Does an elephant come with a trunk?Is CAL one of UK's top 3 coaches of all time?
This is how I see it too. Pitino and Cal are neck and neck.Rupp
---------
Calipari
Pitino
---------
Hall
---------
Smith
Right behind Rupp. Rick a distant 3rd and Joe B right on his tail.
Rupp. Cal, Hall, Tubby, Pitino is distance because of his character which should be a part of a winner..
I don't see how you can put RP a "distant 3rd". I'd say 2 & 3 are close (could go either way). Personally I'd go RP #2, but wouldn't argue w/ Cal #2.
Cal - 8 years, 1 championship, 1 runner-up, 4 F4's, 6 E8's. He inherited a team that BG had taken to mediocrity with only 1 talented player returning.
RP - 8 years, 1 championship, 1 runner-up, 3 F4's, 5 E8's in 6 tournament eligible years. He inherited a team on probation (no tv or tournament for 2 years) & no returning talent.
Besides the obvious(Final Fours are not easy, having 1 more in as many years coaching is huge), it's pretty easy. Rick left, Cal's not done. And the talent representing Kentucky in the NBA thanks to Cal. There's plenty other reasons I could come up with but yea it's not even close for me...Rick's many personal issues not even counting.
Pitino's numbers are actually better. He had six eligible yrs compared to eight for Cal. Pitino did not go to the NIT either.Besides the obvious(Final Fours are not easy, having 1 more in as many years coaching is huge), it's pretty easy. Rick left, Cal's not done. And the talent representing Kentucky in the NBA thanks to Cal. There's plenty other reasons I could come up with but yea it's not even close for me...Rick's many personal issues not even counting.
I have to AGREE with JRowland on this matter! Pitino brought UK back from the PITT'S of doom for College Basketball, and it was before all this one and doneRupp
---------
Calipari
Pitino
---------
Hall
---------
Smith
Cal inherited Billy G's crap stain which actually included 3 or 4 contributors to the rebuild in Harris, PP and D Miller and maybe Perry Stevenson. Pitino got the Unforgettables, Miller and Hanson I think. That's no returning talent? I don't think so. It's a wash talent wise but it was harder to recruit for RP due to the probation but he, like every other coach in all of time, can't hold a candle to Cal recruiting. Cal is 2nd best easily IMO.I don't see how you can put RP a "distant 3rd". I'd say 2 & 3 are close (could go either way). Personally I'd go RP #2, but wouldn't argue w/ Cal #2.
Cal - 8 years, 1 championship, 1 runner-up, 4 F4's, 6 E8's. He inherited a team that BG had taken to mediocrity with only 1 talented player returning.
RP - 8 years, 1 championship, 1 runner-up, 3 F4's, 5 E8's in 6 tournament eligible years. He inherited a team on probation (no tv or tournament for 2 years) & no returning talent.
And then an even steeper drop to the tier Billy is on.Rupp
---------
Calipari
Pitino
---------
Hall
---------
Smith
Dude. Hall was a great recruiter. He and Tubby shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence when it comes to recruiting. Hall put together the 78 team, one of the best ever at UK. He had top 10 classes almost every year at UK. His player development was in question sometimes.Rick Pitino is a despicable human being. With that said, and notwithstanding that . . . Pitino is, IMHO, by a substantial margin the best basketball coach to ever coach at U.K. My ranking of the top two is:
1. Pitino
2. Rupp
After that, we get into the minutia of the issue: Are we talking only about "coaching", as opposed to "recruiting", or does the ranking lump those two aspects of the position together, etc.?
I think Joe B. Hall and Tubby Smith were about equally mediocre basketball coaches, with very little difference as recruiters. Players came to play for Hall for no reason other than that he was the coach at U.K. Same for Tubby. I think Eddie Sutton was a slightly better basketball coach and a slightly better recruiter than either of those, but I think his off-court demons were so significant as to put him on the same level, for the purpose of this exercise, of Hall and Tubby.
I assume that we can all agree that BCG is not in the discussion.
3. Calipari
I rank Calipari as No. 3, solely on the basis of his status as the best recruiter ever in college basketball. Even if one assumes that he is only mediocre as a "coach", comparable to Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, his recruiting prowess elevates him far above Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, IMHO.
Rick Pitino is a despicable human being. With that said, and notwithstanding that . . . Pitino is, IMHO, by a substantial margin the best basketball coach to ever coach at U.K. My ranking of the top two is:
1. Pitino
2. Rupp
After that, we get into the minutia of the issue: Are we talking only about "coaching", as opposed to "recruiting", or does the ranking lump those two aspects of the position together, etc.?
I think Joe B. Hall and Tubby Smith were about equally mediocre basketball coaches, with very little difference as recruiters. Players came to play for Hall for no reason other than that he was the coach at U.K. Same for Tubby. I think Eddie Sutton was a slightly better basketball coach and a slightly better recruiter than either of those, but I think his off-court demons were so significant as to put him on the same level, for the purpose of this exercise, of Hall and Tubby.
I assume that we can all agree that BCG is not in the discussion.
3. Calipari
I rank Calipari as No. 3, solely on the basis of his status as the best recruiter ever in college basketball. Even if one assumes that he is only mediocre as a "coach", comparable to Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, his recruiting prowess elevates him far above Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, IMHO.
You're ignoring Cal's greatest accomplishment: He's made UK the most talked about school in basketball.Pitino's numbers are actually better. He had six eligible yrs compared to eight for Cal. Pitino did not go to the NIT either.
Right now...Pitino 2 with Cal at a very close 3. Very close.
So did Cal if you remember.I have to AGREE with JRowland on this matter! Pitino brought UK back from the PITT'S of doom for College Basketball, and it was before all this one and done!!
Rick Pitino is a despicable human being. With that said, and notwithstanding that . . . Pitino is, IMHO, by a substantial margin the best basketball coach to ever coach at U.K. My ranking of the top two is:
1. Pitino
2. Rupp
After that, we get into the minutia of the issue: Are we talking only about "coaching", as opposed to "recruiting", or does the ranking lump those two aspects of the position together, etc.?
I think Joe B. Hall and Tubby Smith were about equally mediocre basketball coaches, with very little difference as recruiters. Players came to play for Hall for no reason other than that he was the coach at U.K. Same for Tubby. I think Eddie Sutton was a slightly better basketball coach and a slightly better recruiter than either of those, but I think his off-court demons were so significant as to put him on the same level, for the purpose of this exercise, of Hall and Tubby.
I assume that we can all agree that BCG is not in the discussion.
3. Calipari
I rank Calipari as No. 3, solely on the basis of his status as the best recruiter ever in college basketball. Even if one assumes that he is only mediocre as a "coach", comparable to Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, his recruiting prowess elevates him far above Hall, Tubby, and Sutton, IMHO.
Please just go away. Recruiting is a huge part of coaching period. People who say Cal can't coach are silly. I remember him beating Pitinos 96 team with freaking UMass and destroying a Tubby coached UK as well. Number 2 for me. Went from dumpster fire to competing for a title in 2.5 months of recruiting.Rick Pitino is a despicable human being. Eddie Sutton was a drunk. With that said.
1. Pitino
2. Rupp
3. Sutton
T4. Hall
T4. Calipari