Pitino paving his return

[MdWIldcat55]

UMass didn’t really come close to beating UK in the 1996 tournament. That’s just myth. Go back and watch the game. Kentucky was in comfortable command throughout that entire game.

Really? I just watched it on DVD. Here are some facts:

* With a little more than four minutes to go the score was 63-60 and UMass had the ball and had a fairly open 3-point shot to tie the game.

* With a 1 minute 16 seconds to go, UMass had cut it to four, 71-67, and Camby had a chance to cut it to 2 but missed a contested shot.

* With one minute, two seconds to go Padilla hit a 3 and cut it to a one-possession game - 73-70.

If that is your definition of "comfortable command throughout the entire game" -- a one possession game at the one-minute mark -- then you are correct. To me, "comfortable command" was not the way I felt at that point.

 

[Gromcat]

I just watched it on DVD. With a little more than four minutes to go the score was 63-60 and U Mass had the ball and had a fairly open 3-point shot to tie the game. If that is your definition of "comfortable command throughout the entire game" then you are correct. To me, "comfortable command" was not the way I felt when it was a one possession game late.

This guy is definitely following Calipari whenever he goes. I’ve never seen Cals charm work this bad on someone. The guys has already said even if Calipari doesn’t win he doesn’t care, he wants him here. Now he’s trying to twist himself into a pretzel wishing for UMASS to have “almost” beat Kentucky in 1996.

I mean this is what I’m talking about when I say Calipari has a few here so bad they’re no longer UK fans. They’re Calipari fans and it’s obvious as day.

It’s cult like that why the Cal Cult stuff landed so well. Some of these guys need to quit listening to Calipari and snap out of it damn lol.

 

[STL_Cat]

This guy is definitely following Calipari whenever he goes. I’ve never seen Cals charm work this bad on someone. The guys has already said even if Calipari doesn’t win he doesn’t care, he wants him here. Now he’s trying to twist himself into a pretzel wishing for UMASS to have “almost” beat Kentucky in 1996.

I mean this is what I’m talking about when I say Calipari has a few here so bad they’re no longer UK fans. They’re Calipari fans and it’s obvious as day.

It’s cult like that why the Cal Cult stuff landed so well. Some of these guys need to quit listening to Calipari and snap out of it damn lol.

It’s wild isn’t it. Some of these guys almost seem like they wish UMass would have beaten Kentucky so they could say Cal has another title. They’d rather him have it at UMass than Pitino at Kentucky. Bizarro world.

 

[UKortho]

It’s wild isn’t it. Some of these guys almost seem like they wish UMass would have beaten Kentucky so they could say Cal has another title. They’d rather him have it at UMass than Pitino at Kentucky. Bizarro world.

And they always have to be right.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Really? I just watched it on DVD. Here are some facts:

* With a little more than four minutes to go the score was 63-60 and UMass had the ball and had a fairly open 3-point shot to tie the game.

* With a 1 minute 16 seconds to go, UMass had cut it to four, 71-67, and Camby had a chance to cut it to 2 but missed a contested shot.

* With one minute, two seconds to go Padilla hit a 3 and cut it to a one-possession game - 73-70.

If that is your definition of "comfortable command throughout the entire game" -- a one possession game at the one-minute mark -- then you are correct. To me, "comfortable command" was not the way I felt at that point.

UK had a 12-15 point lead several times in that second half. Had UK not missed some FTs, they blow that game wide open. UMass did cut it to 3 late, but UK pushed that lead back out yet again. Never felt UK was going to lose that game. It just didn’t. It was clear that UK was the better team.

 

[Ron Mehico]

It’s wild isn’t it. Some of these guys almost seem like they wish UMass would have beaten Kentucky so they could say Cal has another title. They’d rather him have it at UMass than Pitino at Kentucky. Bizarro world.

It’s just an extreme garnering an extreme reaction to counter it. It happens all the time in politics. So you have the same extremes here:

Extreme 1: Actually Calipari is a terrible coach and can’t coach

Extreme 2: He is a good coach, as a matter of fact he’s such an incredible coach that he had shitty UMass in 1996 actually being better than Kentucky in 1996

If everyone would just post normally without extremes you’d have a statement in the middle of that that’s actually true

 

[Cowtown Cat]

It’s just an extreme garnering an extreme reaction to counter it. It happens all the time in politics. So you have the same extremes here:

Extreme 1: Actually Calipari is a terrible coach and can’t coach

Extreme 2: He is a good coach, as a matter of fact he’s such an incredible coach that he had shitty UMass in 1996 actually being better than Kentucky in 1996

If everyone would just post normally without extremes you’d have a statement in the middle of that that’s actually true

UMass was really good that year. They had the best player in the country, in Camby. They had a top 5 player out of HS in Bright. Also had another excellent forward in Dingle. Two great, tough and gritty guards in Padilla and Travieso. They were probably the second best team that year. Definitely weren’t the best. That was Kentucky.

 

[Ron Mehico]

UMass was really good that year. They had the best player in the country, in Camby. They had a top 5 player out of HS in Bright. Also had another excellent forward in Dingle. Two great, tough and gritty guards in Padilla and Travieso. They were probably the second best team that year. Definitely weren’t the best. That was Kentucky.

Yup, exactly my point. Nobody would be praising and trying to spin the 1996 UMass game if they weren’t countering someone talking about Cal not being able to coach. The truth is in the middle.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Yup, exactly my point. Nobody would be praising and trying to spin the 1996 UMass game if they weren’t countering someone talking about Cal not being able to coach. The truth is in the middle.

I’m not going to say that Cal can’t coach. I just don’t think he’s a better in game coach than Pitino. He just isn’t. To claim he is, is absolutely asinine.

Cal doesn’t run OOB plays, won’t switch up defenses, won’t press or trap to speed up the opponent. The opposition ALWAYS dictates the tempo. Our teams are normally terrible at the FT line, especially at crunch time. We’ve witnessed this same shit here since 2010. Pitino never had these type of coaching deficiencies.

 

[Gromcat]

It’s wild isn’t it. Some of these guys almost seem like they wish UMass would have beaten Kentucky so they could say Cal has another title. They’d rather him have it at UMass than Pitino at Kentucky. Bizarro world.

Dude there’s zero doubt, zero, that MDWildcats55, if he had his way, would redo history and give Calipari the title in 1996 over Kentucky so he could say Calipari not only has two rings, but beat Pitino for one.

I know we use hyperbole here but this is real. F’n REAL. I have seen Calipari’s charm and charisma work people over before, but never as bad as it’s worked on this guy. And he also did say he doesn’t care if Calipari wins he still wouldn’t fire him for anything.

I used to tell my Memphis friends Calipari can’t work over UK people the way he did Memphis people. I never imagined anyone could fall this hard for him here. Our fans have always been program first. It’s just bizarre.
@HagginHall1999 when I said I’m not talking about you, this is one of the examples I was talking about.

 

[Gromcat]

I’m not going to say that Cal can’t coach. I just don’t think he’s a better in game coach than Pitino. He just isn’t. To claim he is, is absolutely asinine.

Cal doesn’t run OOB plays, won’t switch up defenses, won’t press or trap to speed up the opponent. The opposition ALWAYS dictates the tempo. Our teams are normally terrible at the FT line, especially at crunch time. We’ve witnessed this same shit here since 2010. Pitino never had these type of coaching deficiencies.

There is no one in the country other than a few UK fans that actually believe Calipari is in the same class with Pitino as a basketball mind and floor coach. It’s not even a debate.

 

[Gromcat]

It’s just an extreme garnering an extreme reaction to counter it. It happens all the time in politics. So you have the same extremes here:

Extreme 1: Actually Calipari is a terrible coach and can’t coach

Extreme 2: He is a good coach, as a matter of fact he’s such an incredible coach that he had shitty UMass in 1996 actually being better than Kentucky in 1996

If everyone would just post normally without extremes you’d have a statement in the middle of that that’s actually true

I won’t argue this but man, MDWildcats55 is another level. I firmly believe regardless he would take a title from UK and give it to Calipari not just because he’s arguing from extremes. This guy really is in love with Calipari.

The Kansas thread he started admitting defeat before we won, and Exonerating Calipari as the main point.

Admitting he wouldn’t fire Calipari for any reason.

This post here. I mean damn - guy is a Weirdo to the extreme. If facts negative and positive about Calipari affect him this hard, just stay off the board.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

There is no one in the country other than a few UK fans that actually believe Calipari is in the same class with Pitino as a basketball mind and floor coach. It’s not even a debate.

They always use the record for Cal vs Pitino when Cal was here and Pitino was at UL. Pitino at UL wasn’t the same beast as Pitino was at UK. Not even close.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Dude there’s zero doubt, zero, that MDWildcats55, if he had his way, would redo history and give Calipari the title in 1996 over Kentucky so he could say Calipari not only has two rings, but beat Pitino for one.

I know we use hyperbole here but this is real. F’n REAL. I have seen Calipari’s charm and charisma work people over before, but never as bad as it’s worked on this guy. And he also did say he doesn’t care if Calipari wins he still wouldn’t fire him for anything.

I used to tell my Memphis friends Calipari can’t work over UK people the way he did Memphis people. I never imagined anyone could fall this hard for him here. Our fans have always been program first. It’s just bizarre.
@HagginHall1999 when I said I’m not talking about you, this is one of the examples I was talking about.

I mean it is all fine I am looking at total body of work.

Pitino over Cal
* In game
* On court innovation

Cal over Pitino
* Recruiting
* Motivation

They are only two coaches to lead 3 programs to a FF. Pitino has 2 titles if you count UL for purpose of comparison.

So Pitino has the edge on the court where I'd say Cal has edge off the court. JMHO.

 

[bigbluedon]

Haggin I have to disagree with you on motivation. I have never ever thought Cal was a good motivator. He coaches scared especially in big games and plays favorites all year. Players have extremely short leashes. Been following the cats since 58 and comparing coaches at different schools along with ours and I just dont see cal being a motivator.

 

[Montana81]

I think Cal is a great motivator. But i think Pitino was too.

I don’t feel like there are a lot of guys that Cal couldn’t get to play hard.

Tubby was the guy that imo, struggled with motivation. In fact i think it was one of his two biggest weaknesses. Recruiting and motivation.

 

[kybassfan]

He looks like death warmed over. Cal is just old and fat and happy. Like a lot of old dudes. Pitino looks like plastic surgery and VD gone wrong.

That’s what happens when you suck that U6 meth head blood.

 

[kybassfan]

This guy is definitely following Calipari whenever he goes. I’ve never seen Cals charm work this bad on someone. The guys has already said even if Calipari doesn’t win he doesn’t care, he wants him here. Now he’s trying to twist himself into a pretzel wishing for UMASS to have “almost” beat Kentucky in 1996.

I mean this is what I’m talking about when I say Calipari has a few here so bad they’re no longer UK fans. They’re Calipari fans and it’s obvious as day.

It’s cult like that why the Cal Cult stuff landed so well. Some of these guys need to quit listening to Calipari and snap out of it damn lol.

Only one I’ve ever seen follow Cal is you. Right when he left Mempiss. Must’a hurt when he came to the cats.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Haggin I have to disagree with you on motivation. I have never ever thought Cal was a good motivator. He coaches scared especially in big games and plays favorites all year. Players have extremely short leashes. Been following the cats since 58 and comparing coaches at different schools along with ours and I just dont see cal being a motivator.

I think Cal and Pitino are both great motivators. I give the slight edge to Cal. I think building a program like he did at UMass goes to show just how motivational he can be. He turned UMass into a national power by the time he left which is just ridiculous.

Cal also took a guy like Jorts and got him to NBA. Derek Willis, another good example.

Another piece you have to consider is motivating/convincing guys to play as a team and not just for themselves. He has always been great at that.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Trash all you want but he's still one of the top 2 coaches in the game.