Oh What Could Have Been...

[TheBlueMax]

Pretty frustrating. Even a hall of fame coach can be deceived mightily into thinking his team is ready for tournaments in March. We had some great moments against many of these really good teams, but success has to be built on more than a weak house of cards. Hopefully, a good butt kicking lesson learned for our coach. Changes had better come.

 

[IL Wildcat]

Yeah, it's quite obvious Calipari was scared to lose that game and was stressed and tight, and his young team followed his lead. It's that simple. The upperclassmen at least showed up. Aside from Dillingham, the entire freshman class looked scared to death, and that's all on Cal. He said so himself in the days leading up to the NCAA-T. His job is to get these guys relaxed and playing to their best. But look at our 2 post-season games- in both, we pretty much were losing from start to finish and our players were uptight and failed to make necessary plays again and again.

Now, look at these SEC teams still alive- Alabama and Tennessee. When our guys were relaxed and playing well, we dominated both those teams. We whipped Tennessee in Knoxville. We whipped Alabama also- scored 116 on them. But tighten those screws and pass along the pressure you feel to your players and they can't beat an NAIA joke of a team. And so, we become the joke.

 

[cathouse]

Yeah, it's quite obvious Calipari was scared to lose that game and was stressed and tight, and his young team followed his lead. It's that simple. The upperclassmen at least showed up. Aside from Dillingham, the entire freshman class looked scared to death, and that's all on Cal. He said so himself in the days leading up to the NCAA-T. His job is to get these guys relaxed and playing to their best. But look at our 2 post-season games- in both, we pretty much were losing from start to finish and our players were uptight and failed to make necessary plays again and again.

Now, look at these SEC teams still alive- Alabama and Tennessee. When our guys were relaxed and playing well, we dominated both those teams. We whipped Tennessee in Knoxville. We whipped Alabama also- scored 116 on them. But tighten those screws and pass along the pressure you feel to your players and they can't beat an NAIA joke of a team. And so, we become the joke.

Did you see and hear how relaxed Danny Hurley was tonight???
Why does a 40 year HOF coach gets so tight every year that he pressures his players into playing tight??

Cal is a big choker. Period.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

With Alabama advancing, Tennessee still in. Reminiscent of the 2022 Tournament seeing both Carolina & Kansas in the Championship Game knowing Kentucky beat both of them that season.

 

[HenryMuto]

117-95 over a Final Four team

 

[Ripcord65]

Did you see and hear how relaxed Danny Hurley was tonight???
Why does a 40 year HOF coach gets so tight every year that he pressures his players into playing tight??

Cal is a big choker. Period.

Cathouse ... I don't mean any offense to you, and you're absolutely right that CCC is a choker. But every time I see CCC referred to as "a Hall of Fame coach" I just about vomit ! U.K. basketball has become a laughingstock under CCC ... and it is a laugh-out-loud joke that CCC is in the HOF. Him being a member of the HOF makes that membership cheap as dirt ! Just MHO, of course.

 

[RunninRichie]

Yeah, it's quite obvious Calipari was scared to lose that game and was stressed and tight, and his young team followed his lead. It's that simple. The upperclassmen at least showed up. Aside from Dillingham, the entire freshman class looked scared to death, and that's all on Cal. He said so himself in the days leading up to the NCAA-T. His job is to get these guys relaxed and playing to their best. But look at our 2 post-season games- in both, we pretty much were losing from start to finish and our players were uptight and failed to make necessary plays again and again.

Now, look at these SEC teams still alive- Alabama and Tennessee. When our guys were relaxed and playing well, we dominated both those teams. We whipped Tennessee in Knoxville. We whipped Alabama also- scored 116 on them. But tighten those screws and pass along the pressure you feel to your players and they can't beat an NAIA joke of a team. And so, we become the joke.

Another reason to stop recruiting so many freshmen.

 

[TheBlueMax]

I think it's much more than choking in the moment. He wasn't confident because he likely knew this team wasn't prepareed well, and weren't likely to win much due to some limitations he helped make, and because of their youth and physical makeup. I have worried before in recent years how our guys don't seem to be in the best shape physically, and certainly don't seem to make the weight room a priority. It's telling ow how much fight each of these teams have in them the closer we get to the FF. I'm afraid we weren't "built" to go far even beating Oakland. I'll agree readily that our mental game, or lack thereof, wasn't much there playing against Oakland, a sad end to a potentially great season.

He also does not include the vicious "hook" he used to employ when guys didn't do their jobs defensively. It has appeared he has softened his stance and simply will not hold these kids accountable for their continued errors, particularly on defense. The fundamental defensive errors this team committed, along with our lack of beef and toughness, doomed us to a quick end. That too needs to change, then we will see a difference level of confidence when tournament time begins. The front of our jerseys should be as feared now as it was in 2012 or 2015. It won't be until we get tougher and he gets tougher. He can be a father figure, but cannot ever be their buddy.

 

[LXWildcat]

What the hell is Kentucky paying Cal for again? Three first weekend exits the last 3 seasons? Such a great use of money