One thing holding Mitch back says Pilgrim

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

I'm apprehensive to post a positive about Cal, because some here have a freaking meltdown unless you group Cal with the worst people to ever walk the earth..

.. but he did make SOME changes last year, that most of this board really liked to see, and were almost in disbelief when he did them. The offense changes for examples. Even if those were Welch's doings, it was still Cal who knew he needed help here.

Do I think, hes going to fix all his problems, no. But maybe there's more things coming. And he has had talent like this in the past, and used it to stumble his way into Fainl 4's and championships games. Is Reed the type of player who could win games in spite of Cal trying to ruin it? I think it's possible.

Just trying to think of the few positives we have. It's not many.

He made just enough not to have a disastrous season but not enough to win. He’s still completely bullheaded about line ups. I don’t think that will ever change and it’s the main thing keeping him from being successful.

 

[Bkocats]

The major issue is that the UK admin has no vision. Mitch is the same clown who offered Gillispie before Calipari back in 2007. He's a play-it-safe guy who's immensely indecisive and I bet it takes him twenty five minutes to pick out a shirt from JC Penny.

They'll keep Cal around because it's the path of predictability where they can pretend that they're holding Cal accountable, but at the same time buy themselves time and not have to make a risky decision. Then Mitch can put all his chips into the "We are giving Coach Calipari more time to make this thing right. He understands what that means." They'll put the pressure on Calipari, but it will be a hollow threat, not unlike a teacher who threatens suspension but follows it up with a stern verbal warning that means nothing.

They'll kick the can down the street. Watch and see.

Exactly what I think
Calipari will be back next year

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Name them. I think it’s time for him to go as well, but some of this talk is hyperbole.

Drew
Hurley
Sampson
Herbert
Sheyer
Lloyd
Few
Pearl

Are all currently better than Cal

 

[Bkocats]

View embedded media

This post is funny because the things he says in it highlight the exact reasons why you can’t bring him back. The amount of pressure on next years team if he comes back would be in a level never seen before

It’s funny because that’s the same thing we’ve heard before
I expect nothing

 

[Fox2monk]

Fire CAL get Pearl let’s roll for a few years. He would unite the fan base and try his best to win a title. Underwood at Illinois is interesting if Pearl has to much baggage

Underwood coaches a fun style.

 

[TM2013]

Can't believe there's some people actually buying that nonsense there's not a plethora of better options out there. It's hard to be this bad at Kentucky, even a mediocre coach could win more than 1 NCAA and SEC tourney games over 5 years. Especially when any rational human being can see that next year's team is not even gonna be a conference title contender. More mediocrity if Cal stays. Dozen of coaches could come in tomorrow and instantly build a stronger, more stable program.

 

[bigbluedon]

The major issue is that the UK admin has no vision. Mitch is the same clown who offered Gillispie before Calipari back in 2007. He's a play-it-safe guy who's immensely indecisive and I bet it takes him twenty five minutes to pick out a shirt from JC Penny.

They'll keep Cal around because it's the path of predictability where they can pretend that they're holding Cal accountable, but at the same time buy themselves time and not have to make a risky decision. Then Mitch can put all his chips into the "We are giving Coach Calipari more time to make this thing right. He understands what that means." They'll put the pressure on Calipari, but it will be a hollow threat, not unlike a teacher who threatens suspension but follows it up with a stern verbal warning that means nothing.

They'll kick the can down the street. Watch and see.

Hope you are wrong but your point is well taken. If it was me you fire Cal and start calling people on the list in your top drawer. You know damn good and well he has a list and there are good coaches on it. There will be people lining up to take this job, you can bank on it. Hopefully Mitch’s judgment is up to the process.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Underwood coaches a fun style.

This year he has a fun team, but in the past he has made the same mistakes cal he made in games

 

[katkraze]

No great candidate available + $33 million buyout = Cal is back

 

[Bkocats]

anything is possible, but it doesn't seem likely at this point

it just seems like whatever team he puts together just becomes a hot mess as it progresses, regardless of personnel

I mean he had POY, he went veteran heavy, went back to talented freshmen - and nothing lead to any success

Thank you for stating that
This team seemed to fall apart the more time went on. We had a few exceptional performances with the offense but overall…

 

[bigbluedon]

Barnhart is in quite a pickle. Lots of good coaches signed extensions which makes Cal’s buyout and theirs untenable. That marks several top level coaches out. I don’t think he pulls the trigger on a young up and coming coach (Golden, Iowa St coach) that has proven nothing over a hall of fame coach. It’s career suicide if he does that and the new coach flames out and Cal is successful somewhere else. Best we can hope for is Cal takes the Ambassador role, joins the coaching search and wait until the end of the tournament and try to pry someone away like Zona’s coach.

And not to rag on you at all but I don’t think Mitch is worried about career suicide. He is about ready to retire and I know he would like to get a good coach in here, but he is not worried about losing his job.

 

[bigbluedon]

Cal will get done this next time sound.

Cal hasn’t gotten it done at all and needs to move on.

 

[stereonut]

I'm apprehensive to post a positive about Cal, because some here have a freaking meltdown unless you group Cal with the worst people to ever walk the earth..

.. but he did make SOME changes last year, that most of this board really liked to see, and were almost in disbelief when he did them. The offense changes for examples. Even if those were Welch's doings, it was still Cal who knew he needed help here.

Do I think, hes going to fix all his problems, no. But maybe there's more things coming. And he has had talent like this in the past, and used it to stumble his way into Fainl 4's and championships games. Is Reed the type of player who could win games in spite of Cal trying to ruin it? I think it's possible.

Just trying to think of the few positives we have. It's not many.

Nice post!
I sure wish folks here would be more cordial to each other too!
Anyone should be able to express their opinions without risk of being called every lowdown name in the book.

 

[cathouse]

Not sure if this was posted or not already but full quote below….

“On the administrative side, I've heard it's not as much a financial issue as it is a lack of clear-cut candidates you're certain will be upgrades over Coach Cal. If there was a guy Mitch Barnhart knew was a fit, he'd make a move. It just can't be an emotional decision without an answer you buy into completely with so much on the line.”

"They're tired of the underwhelming results," one source told KSR. "But if you move on, who do you go get? That's the question."

That's pure BS and a cop out by MB if true.
If it is a true statement, fire Mitch.

Start there and then move forward on replacing Cal.

 

[MrHotDice]

Duke has a coach that had zero head coaching experience and they are headed to the sweet 16 and have the #1 recruiting class coming in next year. You get who you can get but you get this hack out of here at any cost and begin the steps of becoming KY basketball again.

Duke is not UK.

 

[bigbluedon]

I mean, are we not reaching out to guys and at least inquiring? No one wanted to text Hurley just to see if he's open to the idea?

I also still like the idea of going somewhat of the interim route, hiring a mid major coach for a few years on the cheap, and seeing if he can be a great young coach that we just locked down for 20 years.

Of course, the other side of this, maybe a lot of these players are looking to come back and therefore, getting a new coach might change that. I still find it a little odd that here we are, 3 days after a brutal upset, and we've yet to have even 1 players say "I'm out, see yah". I figured we'd have heard 1 or 2 of these by now.

You have no idea what is going on now so don’t fret. Mitch knows what he is doing regardless of what most think. He has a list. He is making calms and I am sure there are boosters and former players involved too. We fans need to hang on for a couple of more days and quit worrying about what Matt Jones says.

 

[bigbluedon]

I was told this afternoon that Cal has reached out to his NBA guys to get funding from them to go towards NIL and to get some transfer portal guys for next season.

Cal is operating as if he will be back next season.

For shit sake. What will you come up with next? Your boy ain’t coming back.

 

[yes_takeaside]

So we are saying that we are going to let UL keep us from getting a new coach? Is this real life?

Possibly a blessing in disguise

I’m ok with Drew being off the table

 

[yes_takeaside]

If you add older guys and get a couple back from this team is could be ok. I think what people are talking about is say Cal gets fired, all the recruits leave, and all of our current players leave. I think maybe there’s a chance that at least next year‘s roster would be bad with a Ho-hum coach that’s not a top 3 choice …., so maybe the thinking is you get some conditions from cal , staff changes for defense and clear objectives set, sit and work on the new guy for a while and have a plan in place . Tons gets done thru back channels in hiring .

NO

 

[yes_takeaside]

My thinking is I want to avoid a disaster.

It's kind of NFL QB math. The old gunslinger may be past his prime but how certain are we that we can go get a free agent or find a guy in the draft who will be an upgrade. Odds are against both.

I would say Mitch has had a plan since the 9-win season and is currently enacting it.

If the guy is out there, available and interested...get him.

If there's not an obvious candidate immediately and/or if the ones who are obvious either aren't interested or not available just yet. Lay low, don't make knee jerk, emotional, fire a guy at the tarmac type of decision. Be patient, pay attention to who's advancing in the tourney, maybe even wait for them to get bounced in a later round or win the whole thing.

Getting rid of Cal is not knee-jerk. This is or should have been coming for awhile.

The ones suggesting ways/reasons to keep Cal are imo those that can’t stand the thot of not having top rated recruiting classes they can ballyhoo all summer then watch fall flat on their face when the season rolls around.

Cut your losses now

 

[TM2013]

Duke is not UK.

UNC did the same as Duke and they both have been way more successful than Cal the last few years

 

[Mark80]

The only thing I would recommend is no lifetime contracts. Coaches lose their edge or aggressiveness as coaches which transfers to the players.

 

[cats2010]

Duke is not UK.

So Duke is better then? They can just plug in a coach with no experience and not miss a beat but UK has to get it right or we will gof from bad to worse. Don’t think you thought your comment through before posting.

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

If we missed on all the main targets and ended up with someone like Buzz Williams, I’d be more likely to watch and enjoy the games than if Cal is still here. Mitch needs to remember that we supported the team even when Gillispie was here.

While not my first choice, Buzz is a solid coach. I would take him over Cal any day of the week. Right now, there is a pretty long list of people I’d take over Cal.
I’m fine with asking the names like Wright, Donavan, Hurley, but I don’t think we’d get those.
Buzz’s teams have a grit about them that I like. I think he could get better players at UK than TAMU.
I do think I’d like to go younger, but Buzz is just in his early 50’s.

 

[KyCatFan]

We're going to have to think outside the box. Most known commodities have already signed extensions or likely will say no. Our best bet is to take a chance on a newcomer. Get the best available mid major coach and surround him with the best assistants we can get. If it works then we have our guy for the foreseeable future. If not then he's cheap to replace in a few years and some of those other coaches might be easier to afford.

Waiting 1 more year won't be enough to make the current coaches that are out of reach more available. It just puts us in a much deeper hole to get out of. We just need to rip the bandaid off and do it now.

 

[BlazerHallsBallsN96]

I already know next years team will crumble before even watching it. Cal has been scared in every single postseason since 2020. The players play the exact same way. Old or not, the pressure will crumble them. Every loss will be the worst. Calipari will be an absolute nutcase on the sideline. We may switch lineups 15 times a half.

Instead of teaching consistency and perfection through repetition Cal prefers to keep switching the lineups like I can get somebody in there who can do something! What's wrong with these kids.... meanwhile he won't set screens and plays for his best shooters.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Any high school coach in the state would be an upgrade over this fat clown.

... which will be just "kicking the can down the road" year by year.

 

[jwphelps]

Not sure if this was posted or not already but full quote below….

“On the administrative side, I've heard it's not as much a financial issue as it is a lack of clear-cut candidates you're certain will be upgrades over Coach Cal. If there was a guy Mitch Barnhart knew was a fit, he'd make a move. It just can't be an emotional decision without an answer you buy into completely with so much on the line.”

"They're tired of the underwhelming results," one source told KSR. "But if you move on, who do you go get? That's the question."

As long as it's not a Billy G type, he can't be any worse than Cal.

 

[wldktz8]

Not sure if this was posted or not already but full quote below….

“On the administrative side, I've heard it's not as much a financial issue as it is a lack of clear-cut candidates you're certain will be upgrades over Coach Cal. If there was a guy Mitch Barnhart knew was a fit, he'd make a move. It just can't be an emotional decision without an answer you buy into completely with so much on the line.”

"They're tired of the underwhelming results," one source told KSR. "But if you move on, who do you go get? That's the question."

That’s how we ended up with BCG. Fortunately Cal was on the rise at that moment. Everyone says that Cal is t bigger than UK. I beg to differ. Tubby nor BCG should have never been hired as HC at UK. Cal inherited a mess created by both of those individuals. Without the help of an inherited roster Tubby was an average HC overall at UK. Tubby and BCG proved that you need that UK alone is not big enough.

 

[KTBFFH92]

Frankly cal is such a giant turd that he has to be flushed first and then we can see how good of a replacement UK can get. But first you gotta flush the turd

 

[DreadLox]

So Duke is better then? They can just plug in a coach with no experience and not miss a beat but UK has to get it right or we will gof from bad to worse. Don’t think you thought your comment through before posting.

Duke does haven't the tradition of hounding coaches to earth.

 

[JC CATS]

Not sure if this was posted or not already but full quote below….

“On the administrative side, I've heard it's not as much a financial issue as it is a lack of clear-cut candidates you're certain will be upgrades over Coach Cal. If there was a guy Mitch Barnhart knew was a fit, he'd make a move. It just can't be an emotional decision without an answer you buy into completely with so much on the line.”

"They're tired of the underwhelming results," one source told KSR. "But if you move on, who do you go get? That's the question."

Good AD keep names if coaches in their desk. He should have named of football coaches too

 

[JC CATS]

The same candidates there are now will be the same in 3-4 years. It’s not like there is some savant coming through the ranks anytime soon.

There could be, we don't know. Oh shit, I'm on ignore 😂

 

[KyCatFan]

What about Brian Dutcher (San Diego St) ? He's a bit older like Cal but they've been pretty successful under him. He's 176-57 coaching there and was runner up 2 years ago. Could be a placeholder until another coach down the road. If not him then maybe Randy Bennett (St Mary's). He's a few years younger than Dutcher with a 533-216 record. Not as much success in the NCAA Tournament. Their the only team that ever challenges Gonzaga in the WCC.

 

[Fox2monk]

Instead of teaching consistency and perfection through repetition Cal prefers to keep switching the lineups like I can get somebody in there who can do something! What's wrong with these kids.... meanwhile he won't set screens and plays for his best shooters.

I know, like I seriously wanna know what we practice outside transition basketball anymore.

 

[rodgersl]

The major issue is that the UK admin has no vision. Mitch is the same clown who offered Gillispie before Calipari back in 2007. He's a play-it-safe guy who's immensely indecisive and I bet it takes him twenty five minutes to pick out a shirt from JC Penney.

They'll keep Cal around because it's the path of predictability where they can pretend that they're holding Cal accountable, but at the same time buy themselves time and not have to make a risky decision. Then Mitch can put all his chips into the "We are giving Coach Calipari more time to make this thing right. He understands what that means." They'll put the pressure on Calipari, but it will be a hollow threat, not unlike a teacher who threatens suspension but follows it up with a stern verbal warning that means nothing.

They'll kick the can down the street. Watch and see.

100% No question about it…this is exactly how it plays out.

 

[cats#1again]

I mean from not likely to would happen…

Billy Donovan
Jay Wright
Danny Hurley
Scott Drew
Nate Oats
Bruce Pearl
Tang
Paris at South Carolina

I’d take any of these as an upgrade over Cal… if you can win at a smaller school UK sells itself we just need a damn coach that actually coaches!!

This fan base is humiliating themselves by throwing out names like Donovan,wright, Hurley,Drew and Stevens. There's zero chance any of those guys come here. Why would they? You are firing the top recruiter who just got a 3 seed lol. What do you think that sounds like to a coach considering if he should answer the phone .

Golden level is who they should shoot for.

 

[Ripcord65]

Here is my list:

A
N
Y
B
O
D
Y

That's absolutely the right list ! ! !

 

[TankedCat]

This fan base is humiliating themselves by throwing out names like Donovan,wright, Hurley,Drew and Stevens. There's zero chance any of those guys come here. Why would they? You are firing the top recruiter who just got a 3 seed lol. What do you think that sounds like to a coach considering if he should answer the phone .

Golden level is who they should shoot for.

about $8m a year is what is sounds like to one of them

 

[RunninRichie]

This dreadlox dude's going on ignore, always bashing the fanbase, dude acts like Cal is gonna get assassinated or something I mean WTF?