What have you found most surprising about John Calipari?

[Phil_The_Music]

To me he seems arrogant and a little smug on TV. But I've met him in person and so has my Mom. He's just a super nice guy and seems to genuinely care about people and respects the fans. He goes out of his way to make interactions with him a positive experience for UK fans.

 

[Blue Decade]

That he's only won one title.

Not complaining, just surprised

Next title is coming soon. UK wins the NC every 20 years in a year ending in "8". 1958, 1978, 1998.

 

[thebluestripes]

His lackadaisical attitude towards having players stick around for more than a year

 

[Chuckinden]

What so surprising to me is how active he is every day. He's everywhere all the time.

 

[Cat78Scot]

His lackadaisical attitude towards having players stick around for more than a year

And delaying a life changing financial windfall as well as threatening it completely by injury for your pleasure.

I can see your point.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

When we wrestle, he always goes straight for my balls.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

I

I like his confidence and swag, but to be honest, I expected a man who thought he was better than the average Kentuckian. A man who held himself in such high regard that he thought the rest of us were idiots. You know, a Rick pitino like guy. Boy was I wrong

he still might

 

[Blue Decade]

Things Calipari did that surprised me the most. Autographing my daughter's basketball twice. Signing Eric Bledsoe, because I assumed John Wall would scare Bledsoe off. Signing Isaac Humphries, because I had never heard of him at the time. Signing Kevin Knox, because I believed Knox would pick another school. Hiring Slice Rohrssen. Losing to UL last year. Beating UCLA by double digits in the Sweet Sixteen rematch. Charles Matthews' transfer also took me by surprise at the time.

 

[Deli owl]

Most surprising to me is how quick he is when driving to his right.

 

[1991greywildcat]

That he was able to make knox happen and people are counting him out in this bagley recruitment.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

I hear he's incredibly endowed

 

[wildcat_bigd]

1. How quickly his gut grew
2. How he understands the program and gave fans about as much access as possible
3. His ability to recruit has exceeded any expectations I had in 2009 and that's saying something. Stark contrast from Tubby and Gillispie.
3. That with all the NBA talent that's come through since 2009, entering his 9th season, he's only won the same number of titles as Tubby did. Just shows how much luck goes into winning one and how difficult it is.
4. He's still the UK coach in 2017. I believe I predicted he'd coach 6-7 years max before heading back to the NBA in some capacity back in April 2009.

Luck really is a big deal in winning a title. I'd say I'm pleasantly surprised how we are always right there in march close to a title. You just know everybody else is scared of us in march madness, other than that one year cuz Noel got hurt.

 

[KyFaninNC]

That he is the perfect fit for UK.

His stubborness to stick with the same style, even tho it is obvious it isn't working, with some players, this why I think he has only one title.

 

[Cat78Scot]

That he is the perfect fit for UK.

His stubborness to stick with the same style, even tho it is obvious it isn't working, with some players, this why I think he has only one title.

1 title is due to Higgins, not Cal.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

That one can take another's life, and just walk the streets the next day

 

[thebluestripes]

And delaying a life changing financial windfall as well as threatening it completely by injury for your pleasure.

I can see your point.

Actually you probably don't but thats ok

 

[KyFaninNC]

1 title is due to Higgins, not Cal.

Maybe, no way to know for sure. Higgins had zero effect on 3 straight shot clock blunders.

 

[Cat78Scot]

Actually you probably don't but thats ok

Yeah that's sarcasm. I'm sure you'd bypass that golden egg for a bunch of people you don't know had it been available to you.

If you want to elaborate and explain your point I'm willing to listen but if your kid had the opportunity to sign a contract that ensured his and his family's financial future and he was held back only to injure himself later, I think your viewpoint would be different.

 

[Cat78Scot]

Maybe, no way to know for sure. Higgins had zero effect on 3 straight shot clock blunders.

Disagree. Multiple obvious calls or no calls at momentum changing points of games make a huge difference. As it is, it still comes down to the wire after fighting through an obviously biased ref's agenda. Without that bias, there is more room for error.

 

[kev69]

1. How loyal he is.

2. How hard he works.