The fact that UConn’s program is in better shape than ours…

[Wonky]

…when we’re 14 seasons in with our HOF coach is flat unacceptable. We’re talking about a program (UConn) that everybody thought was going to fade back into obscurity once Jim Calhoun retired, but instead pulled a title out of their ass thanks to Cal, and now have claimed another with an up and coming coach who looks to be a legit problem going forward.

Kentucky was on top of the college basketball world in 2012. I understand these things are cyclical. But for a guy to come in, recruit talent, and win the ultimate prize that quickly (in dominating fashion) while Cal is stumbling through the worst 3-year stretch in my lifetime (perhaps our history) is extremely depressing. Nothing short of an FF run next year will save Cal’s job, IMO. Buyout be damned, the boosters will pony up and get it done. This is tiring and embarrassing.

 

[TOMCATS1990]

KY problem is the HC’s priorities aren’t what the fan base wants them to be.

 

[mrschwump]

If you read Calipari's comments yesterday the problem is clear: He was quick to point out UK's players in the NBA have earned $3 BILLION but failed to mention only one NC with all of that. His goal is to produce more NBA players that any other college coach in history, everything else is secondary to him.

 

[Big Cat fan]

There have been over 85-90 programs in better shape then ours the last 3 years.

We are in trouble!

 

[WalterTheHippo]

It is almost embarrassing. These last few years have been ripe for the picking for us to win a title. There has been no excuse. Every time Cal talks about how many NBA players we have compared to other schools just proves that he is not coaching them up. Every roster has UK players on it (so it seems), YET only 1 title in 14 years.

 

[J_Dee]

Kentucky was on top of the college basketball world in 2012. I understand these things are cyclical. But for a guy to come in, recruit talent, and win the ultimate prize that quickly (in dominating fashion) while Cal is stumbling through the worst 3-year stretch in my lifetime (perhaps our history) is extremely depressing.

List of KY basketball seasons

Here's in my opinion the worst three-year stretches in UK's history, post-Rupp. To me personally, 1988-1989 through 1990-1991 are the worst. My dad was a basketball player and coach who bleeds blue and those years devastated him. He wouldn't talk about UK for a long time after the Emory thing.

* 1988-1989: Coach Sutton, 13-19. No Eric Manuel. No Sean Kemp. And the Emery BS: three years' probation, a two-year ban from postseason play, two NCAA tournament wins vacated, and a BAN from live TV in 1989–90. Adios, Coach Sutton (and AD Hagan).
* 1989-1990: Coach Pitino, 14-14. Probation. No UK on TV. No postseason.
* 1990-1991: Coach Pitino, 22-6. Probation. No postseason. Might've cost us a championship.

* 2006-2007: 22-12. 4th in the SEC East, lost in the NCAA Tournament in round two. The hate directed towards Coach Smith was rough.
* 2007-2008: 18-13. Welcome to...The Billy Gillispie Horror Show, Part One.
* 2008-2009: 22-14. The Billy Gillispie Horror Show concludes with Notre Dame claiming its 18th all-time win against UK in the NIT. Bye, Coach Gillispie.

* 2019-2020: 25-6 and COVID killed the tournament.
* 2020-2021: 9-16. The 1926-1927 season's the last time UK didn't win ten games in a season. Basil Hayden would be proud. But hey, NIL starts, that's good right?
* 2021-2022: 26-8. Sharpe killed our hope and 15-seed St. Peters killed 2-seed UK's season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

[UKChamps2012]

Until the objectives of UK's head basketball coach are aligned with those of the University of Kentucky, the current state of mediocrity will continue with no end in sight. When you don't coach fundamentals or to detail, you're going to lose to more experienced players and better prepared coaches even though they are less talented. The fact you don't coach inbounds plays (both offensive and defensive), pick n roll defense, a motion offense, or another defense puts UK at a huge disadvantage before the game even starts. The end of half trapping of Cal sending Collins to try and trap a guard 30 feet from the basket with less than 10 seconds resulting in a lob dunk in the half versus K-State is just part of the stupidity of the UK coaching staff. As De'Aaron Fox confirmed in an interview a few years ago, it's not about winning every game but rather getting players ready for the NBA.

 

[crestcat]

If you read Calipari's comments yesterday the problem is clear: He was quick to point out UK's players in the NBA have earned $3 BILLION but failed to mention only one NC with all of that. His goal is to produce more NBA players that any other college coach in history, everything else is secondary to him.

That is the problem. Cow is the only one impressed, nobody knows who is #2 nor do they care, no trophy will be given.

 

[Roe07]

…when we’re 14 seasons in with our HOF coach is flat unacceptable. We’re talking about a program (UConn) that everybody thought was going to fade back into obscurity once Jim Calhoun retired, but instead pulled a title out of their ass thanks to Cal, and now have claimed another with an up and coming coach who looks to be a legit problem going forward.

Kentucky was on top of the college basketball world in 2012. I understand these things are cyclical. But for a guy to come in, recruit talent, and win the ultimate prize that quickly (in dominating fashion) while Cal is stumbling through the worst 3-year stretch in my lifetime (perhaps our history) is extremely depressing. Nothing short of an FF run next year will save Cal’s job, IMO. Buyout be damned, the boosters will pony up and get it done. This is tiring and embarrassing.

Not even sure a Final Four would get him back in BBN's good graces. Winning a title might be the only way, and at this point since it seems like we barely have a team to field for next season, cutting the nets is a pipe dream.

 

[Neue Regel]

You may feel that way now, however a year from now UConn could have a good but nothing special 2023/24 season and Kentucky could be coming off a Final Four, Final game or NCAA title. You just don't know and never say never the way things are in the sport right now.

It sucks today but the winds shift.

 

[ukwazoo]

If you read Calipari's comments yesterday the problem is clear: He was quick to point out UK's players in the NBA have earned $3 BILLION but failed to mention only one NC with all of that. His goal is to produce more NBA players that any other college coach in history, everything else is secondary to him.

He sees himself as this great person, helping kids make $$. But, he doesn't seem to care about fans suffering at all. Kind of like "I don't want to take somebody's heart" only applying to his personal favorite players and not guys on the bench.

 

[Emarc]

And are the second best program on campus.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

UCONN is better than every program the past 25 years. Newsflash for the OP. Coach K chokes to them to 99 and 2004 so either coaches just choke to them or perhaps UCONNs title teams are better than the OP gives them credit for.

Uconn has more titles in 25 years than UK the last 65. It's pretty clear thus program has been in decline for decades other than a very few great stretches like 93 to 98 and 2011 to 2015. Most of our final fours the past 65 years come in those stretches.

Calipari needs to go yesterday but people need to get real with how things have been here overall for decades.

 

[gracetoyou]

…when we’re 14 seasons in with our HOF coach is flat unacceptable. We’re talking about a program (UConn) that everybody thought was going to fade back into obscurity once Jim Calhoun retired, but instead pulled a title out of their ass thanks to Cal, and now have claimed another with an up and coming coach who looks to be a legit problem going forward.

Kentucky was on top of the college basketball world in 2012. I understand these things are cyclical. But for a guy to come in, recruit talent, and win the ultimate prize that quickly (in dominating fashion) while Cal is stumbling through the worst 3-year stretch in my lifetime (perhaps our history) is extremely depressing. Nothing short of an FF run next year will save Cal’s job, IMO. Buyout be damned, the boosters will pony up and get it done. This is tiring and embarrassing.

This is just wrong on so many levels. Good grief!

 

[Rivals_Defender]

Outside of UCONN beating Duke for their first title...the other four (UK, Georgia Tech, Butler, SDSU) have essentially been handed to them. Just be good in everyone elses "Bad Years". Parity has caught up and has overtaken Burger Boys and One & Dones. I don't think we will ever see another Final 4 with more than two #1 Seeds ever again. Only 1 team from the Pre-season Top 25 Made the Final 4 and that was SDSU.

 

[christophero]

They are pretty much in better shape than every program at the moment.

 

[crawfords corner]

These passed 3 seasons(2021-2023), when you take out sanctioned seasons, is the 2nd worst 3 year stretch of losing in Kentucky history. 36 losses in the now last 3 completed seasons. Only 2nd to that 07-09 span there that you posted. In that stretch, from 07-09, Kentucky lost 39 games. Counting sanctioned seasons the passed 3 are still in the top 5 of 3 year spans for losing.


It is also now around the 6th or 7th longest streak of non-Final Four seasons at 7 of the last full seasons.

 

[ruppcat]

KY problem is the HC’s priorities aren’t what the fan base wants them to be.

THIS. This is the only answer.

 

[EliteBlue]

If you read Calipari's comments yesterday the problem is clear: He was quick to point out UK's players in the NBA have earned $3 BILLION but failed to mention only one NC with all of that. His goal is to produce more NBA players that any other college coach in history, everything else is secondary to him.

Yep. He only cares about tying his legacy to the NBA….he isn’t concerned with college coaching legacy because he knows he will never be considered the greatest. So instead he moved his own goalpost to NBA production to sale himself as the greatest in that category. If losing his job wasn’t an option (and it hasnt been), he’d rather have yearly repeats of the 2020 9 win season and put 3 guys in the NBA than win the SEC and make the final 4 with 0 NBA players

 

[Bluegrass79]

But Damn it we are the Diamond standard in the NBA! Gold is behind us .
That matters don't it?
😆😆😆😆😆😆

Would be nice if we had a NBA team in Kentucky ...💯 Lexington Kentucky.💯......so we could actually care about being the diamond standard of the NBA. 💯

 

[wldktz8]

…when we’re 14 seasons in with our HOF coach is flat unacceptable. We’re talking about a program (UConn) that everybody thought was going to fade back into obscurity once Jim Calhoun retired, but instead pulled a title out of their ass thanks to Cal, and now have claimed another with an up and coming coach who looks to be a legit problem going forward.

Kentucky was on top of the college basketball world in 2012. I understand these things are cyclical. But for a guy to come in, recruit talent, and win the ultimate prize that quickly (in dominating fashion) while Cal is stumbling through the worst 3-year stretch in my lifetime (perhaps our history) is extremely depressing. Nothing short of an FF run next year will save Cal’s job, IMO. Buyout be damned, the boosters will pony up and get it done. This is tiring and embarrassing.

Would UK fans really give a new coach the same leeway as Hurley’s performance at UConn his four years prior? The answer is absolutely not.

 

[Wonky]

Would UK fans really give a new coach the same leeway as Hurley’s performance at UConn his four years prior? The answer is absolutely not.

My rebuttal would be that a coach with Hurley’s drive could have succeeded a lot earlier recruiting top talent to UK than he did at UConn, where he basically had to rebuild the program.

 

[wldktz8]

My rebuttal would be that a coach with Hurley’s drive could have succeeded a lot earlier recruiting top talent to UK than he did at UConn, where he basically had to rebuild the program.

UConn is a basketball school. I think it has more to do with UConn than Hurley. Hurley never did anything spectacular prior to arriving at UConn. He never made it past the round of 32 prior to UConn. It’s not like he took St. Mary’s to the E8 or F4. It looks as if UConn has been successful outside of one coach. This why I’m not on board with getting rid of Cal. He has shown success at 3 different schools in going to the F4. He taken two of those schools to the final game winning one of them. If UK were to push Cal out now I fear we would end up in the BCG cycle for a while. What coach is going to want to follow the firing of a successful HOF coach at UK?

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

You may feel that way now, however a year from now UConn could have a good but nothing special 2023/24 season and Kentucky could be coming off a Final Four, Final game or NCAA title. You just don't know and never say never the way things are in the sport right now.

It sucks today but the winds shift.

The problem is that the winds haven't shifted our way since the Notre Dame game in 2015.

We've been a complete disappointment since that time, and that was almost a decade ago.

Cal's been a bad steward. It's as simple as that. It's time for him to step down.