The reality is

[144catfan]

This is now UK basketball. Unless we have a Wall, Boogie, AD, KAT, or Fox type player we are going to struggle.
We will be good enough to make the tournament, compete for the SEC title (mostly because SEC is usually bad) and if we catch a few breaks we may make it to elite 8.

Without a dominant player that can take over a game we seeming have no direction offensively and you have to have a guy to go to in crunch time to win the last 3 or 4 games in March. We have not had one since Fox.

Guys like Murray and Booker and Monk could be red hot here and then ice cold, Herro as well. We haven’t had a good scoring big man since KAT and we didn’t use him with a championship basically on the line.

Folks this is what we are now, a team that’s good for 2 or 3 wins in the tournament, a team that’s gonna lose 7-10 games every year and lose a lot of game to power 5 non SEC schools.

We have went from expecting to be in final 4’s to a team that hopes to be in final 4’s. Starting to look a lot like Tubbys last 4 years

 

[AGEE11]

This is now UK basketball. Unless we have a Wall, Boogie, AD, KAT, or Fox type player we are going to struggle.
We will be good enough to make the tournament, compete for the SEC title (mostly because SEC is usually bad) and if we catch a few breaks we may make it to elite 8.

Without a dominant player that can take over a game we seeming have no direction offensively and you have to have a guy to go to in crunch time to win the last 3 or 4 games in March. We have not had one since Fox.

Guys like Murray and Booker and Monk could be red hot here and then ice cold, Herro as well. We haven’t had a good scoring big man since KAT and we didn’t use him with a championship basically on the line.

Folks this is what we are now, a team that’s good for 2 or 3 wins in the tournament, a team that’s gonna lose 7-10 games every year and lose a lot of game to power 5 non SEC schools.

We have went from expecting to be in final 4’s to a team that hopes to be in final 4’s. Starting to look a lot like Tubbys last 4 years

Tubby had one Elite 8 and 3 second round exits his last four years

Cal had 2 Elite 8s, a Sweet 16, and 1 second round exit.

Yeah, those look the same to me...

 

[WildcatFan60]

I was watching Lakers vs Denver last night, and saw Boogie on sidelines. Told my son, to think we had Boogie, Wall, and Bledsoe on 1 team. I doubt there are 3 freshmen in the entire country that will impact the NBA like those 3 have done last 10 years. Our talent level had dropped dramatically.

 

[$Z71$]

This is now UK basketball. Unless we have a Wall, Boogie, AD, KAT, or Fox type player we are going to struggle.
We will be good enough to make the tournament, compete for the SEC title (mostly because SEC is usually bad) and if we catch a few breaks we may make it to elite 8.

Without a dominant player that can take over a game we seeming have no direction offensively and you have to have a guy to go to in crunch time to win the last 3 or 4 games in March. We have not had one since Fox.

Guys like Murray and Booker and Monk could be red hot here and then ice cold, Herro as well. We haven’t had a good scoring big man since KAT and we didn’t use him with a championship basically on the line.

Folks this is what we are now, a team that’s good for 2 or 3 wins in the tournament, a team that’s gonna lose 7-10 games every year and lose a lot of game to power 5 non SEC schools.

We have went from expecting to be in final 4’s to a team that hopes to be in final 4’s. Starting to look a lot like Tubbys last 4 years

Even the Wall and Boogie team struggled early. They squeaked by several OOC games against subpar competition.

 

[144catfan]

Tubby had one Elite 8 and 3 second round exits his last four years

Cal had 2 Elite 8s, a Sweet 16, and 1 second round exit.

Yeah, those look the same to me...

I said they are starting to look like Tubby results, also you are fa

 

[144catfan]

I said they are starting to look like Tubby results, also you are forgetting we got beat by Kstate and a Auburn team we beat twice.

 

[144catfan]

Even the Wall and Boogie team struggled early. They squeaked by several OOC games against subpar competition.[/QUOTES
Struggle is one thing, lose to Evansville is another

 

[144catfan]

I get it takes a few months to get things together with a new group, but we tend to struggle in March the last few years, ever since the fox team.

 

[playmorezeppelin]

The level of talent coming out of high school these days seems to be far less superior than it used to be. A number one recruiting class today doesn't hold the same value it did 10 years ago.

 

[144catfan]

When’s the last time we came out in the tournament and whooped someone’s ass???

 

[AGEE11]

I said they are starting to look like Tubby results, also you are forgetting we got beat by Kstate and a Auburn team we beat twice.

Yes, K State employed a good stall ball / hack a PJ and got us. That tournament also saw the first ever 1 seed lose to a 16 seed and an 11 seed make the Final Four. Upsets do happen, we're not immune.

Auburn was the hottest team in the tournament and it took 9+ minutes of the refs not calling a foul on them for them to get us in OT. Also took a completely blown call for that same Auburn team to lose to the eventual champs.

When you are perpetually as successful as Cal's teams are, you get a high seed and lose in upsets.

But I was replying to your completely wrong first point about his seasons resembling Tubby's. Not who upset us the last two tournaments.

 

[144catfan]

The level of talent coming out of high school these days seems to be far less superior than it used to be. A number one recruiting class today doesn't hold the same value it did 10 years ago.

This is correct AAU ball has ruined learning basic basketball plays, it’s just a one on one show, which shows why guys can’t post, or make an entry pass etc,
Now the standing around running a weave for 20 seconds is completely on Cal and the staff

 

[144catfan]

Yes, K State employed a good stall ball / hack a PJ and got us. That tournament also saw the first ever 1 seed lose to a 16 seed and an 11 seed make the Final Four. Upsets do happen, we're not immune.

Auburn was the hottest team in the tournament and it took 9+ minutes of the refs not calling a foul on them for them to get us in OT. Also took a completely blown call for that same Auburn team to lose to the eventual champs.

When you are perpetually as successful as Cal's teams are, you get a high seed and lose in upsets.

But I was replying to your completely wrong first point about his seasons resembling Tubby's. Not who upset us the last two tournaments.

The k state game is on Cal and Cal only. Made no adjustments and continued to let PJ go to the line and have empty possessions. At some point as a coach in a do or die situation you had to get him out of that game.

 

[AGEE11]

The k state game is on Cal and Cal only. Made no adjustments and continued to let PJ go to the line and have empty possessions. At some point as a coach in a do or die situation you had to get him out of that game.

PJ was also the only person effectively scoring that game. Hard to take him out even if he was missing FTs left and right. It's a tough choice to bench your best player in the moment, even when they are struggling in one aspect. Hindsight makes the decision easier.

 

[playmorezeppelin]

This is correct AAU ball has ruined learning basic basketball plays, it’s just a one on one show, which shows why guys can’t post, or make an entry pass etc,
Now the standing around running a weave for 20 seconds is completely on Cal and the staff

It's like watching a pick up game sometimes.

 

[144catfan]

It just gets old watching crap for 3 months. If the offsetting results continued to be final 4 and such it would not be as bad, but after watching this team for a third of the season now do you think there is a chance in hell they could beat 4 good teams in a row??
We can’t beat 4 shit teams in a row right now, and without anything inside we are in big trouble

 

[TheDude73]

Tubby had one Elite 8 and 3 second round exits his last four years

Cal had 2 Elite 8s, a Sweet 16, and 1 second round exit.

Yeah, those look the same to me...

You’re comparing them as if Cal is in his last of the four years. Maybe compare when Cal is actually moved on from UK?

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

This board has been overran by puzzies, incessant whining and crying. We suck! We suck! Good Lord.

 

[144catfan]

PJ was also the only person effectively scoring that game. Hard to take him out even if he was missing FTs left and right. It's a tough choice to bench your best player in the moment, even when they are struggling in one aspect. Hindsight makes the decision easier.

That is another game Cal was content to play at a snails pace and let the opponent dictate the style that suits them

 

[144catfan]

It’s almost a ego thing with Cal that he is insistent on beating the other team at their own game, when u have better athletes you use that to your advantage. Athleticism has no benefit if your just going to let those athletes stand around for the whole shot clock

 

[kybassfan]

This board has been overran by puzzies, incessant whining and crying. We suck! We suck! Good Lord.

Damn, no kidding. Wussy boys have over run the place.

 

[AGEE11]

You’re comparing them as if Cal is in his last of the four years. Maybe compare when Cal is actually moved on from UK?

I'm comparing them because the OP literally said Cal's last four years were looking like Tubby's last four years. Just pointing out that is completely wrong

 

[TheDude73]

I'm comparing them because the OP literally said Cal's last four years were looking like Tubby's last four years. Just pointing out that is completely wrong

Oh I didn’t catch that from the OP. Sounded more like they were saying it’s looking like the start of the last four. But if he’s comparing literally the last four to Tubby’s, obviously he’s off.

 

[144catfan]

What has Cal accomplished since 2016 that blows Tubby out of the water??
2016 got our ass kicked by IU in tournament
2017 elite 8
2018 bearing by kstate in sweet 16 after barely surviving disaster in a wide open bracket
2019 getting beat in elite 8 by a team without their best player that we beat by 27 2 weeks prior

Not sure why you people cannot admit Cal is trending down the last four years.

 

[CatStucknWA]

I think there are players on this year's team that just didn't pan out.
Whitney, Sestina, EJ. From there, you could say that Cal is losing his ability to evaluate talent, but that's a huge stretch.
The parity in CBB this year just shows that this is one of those 'off' years as a whole.

 

[kybassfan]

I'm comparing them because the OP literally said Cal's last four years were looking like Tubby's last four years. Just pointing out that is completely wrong

The CLOD is only interested in crapping on Cal. They really aren’t concerned with accuracy.

 

[AGEE11]

I think there are players on this year's team that just didn't pan out.
Whitney, Sestina, EJ. From there, you could say that Cal is losing his ability to evaluate talent, but that's a huge stretch.
The parity in CBB this year just shows that this is one of those 'off' years as a whole.

Exactly. That's what gives me more hope than anything I see us do. It's what the other good teams don't do either. This is a wide open year. The tam that beat Michigan St shows up and we can play with anyone.

 

[AGEE11]

What has Cal accomplished since 2016 that blows Tubby out of the water??
2016 got our ass kicked by IU in tournament
2017 elite 8
2018 bearing by kstate in sweet 16 after barely surviving disaster in a wide open bracket
2019 getting beat in elite 8 by a team without their best player that we beat by 27 2 weeks prior

Not sure why you people cannot admit Cal is trending down the last four years.

Go back and read my previous reply for the last four years. Cal is trending down compared to his standards, nowhere near it compared to Tubby's

 

[kybassfan]

What has Cal accomplished since 2016 that blows Tubby out of the water??
2016 got our ass kicked by IU in tournament
2017 elite 8
2018 bearing by kstate in sweet 16 after barely surviving disaster in a wide open bracket
2019 getting beat in elite 8 by a team without their best player that we beat by 27 2 weeks prior

Not sure why you people cannot admit Cal is trending down the last four years.

Cause he isn’t? Let me cherry pick the stats and I can make any coach look bad. Why do you expect everyone to be dumb enough to believe this garbage?

 

[144catfan]

Cal needs to put his ego aside and get someone on his staff that can teach something that resembles an offensive game plan other than driving the lane with 5 seconds on the shot clock.
It’s pathetic. Now it different when you have guys in there capable of getting a rebound or a put back but our bigs are and have been soft as charmin for a while now.

 

[144catfan]

Cause he isn’t? Let me cherry pick the stats and I can make any coach look bad. Why do you expect everyone to be dumb enough to believe this garbage?

Not garbage, those are actual results. Tubbys first 4-5 years weren’t bad but his teams continued to look a bit weaker year after year, sound familiar to what’s going on now?
You do realize we didn’t play a major conference team until Auburn in the tournament last year?

 

[yoshukai]

It's like watching a pick up game sometimes.

IMO pick up games have a better flow simply because the there are no zebras there vying for attention . College basketball officiating is atrocious nowadays and is really hurting the game .

 

[kybassfan]

Not garbage, those are actual results. Tubbys first 4-5 years weren’t bad but his teams continued to look a bit weaker year after year, sound familiar to what’s going on now?
You do realize we didn’t play a major conference team until Auburn in the tournament last year?

So? You do realize we weren’t even the biggest upset in the 4th round. You do realize upsets are common. You do realize only 4 teams are in the final four. You do realize they don’t take turns. You do realize teams have good and bad days. I can do this all day. It’s easy to cherry pick bull crap.

Go pick your your cherries elsewhere.

 

[KyFaninNC]

Go back and read my previous reply for the last four years. Cal is trending down compared to his standards, nowhere near it compared to Tubby's

The CND can’t read very well, it seems.

 

[AGEE11]

So? You do realize we weren’t even the biggest upset in the 4th round. You do realize upsets are common. You do realize only 4 teams are in the final four. You do realize they don’t take turns. You do realize teams have good and bad days. I can do this all day. It’s easy to cherry pick bull crap.

Go pick your your cherries elsewhere.

He's not interested in accuracy as you said earlier. Just pick facts to fit his narrative. he may work for CNN.

 

[Cal-4-Three]

This is now UK basketball. Unless we have a Wall, Boogie, AD, KAT, or Fox type player we are going to struggle.
We will be good enough to make the tournament, compete for the SEC title (mostly because SEC is usually bad) and if we catch a few breaks we may make it to elite 8.

Without a dominant player that can take over a game we seeming have no direction offensively and you have to have a guy to go to in crunch time to win the last 3 or 4 games in March. We have not had one since Fox.

Guys like Murray and Booker and Monk could be red hot here and then ice cold, Herro as well. We haven’t had a good scoring big man since KAT and we didn’t use him with a championship basically on the line.

Folks this is what we are now, a team that’s good for 2 or 3 wins in the tournament, a team that’s gonna lose 7-10 games every year and lose a lot of game to power 5 non SEC schools.

We have went from expecting to be in final 4’s to a team that hopes to be in final 4’s. Starting to look a lot like Tubbys last 4 years

Really wish the Mods would start taking the trash out around here. A trash post by a trash poster.

 

[144catfan]

So? You do realize we weren’t even the biggest upset in the 4th round. You do realize upsets are common. You do realize only 4 teams are in the final four. You do realize they don’t take turns. You do realize teams have good and bad days. I can do this all day. It’s easy to cherry pick bull crap.

Go pick your your cherries elsewhere.

I guess if it don’t bother you our coach spends more time talking about his former players success in the NBA than teaching his current players to succeed in college and winning games at the place he is actually paid to provide results then I guess we won’t find much common ground.
Wonder why the Bookers, Murray’s, Herros, etc become weapons at the next level but couldn’t do that here against much lesser competition? Look at KAT. Can dominate in the NBA but not against college kids? Cal is a recruiter at this point and not much of a coach.
He could have been a legend here but instead wants his legacy to be how many guys are in the NBA. Guess his Grand Canyon size ego is still hurt because he was a failure as a coach in the NBA and having the league full of his players 20 years after his pro tenure makes up for that in his mind.
He is paid by UK and that needs to be his priority end of story.

 

[144catfan]

Really wish the Mods would start taking the trash out around here. A trash post by a trash poster.

Maybe Mitch should start taking out the trash as well since we can’t sell out Rupp and TV ratings are down due to trash games like Evansville and Utah

 

[144catfan]

Facts are this is Cals longest Final 4 drought since he has been here, fact until the last couple years Kentucky had always played up to or beyond its seed in the tournament.
Fact we are now being beaten by mid majors, fact this style of play is horrid and the majority of the fan base is growing restless.

 

[Kampus Korner]

This is now UK basketball. Unless we have a Wall, Boogie, AD, KAT, or Fox type player we are going to struggle.
We will be good enough to make the tournament, compete for the SEC title (mostly because SEC is usually bad) and if we catch a few breaks we may make it to elite 8.

Without a dominant player that can take over a game we seeming have no direction offensively and you have to have a guy to go to in crunch time to win the last 3 or 4 games in March. We have not had one since Fox.

Guys like Murray and Booker and Monk could be red hot here and then ice cold, Herro as well. We haven’t had a good scoring big man since KAT and we didn’t use him with a championship basically on the line.

Folks this is what we are now, a team that’s good for 2 or 3 wins in the tournament, a team that’s gonna lose 7-10 games every year and lose a lot of game to power 5 non SEC schools.

We have went from expecting to be in final 4’s to a team that hopes to be in final 4’s. Starting to look a lot like Tubbys last 4 years

Good Grief!! It’s only 2 days before Christmas and the “nattering nabobs of negativism” are out in full force with their doomsday, woe is me, sky is falling expectations. I’m beginning to wonder if old Ebenezer Scrooge himself is not the one spewing out all of these cataclysmic forecasts for UK’s basketball future. Damn! I didn’t know the Fellowship of the Miserable had expanded its membership to such an extent. On the other hand, maybe all of these pejorative prognostications are simply the same posters who wake up from their hibernation every December/January to tell us there will be a lump of coal in our stocking come Christmas morning.

Conspicuously absent from these, in a death spiral posts, is any suggestion or recommendation as to who they believe would take the UK job and produce better results than John Calipari. I hope someone is taking the names of all these naysayers and will publish them in March when UK is once again playing its best. Cal has more than proven he’s the best person to lead UK’s team for the foreseeable future.