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UK’s best lineup and Cal’s agenda…

Cal's top priority is not winning basketball games. He doesn't even have to tell us that. You can see it by his actions or lack thereof.
 
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He has never made promises. The clown posse says Bradshaw is a favorite and Klutch is driving Cal to play him. He played 2 minutes. And about that the game before.

The clown posse says that Cal plays 5 star favorites to an agenda. Yet he plays Reeves and Mitchell major minutes. That alone destroys their argument but they are just too stupid and hate blind to see it.

Who are these experts with more than 800 college wins and in the HoF that says Cal is doing it wrong? Can you name even one? And provide the quote from that one?

Cal does have an agenda. You got one thing right. His agenda is to win and he does everything in his power to win. But his agenda is big picture winning.

It includes things like sticking with an Edwards thru struggles to get to the Edwards we have now. He had a bad game Friday night after improving steadily for a month.

Cal and the coaching staff know who to play and when. Basketball is fluid and the other team is trying to win too.

We are right now one of the top 3 teams in the country.

Your agenda can be to constantly whine about it or to get behind the team you claim to support.

It’s a choice.

clown-show.png
 
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He has never made promises. The clown posse says Bradshaw is a favorite and Klutch is driving Cal to play him. He played 2 minutes. And about that the game before.

The clown posse says that Cal plays 5 star favorites to an agenda. Yet he plays Reeves and Mitchell major minutes. That alone destroys their argument but they are just too stupid and hate blind to see it.

Who are these experts with more than 800 college wins and in the HoF that says Cal is doing it wrong? Can you name even one? And provide the quote from that one?

Cal does have an agenda. You got one thing right. His agenda is to win and he does everything in his power to win. But his agenda is big picture winning.

It includes things like sticking with an Edwards thru struggles to get to the Edwards we have now. He had a bad game Friday night after improving steadily for a month.

Cal and the coaching staff know who to play and when. Basketball is fluid and the other team is trying to win too.

We are right now one of the top 3 teams in the country.

Your agenda can be to constantly whine about it or to get behind the team you claim to support.

It’s a choice.
Unbelievable.. can I buy some of what you're smoking? Doesn't have to be much.. just a little.
 
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In fairness, the officials neutered Reeves. He only played 19 minutes. Wonder how many minutes he played with Sheppard and Dillingham?
Cal neutered Reeves. Cal neutered him when he got his second foul in the first half and Cal neutered him again when Reeves picked up his 3rd foul in the Second half just when we went on a 7-0 run AFTER Cal FINALLY got Reed
and Dilly in the game.

Reeves finished the game with 4 fouls. Refs didn't neuter him. The coach did by choosing not to play him with 2 and 3 fouls.
 
Actually if anything, Cal has done DJ a disservice and likely ruined any shred of confidence he had by continuing to start him.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to start knowing guys are playing better than me on the bench. I wouldn’t want to start know I’m going to get pulled as soon as things start getting ugly. These kids aren’t dumb…I’m sure DJ feels it and sees it too. I actually feel bad for the kid. Cals turning him into a charity case the likes we haven’t seen since Saul Smith.

I wonder how things would’ve played out letting DJ come off the bench with less pressure etc to let him find his game and develop as the season progressed. Like I said, I honestly feel bad for him and blame Cal.

Exactly what I've been saying. Same for Edwards. I bet Edwards comes out of his funk FAR faster had he come off the bench.
 
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It would depend on how much we were winning by. If we were to have gotten a lead that was comfortable Cal would have had Wagner in for one of those 3 at all times. If you notice anytime Kentucky gets a comfy lead he loves to then put his odd lineups in the game. Playing the 3 r's together as little as he has is mind boggling

It's either purposeful sabotage or he's the biggest idiot in college basketball. No two ways around it.
 
Look at what cal has also done with Z over the last few weeks after turning to Z with more frequent playing time. He’s asking Z to be the center he (cal) wants him to be, rather than letting Z be who he is. Z isn’t even looking for his shot up top any longer, cal has yet to run even one single pick and pop with him which is his greatest strength on that end of the court. Z looks like he is enjoying himself so much less on the court now than he was 2 weeks ago. Almost robotic out there which is not the Z we need as he has been much less effective since cal has gotten in his head.

Watched him get wide open off a pick and never got one look his way. Reed would've hit him for a massive dunk, but whoever had the ball then didn't even have their head up to see the court.
 
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Cal neutered Reeves. Cal neutered him when he got his second foul in the first half and Cal neutered him again when Reeves picked up his 3rd foul in the Second half just when we went on a 7-0 run AFTER Cal FINALLY got Reed
and Dilly in the game.

Reeves finished the game with 4 fouls. Refs didn't neuter him. The coach did by choosing not to play him with 2 and 3 fouls.
I asked my son “when is Cal going to play Reeves, when there’s three mins to go and we’re down 15?”
 
I asked my son “when is Cal going to play Reeves, when there’s three mins to go and we’re down 15?”
I wasn't being that nice. Cal has some of the dumbest "coaching rules" of any major coach I have ever seen.

He never takes into account anything like time, score, individual involved. Just follows his little personal coaching quirks. Ugh.
 
Well, Doc ... I have to disagree about "Z". I think Ugo is a much better choice. This has surprised me, but of late it seems that opposing guards take it to the hole at will on Z. Not so much on Ugo, I also think Ugo is a better defensive rebounder. And, finally we have plenty of scorers ... we don't need any points out of the "5" position, other than whatever comes on put-backs with offensive rebounds. I look at that as a wash, as between Z and Ugo.
Always give credence to your posts. You certainly know as much or more than I do about the issues.
Go 'Cats !
Ugo had 2 effing rebounds and 2 blocks and 2 points in 19 mins.

Z had 2 rebounds and 3 blocks and 7 points in 17 minutes.

This notion that Ugo is somehow better defensively because of rebounding and blocks just isn’t true. Even if he were better, he’s infinitely worse offensively. He can’t catch, and when he actually catches he struggles to finish. Ever wonder why Ugo doesn’t get the same lobs thrown to him that Z does?
 
Pg - Reed
2g - Wagner
3- Reeves
4- Edwards
5 - Thiero

RD0 - 6th man
7- Ugo/Z/AB . Whoever playing better other 2 sit most of game
8 - Mitchell


Sadly I think if we only had 1 7 footer whoe er it was would be alot better an a huge help. When you have too many sometimes it makes really have none
 
In fairness, the officials neutered Reeves. He only played 19 minutes. Wonder how many minutes he played with Sheppard and Dillingham?
Officials didn’t sit him down Cal did. Officials don’t sit anybody until they get 5 fouls. Coaches who sit players with 2, then 3, then 4,fouls out their own players by sitting them down guaranteeing the same result as fouling out. It makes no sense at all.

Let them play and you’ll get more minutes and more production out of them than taking them out after every foul, then letting them back in playing tentative and with no rhythm knowing they will go back out the next foul again.
 
"Has gone..."

I feel like "been" is more appropriate.

Folks, Cal told you all day one what he was going to do, and he's done it. Called his shot right into the corner pocket.

He's also reminded everyone all along the way. So, it's not like he just whispered it once to try and be sneaky and then everyone has forgotten.

Kudos to him in a way. He isn't a liar, and he hasn't gone back on his beliefs or "agenda" because of a clear down cycle and not so great success.

Most would've folded and half assed tried to pretend to switch it up. Going on a decade of average results at best and no FF sniffs, Cal is still like "Nah... I'm rolling with this. Full steam ahead"

That takes balls.

I'm tired of hearing all the belly aching. Everyone bought in. Even the old codgers who like to grumble from the porch. Everyone, from the biggest booster to the average Joe fan camping out in shit weather for 3 days to get a ticket to watch 5 guys, who won't be around the next season, practice.

-SEC tourney isn't important
-players first, draft nights
-don't schedule decently competitive OOC games vs big opponents at home
-don't put a lot of effort into talking to kids about coming back

Ya'll keep signing up for it.
I agree with everything except the he's not a liar part. You're right, he didn't lie about the point you're making, but he's lied about tons of other crap.
 
Officials didn’t sit him down Cal did. Officials don’t sit anybody until they get 5 fouls. Coaches who sit players with 2, then 3, then 4,fouls out their own players by sitting them down guaranteeing the same result as fouling out. It makes no sense at all.

Let them play and you’ll get more minutes and more production out of them than taking them out after every foul, then letting them back in playing tentative and with no rhythm knowing they will go back out the next foul again.
I could see sitting a big in a physical game because they are prone to fouling. But sitting your best guard? Guards can get away with playing more cautious on defense, especially when we aren't really a defensive team anyway and have to score points to win.
 
"Has gone..."

I feel like "been" is more appropriate.

Folks, Cal told you all day one what he was going to do, and he's done it. Called his shot right into the corner pocket.

He's also reminded everyone all along the way. So, it's not like he just whispered it once to try and be sneaky and then everyone has forgotten.

Kudos to him in a way. He isn't a liar, and he hasn't gone back on his beliefs or "agenda" because of a clear down cycle and not so great success.

Most would've folded and half assed tried to pretend to switch it up. Going on a decade of average results at best and no FF sniffs, Cal is still like "Nah... I'm rolling with this. Full steam ahead"

That takes balls.

I'm tired of hearing all the belly aching. Everyone bought in. Even the old codgers who like to grumble from the porch. Everyone, from the biggest booster to the average Joe fan camping out in shit weather for 3 days to get a ticket to watch 5 guys, who won't be around the next season, practice.

-SEC tourney isn't important
-players first, draft nights
-don't schedule decently competitive OOC games vs big opponents at home
-don't put a lot of effort into talking to kids about coming back

Ya'll keep signing up for it.
Cal is a liar.
It doesn't take ANY balls to stay with your agenda, even though it is a proven loser, IF you have a lifetime contract.
Cal dug his heels in and "quit" coaching for program wins before the ink dried on that lifetime contract.

IF his employment was dependent upon actually leading a legitimate winning program, you would see a different Cal.

His money and his success is HIS top agenda. The rest is just BS.
 
It has been clear for a long time now our best lineup is Shepard, Dillingham, Reeves, Z, and either Thiero or Edwards. Other coaches and experts alike all agree on this, so it’s not some fan delusion. They create a ton of space with their motion and create mismatches all over the floor on every possession.

Looking at the last game that was going to require triple digits to win, Cal basically didn’t play that lineup at all. So we can talk refs, defense, or any other factor, but what possible explanation is there for Cal refusing to play his best 5?

I believe Cal’s coaching has gone full agenda driven and not winning driven. He has done the one thing he swore he’d never do, “make promises”, and will stick by those even if it runs us into the ground. There is simply no other explanation for his lineup choices.

He has a McLaren on his bench ready to go at a moments notice, but he’s going to keep driving the Prius to get fuel savings rather than win the race. 100% agenda driven coaching.
Hey, Cow, why does your starting 5 never enter the lineup together again? Booyah.

in your face suck it GIF by Heute-Show
 
I'm pretty sure that lineup played exactly zero minutes yesterday. Every time Ivisic came in, Cal had Tre Mitchell in there with him. Cal is absolutely clueless when it comes to analytics.
That's what has killed me so much is some people are so much against Z, but he's always saddled with a broken down Tre. No lineup has looked good with Tre for a month. Just throw Reed, Dilly, Reeves, Theiro and Z out there and watch them run. Watch Z and Dilly run the pick and roll to prefetion. It isn't rocket science.
 
Two 7 footers tweak incoming


"How about if I.....?"

Hilarious. How about if you tried it last game to see if it worked? How about that?

"Hey, everybody. I'm really a genius! I just thought of this! I have ZERO other ideas, and i haven't told my "bigs" what to do when they DO come in, but it's still a great idea, right?! Am I not a genius for using my bench?!" - THE coach who hasn't sniffed a FF for about a dozen draft picks or more
 
Cal has always been agenda driven. Always. It's about one thing, and one thing only - THE NBA DRAFT and "CHANGING FAMILIES LIVES".

He will stick to his projected draft picks all year, and even more if they were projected early 1st rounders pre-season but fall down in mock drafts to the 2nd round or totally off the map. He then gives those same kids LOTS more time on the floor in an effort to get those draft numbers back up, even if it means losing games.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the first thing Cal looks at after a win/loss game is his players' draft stock movement. If they keep falling, in his mind he will keep jamming that square peg in the round hole.

Also I believe Cal coaches and designs plays more around those dropping draft stock kids than the ones that are better players. How often have we seen plays that are clearly designed to get Edwards and/or DJ going, sometimes back to back to back attempts.
Exactly
 
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If Cal has some sort of obligation or promise to start DJ, then how dumb does DJ feel being a starter just like starting the walk-ons for senior night only to have the 'real' starters sitting at the scorers desk at the tip off. You believe DJ is so dumb that he doesn't know who is playing better and what the starting lineup should be. Or has Salesman Cal sold him that he is just as good.

I will give you that maybe starting Dillingham could be risky since he is rather high energy and could easily pick up a quick two fouls but absolute coaching malpractice by not starting Reed. Putting a young team down early is just so wrong.
 
It has been clear for a long time now our best lineup is Shepard, Dillingham, Reeves, Z, and either Thiero or Edwards. Other coaches and experts alike all agree on this, so it’s not some fan delusion. They create a ton of space with their motion and create mismatches all over the floor on every possession.

Looking at the last game that was going to require triple digits to win, Cal basically didn’t play that lineup at all. So we can talk refs, defense, or any other factor, but what possible explanation is there for Cal refusing to play his best 5?

I believe Cal’s coaching has gone full agenda driven and not winning driven. He has done the one thing he swore he’d never do, “make promises”, and will stick by those even if it runs us into the ground. There is simply no other explanation for his lineup choices.

He has a McLaren on his bench ready to go at a moments notice, but he’s going to keep driving the Prius to get fuel savings rather than win the race. 100% agenda driven coaching.
 
It has been clear for a long time now our best lineup is Shepard, Dillingham, Reeves, Z, and either Thiero or Edwards. Other coaches and experts alike all agree on this, so it’s not some fan delusion. They create a ton of space with their motion and create mismatches all over the floor on every possession.

Looking at the last game that was going to require triple digits to win, Cal basically didn’t play that lineup at all. So we can talk refs, defense, or any other factor, but what possible explanation is there for Cal refusing to play his best 5?

I believe Cal’s coaching has gone full agenda driven and not winning driven. He has done the one thing he swore he’d never do, “make promises”, and will stick by those even if it runs us into the ground. There is simply no other explanation for his lineup choices.

He has a McLaren on his bench ready to go at a moments notice, but he’s going to keep driving the Prius to get fuel savings rather than win the race. 100% agenda driven coaching.
fantastic post you are all over it, guy has gone full metal jacket with fanbase and would rather burn it down rather than win, his press conference at his house last night literally outlined where he is at with the fans. He needs to go
 
I could see sitting a big in a physical game because they are prone to fouling. But sitting your best guard? Guards can get away with playing more cautious on defense, especially when we aren't really a defensive team anyway and have to score points to win.
Yeah there may be a few situational times I'd break my own rule but in the end it doesnt change the misguided logit of it all in that when you sit them down afraid of fouling you're doing the same thing as if they did foul out. The end result is they arent on the court contributing.

And the problme with that logic is when you go ahead and sit them down yourself out of fear of what MIGHT happen, you're guaranteeing to get at least some of the down side of actually fouling out when many of those time they may never have ever got their 5th foul by letting them play it out.

So why not get all the upside you can of their production leaving them on the floor to play in the rhythm of the game without fear of sitting on every touch foul and with still the bigger upside that they never get a 5th foul

vs.

Lets sit them 3 or 4 mintues from foul number 2 on guaranteeing them to miss at least 12 minutes (the same as fouling out at the 12 mintue mark of the second half) and losing prodcution when they are in because they are out of rhythm and playing tentatively because of foul trouble in their heads.

it just doesnt make any logical sense but coaches are programmed to do the same thing.

I know some say we need to save them for late game situations but if you'd had more floor time and better production from them during the game you wouldnt need them for late game situations. Points count the same early in the game as late.

"Foul Trouble" is a self inflicted phenomenom IMO
 
It has been clear for a long time now our best lineup is Shepard, Dillingham, Reeves, Z, and either Thiero or Edwards. Other coaches and experts alike all agree on this, so it’s not some fan delusion. They create a ton of space with their motion and create mismatches all over the floor on every possession.

Looking at the last game that was going to require triple digits to win, Cal basically didn’t play that lineup at all. So we can talk refs, defense, or any other factor, but what possible explanation is there for Cal refusing to play his best 5?

I believe Cal’s coaching has gone full agenda driven and not winning driven. He has done the one thing he swore he’d never do, “make promises”, and will stick by those even if it runs us into the ground. There is simply no other explanation for his lineup choices.

He has a McLaren on his bench ready to go at a moments notice, but he’s going to keep driving the Prius to get fuel savings rather than win the race. 100% agenda driven coaching.
First off, Rob and Reeves foul situations often dictate their playing time. Next...

The "promises" thing is amusing to me. You think if DJ is going to ask for any kind of "promise", it's going to be that he starts? You don't think it's embarassing for him to be subbed out 2 mins into the game? That's incredibly embarassing for starters, especially if they're not even in foul trouble. There's no way they asked for a promise to start, just no way. A promise for NIL, a promise for minutes played, a promise for shot attempts - but to want a guarantee to start but be ok with getting subbed out 2 mins into the game is foolish

I think Cal is trying to start the guys who typically play pretty solid defense, and hopefully to get a couple quick buckets to get some confidene going. It's a mistake, I agree - I'd rather Rob and Reed start - but I don't think it has anything to do with promises.
 
First off, Rob and Reeves foul situations often dictate their playing time. Next...

The "promises" thing is amusing to me. You think if DJ is going to ask for any kind of "promise", it's going to be that he starts? You don't think it's embarassing for him to be subbed out 2 mins into the game? That's incredibly embarassing for starters, especially if they're not even in foul trouble. There's no way they asked for a promise to start, just no way. A promise for NIL, a promise for minutes played, a promise for shot attempts - but to want a guarantee to start but be ok with getting subbed out 2 mins into the game is foolish

I think Cal is trying to start the guys who typically play pretty solid defense, and hopefully to get a couple quick buckets to get some confidene going. It's a mistake, I agree - I'd rather Rob and Reed start - but I don't think it has anything to do with promises.


This post is kind of funny. My post said nothing of playing time, it spoke of lineups. There isn’t a single reason that could exist that Cal never went to his best lineup. Unless someone is injured, that lineup is ALWAYS available for a stretch in any game.

Also you proved my point without meaning to as far as my take on “promises”. It is in fact embarrassing to start and then get yanked 2 minutes in, yet Cal does it EVERY SINGLE GAME. So why would he choose to embarrass these guys like that when the outcome is guaranteed? Kinda seems like a starting spot may have been “promised”.

I’m also not at all against the theory of Cal embarrassing some starters due to gross negligence. Maybe no promises, he may just be a stubborn idiot. Either theory is good by me.
 
This post is kind of funny. My post said nothing of playing time, it spoke of lineups. There isn’t a single reason that could exist that Cal never went to his best lineup. Unless someone is injured, that lineup is ALWAYS available for a stretch in any game.

Also you proved my point without meaning to as far as my take on “promises”. It is in fact embarrassing to start and then get yanked 2 minutes in, yet Cal does it EVERY SINGLE GAME. So why would he choose to embarrass these guys like that when the outcome is guaranteed? Kinda seems like a starting spot may have been “promised”.

I’m also not at all against the theory of Cal embarrassing some starters due to gross negligence. Maybe no promises, he may just be a stubborn idiot. Either theory is good by me.
I outlined why, potentially, he goes with that lineup to start the game - and it still having NOTHING to do with promises. He could EASILY start either Rob or Reed in place of Adou. Unless you're telling me he promised Adou a starting lineup. Also, wouldn't make any sense for Justin and DJ to be "promised" a starting lineup but not Bradshaw? Bradshaw was a top 10 recruit and even rated higher than DJ. DJ has been a UK lock since practically birth, no promise needed.

This idea of a promise is peddled by the lazy fans or the Cal haters. Simple as that.
 
This is true. However, the BS starting lineup is absurd. Literally plays that lineup 3-5 minutes to start and NEVER again for the remainder of the game.
He never plays that lineup again because he knows it's a bad lineup with which he has no chance to win. So why start that lineup? So many people have bought into the "it doesn't matter who starts, just how many minutes they get", but why is it that none can give reasons why it's good to keep 2/3 best players on the bench at the start of each half? That starting lineup has cost us several games and is not the reason we've won any of our games. Instead, we've had to overcome that lineup to win our games. It's stupidity or the wrong guys are starting because they were promised starting in high school. No other options...
 
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I outlined why, potentially, he goes with that lineup to start the game - and it still having NOTHING to do with promises. He could EASILY start either Rob or Reed in place of Adou. Unless you're telling me he promised Adou a starting lineup. Also, wouldn't make any sense for Justin and DJ to be "promised" a starting lineup but not Bradshaw? Bradshaw was a top 10 recruit and even rated higher than DJ. DJ has been a UK lock since practically birth, no promise needed.

This idea of a promise is peddled by the lazy fans or the Cal haters. Simple as that.

You’re hopelessly in love with Cal. Good on ya. Us debating this is pretty useless.
 
You’re hopelessly in love with Cal. Good on ya. Us debating this is pretty useless.
Ah yes, the even lazier mindset of, "if a poster doesn't blatantly bash Cal, poster must be in love with Cal"

I knew I had you pegged right away as lazy. You're right, we're not even debating. At least one of us isn't....
 
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Cal neutered Reeves. Cal neutered him when he got his second foul in the first half and Cal neutered him again when Reeves picked up his 3rd foul in the Second half just when we went on a 7-0 run AFTER Cal FINALLY got Reed
and Dilly in the game.

Reeves finished the game with 4 fouls. Refs didn't neuter him. The coach did by choosing not to play him with 2 and 3 fouls.
I rolled my eyes when Cal called a quick timeout because A&M got out to a quick start, DUH, and didn't sub during that timeout. Stubborn mule, that Cal.

If your star player has some foul trouble, you tell him to be smart, and give up a bucket if it means not fouling, because his presence is worth more. Two fouls and you sit rules are lazy and dumb.
 
Ah yes, the even lazier mindset of, "if a poster doesn't blatantly bash Cal, poster must be in love with Cal"

I knew I had you pegged right away as lazy. You're right, we're not even debating. At least one of us isn't....
🤣 I’m disengaging due an old saying you made me think of. Something about arguing with a fool…

Another saying about the fool who thinks he is wise comes to mind as well.
 
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