It's pretty simple really. College basketball changed and he didn't. When he arrived in Lexington there was no portal and no NIL. He was a dynamic coach with seemingly endless recruiting connections and resources. As time passed his arrogant and stubborn nature went from being the perfect personality to lead Kentucky basketball to a huge mill stone around the neck of the program.
The first stumbles were caused by his refusal to play nice with those that could directly effect recruiting. The result was he started losing important recruits to other programs...mostly Nike schools. Not a coincidence.
Whether you want to believe it or not his arrogance and stubbornness cost us the 2015 Title and a perfect season. There is NO WAY on Earth that team should have ever been seriously challenged during that run. As many have said, if you cannot win with a team loaded with future NBA players and two All-Stars, you just aren't capable of winning anything.
The fallout with and departure of John Robic had some sort of larger effect on how prepared the team is for opponents. While someone else could hold that role, apparently no one has been able to do it as effectively as Robic. The true reason for that separation remains a mystery to most of us. Was it personality conflict or something more? Who knows but, the effects are still being felt.
Then, the advent of the Portal and NIL struck another blow. Other programs suddenly became older, more physically mature and easily handled UK in tight game situations. But, rather than embrace the Portal, Calipari has almost solely held onto his "talent over experience" approach. It is now obvious that such a strategy doesn't work anymore. Even as UK's record against teams with a good mix of transfers and recruits falters, Calipari hangs on to outdated ideas of how to win. Again, stubborn arrogance.
Finally, that same attitude of "I am doing it my way, win or lose" toward the fanbase has further isolated him from those that some warmly embraced him the first half dozen years of his tenure. At times he has become almost outright hostile toward fans and the media. Bordering on bizarre behavior.
The cumulative effect is a program that is no longer competitive in the regular season and in March. Added with a fanbase that is tired of losing and being told we are essentially clueless hillbillies, we've arrived at where we are today.
Even though Calipari has never been a brilliant bench coach or X's and O's guy, all of this might have been avoided if he had simply been receptive to change. UK fans will put up with a lot but, continually losing to our rivals and in March is not a tenable situation.
'Pride cometh before the fall, indeed.
The first stumbles were caused by his refusal to play nice with those that could directly effect recruiting. The result was he started losing important recruits to other programs...mostly Nike schools. Not a coincidence.
Whether you want to believe it or not his arrogance and stubbornness cost us the 2015 Title and a perfect season. There is NO WAY on Earth that team should have ever been seriously challenged during that run. As many have said, if you cannot win with a team loaded with future NBA players and two All-Stars, you just aren't capable of winning anything.
The fallout with and departure of John Robic had some sort of larger effect on how prepared the team is for opponents. While someone else could hold that role, apparently no one has been able to do it as effectively as Robic. The true reason for that separation remains a mystery to most of us. Was it personality conflict or something more? Who knows but, the effects are still being felt.
Then, the advent of the Portal and NIL struck another blow. Other programs suddenly became older, more physically mature and easily handled UK in tight game situations. But, rather than embrace the Portal, Calipari has almost solely held onto his "talent over experience" approach. It is now obvious that such a strategy doesn't work anymore. Even as UK's record against teams with a good mix of transfers and recruits falters, Calipari hangs on to outdated ideas of how to win. Again, stubborn arrogance.
Finally, that same attitude of "I am doing it my way, win or lose" toward the fanbase has further isolated him from those that some warmly embraced him the first half dozen years of his tenure. At times he has become almost outright hostile toward fans and the media. Bordering on bizarre behavior.
The cumulative effect is a program that is no longer competitive in the regular season and in March. Added with a fanbase that is tired of losing and being told we are essentially clueless hillbillies, we've arrived at where we are today.
Even though Calipari has never been a brilliant bench coach or X's and O's guy, all of this might have been avoided if he had simply been receptive to change. UK fans will put up with a lot but, continually losing to our rivals and in March is not a tenable situation.
'Pride cometh before the fall, indeed.
