"Kentucky is better than Arkansas"
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
Jaxson Robinson sure looks like a decent NBA player to me so far.
This is the final straw that will drive the Cal lovers over the edge. LolKentucky is better than Arkansas
There is one key stat that tells the story of why Kentucky is out to an early lead on Arkansas in the John Calipari breakup battle. In the Wildcats' 103-62 season-opening win over Wright State, 30 of their 39 baskets came on assists. While many of those buckets came in transition, UK also looked better running its half court offense than Arkansas did in its opener.
The Razorbacks needed a 14-1 late run to pull away from Lipscomb in a 76-60 win on Wednesday to open Calipari's tenure. Just 10 of their 34 made came on assists as Arkansas struggled to a 4-of-19 performance from beyond the arc. Kentucky looked like an actual team in its first game under Mark Pope. Arkansas merely looked like a collection of talent in its debut under Calipari. There's plenty of time for things to change. But if we're overreacting to a one-game sample size, then Kentucky is winning the breakup battle so far. -- David Cobb
Dribble Handoff: Kentucky looks impressive and other overreactions to college basketball's opening week
Here are some knee-jerk observations to the early action as the 2024-25 college basketball season gets startedwww.cbssports.com
You got to have some guys who go get you buckets. At least that is the belief of one of Cal's fanboys. Lol
The two wildest "returns" I recall was Kansas when the year before they beat us 150-95 and RP's return. Crowds were ready for blood both games. Cal's return will be in that group. The fanbase is ready for a bloodletting to wash away his last 5 yrs.
Normally, this would be useless info and probably still is.
But, here is why it is mildly intriguing (mildly is emphasized): Pope has ONE returner to his system. Cal has three. Mark getting his team to play his system is the key. It shows that his staff knows how to teach. Granted, they are teaching veterans, for the most part, but Cal has some seasoned experience, as well.
Other than that, Liscomb (we play later) is not Wright.
Not much more to this.
But, here is why it is mildly intriguing (mildly is emphasized): Pope has ONE returner to his system. Cal has three. Mark getting his team to play his system is the key. It shows that his staff knows how to teach. Granted, they are teaching veterans, for the most part, but Cal has some seasoned experience, as well.
Other than that, Liscomb (we play later) is not Wright.
Not much more to this.
That is one of the reasons why I don't watch the NBA. However, college basketball isn't the NBA and thank goodness for that.
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Cal isn't Pope. However, college basketball is college basketball no matter the team or coach. You either can coach or you can't. We are about to find out who Cal is without Kentucky.
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He was already blaming his players in that first press conference LOL. I’m soooo glad is out of blue and in red now.
It will probably be up there depending on the makeup of the crowd. I don’t think Cal is hated quite like Pitino was overall. Especially going to a rival like that.
I agree. Looks like a taller version of Reeves, who, as we know, would up with a NBA contract after returning for a 5th year.
Two game sample size Arkansas looks like a typical caliparian loser. Young and dumb show ball.
The entire description of Arkansas in that blurb just summarizes the same old shit we saw for the last 7 years with Cal.
I'll wait to see how they look when they are back to full strength. I know they're still missing Brazile, Graham, and Menifield. I know Brazile could be a significant contributor but I'm not sure when he's expected to return. With Calipari, there is no telling, and it will probably be a month longer than expected.
Having said this, the article points out something that was always an issue with Calipari's teams. They're usually more naturally talented than their opponents- usually a step quicker and better athletes, so they usually clear out and allow guys to just do their thing. This leads to few assists and a bunch of tough shots, guarded shots which lead to low FG%. We've all seen it. In years where you have some elite talents, you can play with most anyone. In years where the talent is more equal, you struggle. But the thing that is almost always missing is a lot of teamwork and working to create shots for each other. That is what I see on this UK team already. These guys are working for each other and they are creating shots for each other. I love what I'm seeing so far. As of now, I would agree that UK looks like the better team.
Having said this, the article points out something that was always an issue with Calipari's teams. They're usually more naturally talented than their opponents- usually a step quicker and better athletes, so they usually clear out and allow guys to just do their thing. This leads to few assists and a bunch of tough shots, guarded shots which lead to low FG%. We've all seen it. In years where you have some elite talents, you can play with most anyone. In years where the talent is more equal, you struggle. But the thing that is almost always missing is a lot of teamwork and working to create shots for each other. That is what I see on this UK team already. These guys are working for each other and they are creating shots for each other. I love what I'm seeing so far. As of now, I would agree that UK looks like the better team.
Z looks totally lost most of the time still.
Johnell is playing and taking less shots than both DJ and Fland.
Same old same old Cal team.
Not enough shooters and no overwhelming athletes to make up for the shooting for them this year.
Worst staff Cal has ever had.
I guess the bright spot is Adou Thiero, DJ and Z will play about the same way they did last year. Fland is good but he's no better then Tyty, Quickley, Wallace, Maxey and none of them made a F4 with Cal. Johnell is there best player but he's promised minutes and shots to DJ and Fland so predict that locker room won't be the best after they get a few weeks in the season.
Johnell is playing and taking less shots than both DJ and Fland.
Same old same old Cal team.
Not enough shooters and no overwhelming athletes to make up for the shooting for them this year.
Worst staff Cal has ever had.
I guess the bright spot is Adou Thiero, DJ and Z will play about the same way they did last year. Fland is good but he's no better then Tyty, Quickley, Wallace, Maxey and none of them made a F4 with Cal. Johnell is there best player but he's promised minutes and shots to DJ and Fland so predict that locker room won't be the best after they get a few weeks in the season.
As for Davis, I'll say what UofL fans used to say when they lost a recruit, 'Didn't want him anyway...bad attitude....or something'
It quite simply boils down to one factor. CCC is on the sidelines for Arkansas. Advantage UK. I like UK's experience and fitting Pope's system much better. The team will have progressed much further along by the time this game with the Razorbacks comes around on Feb. 1st.
They will never be back to full strength. Full strength isn't Cal's MO these days.
Arkansas coming to Rupp especially as a dog is the kind of game Cal used to win at UK. Big wins at places like Auburn, Alabama, and Tennessee.
So I expect it to be a battle but not one of those big Cal road wins.
So I expect it to be a battle but not one of those big Cal road wins.
That really aren’t that young lol. So it’s mostly just dumb, due to lack of coaching
Great give and take conversation in this thread!
I agree with so much of what everyone is saying out there, and I'll also just say this very begrudgingly....
Aside from my usual anti dUKe stance, I've gotta say I think that young dUKe team is extremely talented and going to be in the mix for a final four run, period. Flagg is ONLY seventeen?!?!??? Wow! 😲
Scheyer does "one and done" better than Cal these days. 😂 My how the mighty have fallen....
But I'm not ready to stick a 🍴 in the side of Coach Cal or the Hogs 🐖 just yet.
I just think it's pretty simple what we have all seen for years from Calipari - that the emperor has no clothes.
Kentucky can start fresh again with our unparalleled tradition. That's all I wanted for the past .... 5 years around here.
So now we've got it. And it is interesting as fans to sit back and be "Basketball Bennie" counting 50 years now.
We're doing just fine, Coach Cal. Thanks for the good times. But now you'll have to learn what it's like to lose to Kentucky as an ex coach.
That's happened to some of the best of them. Good luck Hogs. Glad Cal is there with you, coaching quirks and all. You'll be alright.
Go Big Blue!
I agree with so much of what everyone is saying out there, and I'll also just say this very begrudgingly....
Aside from my usual anti dUKe stance, I've gotta say I think that young dUKe team is extremely talented and going to be in the mix for a final four run, period. Flagg is ONLY seventeen?!?!??? Wow! 😲
Scheyer does "one and done" better than Cal these days. 😂 My how the mighty have fallen....
But I'm not ready to stick a 🍴 in the side of Coach Cal or the Hogs 🐖 just yet.
I just think it's pretty simple what we have all seen for years from Calipari - that the emperor has no clothes.
Kentucky can start fresh again with our unparalleled tradition. That's all I wanted for the past .... 5 years around here.
So now we've got it. And it is interesting as fans to sit back and be "Basketball Bennie" counting 50 years now.
We're doing just fine, Coach Cal. Thanks for the good times. But now you'll have to learn what it's like to lose to Kentucky as an ex coach.
That's happened to some of the best of them. Good luck Hogs. Glad Cal is there with you, coaching quirks and all. You'll be alright.
Go Big Blue!
I hear what you are saying about not sticking a fork in Cal and Arkansas. However, how long are you willing to way for the arrival of the great pumpkin? As Kentuckians, we waited for 10 years, and I think that was more than long enough. Cal is who he is and at this stage in his life there will be no big turn arounds. If he was capable of that, he would have done it while at Kentucky to save his job, imho.
Great point .... Cal could have done a whole lot of things differently, and changed with the climate, perhaps. He had plenty of time and all the backing anyone could ever want to keep growing and developing the program, but that was never his philosophy.
He lost a whole lot of people over time. I would love to see everyone happy and united in a new resurgence of Kentucky basketball. Coach Pope's hire gives us that opportunity. I'm very happy with our direction.
It's great to be here with everyone enjoying this season !
I refuse to wish Arkansas luck. Everyone has been laughing at us these last 4 years thanks to Cal's incompetence and whatever is going on between his ears.
I want Cal to continue doing at Arkansas what he was doing here, which is prioritizing individual goals and accomplishments. It was just a bunch of guys trying out for the NBA and Cal had plenty of chances to stop that, but he didn't and I don't want him to change that now. Eventually Arkansas fans are going to get that ah ha moment, where they realize we weren't lying to them.
I hope they lose every game they play.
I want Cal to continue doing at Arkansas what he was doing here, which is prioritizing individual goals and accomplishments. It was just a bunch of guys trying out for the NBA and Cal had plenty of chances to stop that, but he didn't and I don't want him to change that now. Eventually Arkansas fans are going to get that ah ha moment, where they realize we weren't lying to them.
I hope they lose every game they play.
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