"What's the worst thing that could happen?"

[UKWildcats1987]

I understand what you are saying. But if we miss the Final 4 again, we will go at least 10 years between Final Fours. This, after going 13 years between 1998 and 2011.

Never has been, or will be acceptable at Kentucky. Nor should it be.

Very true.

Also not realistic to expect 4 in 5 seasons either. Caliparis issue he didn't spread out his 4 final fours better.

 

[AbbieLex]

Made myself watch the media session on Cal's patio after the bracket was announced.

I'm paraphrasing, but he said something like "what are you guys worried about? What's the worst thing that could happen?" ............long pause.............

"Me getting fired? I've been there- I'm not worried about that"

-----------------------

Actually, Cal, we're worried that you'll sh*t the bed in the NCAA tourney, AGAIN.

In the field of 68 49 teams enter with 8 or more losses

 

[cats#1again]

Yeah, you weren’t paying attention then. Cal screamed like a mad man practically the whole game. Reed wouldn’t shoot in the 2nd half. Edwards disappeared. Multiple unforced turnovers, missed free throws by players who normally don’t miss. It was not a fluid effort by any means but if you think so good for you.

That doesn't mean they were tight

 

[cats2010]

When you post, are you talking directly to someone or to the board? If you are talking to only one person, you should use the direct message feature, or at least start your post with their name, like a letter.

If you had taken the time to actually read the post I had replied to a certain poster (whose post were above mine) about how cal treats certain players in relation to others. Having read his post then mine you would have noticed my post had nothing to do with Allen’s playing time rather how cal treated Allen vs others.

 

[cats2010]

That doesn't mean they were tight

Again maybe you don’t think they were. To me they seemed tight along with cal reverting to his animated self on the sideline. Matt Jones on his post game show indicated the same talking about the teams performance and and how A&M (who was the one that should have felt the pressure) played loose and free while we did not. Water under the bridge now regardless. Hopefully cal can keep himself under control and not revert back to screaming and yelling the entire game, stay within the coaches box, keep the best players/lineups together as often as possible and we can all enjoy the next few weeks.

 

[Soupbean]

People seem unable to accept that there's the tiniest difference in talent, top to bottom, these days. Almost all of these kids are fantastically capable players. For some reason, I've recently gone on a binge of watching really old games. The skill of contemporary players puts older players in the shade. The speed that the current game is played at is staggering compared to the old days. The athleticism. The shooting. And I don't mean 40s and 50s. I mean the 1970s. I suspect some of it is what refs allow, and some of it is the year-round training beginning in high school, and a lot of it is that basketball salaries attract much better athletes. And now NIL is spreading that around. It really is a level playing field. If your expectations and demands are for a return to dominance, you're setting yourself up for a stroke.

Agree Dread, but I'm not the athleticism is as different as it seems. The players in the "old" days were plenty athletic they just didnt look as athletic because of the style of play. Jordan, Wilkins, Dressler etc were super athletic but the style back then made them look tight and awkard in some way compared to todays athletes.

Whats really changed the game more than any one thing is the way they allow them to handle the ball. The cupping of the ball makes all the difference in the world in what you can do and how you can move with around the floor. Id say it has tripled the offensive movement from what it used to be.

One on cupped dribble you can hestiate, crossover, reset your feet and balance, almost do anything you could do if you didnt have to dribble at all. It is by far the game changer and they the game is so fast, so frenetic, so fluid, and so athletic looking today. It also allowed average players to become offensive threats by the freedom of movement with cupping the ball and crossing over etc.

What is amazing is how these guy still guard at that pace and change of direction and for 40 minutes. The conditioning is amazing.

But your overall point is spot right. AAU started spreading talent around as it created a higher inventory of skilled players to choose from. Its just a different day than back when we had a top ten class and it was worlds better than the other 90 schools.

 

[ManitouDan]

bump

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

You'd think smug ass Cal would learn. He thinks he is cute and it comes back to bite him in the ass. I don't ever want to hear the term SWAGGY CAL again. Slap the shit out of whoever says that.

 

[ok-cats-computer]

I got some bad news for you that no one wants to accept -- even though the evidence is as close as last year's Final Four of FAU, San Diego State, Miami and Connecticut.

In the era of portals, unlimited transfers and a huge influx of semi-professional Europeans and Africans, there are about 40 teams in the tournament capable of playing with any of the other teams and the games will come down to who is hot, who gets a few calls and who is lucky.

In Kentucky's bracket, I've seen experts picking Texas Tech to go to the Final Four, and that is not a crazy pick if you know basketball and look at their roster. The NCAA basketball beat writer for the Athletic picks Marquette to go to the Final Four. Again, not a crazy pick considering their talent. NC State just beat Duke and North Carolina back-to-back. Duke and Wisconsin, Nebraska and Texas A&M and Florida are talented teams. James Madison won 30 games. And Houston has been one of the favorites all year. That's all in the South Region.

I like the Cats ' team and think they have a good shot at a Final Four. But so does Marquette and Houston and Texas Tech and Duke and Wisconsin and even Florida and NC State and Nebraska and Texas A&M. Only one of those teams will emerge. And it didn't mean all the others Sh*t the bed. It likely just means a team got hot at the right time. If you can't accept that the tournament is wide open these days, you are better off not watching.

I'm genuinely curious if you're finally going to admit that Cal is washed.