As someone who has been following Kentucky basketball for over 60 years it amazes me to read some of the posts complaining about Cal. In the past 50 years we have won 4 championships and gone to 5 other final fours. And of those Cal is responseble for 1 championship and 3 of the final fours. It wasn't very long ago that we were begging to just make a final four. A lot of you guys will be begging for another run like this when Cal is gone so please try to enjoy his time here cause when he leaves you probably won't see this kind of run again for a while.
Old Timers perspective
- Thread starter steelecat
- Start date
These people don't want perspective.........they want blood!
The crybabies that post nonsense here represent about .00001 of our entire fanbase.
Cal has spoiled our fan base.
In no way should ppl be jumping off the ship yet. These kids are teenagers still and are still learning the game. I have total faith in Cal and our asst coaches to get this team back where it needs to be.
The fans have to understand that Fox is coming back from a tweaked ankle and a sickness and Mulder is coming back from a sickness so the team hasn't been fully healthy. And all of this is coming during a tough stretch in our schedule. I understand why ppl are mad at Monk for the laughing on the bench but no one really knows what was said amongst the guys.
I learned after the '14 season that you gotta be patient with these young fellas cuz anything can happen in March. So plz don't jump ship til the season is over.
In no way should ppl be jumping off the ship yet. These kids are teenagers still and are still learning the game. I have total faith in Cal and our asst coaches to get this team back where it needs to be.
The fans have to understand that Fox is coming back from a tweaked ankle and a sickness and Mulder is coming back from a sickness so the team hasn't been fully healthy. And all of this is coming during a tough stretch in our schedule. I understand why ppl are mad at Monk for the laughing on the bench but no one really knows what was said amongst the guys.
I learned after the '14 season that you gotta be patient with these young fellas cuz anything can happen in March. So plz don't jump ship til the season is over.
Cal has had the best results of any coach we have had since Rupp.
Cal- 4 Final Fours, 2 title games, 1 title.
Pitino- 3 Final Fours, 2 title games, 1 title.
Hall- 3 Final Fours, 1 title game, 1 title.
Smith- 1 Final Four, 1 title game, 1 title.
Only a handful of active coaches have more titles and they are all a decade older than him (K, Pitino, Williams).
It is hard to get to a Final Four. It is really hard to win a title.
I think he gets us a couple more Final Fours and another title before he retires, which would be amazing.
We are going to look back on this era of UK basketball and lament it's end.
Those that are complaining are very short sighted people.
Big picture people get it.
Cal- 4 Final Fours, 2 title games, 1 title.
Pitino- 3 Final Fours, 2 title games, 1 title.
Hall- 3 Final Fours, 1 title game, 1 title.
Smith- 1 Final Four, 1 title game, 1 title.
Only a handful of active coaches have more titles and they are all a decade older than him (K, Pitino, Williams).
It is hard to get to a Final Four. It is really hard to win a title.
I think he gets us a couple more Final Fours and another title before he retires, which would be amazing.
We are going to look back on this era of UK basketball and lament it's end.
Those that are complaining are very short sighted people.
Big picture people get it.
A
anon_013cn8yrfncx2
Guest
64th year for me but I don't see it quite the same way. Lot of lean years between 58-78 with crushing losses to Texas Western, Jacksonville and UCLA. Lot of lean years between 78 and 96 with crushing losses to Georgetown and Michigan. As for as Cal goes, he's reduced the lean years but has more crushing losses than others in such a short tenure. UConn twice and Wisconsin and WV. The question is, Is the run over?
If it is over then it was great. No title this year seems likely and what once looked like a good shot at the FF seems iffy now. Next year on paper is not a FF or Title team. That will bring us to year 10. If no title or FF that year, then Cal will have 3 FFs to hang his hat on more than the reviled OTS. Not insignificant but also not commensurate with the talent at his disposal.
Cal is the one who has raised the bar again and he needs to jump over it. At least he has pretty much owned UL.
If it is over then it was great. No title this year seems likely and what once looked like a good shot at the FF seems iffy now. Next year on paper is not a FF or Title team. That will bring us to year 10. If no title or FF that year, then Cal will have 3 FFs to hang his hat on more than the reviled OTS. Not insignificant but also not commensurate with the talent at his disposal.
Cal is the one who has raised the bar again and he needs to jump over it. At least he has pretty much owned UL.
I have followed them about the same amount of time as you,but when you compare Cal to Hall,Sutton,Pitino or Smith you are comparing apples to oranges.Any coach prior to the OAD explosion can't be compared to Cal,do you think Wooden would have had the run he did if OAD had been around.How many championships would those coaches have had if they had Cousins,Wall,AD,KAT around for 3 or 4 years.Cal does what he does and you can't take that away from him but the measuring stick is different now.
they are idiots...Rupp said "the fans don't know shit..Let me Coach and they pay their $5 and clap"..It's still true today..
I may be wrong but I think a lot of fans are more upset with the players lack of desire or 'fight' as Cal likes to say than they are with Cal. I realize he can't go out on the floor himself and get the 50-50 balls but by Cal's own admittance it ultimately falls on him. Cal has been great for UK and one of very few coaches that can deal with the pressure cooker that comes with the job of being UK's basketball coach. But the bottom line for me is there's something bad wrong with this year's team and I don't think it's players being sick or twisting ankles like some are saying.
Must be a coincidence then cuz all this started happening when fox and mulder wasn't full strength and this is a tough stretch in our schedule. If this "no heart" continues into the next 3-4 games then yes there is a problem but I'm not buying that until we are fully healthy
Fair enough. I hope beyond words that we turn this season around but I'm sticking with my initial thoughts on this one.
I too, have been following the Cats for 60+ years.
I agree 100% about anyone bashing the coach. What does bother me is the attitude around this years team.
By attitude, I am talking about from an outsiders view ( a fan) the lack of heart. There was a time old guys, wearing a Kentucky uniform meant something. Nowadays, its seems to be more about the name on the back instead of the front.
Getting beat is no shame. Getting beat because more players did not give 100% than ones that did give 100% is a shame.
Maybe these guys think they are giving 100%, who knows.
Coach says he wants them to 'drive, create, shoot towards the rim and lets go get it". Fine, but if you wont go get a rebound, how is this going to work?
Its society that is the problem with this team and others like us. Kids feel special. We are part of the problem for buying into all the crap about 5 stars and shit.
Kentucky players do not sit on the bench while their team is getting beat laughing, cutting up and then walk away from the handshake line. This is not the Kentucky basketball I watched for 60 years.
Old guys, remember when our really good '78 team came with no hustle against Florida State in the NCAA? Coach Hall benched them for almost a half. They came back in and took care of business.
Coaches don't seem to want to do that much today, bench players to send a message.
I am one who understood Coach K telling his players to take off their Duke jersey's and hoodies, telling them they did not deserve to wear them.
Todays players could not be coached by the likes of Joe B, Bobby Knight, Gene Keady, John Wooden's. Like those coaches or not is not the point, those guys could coach, win games but they did not let their players talk back, do as they may on the court or walk away from the handshake line.
Players today are being told they will be in the NBA after one year. 18-19 year old kids who have been cuddled and pampered by coaches who use them to win games but for the most part do little for them in preparing them for college ball. AAU ball is all about money and to get the money you have to have the best players. Many of those coaches aren't going to risk losing a player over discipline.
Coach Cal has his hands full with trying to get young kids to buy into playing as one. He tries to give them freedom but how many 18-19 year old prima donnas are mature to handle all this?
Tradition is out the window. Its all about the 'bling" today.
So, this old timer likes to win, go to Final Fours, but I also like to do all this with class.
That is the Kentucky basketball.
I agree 100% about anyone bashing the coach. What does bother me is the attitude around this years team.
By attitude, I am talking about from an outsiders view ( a fan) the lack of heart. There was a time old guys, wearing a Kentucky uniform meant something. Nowadays, its seems to be more about the name on the back instead of the front.
Getting beat is no shame. Getting beat because more players did not give 100% than ones that did give 100% is a shame.
Maybe these guys think they are giving 100%, who knows.
Coach says he wants them to 'drive, create, shoot towards the rim and lets go get it". Fine, but if you wont go get a rebound, how is this going to work?
Its society that is the problem with this team and others like us. Kids feel special. We are part of the problem for buying into all the crap about 5 stars and shit.
Kentucky players do not sit on the bench while their team is getting beat laughing, cutting up and then walk away from the handshake line. This is not the Kentucky basketball I watched for 60 years.
Old guys, remember when our really good '78 team came with no hustle against Florida State in the NCAA? Coach Hall benched them for almost a half. They came back in and took care of business.
Coaches don't seem to want to do that much today, bench players to send a message.
I am one who understood Coach K telling his players to take off their Duke jersey's and hoodies, telling them they did not deserve to wear them.
Todays players could not be coached by the likes of Joe B, Bobby Knight, Gene Keady, John Wooden's. Like those coaches or not is not the point, those guys could coach, win games but they did not let their players talk back, do as they may on the court or walk away from the handshake line.
Players today are being told they will be in the NBA after one year. 18-19 year old kids who have been cuddled and pampered by coaches who use them to win games but for the most part do little for them in preparing them for college ball. AAU ball is all about money and to get the money you have to have the best players. Many of those coaches aren't going to risk losing a player over discipline.
Coach Cal has his hands full with trying to get young kids to buy into playing as one. He tries to give them freedom but how many 18-19 year old prima donnas are mature to handle all this?
Tradition is out the window. Its all about the 'bling" today.
So, this old timer likes to win, go to Final Fours, but I also like to do all this with class.
That is the Kentucky basketball.
Why don't we wait and see how the next three years pan out before automatically thinking we aren't FF bound lol.
We still have a shot THIS YEAR despite playing poorly of late.
During Cal's tenure we have the 1 title and have played for one other title with four Final Four appearances.
Duke has two titles and two final fours.
Uconvict has two titles and three final fours.
UNCheat has one and has played for another with two final fours.
Louisville has one title and two final fours.
2015 was thew worst thing that ever happened to this fanbase. We won 38 straight. Lost a heartbreaker to a really, really good Wisconsin team.
Now, the vocal minority expects to go undefeated every year and are convinced Cal can't coach because we lost one game.
I remember 1999-2009. I don't want to back to that dark time. When these clowns run Cal off, we'll go through another Tubby or Billy before we find our next Cal.
Now, the vocal minority expects to go undefeated every year and are convinced Cal can't coach because we lost one game.
I remember 1999-2009. I don't want to back to that dark time. When these clowns run Cal off, we'll go through another Tubby or Billy before we find our next Cal.
I think Cal overall does a great job...he's a sensational recruiter and program manager. I hope he is our coach for a long time. I do think it's fair to criticize some of his in game adjustments, and what I perceive to be a bit of stubborness and playing favorites with certain OAD players. Hey, it's a message board and we're fans (short for fanatics)...no harm meant. He's a smart guy and I think he'll make some adjustments in response to our recent poor play.
I guess they got used to the FF and championships durink BIlly G Tubby Joe B Sutton and Ricks 2 FF and 1 NC
I don't think one can make comparisons to the past when it comes to big time division one basketball. Coaches these days are going to have to figure out how to recruit and develop players when the NBA is willing to take even marginal players after their first and second year of playing college ball.
Cal had it working pretty well when he first got here. But 8 years of the OAD evolution since then has changed the attitudes of the players. Playing for Kentucky these days has nothing to do with pride or its history in the minds of the players. To them its simply a very good way to prep for a place in the league.
Cal was able to use that to his advantage when he first arrived. Not so much lately. Somehow he's got to find how to make today's players appreciate Kentucky's tradition while they're waiting for their NBA paycheck.
Cal had it working pretty well when he first got here. But 8 years of the OAD evolution since then has changed the attitudes of the players. Playing for Kentucky these days has nothing to do with pride or its history in the minds of the players. To them its simply a very good way to prep for a place in the league.
Cal was able to use that to his advantage when he first arrived. Not so much lately. Somehow he's got to find how to make today's players appreciate Kentucky's tradition while they're waiting for their NBA paycheck.
If not said directly it sure has been insinuated a lot. I think the only reason you haven't seen it said directly is because it would look so rediculous to come right out and say it.
The nut danglers don't let facts get in their way. They think Cal is above criticism and is perfect.
That's a pretty harsh thing to call fans who are happy with there coach who has a championship and 4 final 4s in 7 years. Just come out and tell us who would you rather have right now or would you rather just keep Cal and let you tell him how he should coach I'm pretty sure your credentials are better than his.
Thanks OP, for the post. I agree, but my fear, hopefully unfounded, is that Cal will continue to recruit top talent while OADs jump ship to the NBA, and it will be very, very difficult to win it all with 17 year olds.
I keep thinking of the Fab Five--FFs, but no titles.
In '12 we had the nation's best player, but upperclass talent, and with without it, no title.
Who will be our upperclass leaders going forward to next year? Briscoe? Humphries? I just don't see one, unless one of the freshman stays for two more years.
I keep thinking of the Fab Five--FFs, but no titles.
In '12 we had the nation's best player, but upperclass talent, and with without it, no title.
Who will be our upperclass leaders going forward to next year? Briscoe? Humphries? I just don't see one, unless one of the freshman stays for two more years.
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