What Went Wrong?

[3bombino96]

A year ago we heard about all the big names in the 2015 class. We knew we'd probably lose 7 guys, after a title run that we didn't get. So, like most I started speculating what kids we would get, cause this class was the next big thing! So, what do you think transpired that we've lost out on some guys? Duke winning it? Some guys we've had that have ended up in the D League? Is it maybe Cal's grinding offense? Something folks has had to transpire, thoughts?

 

[Pulaski Cat Fan]

I think a combination of things. I think the platoon has been in some of the recruits minds. Most players want all the minutes they can get. As bad as I hate to say it, I think Cal's coaching at the end of the Wisconsin game didn't help at all. I think there is beginning to be a perception that he can't close the deal. Duke winning it with OAD sure didn't help either.

 

[USMC Cat]

#2 class.

It all went horribly wrong.

WTF is wrong with people.

 

[BlueRunner11]

Probably some negative recruiting sprinkled in the mix as well....

 

[ukmelanie]

It is frustrating but we still have a good shot at Diallo and Murray.

 

[DY9ASTY]

Wait a couple weeks before you lose your mind....

 

[BLUEHILLS]

We are still right there with a couple of top guys. Still a top 3 class regardless. I don't understand the concern.

 

[wcc31]

#2 class.

It all went horribly wrong.

WTF is wrong with people.

Haha- no ish...and it's not like we're even done.

Great thread!

 

[catfaninsc]

#2 class.

It all went horribly wrong.

WTF is wrong with people.

+1

 

[Lumpy 2]

Nothing went wrong. We have a great class so far and it's likely to get better.

 

[wildcatwelder]

Nothing has "gone wrong"; we're talking about 17-18 year old kids, you simply cannot predict what's in their head at any given time. I do think there's been some negative recruiting against Cal, but hell, that goes on every year, so it's nothing new.

We still have two weeks, let's just see if Cal can work his magic again; I think he will.

 

[Mashburned]

Everything, imho. Blue Bell is off the shelves. Catpaw is new and weird. Our "future" QB *literally* got worldstar'd. Etc...

 

[UK_fan_41102]

Why are so many ready to throw in the towel when so many 5* recruits are left?

 

[thebluestripes]

I wonder how much slice leaving has played into it....It seems like a bad time to transition between recruiting coordinators.

 

[thebluestripes]

Why are so many ready to throw in the towel when so many 5* recruits are left?

probably because we are scouring the landscape for diamonds in the rough

 

[minjo]

Nothing has gone wrong.
The only thing that went wrong was we did not win the championship, and it was designed that way as you know.
we have some of the best BB players for 15-16 season, and our coaches are out there trying to recruit some more.
We are spoiled and if some kids for a number of personal reasons prefer to play for other colleges, we think they should only play at UK. That is what is wrong.

 

[blugrazz]

I think others have shown that the OAD process can be achieved elsewhere. Cal needs to reinvent himself to stay a step ahead. DDMO>OAD>????

 

[Joneslab]

Have to see how it plays out first. If we get just one of these guys it's another #1 class; that's a far cry from "wrong."

Generally I think it's just an odd class. Have to get one kid out of North Carolina, another who's said he will only play for an adidas school, a third from New York City who speaks French, another who's probably going to the school where his dad played, and a fifth who chose the school in his hometown.

Just a quirky class all the way around but I think it's going to work out and we're gonna get at least one of these guys.

 

[BengalWACO]

We are on target to win the championship next year.

 

[Poetax]

I think a combination of things. I think the platoon has been in some of the recruits minds. Most players want all the minutes they can get. As bad as I hate to say it, I think Cal's coaching at the end of the Wisconsin game didn't help at all. I think there is beginning to be a perception that he can't close the deal. Duke winning it with OAD sure didn't help either.

I think that is the least of what's on recruits minds, wondering about coaching in a game. Try playing time and staying at home. Plus sometimes you just don't get them all.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

If Diallo picks SJ or KU, the panic on here will be like October 29th 1929.

 

[Gunner146]

Duke and Kansas have embraced one and dones, too.

 

[Deacon Jim]

Everything will be fine. It`s not over till Cal says it`s over

 

[C8TS]

I think this class just has a different mindset. They all would rather go to crappy schools and be "the man".

Even the other bigger schools are losing out to schools like LSU, California etc ...

 

[WildMoon]

LOL,

it's not even over. We have 3 amazing talent already in the class, with already solid foundation staying.

People get mad when we don't have 5 top 10 recruits now a days. Crazy Crazy.

 

[stuway]

I like our team already. Oh yeah, we get to finish recruiting too!! Why is everyone tripping?? We will be in the picture till the end next year as well. Have faith in Cal

 

[MdWIldcat55]

What went wrong? Four Final Fours in five years led a significant, if annoying, minority of the UK fan base to decide they were entitled to every top ten recruit in the country and they are afflicting the rest of us with their dreary hand wringing.

 

[Teachable Moe]

Victim of our own success?

 

[MegaBlue05]

I'm taking a wait and see approach before I proclaim the sky is falling.

And we have the No. 2 class in the country and it isn't complete yet. Damn, we're a spoiled bunch. If we were bringing in this class during Tubby's tenure, we'd be thumping our chests.

 

[katwest]

Like some have said on here, we can't get them all, maybe platooning, maybe most of these available are me first players, I don't know why some are choosing to go to other schools because the only thing they can offer is more playing time over Kentucky, but I'm happy with what we already have which is much more than most teams have now. Kentucky isn't for everybody, the competition I'm sure scares some off, you can't finish first every year, yea I want some of those that are still out there too, but it looks like we might not get one or two we thought we might get. The way I feel about it as I have said before to some of those that flirt with Kentucky but go somewhere else, If you can do better than Kentucky, you have my blessing, hopefully we play them later and beat them and make them wish they had come here. I remember we went after Marcus Thornton hard and he picked Georgia and I understand he was staying home which is ok but if he had come to Kentucky he more than likely would have been in the league after a couple of years, I'm sure he thought about it a time or two.

 

[Mojocat]

What went wrong? Four Final Fours in five years led a significant, if annoying, minority of the UK fan base to decide they were entitled to every top ten recruit in the country and they are afflicting the rest of us with their dreary hand wringing.

Yeah. Were I more energetic or gave a rat's behind, I'd compile all the delusional quotes like the first couple in this thread and we could have a nice accounting at some point. Instead, I just roll my eyes....

 

[UKfan215]

This is just the nature of the beast today. When you can lose as many as 7 or 8 players to the draft in a single season, some years you just aren't going to be able to replace all of your losses with a single class. This is one of those years, as was 2010 and 2012. When you experience the sort of mass defections we do on a regular basis, sometimes even a #1 recruiting class isn't going to be enough to keep you atop the heap. I pray that someday soon we'll see a 2 year rule. Maybe that way we won't have to bring in more than 3 or 4 players per class and not face a situation where we need to sign 7 or 8 really, really talented kids in one class just to maintain, like the situation we are in right now.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I'm taking a wait and see approach before I proclaim the sky is falling.

And we have the No. 2 class in the country and it isn't complete yet. Damn, we're a spoiled bunch. If we were bringing in this class during Tubby's tenure, we'd be thumping our chests.

And that's because during the Tubby Era, or at least the end of the Tubby Era, our program sucked. Times have changed, and so have expectations. It's perfectly okay to have expectations.

 

[lacocat]

You can win a collegiate title with 3 NBA level players, don't need 7. I'd almost prefer "only" 2 or 3 NBA caliber freshmen revolving door each year, with a mix of 5 or 6 solid career college players. Duke just did it that way, and they always do things the right way. /sarcasm kinda

 

[MegaBlue05]

And that's because during the Tubby Era, or at least the end of the Tubby Era, our program sucked. Times have changed, and so have expectations. It's perfectly okay to have expectations.

Of course it's OK to have expectations, but to expect to land nearly every top recruit and win the title every year is at least somewhat unrealistic and sets up those who have such expectations to get their panties in a bunch more often than not. I just don't get all the panic and handwringing when the 15 class isn't even finalized. If we somehow miss on every target we have, it'll be cause for concern because next year could be a down year (2013) ... or we could take some lumps and wind up in the Final Four (2011). That's why they play the games.

My point about the Tubby classes was: We should be grateful for our position in the current college basketball landscape because runs like the one we've been on for the past 6 years don't last forever, even at UK. We had years where our highest rated prospect was a three star, and now we have people expecting to sign the top guy at every position every year. .

 

[Trinity22]

In the sevens years Cal Has been with us,he has the same amount of Championships as six other coaches whom were not signing our type classes . Six other schools have won , why can't we ..

 

[Graves51]

Of course it's OK to have expectations, but to expect to land nearly every top recruit and win the title every year is at least somewhat unrealistic and sets up those who have such expectations to get their panties in a bunch more often than not. I just don't get all the panic and handwringing when the 15 class isn't even finalized. If we somehow miss on every target we have, it'll be cause for concern because next year could be a down year (2013) ... or we could take some lumps and wind up in the Final Four (2011). That's why they play the games.

My point about the Tubby classes was: We should be grateful for our position in the current college basketball landscape because runs like the one we've been on for the past 6 years don't last forever, even at UK. We had years where our highest rated prospect was a three star, and now we have people expecting to sign the top guy at every position every year. .

In the sevens years Cal Has been with us,he has the same amount of Championships as six other coaches whom were not signing our type classes . Six other schools have won , why can't we ..

 

[Graves51]

Of course it's OK to have expectations, but to expect to land nearly every top recruit and win the title every year is at least somewhat unrealistic and sets up those who have such expectations to get their panties in a bunch more often than not. I just don't get all the panic and handwringing when the 15 class isn't even finalized. If we somehow miss on every target we have, it'll be cause for concern because next year could be a down year (2013) ... or we could take some lumps and wind up in the Final Four (2011). That's why they play the games.

My point about the Tubby classes was: We should be grateful for our position in the current college basketball landscape because runs like the one we've been on for the past 6 years don't last forever, even at UK. We had years where our highest rated prospect was a three star, and now we have people expecting to sign the top guy at every position every year. .

 

[ThroughBlue]

If we get Diallo we go right back to #1.

Does the JUCO kid factor in the rankings?

 

[Graves51]

I am happy with our team now, if we can get a few more capable players to blend in, maybe a fifth year player. I believe you can have too many unless you are going to platoon, and Cal won't be doing that! That's when we were at our best last year! Cal went away from it after POYS injury to make sure he sent several to the NBA. He sent several and we lost our dominance and also lost what we should have won, according to everyone!