there but he isn't good enough yet. If Clarke weren't hurt it would be more simple

Why not try dif lineups when your team is struggling?

 

[seccats04]

How has he pushed any kid out the door

I don't understand how you can't see in this day and time the kids do what they want.
My god if Diallo coming here and testing the waters didn't show you people that it's today's culture, nothing will

I gaurentee you the rankings are never looked at. How did he come up with Jamal Murray ? SGA?
He's recruited several players in foreign countries that went other places, WCS???

Wow, where do I start? There have been several guys mentioning thinking about coming back for another year and Cal said no.

The problem with taking kids like Diallo is he was a raw athlete that was not a good basketball player. But he had the measurables the NBA loves so Cal took him anyway so he could pad his NBA draft picks status and UK got very little out of him and sucked that year. No surprise. Those kinda guys are not good players until they are in the NBA for 2-3 years so that doesn't help us much.

Rankings are never looked at? What are you talking about? Murray was ranked #9 in his class. SGA was top 35. WCS was top 45 but a raw athlete.