That's a reasonable argument. You're right, we don't know that Rick would have tailed off. I'm just saying that each of them, during those 6 year runs, were at an altitude of achievement that is very very rare. Cal is one of only 3 coaches to go to 4 final fours in 6 years, for example. Those 2 periods represent, to me, 2 of the 3 high water marks in UK basketball history (along with late 40s/early 50s under Rupp). I'm just saying that, realistically, there's not much else to do but go down. Without even getting into Rick's by now well documented tendencies for self-destruction.
And yes, Rick took over the program at an all time low, it was decimated. But it's easy to forget that 41 point loss to Vandy during Clyde's final year - it's not like Cal took over in a period of excellence. And all of that is moot respecting Cal anyway - he completely overhauled the roster. We could been 0-29 in 2008-9 and it wouldn't have mattered, he still was adding Wall + Cousins etc.
But like I said earlier, if someone wants to put Rick second and Cal third, I'm not going to quibble with that.