It’s stuff like this that gives me a bit of peace that he’s down in Fayetteville.
More proof we are going to be ok without Cal
- Thread starter bbncal02
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It’s stuff like this that gives me a bit of peace that he’s down in Fayetteville.
That's a borderline, senile, comment from ''Coach'' Cal. He should retire now and save himself the embarrasment of another 10 loss season this year.
"AnAlYTIcz iz FAulTy beCaUSe I hAd tHe BEst pLAyeRz iN cOlLeGE aND cOuLd STill wIN wItHoUt eM UnTiL I cOULdnt bC mOst Of cOLLege bASkEtBaLl aDaptEd."
The reason he had SO many players with max NBA contracts is because he had by far the greatest recruiting run in CBB history. Those guys were already destined for massive NBA wealth regardless of what college coach they chose. The explanation is all about recruiting, it has nothing to do with how Cal coached during their brief one season pit stop here.
Cal is deluded if he truly believes otherwise.
Cal is deluded if he truly believes otherwise.
And he spent valuable time (that could have been used to coach and prep for games) pumping his guys in the NBA, acting like their agent. Cal is a THIEF.
I knew we were going to be ok the moment it was announced he was leaving. We certainly weren’t ok with him here.
I don’t miss Cal and his mercenary teams a bit
What he sees as vindication we see as confirmation and validation. His metric for success was not winning. Do we raise banners for making people rich? Is there some fun to be gleaned from watching someone lose but knowing in a year or two they’ll be set for life? Who watches sports like that? So glad he’s gone.
NBA NBA NBA NBA NBA that’s all he talks about good lord
That's the thing, he didn't make anyone rich. Those guys were going to NBA with or without him. He tried to act like he took players that wouldn't make the NBA and turned them into NBA players . He had top ranked recruiting class every year full of guys who were going to NBA no matter what college they attended. And he still failed
Yep. Acted like Herro was a project player LOL. Same with Dillingham and Reed. Tried to keep SGA on the bench. There’s more. I got a list.
Like so many other good coaches before him, the game passed him by and he refused to adapt.
Most of the NBA players from UK would have been drafted out of high school if there wasn't the one-and-done rule anyways.
Davis, Wall, and Towns (most likely Okafor was SO overrated) are still #1 picks without a year of college.
Most of the NBA players from UK would have been drafted out of high school if there wasn't the one-and-done rule anyways.
Davis, Wall, and Towns (most likely Okafor was SO overrated) are still #1 picks without a year of college.
I do agree that it is important to "have a middle game". You hear scouts talk about "3-level scorers". But it's one thing to "have" the middle game, but it's another to RELY on it. The more tools you have in your toolbox (& can use), the better. But don't use the hand-planer when you can use an electric planer, other than occasionally to show that you have it.
In Cal's tenure here, I can only think of 1 player that when he was shooting a 10-15' shot I was like "YES!!!" and that was last year with Reeves (ThReeves) and his floaters (I swear he made 80% of them). Although I was of course also happy with him shooting 3's. Back in the 90's I liked Mercer shooting mid-range shots instead of 3's. Maybe there are a few more I am overlooking.
The only 2 reasons to shoot the mid-range shots are: 1) because you can't make 3's at an acceptable rate; and 2) because they are over-guarding you on the 3's so you blow by them for a mid-range shot, hoping that gets you more open next time down for a 3.
Like I don't expect Garrison or Williams to be making 3's (would be nice if I'm wrong). But if they can make at least half of their mid-range shots, then I'm ok with them shooting those, because that will bring their defender away from the rim.
I doubt Kriisa is a finisher around the rim. So he may need to occasionally get past his guy (when being played tight) and make a mid-range shot, to get that D a little looser on him behind the line.
In Cal's tenure here, I can only think of 1 player that when he was shooting a 10-15' shot I was like "YES!!!" and that was last year with Reeves (ThReeves) and his floaters (I swear he made 80% of them). Although I was of course also happy with him shooting 3's. Back in the 90's I liked Mercer shooting mid-range shots instead of 3's. Maybe there are a few more I am overlooking.
The only 2 reasons to shoot the mid-range shots are: 1) because you can't make 3's at an acceptable rate; and 2) because they are over-guarding you on the 3's so you blow by them for a mid-range shot, hoping that gets you more open next time down for a 3.
Like I don't expect Garrison or Williams to be making 3's (would be nice if I'm wrong). But if they can make at least half of their mid-range shots, then I'm ok with them shooting those, because that will bring their defender away from the rim.
I doubt Kriisa is a finisher around the rim. So he may need to occasionally get past his guy (when being played tight) and make a mid-range shot, to get that D a little looser on him behind the line.
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Everyone should remember there is a huge difference betwee a freshman Maxey, a freshman Fox, a freshman Booker versus where these guys are when they sign max contracts. Not even close to the same player and winning a single elimination tournament with kids who are on the stage for the first time isn’t easy. I wish Cal had more success with this model because it sure was fun having those kids here.
And this right here is the crux
Maturity has a ALOT to do with the current success of these guys
Something that is mentioned far too infrequently
Exactly, every one of those guys would be in the NBA with or without him. He lives off of others talents and success… Fleas, ticks and tapeworms do the same thing. Just saying.
It seems like everything Cal talks about has something to do with the NBA.
Makes me wonder why he doesn’t coach in that league anymore.
Makes me wonder why he doesn’t coach in that league anymore.
Whenever I accepted that Cal’s main priority is getting guys drafted, hearing stuff like this made a lot more sense. I remember trying to rationalize this stuff as for recruiting, etc. I really think Cal feels his main job is player development and preparing them for the next level. Fox pretty much said how Cal views the actual games/results.
This is so untrue. Just go back over the last 10 years and look at the kids who everyone thought would be great. Many are, but many also struggled and failed to live up to expectations. This is what other fans would say to make themselves feel better about losing recruiting battles. We have a couple too. Coaching isn’t the only thing that contributes to the success or failure of a player in the league.
Our fans hate for Cal blinds them from acknowledging something that he actually is amazing at, which is preparing these kids for the NBA. What other school has anywhere near the number of max contracts currently? What about the number of players who sign huge contracts compared to how many get drafted overall?
Say what you want about Cals coaching, but to deny his ability to recruit, get kids to the league, and have them go on to see huge success is just making yourself look silly.
Long twos and no final fours in ten years are closely related.
He didn't just "leave". His ego got him caught trying to be sheisty. Salesman and swindler.
I'll admit, Cal had a lot of great moments while he was the coach at Kentucky. Championships, Final Fours, great recruiting classes. But the last few years were just dismal and disappointing, and it was time for a change.
Through the years he probably did help improve the game for some of his players. But most of the ones now playing in the NBA were going to get there regardless of where they played their one or two years of college ball.
Through the years he probably did help improve the game for some of his players. But most of the ones now playing in the NBA were going to get there regardless of where they played their one or two years of college ball.
I agree with you completely, but I would add a 3rd reason to have a good midrange game... especially as a G/W. If you don't have the craftiness and/or athleticism to finish well at the rim against athletic defenders, having a good midrange still allows you to be a threat and opens the floor for the offense.
Cal wasn't paid handsomely to recruit and prep guys for the NBA. He was paid handsomely to win games, big games, meaningful games, FFs and titles for Kentucky. He became bad at his actual job.
Nope not now, I want him to run the chicken shit school into the ground!
I think the last few seasons here mentally broke him. It could be a short tenure at Arkansas. I think this was like the 3rd quote from him that really says "I'm not changing a thing".
He is hellbent on doing it his way. He’d rather go down playing his style than admit other ways are effective. Once arky fans start to question him, they’ll hear the same tired phrases we got in Lexington.
When you look at the staggering number of great NBA players from Cal’s time at Kentucky, the legacy question will alway be, “why didn’t he win more?”
If I had to guess, That's kind of what I think happened the last few years. I think he got tired of hearing the fans and medias input (whether or not it was warranted), and he just became dead-set on not only doing it HIS way, but doing it out of spite. I swear, it almost makes me think he KNEW he should have been starting Reed, but he was determined to try and win with Wagner so he could thumb his nose at the fanbase. So going back to it, yeah I think this job mentally broke him.
I think there's an argument to be made while most of Cal's guys would have gotten to the NBA without him, he set them up for success while in the NBA. Look at the difference between Cal's guys and K's guys when it comes to getting that second contract and having longevity in the league. I do think there's a reason the NBA is full of established former UK guys.
Exactly he’s best suited to be an agent! He could get them the best money possible that way!
It was always the rub on Dean Smith so why not Cal?
That wasn't his job. Why do we move the goal post when discussing Cal??
I think Davis said the transition from UK practices to NBA practices was pretty easy. No doubt that Cal did a good job of preparing talent for the next level. The issue was when the results for UK dipped, fans didn’t really want to hear about the NBA or guys chasing their dreams. It’ll be very interesting to see how people look back on Cal 15-20 years from now.
First being at University of Kentucky and the limelight they are in and the way games and season are approached is the reason they are prepared for the NBA NOT what Calipari does. Second, if you want to say Calipari was the reason they were successful at NBA then you MUST also give him credit for all of those who DID NOT HAVE success in the NBA which far out weighs the ones who did in my opinion especially as of late. Can't have your cake and eat it too.
