Recruiting: the concern should Cal, not platooning

[CrustyCat]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

 

[jrpross]

Really? These results and you're complaining that he *might* consider an NBA job? Screw that. I'll keep him as long as he'll stay.

 

[Smashcat]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

Jones spent a lot of energy last year declaring Cal would leave after the past season. He didn't. Rival recruiters must love having a UK radio voice helping them free of charge.

 

[EvilMD]

I don't think it hurts UK's recruiting because most of our recruits are only expecting to be at UK the one year. When we put seven guys in the NBA draft next month we'll be back to where we were.

 

[keepingit real]

Jones spent a lot of energy last year declaring Cal would leave after the past season. He didn't. Rival recruiters must love having a UK radio voice helping them free of charge.

He was gone and Dan Gilbert botched it in the end. Feel free to believe what you feel, he was absolutely gone, Harrison's coming back was not the reason he came back, the owner had a lot to do with it

 

[bookerfan66]

Matt Jones.

 

[Rhavicc]

Hand a guy a radio and everybody starts believing what he says.

 

[keepingit real]

Hand a guy a radio and everybody starts believing what he says.

Or give a guy a hard drive and a key pad and he bats 1000

 

[ukmelanie]

Who needs jerks like Michael Wilbon to stir up NBA crap when Matt Jones does the job for him?

 

[Rhavicc]

Or give a guy a hard drive and a key pad and he bats 1000

I think what we're saying here, folks, is that he's full of crap sometimes, and this is one of those times.
Aimless spewing of nonsense, which is fine, everybody does it at some point, some more than others.

 

[caneintally]

Jones spent a lot of energy last year declaring Cal would leave after the past season. He didn't. Rival recruiters must love having a UK radio voice helping them free of charge.

this ,I love Jone's show but he doesn't know much of anything . We "only" have the 2nd best class this year ( right now ) due to kids this year having no desire to win . How else do Cal get rabb and Brown , Miss St get Newman , Purdue get Swanigan , ect ect ect.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

So many people on here envious of Matt Jones. Makes most of you look like you're mentally challenged.

 

[GonzoCat90]

It's been killing Cal and Nick Saban for years, but both guys keep being linked to conversations about other jobs.

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

Jones spent a lot of energy last year declaring Cal would leave after the past season. He didn't. Rival recruiters must love having a UK radio voice helping them free of charge.

Never heard Jones once predict Cal was going to leave. I heard him say quite often that if he was going to go it would be after this season, especially if we won a title.

 

[2Dope15]

I think both has hurt recruiting. Not many people are sold on David Blatt (spelling?) being the head coach for long at Cleveland. Also a lot of the recruits this year seem like that want a lot of minutes and were afraid to platoon. I know a lot want to win but also do u want to spend a year in College and only play 20mins a game?

 

[brianpoe]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

"I think I'd rather he just go on."


And if your wish came true, who would you have as our coach (that the NBA wouldn't want).

 

[Federal Cat]

I don't waste my time or energy listening to any talking heads about what coach Calipari is gonna do every off season, I hope he stays here till he retires also, the man is a recruiting genius , when he does leave we will all go get our lithium drip and start watching the door again to see who walks through it

 

[GonzoCat90]

I'd really like to hear someone spell this out though. What's the pitch here?

"Cal is rumored to be leaving for the NBA every year. I know, he hasn't actually gone any of the 7 times, but people on the internet talk about it a lot and he might actually go sometime. No, I don't know which job it would be. I don't even know which ones will be open, but imagine if he did! Anyway, come to UNLV."

All delivered by a very persuasive assistant coach:

 

[Xception]

I'd prefer some fans to go on if all they can do is find negatives in a historically successful stretch for UK . Constantly looking for the complaint , begrudgingly acknowledging the accomplishments .

If you can't be satisfied now then when would you ever be , this is not solely aimed at the op but a group of wet rags in general .

I wouldn't blame him for leaving to escape the stupid bs this ungrateful fan base produces , there are enough external challenges without enemies within .

 

[Fawrules]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

Actively wanting the best coach we've had since at least Pitino to "just go on" and leave.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I mean, when you think about it, that puppy is probably going to die someday so we should just go ahead and push it into a wood chipper.

 

[Fawrules]

Granted, I'm not saying that I believe there's no chance that Call will eventually take an NBA job, potentially as early as this off season. But tell me, what elite coach is out there (Especially in May-June) who wouldn't be an big drop off from Calipari? You realize when saying this that if Cal takes an NBA job that you can kiss Skal, Briscoe, probably the rest of our class and a significant chunk of our returning team goodbye, right? We'd be in for disaster in 2015-2016. Real disaster, not oh, the Sweet 16 may be this team's ceiling disaster, but NIT or worse unless you were able to land an elite coach with a top class who's willing to following him over at the last second.

 

[Fawrules]

I mean, when you think about it, that puppy is probably going to die someday so we should just go ahead and push it into a wood chipper.

It's akin to Duke fans saying, you know, Coach K is inevitably going to have to retire someday, let's just find our next coach now and move on.

 

[BigBlu_2002]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

Cal is t the issue and neither is platooning... The issue was how well the team did. Zimmermans mom was quoted as saying she heard a lot of recruits say it will ne tough to follow. Same thing happened after we win title in 2012. We signed a good class then but we also missed out on a log (shabazz muhammed, the pf who went to unlv amd later got drafted #1 by cavs) cant remember his name.

 

[catlogic15]

Who needs jerks like Michael Wilbon to stir up NBA crap when Matt Jones does the job for him?

Matt Jones did open his show by saying this is the weakest "week" of callers to his show.
He then went on to say that Cleveland needed to win this series, and perhaps the next, to save the Cleveland coaches job. If not, he was "worried" the first call would be to Cal.
He never said Cal would take the job, only that he was worried.
So what's wrong with that? Aren't we all?
Matt runs a business. He tells us what we should, or perhaps, don't want to consider.
Great business model for the business he's in. I respect that.

 

[kybassfan]

Umm, the title makes no sense? Is there supposed to be a "be" in between should and Cal?

Ok, you want the cake or you want to eat it? Can't have both.

Cal is stellar at pulling in the athletes he wants. On the floor he coaches a smart and high percentage brand of basketball. He stresses defense as the place where everything starts and ends. He has great success and his record at Kentucky is without parallel in decades. When you have all that, you could have I'M NOT GOING TO THE NBA tattoo'd on your forehead and nobody would believe you.

Everybody wants the best. We got the best. >>>> Everybody wants what we got.

Any recruit worth their salt realizes that. They know they have options if he leaves. Only recruits not prepared for the glare that comes with playing for KY would fall for a recruiting pitch to the contrary.

 

[CrustyCat]

Really? These results and you're complaining that he *might* consider an NBA job? Screw that. I'll keep him as long as he'll stay.

I wish more posters would read what is being said/written and respond to that. I simply said that it seems like the negative recruiting might have been more about Cal jumping to the NBA rather than anything else. Where did I say I was complaining? I said I wanted Cal to be here if he wants to. If every year "he's gone" is the theme, that will get old.

 

[irishcat1965]

I will start worrying when NBA teams don't want Cal as coach anymore.

 

[CrustyCat]

"I think I'd rather he just go on."


And if your wish came true, who would you have as our coach (that the NBA wouldn't want).

Quote not in context. I said that *if* he doesn't want to be here and would prefer the NBA, I'd rather have a coach who *wants* to be here (just like we want players to be here) and who is enthusiastic about selling playing for UK to recruits. If Cal has to constantly fight off other coaches telling recruits "Cal will be gone to the NBA before you ever show up for practice," what happens then?

 

[CrustyCat]

Actively wanting the best coach we've had since at least Pitino to "just go on" and leave.

Jesus, some of you have a real hard time with reading comprehension, don't you? When did I say I was "actively wanting" Call to leave? The only condition I mentioned for being ok with him leaving was *if* he didn't want to be here anymore. The double facepalm should be for your post, not mine.

 

[DickintheHam]

So, we are missing / have missed on several big time recruits this spring because Cal might be leaving for the NBA, or nearly left last season?

Funny that not one single word or syllable has come from any of the recruits we missed on, or anyone close to them as to that being why Cal didn't reel them in.

Does anyone really think the recruits we missed on would keep it a secret????

The Warren Commission Report has NOTHING on our fans!

BULL! Cal isn't going anywhere.

 

[Poetax]

Listening to the radio today and it was repeated by Matt Jones that Cal was *this* close to leaving for the Cavs job last year. Allegedly, only the fact the Harrison twins came back stopped Cal from leaving.

If this is true, then my money is on this being the negative recruiting we've seen this year and why some players have not chosen UK. Frankly, I've never been all that sold on the "platooning killed UK in recruiting" line; last year was clearly an aberration.

If Cal is truly looking at what he believes to be a greener pasture, then UK will suffer on the recruiting trail until Cal leaves or enough time passes without him leaving that recruits stop worrying about it.

Personally, I'm very happy that Cal is the coach and I wish he would stay until retirement. But, if he is going to have one eye on the NBA, I think I'd rather he just go on. I'd prefer my coach to be happy to be here and coaching.

So like the fans who hate the OADs, you hate a coach who has one eye on the next level? Why couldn't a coach be happy and still watch the pro game?

 

[CrustyCat]

I mean, when you think about it, that puppy is probably going to die someday so we should just go ahead and push it into a wood chipper.

Read the post again and take another stab at it. I like you as a poster man, I would think you would have done better than this. If the theory is right, do you not think this kind of negative recruiting about Cal leaving will gain more traction? It can be read either way: "they've been saying Cal to the NBA for years and he hasn't jumped - not going to happen." Or, it could be "Cal has been flirting with the NBA for awhile now, how much longer do you think he'll wait? If he leaves, it will be in the summer, after the playoffs and after you've committed. Then you'll be stuck going to a school without the coach you wanted."

Just one scenario (or two if you like).

If you read some of my other posts, I like next year's team and have never been a "the sky is falling" guy on recruiting. I'm just saying that maybe there's a different problem from the platoon thing and it won't be "back to normal" after next year's team doesn't platoon.

 

[CrustyCat]

Umm, the title makes no sense? Is there supposed to be a "be" in between should and Cal?

Ok, you want the cake or you want to eat it? Can't have both.

Cal is stellar at pulling in the athletes he wants. On the floor he coaches a smart and high percentage brand of basketball. He stresses defense as the place where everything starts and ends. He has great success and his record at Kentucky is without parallel in decades. When you have all that, you could have I'M NOT GOING TO THE NBA tattoo'd on your forehead and nobody would believe you.

Everybody wants the best. We got the best. >>>> Everybody wants what we got.

Any recruit worth their salt realizes that. They know they have options if he leaves. Only recruits not prepared for the glare that comes with playing for KY would fall for a recruiting pitch to the contrary.

Yeah, I left off the "be."

I don't disagree with your post, I was just throwing out another theory since I've seen plenty of posts/stories that seem to posit that the platoon thing is the only reason for several recruits passing on us in the same class.

The Brown kid is the one that makes no sense at all. It's been discussed plenty, so I won't rehash it. Kid had tons of minutes here if he came and didn't dog it.

 

[CrustyCat]

So like the fans who hate the OADs, you hate a coach who has one eye on the next level? Why couldn't a coach be happy and still watch the pro game?

Huh? Show me where I said I hate Cal. I said exactly the opposite. Christ, some of you guys just sit around *dying* to be offended...

 

[CrustyCat]

So, we are missing / have missed on several big time recruits this spring because Cal might be leaving for the NBA, or nearly left last season?

Funny that not one single word or syllable has come from any of the recruits we missed on, or anyone close to them as to that being why Cal didn't reel them in.

Does anyone really think the recruits we missed on would keep it a secret????

The Warren Commission Report has NOTHING on our fans!

BULL! Cal isn't going anywhere.

I hope your prediction is right. That being said, I haven't seen much of anything on why any of these recruits made the choices they did. Anyone know the real reasons Brown chose California?

 

[CrustyCat]

It's akin to Duke fans saying, you know, Coach K is inevitably going to have to retire someday, let's just find our next coach now and move on.

Have there been any stories about Coach K being certainly gone to the NBA and only coming back after some players surprised everyone and returned for another year. Or something similar? If there have been, I missed them.

My entire original post was based on if the Jones stuff was accurate. If it's not, then there is nothing to worry about on this front.

 

[CrustyCat]

I'd really like to hear someone spell this out though. What's the pitch here?

"Cal is rumored to be leaving for the NBA every year. I know, he hasn't actually gone any of the 7 times, but people on the internet talk about it a lot and he might actually go sometime. No, I don't know which job it would be. I don't even know which ones will be open, but imagine if he did! Anyway, come to UNLV."

All delivered by a very persuasive assistant coach:

Assistant coach? Farley's 'do looks like Bill Self's rug...

 

[catfaninsc]

Cal to the league talk is our annual right of spring ritual. And we will probably have to live with it for as long as he is here. Which is great, that means he is doing something special with the program. But I believe he is here for the long haul. He enjoys it, he enjoys the kids, he thrives on the attention. He is "the man" at "the program". Something he can never be in the league.

 

[kybassfan]

Yeah, I left off the "be."

I don't disagree with your post, I was just throwing out another theory since I've seen plenty of posts/stories that seem to posit that the platoon thing is the only reason for several recruits passing on us in the same class.

The Brown kid is the one that makes no sense at all. It's been discussed plenty, so I won't rehash it. Kid had tons of minutes here if he came and didn't dog it.

Hey, makes more sense than some of the platooning stuff. I personally think the team was so deep and the chance of even more staying just forced kids to consider their options. Ya gotta admire the moxy of the guys we have.