Pitino so Happy…Cal miserable

[canebreak]

I know we don’t need another thread on this but Pitino is everywhere. And so happy. I wish him all the success. Even when he flipped us off in Rupp I knew I didn’t really dislike him. He is kinda real. He loves what he does and he cares. He can joke and he can self deprecate.

Cal looks miserable. He can never joke. He only laughs when he is condescending or being sarcastic. And he’d never joke about drinking Jameson. I think he hates what he does but he loves spotlight instead of the “process” (his words).

You pick who you want to have a beer with.

 

[SBKY]

I love Pope.. but a small part of me still wishes we had asked Pitino to come back.

 

[jedwar]

Pitino by a mile. Wish he'd never left.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Pitino was on Fallon the other night. The dude is living his best life right now, and I'm not sure there's a bigger "winner" in college basketball this year..

 

[KFuqua]

I could never pick either of them. They're both trash and I'm happy they are nowhere near the Kentucky program.

 

[FurdTerguson]

I actually think Cal is a better person. Pitino is a sociopath. Cal was the better coach proven by his 8-1 record vs Pitino at UK but he became consumed by his "ending generational poverty" instead of adapting to the game's changes.

Pitino has rediscovered himself. Good for him. But he's still that guy who would glare at you if you approached him with your kid.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Isn't this just a byproduct of how the seasons have gone tho?

You have one coach that's completely turned around a program that hasn't had any success in decades. He came in and did exactly what he said he would do.

Cal on the other hand had a bit of a rough time in his first year at Arkansas.

The two coaches to me are just acting like a reflection of how the season has gone.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Pitino is playing with house money. If he rides a decent draw to the Sweet 16 he'll be the toast of New York City.

Calipari is playing with the weight of St. Peters and Oakland on his shoulders, along with his embarrassing departure from Lexington. If he loses in the first round -- one NCAA win six years!-- he'll confirm everyone's belief that he is washed up.

If they were acting other than the way they are, I'd suspect narcotics or at least a lot of booze.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Hope they both lose asap. I hope the 15 seed wins that pod.

 

[Nuke99m]

Isn't this just a byproduct of how the seasons have gone tho?

You have one coach that's completely turned around a program that hasn't had any success in decades. He came in and did exactly what he said he would do.

Cal on the other hand had a bit of a rough time in his first year at Arkansas.

The two coaches to me are just acting like a reflection of how the season has gone.

This. Winning cures all.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

Pitino by a mile. Wish he'd never left.

I wish he’d never left as well … loved him at the time. But he’s dead to me now. I’m over him now and he doesn’t upset me but he screwed up his relationship with UK terribly.

 

[catsfan3383]

I actually think Cal is a better person. Pitino is a sociopath. Cal was the better coach proven by his 8-1 record vs Pitino at UK but he became consumed by his "ending generational poverty" instead of adapting to the game's changes.

Pitino has rediscovered himself. Good for him. But he's still that guy who would glare at you if you approached him with your kid.

I can’t believe I read someone typed “Cal was the better coach”! You’ve got to be kidding, right? Cal had an 8-1 record vs Rick because he was able to RECRUIT 30 NBA first rounders - which he had no idea how to “coach”. Rick has more “coaching” ability is his right pinky toe than Cal 🤣🤣.
Also, I think both are what most would consider sociopaths or at least egomaniacs. They’re always right and everyone else is wrong except them. Very similar in that regards.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

I can’t believe I read someone typed “Cal was the better coach”! You’ve got to be kidding, right? Cal had an 8-1 record vs Rick because he was able to RECRUIT 30 NBA first rounders - which he had no idea how to “coach”. Rick has more “coaching” ability is his right pinky toe than Cal 🤣🤣.
Also, I think both are what most would consider sociopaths or at least egomaniacs. They’re always right and everyone else is wrong except them. Very similar in that regards.

Their records against each when not Kentucky’s coach is 4-4

 

[ncaaky]

I hate to cheer for Kansas, but it would be both great and hilarious if Calipari loses in the first round again.

 

[CRZ4UK]

I love Pope.. but a small part of me still wishes we had asked Pitino to come back.

My question is what would Pitino have done with our officiating??? We all know UK is getting a terrible whistle for some reason. I don’t think Pitino could keep his mouth shut about it. That official that stopped the game to go stare down Pope. Would he have tried that with Pitino?? Pope sent a nice note to the SEC office asking what can we do better to stop these foul discrepancies. I think Pitino goes on Fallon and puts them on blast instead.

 

[Disappointed Cat]

Pitino is playing with house money. If he rides a decent draw to the Sweet 16 he'll be the toast of New York City.

Calipari is playing with the weight of St. Peters and Oakland on his shoulders, along with his embarrassing departure from Lexington. If he loses in the first round -- one NCAA win six years!-- he'll confirm everyone's belief that he is washed up.

If they were acting other than the way they are, I'd suspect narcotics or at least a lot of booze.

He confirmed my belief......about 9 years ago!!

 

[Blueaz]

I know we don’t need another thread on this but Pitino is everywhere. And so happy. I wish him all the success. Even when he flipped us off in Rupp I knew I didn’t really dislike him. He is kinda real. He loves what he does and he cares. He can joke and he can self deprecate.

Cal looks miserable. He can never joke. He only laughs when he is condescending or being sarcastic. And he’d never joke about drinking Jameson. I think he hates what he does but he loves spotlight instead of the “process” (his words).

You pick who you want to have a beer with.

RP is happy, BECAUSE Cal is miserable.
It makes 99% of us smile

 

[Blueaz]

I actually think Cal is a better person. Pitino is a sociopath. Cal was the better coach proven by his 8-1 record vs Pitino at UK but he became consumed by his "ending generational poverty" instead of adapting to the game's changes.

Pitino has rediscovered himself. Good for him. But he's still that guy who would glare at you if you approached him with your kid.

Neither is a “good” person
Both are narcissistic gaslighters.
Just one has public adultery known to everyone. I’m sure Cal has some big skeletons in his closet

 

[catlogic15]

People want to dwell on Pitino “flipping Kentucky off”. He flipped off one of our asshole fans harassing him as he left the court.
Difference.

 

[BlueSince92]

My question is what would Pitino have done with our officiating??? We all know UK is getting a terrible whistle for some reason. I don’t think Pitino could keep his mouth shut about it. That official that stopped the game to go stare down Pope. Would he have tried that with Pitino?? Pope sent a nice note to the SEC office asking what can we do better to stop these foul discrepancies. I think Pitino goes on Fallon and puts them on blast instead.

Hmmmm. Makes me remember that, while they may both have equal blood ties, when Pitino was here we all thought of him as being Italian in a way that Cal didn’t mimic. Like, there were jokes among the players and among commentators and none of them 100% joking about people jumping when Rick said jump because they were scared about maybe waking up with the fishes otherwise. Cal always got very mad at the refs. With Pitino, the energy coming off him was always more about getting even.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I will always be grateful for taking Kentucky from death and back into life.

In 1991 UK was still on probation, and with another hire we might have become Indiana.

Instead, by 1993 (two years later), Pitino had Mashburn and those Cats as the #1 team in the country.

How many coaches could have done that?

I'm also grateful that Calipari made UK the cool school from 2009-2017. There's no denying that. He hurt the program at the end, however, and therein lies the difference between the two men.

 

[FurdTerguson]

I can’t believe I read someone typed “Cal was the better coach”! You’ve got to be kidding, right? Cal had an 8-1 record vs Rick because he was able to RECRUIT 30 NBA first rounders - which he had no idea how to “coach”. Rick has more “coaching” ability is his right pinky toe than Cal 🤣🤣.
Also, I think both are what most would consider sociopaths or at least egomaniacs. They’re always right and everyone else is wrong except them. Very similar in that regards.

Cal had a brand new team every year. Rick had veterans running a very difficult defense to prepare for. 2013 we went to the NIT and Louisville won the title. And yet they only beat us by three points at Louisville that year. The next year they led all but the last minute in the Sweet 16 game. Cal was the better coach in those games. That's not even remotely debatable.

I hope they play each other in Round Two. Not because I'm pulling for either one but I AM curious if Cal has anything left.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Cal had a brand new team every year. Rick had veterans running a very difficult defense to prepare for. 2013 we went to the NIT and Louisville won the title. And yet they only beat us by three points at Louisville that year. The next year they led all but the last minute in the Sweet 16 game. Cal was the better coach in those games. That's not even remotely debatable.

I hope they play each other in Round Two. Not because I'm pulling for either one but I AM curious if Cal has anything left.

Cal has plenty left in the tank; he just doesn't care anymore.

He had enough to come into Rupp and kick UK's butt this season.

The question is whether or not he wants to turn the first round into an NBA audition for Boogie Fland.

 

[pauled]

I hate to cheer for Kansas, but it would be both great and hilarious if Calipari loses in the first round again.

That’s what I’m hoping for!

 

[FurdTerguson]

Cal has plenty left in the tank; he just doesn't care anymore.

He had enough to come into Rupp and kick UK's butt this season.

The question is whether or not he wants to turn the first round into an NBA audition for Boogie Fland.

You'd think at some point "I've got a legacy to protect" would kick in, but I can see him doing what you say. Once he committed to that, he couldn't uncommit because then the recruit pipeline dries up.

 

[noncomposmentis]

I can’t believe I read someone typed “Cal was the better coach”! You’ve got to be kidding, right? Cal had an 8-1 record vs Rick because he was able to RECRUIT 30 NBA first rounders - which he had no idea how to “coach”. Rick has more “coaching” ability is his right pinky toe than Cal 🤣🤣.
Also, I think both are what most would consider sociopaths or at least egomaniacs. They’re always right and everyone else is wrong except them. Very similar in that regards.

I’ll have to check, but I think recruiting is part of coaching. Like maybe the most important part (75% of the job according to Kirby Smart, different sport, same concept). A guy who was the best ever at the most important aspect of a job can’t be said to be bad at the job. Plus hall of fame etc.

 

[MegaBlue05]

If I had to choose one of them to coach my basketball team with equal talent, I am taking Pitino every time. The guy is a college basketball mastermind. Wins and wins big wherever he goes. No denying that.

But, I'd probably rather have a beer with Cal. I have interacted with Pitino a few times as a kid/teenager and he's not super pleasant. I've met Cal twice and he was much more easygoing.

I, too, think Cal is the better man and Pitino is the better coach. I have no problems with John Calipari the person. I just had issues with John Calipari the coach. Pride and stubbornness that bordered on arrogance were his downfall here.

I never had issues with Pitino the coach, but have taken issue with some of Pitino's personal actions outside of basketball and will leave it at that.

These guys are favorite coach 1 and 1a for me. I was born at the latter part of Coach Hall's tenure. My first memories were from Sutton and I became diehard for Pitino. In my lifetime, the Pitino era is my favorite, the first six years of Cal is a close second, and OTS and the two drunks are lower on the list. (Pope is TBD.)

 

[ccukuk]

I know we don’t need another thread on this but Pitino is everywhere. And so happy. I wish him all the success. Even when he flipped us off in Rupp I knew I didn’t really dislike him. He is kinda real. He loves what he does and he cares. He can joke and he can self deprecate.

Cal looks miserable. He can never joke. He only laughs when he is condescending or being sarcastic. And he’d never joke about drinking Jameson. I think he hates what he does but he loves spotlight instead of the “process” (his words).

You pick who you want to have a beer with.

So just saw yesterday in my Cigar Afficionado how Jameson Reserve Black Label gets 92pts out of a hundred making it a great, fantastic buy for $35-40. What’s wrong with Jameson?

Had to edit: it’s Reserve Black Label, not just regular Black Label. I’m clearly way off topic but I’m doing my best to collect good bourbon in my ABC state of Virginia, and it’s hard. Just won a Blanton’s Gold in the lottery. A son in grad school at Cornell in NY found an eh taylor and two little books. Same review that liked the aforementioned Jameson said Red Breast Single Pot Still 12yrs is 96 points…it’s really great at $70. Just passing along good finds to good fans.

 

[BigBlue1992]

Pitino is a heck of a basketball coach but let’s not forget…

1. The man cheated on his wife (and in all honesty not telling how many times). Completely humiliated the poor woman.

2. Had Sypher get an abortion.

3. Sypher goes to prison while he’s staying at his beach home waiting for the next multi million dollar job offer.

4. Paid grown women (prostitutes) to sleep with underage boys.

People can brag all they want about Pitino the basketball coach but Pitino the person is a complete scumbag.

 

[BigBlue1992]

I can’t believe I read someone typed “Cal was the better coach”! You’ve got to be kidding, right? Cal had an 8-1 record vs Rick because he was able to RECRUIT 30 NBA first rounders - which he had no idea how to “coach”. Rick has more “coaching” ability is his right pinky toe than Cal 🤣🤣.
Also, I think both are what most would consider sociopaths or at least egomaniacs. They’re always right and everyone else is wrong except them. Very similar in that regards.

I understand what you’re saying but how can you ignore an 8-1 record? Lol. I too think Pitino is the better X’s and O’s coach but there’s not as big a gap as many lead on.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Recruiting is part of being a college coach so Cal should get credit for that.

All successive positions happen because you assemble the best of the best.

That's not a flaw of Cal, that's a credit. But to think the man can't also coach is a bit silly. He wasn't always getting NBA first rounders when he started out. There had to be some Xs and Os as well.

 

[FurdTerguson]

I think Exhibit A of the "Cal can't coach" narrative is his non existent coaching tree. All those years, you'd think ONE assistant would grow his own successful program

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

I think Exhibit A of the "Cal can't coach" narrative is his non existent coaching tree. All those years, you'd think ONE assistant would grow his own successful program

It seems the people that work as support staff turn out to be better coaches than the actual assistants.

Like Preston Spradlin