What most of you seem not to Understand

[susan2361]

I understand that and will always support the team. However, I'm not sure Cal's number one priority is build national championship teams at Kentucky. It's secondary.

I agree. Its secondary to the draft because as he says, " it's their lives". Quite frankly, I'm getting tired of the University seeming to come in second. Isn't the University paying his salary....or is it the kids, their families and the NBA, in order to get them ready for the pros? Sorry to be su h a smart aleck but this is really a sore point for me. I DO NOT like the NBA.

 

[83Cat]

More the reason to have a more veteran team, this type of tournament favors veteran leadership.

If that is the formula, why is UT sitting? They had all juniors and seniors.

 

[83Cat]

We’re not talking about one time though. In 8 out of ten years we have been beaten by lesser teams to end our season. That’s not acceptable. I’m not saying we need to move on, that would be crazy. However, I think it’s fair to acknowledge there is a problem and address it. I liken it to the point in Tubbys tenure when everyone saw the decline in recruiting but we kept winning. Everyone saw it coming. You’re blind if you dont see a decline coming if something doesn’t change.

Why is Auburn a “lesser team?”. Did you watch them destroy UT, a team we had trouble with? Are you basing your opinion on high school player rankings?

 

[jwphelps]

If that is the formula, why is UT sitting? They had all juniors and seniors.

What has an all freshmen squad got us since that one special team in 2012. We have lost in the last two tournaments to inferior teams, hell Auburn did not even have their best player on the court.

 

[crawfords corner]

Who replaces him?

 

[barryn2000]

People still buy the myth that it’s just a luck factor. It isn’t.

The shear number of intangibles (thousands) involved in winning a one and out tourney suggests otherwise.

Assume it's not complex, it's not luck and as many seem to suggest, everyone knows what to do to win a NC. What happens when 20 teams do these simple things, now what? What differentiates these 20?

What's more logical?
A bunch of forum posters know more than the most successful coaches since the 50's
-or-
Winning a NC is a combination of multiple factors including some luck.

 

[KingOfBBN]

What the OP doesn’t factor is that every year we start over. So we get ONE chance for “that group”. When you talk about other teams sitting at home like us, they usually bring a lot of kids back for another crack. The level of anxiety is sky high here because of OaD. Kind of hard to be sanguine about things when you literally have no idea of your roster from year to year.

This is the worst thing about a loss at Kentucky. It’s starting over back at zero most of the time. When we actually return guys is when we do really well- 11, 12, 14 (to an extent with Poy and WCS), 15. When we lose and everyone bounces, we get the same shit over and over- freshman mistakes and relying way too much on freshmen who more times than not; falter down the stretch. You pretty much know how it’s going to end.

2015 wouldn’t have hurt as bad if we knew half those guys were coming back. 2017 wouldn’t have been as big of deal but we lost every single player that contributed to that squad.

You look at UNC who lost in the 2016 national title game on a buzzer beater and then returned everyone but one player and won it all. I’d love to have that happen here.

 

[Jkwo]

We’re not talking about one time though. In 8 out of ten years we have been beaten by lesser teams to end our season. That’s not acceptable. I’m not saying we need to move on, that would be crazy. However, I think it’s fair to acknowledge there is a problem and address it. I liken it to the point in Tubbys tenure when everyone saw the decline in recruiting but we kept winning. Everyone saw it coming. You’re blind if you dont see a decline coming if something doesn’t change.

This is also true of Duke, Kansas and UNC. Do they all have disturbing fatal flaws in their systems?

Even worse, because Cal has won more tourney games than any of them in that time.

 

[KingOfBBN]

Why is Auburn a “lesser team?”. Did you watch them destroy UT, a team we had trouble with? Are you basing your opinion on high school player rankings?

Probably basing it on them finishing fifth in the conference and us beating them twice including a total beatdown in the last matchup.

 

[KingOfBBN]

All I know is since our run ended in 1998, we’ve won just one championship while sitting through below

UConn 4
Duke 3
UNC 3
Florida 2
Villanova 2
Kansas 1
Syracuse 1
Louisville 1*
Michigan State 1
Maryland 1

 

[Farsight]

Listen, here is another voice of reason.

I probably speak for the majority of people that are upset still. I would say that the majority of us who are mad still want Cal as our Coach. Still think Cal has done a great job thus far.

What we are UPSET about is this...

Cal being stubborn and still focusing on a OAD system when players should come back as Sophomore and be 2 and done. See PJ Washington, Doron Lamb, Terrance Jones, Aaron/Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, Willie Cauley Stein, Tyler Ulis as examples of WHY half if not most of his freshman who leave SHOULD come back.

If we consistently have contributing freshman come back as Sophomores, that would enhance Cal to be more successful, less frustrating during the year and have a better chance to reach a Final 4 when we are supposed too.

I think this alone would calm down half, if not most of these fans. Because they know we will have some foundation comeback the year after.

 

[barryn2000]

I skimmed through this diatribe. Answer this question. Name one player Cal recruited the last 5 years that stayed here more than 2 years. Then name all the players that transferred out after 2 years, then name all the players that went pro before they were ready, that are now not in the pros. Cal does not want players here more than 2 years, facts speak for themselves.

That's 3 questions and all three are effects of recruiting the best players. You same people come unglued when we don't land the best, when Duke, UNC, KU, etc beat us in recruiting.

No matter what insane false correlation/false cause you people throw out, the solution is the same - stop recruiting the best HS talent. We tried this model of project players for a decade. Do we really want to be Syracuse?

 

[barryn2000]

What we are UPSET about is this...

Cal being stubborn and still focusing on a OAD system

How does a coach "focus" on a OAD system?

 

[Pickle_Rick]

1) They players want to win, but the fans are invested in winning. If winning a title is your sole end all, be all, you are going to be very disappointed. With any coach.
2) You all have heard it, it's very hard to beat a team 3 times in one year. Your players don't play with the same fire. Add in Pearl was playing the "win one for the gipper" card, and Auburn was a team on a mission.
3) That we missed so many free throws is an indicator of where the cats mental focus was...not Auburn.
4) You can out coach the other team, and win, out talent the other team, and win, or our coach AND out talent the other team, and blow the other guys out.

We have done the 4th option for so long a lot of our fan base assumes that this is the natural order. It's not. The natural order is you're better half the time, and worse the other half. Too many of our posters, whether troll , CLOD, or immature, do not handle disappointment as well as a toddler.

I had a bad feeling about playing Auburn for a third time, minus their best player. Trap game written all over it. So instead I went to a family function, even though the hostess gave me permission to skip it to watch the game. Told her I'll just skip today, and watch the FF. Didn't even tape it, and glad I didn't

 

[barryn2000]

If that is the formula, why is UT sitting? They had all juniors and seniors.

There you go making sense in an emotional argument.

 

[KyFaninNC]

That's 3 questions and all three are effects of recruiting the best players. You same people come unglued when we don't land the best, when Duke, UNC, KU, etc beat us in recruiting.

No matter what insane false correlation/false cause you people throw out, the solution is the same - stop recruiting the best HS talent. We tried this model of project players for a decade. Do we really want to be Syracuse?

No. Try to follow along here. In order for Cal’s philosophy to work he absolutely has to have top notch talent, top 5 if you will, especially a top 5 PG, which has has failed to get since 2015. What he has been getting is top 10/20 type talent and they still leave, either by the draft or transfer. So he starts each year with freshmen that take a full year to get IT, then fold in the March. If Cal is such a grand “players first” coach, why can he not convince these guys they are not ready? I think he wants them gone, so he can go get others.

Cal is a victim of his own success and appears he has no desire to change himself. We know what to expect every year.

 

[barryn2000]

All I know is since our run ended in 1998, we’ve won just one championship while sitting through below

UConn 4
Duke 3
UNC 3
Florida 2
Villanova 2
Kansas 1
Syracuse 1
Louisville 1*
Michigan State 1
Maryland 1

Nice stat cherry picking. Lets lump the Tubby/BCG years to make Cal look worse.

Since Cal at UK:

UConn 2
Duke 2
Villanova 2
UK 1
UNC 1
Louisville 1*
Florida 0
Kansas 0
Syracuse 0
Michigan State 0
Maryland 0

 

[Macy's socks]

I think most of us do understand that. If you are going to speak for me at least get it right.

 

[wkycatfan]

I agree. Its secondary to the draft because as he says, " it's their lives". Quite frankly, I'm getting tired of the University seeming to come in second. Isn't the University paying his salary....or is it the kids, their families and the NBA, in order to get them ready for the pros? Sorry to be su h a smart aleck but this is really a sore point for me. I DO NOT like the NBA.

I'm glad when they get paid. But Cal's main job is to maximize the UK basketball teams and program.

 

[cats2010]

With a One loss and you are out Tournament, THE BEST TEAM gets BEAT more times than it wins the NCAA Tournament. Yes we have had our fair share of flameouts and been beaten in so many different ways. But so have all the other teams. Virginia{A Final Four Team} got beat by a 16 seed. Duke the Super Child of ESPN is sitting at home just like us. So it is ok. We are Normal. Cal is a GREAT Coach. Our Players are GREAT Kids. Let's get back and support them again Next year!!

Agree on all the above. Cal is a great coach but IMO could be even better which is what frustrates me. I know Cal has it in him to play an effective offensive game and gameplan accordingly. He chooses to take the conservator route however and as a result we lose a game we never should pretty much every year. Our best tourney runs (outside of 2012) have come as an underdog only to see us fall to an inferior team.

Cal does his best coaching when we have an uphill battle as he lets his team play loose and give it their all. When we are favored our team looks tight and seemingly play a try not to lose style game. Lose that mentality and I think we see a lot different outcome moving forward in the years to come. If not I think what we have seen the last several years is the same we will see for however long cal stays and unless he is willing to change in that regard cal will end his time at UK with just the one title IMO.

 

[barryn2000]

What he has been getting is top 10/20 type talent

And your solution is to do what? Drop to 3-4 star project players? I wonder if there are any posts from you bitching about missing out on top recruits? Wouldn't that be ironic?

If Cal is such a grand “players first” coach, why can he not convince these guys they are not ready? I think he wants them gone, so he can go get others.

It's the age of the internet and social media. There would be ample evidence of this "opinion" littered across the internet. Can you share some comments from former players that Cal wants his players to leave after 1 year? Or that he pressured them to go pro?

 

[barryn2000]

I know Cal has it in him to play an effective offensive game and gameplan accordingly. He chooses to take the conservator route however and as a result we lose a game we never should pretty much every year.

Not sure I would agree its "every year" but complaints about our offense this year are legitimate. I don't follow recruiting like some do so not sure how the coach that always lands a top PG every year whiffed this time. Our Offense this year was at times painful to watch. I also agree with others that say Cal is stubborn and it showed with his win or lose with Hagans when Quickly was obviously less rattled in the Tourney.

 

[KyFaninNC]

And your solution is to do what? Drop to 3-4 star project players? I wonder if there are any posts from you bitching about missing out on top recruits? Wouldn't that be ironic?

I see you did not read my post, because I explained this already.

 

[dckala2]

How is Hagans gonna miss that wide open layup

 

[cats2010]

Not sure I would agree its "every year" but complaints about our offense this year are legitimate. I don't follow recruiting like some do so not sure how the coach that always lands a top PG every year whiffed this time. Our Offense this year was at times painful to watch. I also agree with others that say Cal is stubborn and it showed with his win or lose with Hagans when Quickly was obviously less rattled in the Tourney.

2010 - West Virginia
2011 - Conn
2013 - Robert Morris
2014 - UConn
2015 - Wisconsin
2018 - Kansas state
2019 - auburn

Certainly not every year but Indiana (2016) and North Carolina (2017) are the only two losses it’s hard to take issue with.

 

[ram1955]

We’re not talking about one time though. In 8 out of ten years we have been beaten by lesser teams to end our season. That’s not acceptable. I’m not saying we need to move on, that would be crazy. However, I think it’s fair to acknowledge there is a problem and address it. I liken it to the point in Tubbys tenure when everyone saw the decline in recruiting but we kept winning. Everyone saw it coming. You’re blind if you dont see a decline coming if something doesn’t change.

But we didn't keep winning as far as the tournament was concerned.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Fake news. The much wiser, crying trolls see it differently. An Elite Eight showing @ 30-7 is a simply a bunch of losers!

FAAAR Cal nOw

 

[RobJones1978]

This is also true of Duke, Kansas and UNC. Do they all have disturbing fatal flaws in their systems?

Even worse, because Cal has won more tourney games than any of them in that time.

It is true of Kansas. It’s not true of Duke or UNC. Not that they haven’t been upset but the frequency is not the same. If had had lost to Virginia, that’s fine. If we had lost in the final four last year, fine. We keep losing to teams where their players aren’t just not as good, they’re not even close. Even Duke losing to MSU isn’t the same.