The John Calipari Appreciation and Well Wishes Thread

[CELTICAT]

Let’s go ahead and start this and please, only genuine, thankful posts. This is no place to bash the outgoing coach. You can literally do that in every other thread on the front page and you won’t even stand out at this point.

I wish John Calipari all the best. We had a great run and most of us will judge future high points by what he did during that especially excellent stretch. The 2012 team was superlative and more than worthy to among the great teams to raise a banner in Rupp. I hope one day we put one up there for Cal too.

He was just what we needed when he came and he added a great deal to our program’s overall legacy.

Thank you, Cal, best of luck in your future endeavors.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

…hmmm….🤓🤔


NAH

 

[HDAWG123455]

I’d be shocked if he went anywhere.

 

[TheBlueMist]

Thanks for the humanitarian efforts for those in need, Cal. I also liked watching a few of your teams.

 

[WeWant9]

I had a blast 2010-2017. A lot of great memories watching those games with family and friends.

 

[Backer cutter]

🫤

 

[Sejonesy]

I’d be shocked if he went anywhere.

He’s not going to Texas or anywhere else for that matter

 

[Notorious23]

Cal is stuck here similar to a male dog with a female dog in heat.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Here's to recovering from the recent bump in the road, and to the Next Ten years with a run like 2009-2019, when you dominated the game of college basketball -- SEVEN trips as far as the Elite Eight in ten seasons, FOUR Final Fours, TWO appearances in the Championship game and a NATIONAL Championship.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

Here's to recovering from the recent bump in the road, and to the Next Ten years with a run like 2009-2019, when you dominated the game of college basketball -- SEVEN trips as far as the Elite Eight in ten seasons, FOUR Final Fours, TWO appearances in the Championship game and a NATIONAL Championship.

You HAVE to be a Calipari. Nobody hugs onto his n*ts like you do. That’s your right though.

 

[aikenite4uk]

It was fun while it lasted until you lost your recruiting mojo.

 

[bbncal02]

He’s not going to Texas or anywhere else for that matter

11 million to be done with the bennies? Sounds like a deal.

 

[TOMCATS1990]

Was a good ride especially early on. All good things have to end and your time at KY is up. Best of Luck in Austin.

 

[BlueSince92]

Cal to Texas is official?

Or is this a 15 seconds thing…

 

[cornbreadnmilk]

Here's to recovering from the recent bump in the road, and to the Next Ten years with a run like 2009-2019, when you dominated the game of college basketball -- SEVEN trips as far as the Elite Eight in ten seasons, FOUR Final Fours, TWO appearances in the Championship game and a NATIONAL Championship.

Can you go with him?Asking for a friend.

 

[CROCAT]

Here's to recovering from the recent bump in the road, and to the Next Ten years with a run like 2009-2019, when you dominated the game of college basketball -- SEVEN trips as far as the Elite Eight in ten seasons, FOUR Final Fours, TWO appearances in the Championship game and a NATIONAL Championship.

2019-present is "bump in the road" ?

Nah, it's "driving off a cliff"
Just a quick recap for the few Cow Kool Aid drinkers left:


2019-20

• worst home loss in the history of the basketball program

2020-21

• worst record for the program in 100 years
• missed the NCAA tournament

2021-22

• worst tournament loss in the history of the program
• lost status as the most winningest program in history

2022-23

• Top 5 preseason team with the reigning NPOY is on track to likely miss the tournament

 

[etownblue25]

His failure started the first season when he underachieving with Wall, Cousins and company. He underachieved every year after that besides 2012 and being bailed out by last second miracle shots.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

 

[MatteoV25]

I still have faith in Cal...this year is a wash in my book, if anything of value happens then good, if not then my life isn't going to be ruined like it will be for some of you. My eyes are focused on next year and the years after. This coaching staff is finally returning to a level where they are landing multiple top 10 kids and I think it just takes time to recover from the past few years. 2020-Covid year keeps us from the tournament, 2021-Cunningham would've been here if OSU doesn't hire his brother and we definitely don't go 9-16, 2022-Injuries and the Sharpe fiasco keeps us from a tournament win, 2023-Sharpe fiasco continues and replacements from last year's rosters just aren't clicking. It seems like for the past few years, we are a couple of decisions and bad luck situations from contending for a title. I'm going to try and stay positive for the future

 

[delk4three]

Bye Cal!

 

[STL_Cat]

Here's to recovering from the recent bump in the road, and to the Next Ten years with a run like 2009-2019, when you dominated the game of college basketball -- SEVEN trips as far as the Elite Eight in ten seasons, FOUR Final Fours, TWO appearances in the Championship game and a NATIONAL Championship.

This dude right here would have been awesome as the violinist on the Titanic.

 

[Lazlo7]

Thank you for giving us hope to start off each season and we wish you well. You might try to be a little more open in the future to others advice and to adapt, grow and change. Best of Luck, Laz

 

[STL_Cat]

I still have faith in Cal...this year is a wash in my book, if anything of value happens then good, if not then my life isn't going to be ruined like it will be for some of you. My eyes are focused on next year and the years after. This coaching staff is finally returning to a level where they are landing multiple top 10 kids and I think it just takes time to recover from the past few years. 2020-Covid year keeps us from the tournament, 2021-Cunningham would've been here if OSU doesn't hire his brother and we definitely don't go 9-16, 2022-Injuries and the Sharpe fiasco keeps us from a tournament win, 2023-Sharpe fiasco continues and replacements from last year's rosters just aren't clicking. It seems like for the past few years, we are a couple of decisions and bad luck situations from contending for a title. I'm going to try and stay positive for the future

This year is a wash. A year with the returning NPOY (first time we've seen that in college basketball in over 15 years), key returners, and a great recruiting class. It's a wash.

I swear nothing matters to some of you anymore as long as Cal sticks around. Wins and losses don't even matter anymore. Just a wash.

Seriously unbelievable.

lol @ the "life is ruined" nonsense. My life is fine. This is a board about the Kentucky basketball program. Such a dumb thing you pumpers say all the time. Get outta here

 

[RunninRichie]

I still have faith in Cal...this year is a wash in my book, if anything of value happens then good, if not then my life isn't going to be ruined like it will be for some of you. My eyes are focused on next year and the years after. This coaching staff is finally returning to a level where they are landing multiple top 10 kids and I think it just takes time to recover from the past few years. 2020-Covid year keeps us from the tournament, 2021-Cunningham would've been here if OSU doesn't hire his brother and we definitely don't go 9-16, 2022-Injuries and the Sharpe fiasco keeps us from a tournament win, 2023-Sharpe fiasco continues and replacements from last year's rosters just aren't clicking. It seems like for the past few years, we are a couple of decisions and bad luck situations from contending for a title. I'm going to try and stay positive for the future

Just wait till next year. Hey wait, 2012 was 20 years ago? Guys, hello?

 

[MatteoV25]

This year is a wash. A year with the returning NPOY (first time we've seen that in college basketball in over 15 years), key returners, and a great recruiting class. It's a wash.

I swear nothing matters to some of you anymore as long as Cal sticks around. Wins and losses don't even matter anymore. Just a wash.

Seriously unbelievable.

lol @ the "life is ruined" nonsense. My life is fine. This is a board about the Kentucky basketball program. Such a dumb thing you pumpers say all the time. Get outta here

You seem upset…

 

[MatteoV25]

Just wait till next year. Hey wait, 2012 was 20 years ago? Guys, hello?

It’s almost like it’s really hard to be consistently great in college basketball

 

[RunninRichie]

It’s almost like it’s really hard to be consistently great in college basketball

You house of blue guys are straight NPCs.

 

[bbncal02]

You seem upset…

Lol. He should be at how crappy the last three years have been.

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

You seem upset…

You seem to be a pumper

 

[kartmd]

This thread reminds me of the meme showing the giant oil tanker headed towards what looks like a hurricane lol

 

[VAWildcat15]

Calipari was excellent up until about 2017 (or maybe 2019) and it’s revisionist history to pretend otherwise. Kentucky basketball was an absolute blast until that point and I didn’t miss a single game if it was possible for me to watch. A title, four final fours, and two baskets away from two more final fours in that time.

I’ll save the criticism for other threads (seriously don’t even try to pretend I’m a Cal apologist, read pretty much anything I’ve said on here all season if you want to throw any flavor of that comment at me), but UK basketball was so much fun for Cal’s first ten years.

 

[CatPhight]

 

[SemperFiCat]

Thank you for all you've done for the NBA. Those guys never would have had a chance to end generational poverty without your basketball tutelage.

And as a personal note, I'm embarrassed to say it's true... I was a basketball bennie, until your masterful knowledge of basketball educated me. Thank you!

 

[ManitouDan]

When he apologizes to BBN , I'll change my attitude .

 

[dcw62]

The 38-0 team was Cal's Zenith at his time here at UK until the clock ran out(38-1) against Wisconsin..And the decline began after that.Up to that point, I had never had so much fun following the program since Pitino...Yes he's been to a few final eights but has always been outcoached in those...There is no fun following this program any more but thanks anyway for the first 5 or 6 years.

 

[MatteoV25]

Guess it’s completely unacceptable for some of you that someone can post something positive in a thread meant to be positive. Let’s grow up guys, college kids winning or losing basketball games should not be the highlight of life

 

[STL_Cat]

You seem upset…

I'm upset with the status of the UK basketball program. Never been better in every other aspect of my life.

See how that works? It's a silly thing you pumpers try to say to deflect attention of the subject at hand.

 

[STL_Cat]

Guess it’s completely unacceptable for some of you that someone can post something positive in a thread meant to be positive. Let’s grow up guys, college kids winning or losing basketball games should not be the highlight of life

You can say something positive if you wish, where you miss the mark is the silly stuff about people's lives being ruined. It kills the rest of your entire post and just exposes you.

And look, you did it again with this post ....

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

Calipari was excellent up until about 2017 (or maybe 2019) and it’s revisionist history to pretend otherwise. Kentucky basketball was an absolute blast until that point and I didn’t miss a single game if it was possible for me to watch. A title, four final fours, and two baskets away from two more final fours in that time.

I’ll save the criticism for other threads (seriously don’t even try to pretend I’m a Cal apologist, read pretty much anything I’ve said on here all season if you want to throw any flavor of that comment at me), but UK basketball was so much fun for Cal’s first ten years.

2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 say otherwise

 

[blackcat714]

Thanks for the memories i will never forget that 9-16 team