To be or not to be. Can

[KingCal9]

Calipari "tweak" the O&D beast that he has created?
Kentucky basketball hangs in the balance more than ever this coming season in the Calipari era.
In my mind, the only chance for Kentucky to be a true contender for next years National Title (with almost zero experience returning), the following must happen:
1. Sign Bamba
2. Sign Baker
3. Sign Johnson
Sign Knox, or if Bam returns with the above happening, Kentucky is the favorite to win the title. That is alot of "ifs"!

To cut out so many "ifs" moving forward, Calipari must evolve the O&D to include recruiting Graduate Transfers yearly to complete a roster with experience to go along with raw, young talent.

Calipari's best teams at Umass, Memphis and Kentucky have all had quality experience mixed with some Talent. The Graduate Transfer will allow Calipari the opportunity to have some quality battle tested experience mixed with a boat load of talent! The best of both worlds.

Gonzagas run to the title is a perfect example of cobbling quality transfers together with some talent. Calipari is equipped more than any coach to do just that in a big way, blazing a trail of success for the next 3-6 years.

I'm excited about Calipari's 30 for 30 coming out Thursday but in a way it's almost like posting ones obituary before they die.
I truly believe Calipari's best years are ahead at Kentucky "if" he can tweak the O&D beast that he has created by simply adding the last key ingredient: Graduate Transfers.
Time for # 9!

 

[Louis_Skunt]

"For UK to be a title contender"
That all goes out the door, and we all realized that this year. Cal knows more about basketball than anyone on this board.
We're a title contender EVERY year, whether Bamba comes or not.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

Why does it hang in the balance more than ever? Is the world ending if 1 of 300 division 1 schools doesn't win a championship next year? Hell Kansas should just shut down their program if that's the case. 2008? Only 3 in 100 plus years of playing. Damn.

 

[KingCal9]

It hangs in the balance because Kentucky has almost Zero experience returning. No Willis, Hawkins, Dom or Mulder.
To add insult to injury, Briscoe should clearly return and is not.
I love Calipari and he has had remarkable success here at Kentucky. However, you can't expect to seriously contend every year with a mass exodus.

 

[KingCal9]

It's all about increasing your odds. Kentucky fights the refs, they are everybody's Super Bowl, and we get the toughest tourny bracket every year! It is imperative that we add Grad Transfers to go with all that young talent!

 

[spotter34]

It hangs in the balance because Kentucky has almost Zero experience returning. No Willis, Hawkins, Dom or Mulder.
To add insult to injury, Briscoe should clearly return and is not.
I love Calipari and he has had remarkable success here at Kentucky. However, you can't expect to seriously contend every year with a mass exodus.

But he has contended every year he's been here except the NIT year (which was aided by Noel's injury), and the 2016 team but that team had a chance but lost in round of 32.

You said "No Willis, Hawkins, Dom, or Mulder". You do realize Hawkins and Dom are the same person, right?

 

[KingCal9]

Oops on tbe Dom, lol. Yes, he has contended BUT he needs to stack his teams with not only blue chip talent, with Experienced Grad Transfers as well.

 

[hotelblue]

what hangs in the balance?

 

[UKWildcats#8]

It's freaking basketball, not the Battle for Middle Earth OP. Hangs in the balance

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

"For UK to be a title contender"
That all goes out the door, and we all realized that this year. Cal knows more about basketball than anyone on this board.
We're a title contender EVERY year, whether Bamba comes or not.

We had no chance in 2013 even with Noel. In 2016, we were down as well and were simply a two-man team.

We have no one returning. We have never made a Final Four without some contribution from returning players.

I trust Cal but we all know there are down years with this system and that's why it sucks so badly to not win it when we have the chance to.

 

[harlancatfan]

We had no chance in 2013 even with Noel. In 2016, we were down as well and were simply a two-man team.

We have no one returning. We have never made a Final Four without some contribution from returning players.

I trust Cal but we all know there are down years with this system and that's why it sucks so badly to not win it when we have the chance to.

For me, the 2015 season is what done me in. We were the best team in the country that year and had 2 games left to prove it. Cal decides to be stubborn and let 6"11 Frank Kaminsky go one on one with 6"6 Devin Booker and Frank simply abused him consistently. I will never understand why no adjustment to this was made by a basketball Genius that Cal is paid over 8 million a year to be. Since that game, I have been numb basketball wise in many ways since that night.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

We had no chance in 2013 even with Noel. In 2016, we were down as well and were simply a two-man team.

We have no one returning. We have never made a Final Four without some contribution from returning players.

I trust Cal but we all know there are down years with this system and that's why it sucks so badly to not win it when we have the chance to.

We have some players returning. Gabriel will be back, Hump may be back, and who knows if Bam will or not.

And in 2014 UK pretty much made it to the Final Four with all freshmen except a soph Poy. He was not a starter.

 

[JC43]

Like every year, with the exception of one, UK has always been in the conversation for a NC...Cal is who he is, he will bring us there again. I enjoy every season. Like a lot teams who win the NC, it takes talent, coaching, and luck. There wasn't a game in tourny that I never thought we could win. That, is amazing. Yes, I've been frustrated, I've accused refs and CBS of conspiracy. This year was probably the hardest to swallow cause despite horriblely called first half, we led, was behind, and had it tied with 7 sec left. It took a folk hero, walk on to beat us. Cal will always have us in contention to win it all come March.

 

[Beast Johnson]

Kentucky Basketball

 

[Ocornett]

Kentucky Basketball

NO.

 

[kats23]

It hangs in the balance because Kentucky has almost Zero experience returning. No Willis, Hawkins, Dom or Mulder.
To add insult to injury, Briscoe should clearly return and is not.
I love Calipari and he has had remarkable success here at Kentucky. However, you can't expect to seriously contend every year with a mass exodus.

But we do contend practically every year even with a mass exodus. '13 and '16 really being the exception. I get it. '15 pissed a lot of people off including me. That's why these stupid threads and some stupid responses continue on here and in the national media. But let's look at our competition. Apparently, all those teams are contending year in and year out with some magic potion Cal has yet to figure out who is not contending.

UNC- title winner this year runner up the year before, with 2009 being the last one so they have contended recently but '13 '14 '15 they didn't make past the Sweet 16.

Kansas- no title since 08 and '14 '15 didn't make it out of the first weekend. Runner up in '12

Duke.- '10 and '15 but didn't hit the Final Four any other year. '11 '12 '14 '16 didn't make it past the Sweet 16.

UCONN- here's the team that fires everyone up. 2 titles in '11 and '14. But prior to that hadn't made it past the Sweet 16 since '09. Didn't make the tournament in '10 '13 '15' '17. Yes, they have one more title but would you want that program over Cal's right now. The only reason I include them is bc they have 2 titles.

UL- One title in '13 and a FF in '12. Didn't make it past the first weekend in '10 '11 '16 or '17.

UK-1 title 1 runner up and 2 final fours. Didn't make the tourney in '13. Once has been bounced before the Sweet 16.

UK has done better, or at least as well in the 7 years Cal has been here compared to the top programs. Now if you only take titles as your measure for success, 2 other programs have done better but the others, UK is just as good. That's with turning over a roster every year. The narrative likes to get thrown around and because of the choke job in 15 , it sometimes sticks but we're contending. I know next year has some issues and they may have a down year but so do all the other top programs and Cal has a track record if there is a down year he has a great one the next year.