Who else is excited to have just a normal, decent team with potential to grow into something more?

[chevyman 50]

Coach Cal as been coaching for a long time, he will make this team into a great team, may not be 38 and 1 but still will be a exciting team I thank.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Mulder will now take Brown's spot, and Mulder is, offensively, much better than Brown. Much more of a threat.
.

I respectfully disagree. Brown would have given Kentucky a Winslow-type transition player. Winslow, as it turned out last season, was the difference for Duke winning it all. His ability to rebound and lead the break was almost unstoppable by year's end

Brown's versatility alone would have given Calipari a player who could play three positions and defend four positions. I love Mulder's game, but there's a truth to the rhetoric from Michigan fans who said Brown would be the biggest impact recruit in Ann Arbor since Webber.

 

[Katwatcher]

I will b excited regardless! I think the notion that college basketball will b perceived as "down" has many on the board feeling UK could steal a title with their typically "dominant" team. Doubt anyone would argue that on paper this is not one of cals most talented teams since he has been at UK. This sentiment is likely heightened bc we didn't close the deal with a historically great team this past year

It depends entirely on who is proclaiming it to be or not be a historically great team. It can't be any thing other than a great team with a record of 38-1

If your main concern or goal is for all your players to be drafted by the NBA, then you've had banner year. Cal has to be overjoyed with a possible 7 players a chance to make it. So anyway you look at it its been a great year.

I would think anyone would accept a 38-1 season every year . Just think about how many polls we could have trying to predict what team will be the spoiler.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

If UK had won the title this year, then I'd be all for switching things up to see how a team not expected to dominate college basketball would fare with reduced expectations.

But as it stands, I just feel like a huge opportunity was missed to not only win a ninth championship, but to make history in the process. Given that, going to a team with a relatively low chance of winning is not something I'd choose.

Agreed. I feel like this recent swing of expectations for UK fans is largely a coping mechanism. We have experienced a colossal letdown (no one's fault in particular, by the way). Instead of continuing to ride that stream, or objectively exploring what went wrong this April, we're gradually changing the expectation level in order to distance ourselves from the emotional tides that came with being so close - both in recruiting and on the hardwood.

The result leads to narratives like the one's we've been seeing. Lower the bar and what happens next year becomes a positive before the players even lace 'em up. It's the complete opposite of how we as fans approached the most recent season. I get it. It's the reason our fans entertain the Cal to the NBA talk as if preparing for a surgery, or why some don't allow their mind to get too close to a potential recruit. We don't want the letdown. Prepping for the second option allows for the emotional parachute and some have become masters when it comes to escaping the plane at just the right time.

 

[Bkocats]

Yeah, I'm with you positive posters. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do in 15-16. I'm proud to be a sunshine pumper as the negative posters like to call the positive posters, like it is something bad. Being a small part pf the BBN is something that has grown on us over the span of a lifetime. As long as we are competitive I will be satisfied, and I believe that we will be that. MM is about 6 months away. Can't wait.

There is a difference between being a "sunshine pumper" and being positive. Being positive simply means you look at what we have, rather than what we don't and look forward to see how that comes together. Sure there are concerns - and no one should ignore those. But, there is nothing at all wrong with having optimism; what would be the point of being a fan, otherwise?

A sunshine pumper refuses to see anything about which to be concerned. Will go on and on about we're perfect, no one can touch us, etc. Had a bunch of those last season.

But to be purely negative, and give up the season before it begins? Well - I can only feel sympathy for whomever does that.

 

[UK-chulo]

"10 nobodies on the roster..." My gosh the lengths some will go to.

How ridiculous can u get...

Your unknowledgeable ass has an agenda. That agenda does not survive in light of the facts. You were unfamiliar with the facts, so I gave them to you, and instead of deciding to verify for yourself as any objective truthseeker on either side of a debate should do, you respond with ridicule, so as not to expose yourself to knowledge that will force you to reconsider.

Everything I said was 100% dead accurate.

Just because you have this ridiculous notion that he's been dripping in burger boys since his first day as a head coach doesn't make it true.

Go look back at the facts for yourself and show me a single other kid with a high major offer on Cal's roster at UMASS. Go and look up the Bob gibbons rankings back then and see if you can find any of Cal's recruits on there.

Instead of just mockery, come back with facts. It's sad that you are reaching troll-level lack of concern for facts to make an anti-UK point and calling it realism - and then worse than that, projecting your stretching on to me.

There's a reason that only one of us has specific facts in his posts and the other one doesn't.

Come strong or your ish is gonna get knocked out of the park.

No need to argue with him. He is making your argument for you. The fact that 3rex doesn't feel the kids that were not highly recruited aren't "nobodies", is a testament to how well Cal did with them. He did so well that those kids who were not pursued by other schools were somebodies in his eyes(after the fact), just serves as proof that Cal made them into somebodies to be remembered.

If those kids had gone to a school we played twice a year, like TN, there is a good chance we barely remember them.

And what Cal did in '11 was some all-time great coaching in the tournament. As fans we always think our team has a chance, but nobody else in the country could see us winning those games. How many times has K, Self or Williams pulled off a win with the stakes that high and they were the unanimous underdog? K beat UNLV when both teams were full of AA's, and I'm still not convinced there weren't other factors at play with the Rebels performance. Can't really think of any more. Self beat Memphis, but had half a dozen future NBA players on his team.

 

[Mojocat]

Name a program where the fanbase would be this skittish with the recruiting class and roster we have right now.

There is none, of course, other than Bama football. Those two fan bases are the poster children for irrational exuberance and, well, whatever the negative opposite is. I'm frustrated/bewildered/humored by comments on theses boards lamenting a top 5 team with a top 5 recruiting class (actually top 2 on both counts), by comments questioning a coach coming off a 38-1 season, 4 final fours in 5 years. Definition of insanity right there. But I always say about our fans you have to take the bad with the good. You can't praise them for filling an arena to watch a practice or taking over an arena in some far flung place, without accepting the bitching about 22-4 (or worse 38-1!). Because it all comes from the same place - the passion that makes us all go to Nashville for the SECT is what causes people to vent and say stupid things.....

 

[Rhavicc]

I respectfully disagree. Brown would have given Kentucky a Winslow-type transition player. Winslow, as it turned out last season, was the difference for Duke winning it all. His ability to rebound and lead the break was almost unstoppable by year's end

Brown's versatility alone would have given Calipari a player who could play three positions and defend four positions. I love Mulder's game, but there's a truth to the rhetoric from Michigan fans who said Brown would be the biggest impact recruit in Ann Arbor since Webber.

While I understand what you're saying, I think that's a lazy comparison. I actually just remembered that Duke became extremely effective on both ends of the floor when Winslow made a move to the 4. They used a 3 guard lineup of Jones, Cook, and Allen/Jones (if I'm not mistaken), and they put Winslow at the 4. In that lineup, we very well do have a Winslow like player. Superb athlete, superb finisher, very good in transition, lockdown defender, makes tremendous defensive plays, rebounds the ball well and can phisically impose his will. That would be Alex Poythress for us. Will he be as much of a threat from deep as Winslow? Well, I dunno. I know that he shoots free throws much, much better than Winslow, and that is very good for a physical player like Poy.
We don't need him to have Winslow's skillset, we need him to make Winslow-like production at the 4, which isn't asking for too much.
Winslow will make his money as a small forward in the NBA, but as a power forward in college is what won them the title.
Also, to entertain the idea that Winslow could have played the 1 or the 2 is silly. He finds ways to score, but his ball handling wasn't that great, and he certainly doesn't facilitate as well as most point guards.
But understand, Mulder is the bigger offensive threat. He's visibly the better 3 point shooter, free throw shooter, and he makes freakish athletic plays in transition as well as in the half court. While Winslow has those last 2 things, and was a solid player from 3 point range (despite having a low volume), he still doesn't shoot as well as Mulder in any regard.
I will say that Winslow is the bigger transition threat though, mostly because of his size and finishing ability.

 

[warrior-cat]

ME.

 

[UK-chulo]

While I understand what you're saying, I think that's a lazy comparison. I actually just remembered that Duke became extremely effective on both ends of the floor when Winslow made a move to the 4. They used a 3 guard lineup of Jones, Cook, and Allen/Jones (if I'm not mistaken), and they put Winslow at the 4. In that lineup, we very well do have a Winslow like player. Superb athlete, superb finisher, very good in transition, lockdown defender, makes tremendous defensive plays, rebounds the ball well and can phisically impose his will. That would be Alex Poythress for us. Will he be as much of a threat from deep as Winslow? Well, I dunno. I know that he shoots free throws much, much better than Winslow, and that is very good for a physical player like Poy.
We don't need him to have Winslow's skillset, we need him to make Winslow-like production at the 4, which isn't asking for too much.
Winslow will make his money as a small forward in the NBA, but as a power forward in college is what won them the title.
Also, to entertain the idea that Winslow could have played the 1 or the 2 is silly. He finds ways to score, but his ball handling wasn't that great, and he certainly doesn't facilitate as well as most point guards.
But understand, Mulder is the bigger offensive threat. He's visibly the better 3 point shooter, free throw shooter, and he makes freakish athletic plays in transition as well as in the half court. While Winslow has those last 2 things, and was a solid player from 3 point range (despite having a low volume), he still doesn't shoot as well as Mulder in any regard.
I will say that Winslow is the bigger transition threat though, mostly because of his size and finishing ability.

While Winslow had those skills, they weren't what made him the lynchpin to the resurgence. His ability to rebound the ball on the defensive end and start and finish the break on his own. Poy has not been able to do that. Anytime Poy dribbles past the first bounce is reason for concern. Hopefully he is working on that. He is an athlete who can rebound and play D. He also hits his free throws at a good clip. That is where it begins and ends. He'll have plenty of minutes this year to show any other advancement to his game.

 

[KA4Prez]

Nope, give me 10 deep, a platoon and 9 Mickey D's AA's and the 10th being a 1st Team All American any day.

 

[stenchymouse]

I am perfectly fine with our team as it is accept for one thing...

I am not okay with only having 10 players.

We should have gotten a few 5th year transfers or a few 3 star players to fill out the roster.

I know that some of you will come at me very aggressively for saying this but there's nothing wrong with having some depth for more competitive practices.

 

[KA4Prez]

I am perfectly fine with our team as it is accept for one thing...

I am not okay with only having 10 players.

We should have gotten a few 5th year transfers or a few 3 star players to fill out the roster.

I know that some of you will come at me very aggressively for saying this but there's nothing wrong with having some depth for more competitive practices.

Grad transfers, maybe. The way Cal goes after recruits, you don't simply use scholarships to use scholarships. Bringing in Freshman who will be here 3-4 years because you didn't get likely 1 or 2-and-done recruits doesn't make sense.

We already have Willis, Hawkins, Ulis, Matthews and Mulder, all are at least 2 year or more commitments.

 

[Poetax]

While I do enjoy seeing players like Jorts, Liggins, and Miller develope and succeed, those are usually the role players and you still need those elite guys to hang banners. And to me the most important thing is hanging a banner! Over everything else, including watching guys like Jorts develope into a good player. I would rather have the most talented players that I can get at each position because that gives me the best chance to win a title. Now, I'm not referring to this team at all, just making a point against your point. Even though a loss by a team with high expectations is incredibly difficult to go through, I would prefer that kind of team because that means we are competing for championships. Sure, a less touted group of players with no expectations would be easier on my blood pressure, it means that we are not expected to compete for the championship and that's just not OK in my book. We chase titles here! We hang banners! Give me the team with the best chance to do that every single year.

I don't think anyone thinks that we won't content for a NC next year. And if they do, it just makes us realize that the best team doesn't always win the NC. I think being hungry to win is a more positive thing for a team then the pressure of having to win to keep from being called failures.

 

[UK HEMINGWAY]

This team will compete for a Title and be around the top 5 all year. It's still mind blowing how little some of you think about a team with 5 McDonalds all-americans and 4 elite reserves and a great Coach. And we WILL add one more player to this team

 

[Rhavicc]

This team will compete for a Title and be around the top 5 all year. It's still mind blowing how little some of you think about a team with 5 McDonalds all-americans and 4 elite reserves and a great Coach. And we WILL add one more player to this team

We'll find out. This team will at least resemble 2012 in playing style, imo. I think Skal could have a tremendous impact. We have two very confident guards in our backcourt in Ulis and Briscoe, both have the ability to carry the team. I like what we have, wouldn't be disappointed in getting more, but am very happy with what we have to say the least.

 

[Chuckinden]

It depends entirely on who is proclaiming it to be or not be a historically great team. It can't be any thing other than a great team with a record of 38-1

If your main concern or goal is for all your players to be drafted by the NBA, then you've had banner year. Cal has to be overjoyed with a possible 7 players a chance to make it. So anyway you look at it its been a great year.

I would think anyone would accept a 38-1 season every year . Just think about how many polls we could have trying to predict what team will be the spoiler.

That is true 99.9% of the time, but not his past year. It's been hard to accept that one loss by a lot of fans, not so much because we lost, but how we lost. Once in a lifetime you have a team like we had that had so much talent and depth...the likes that has never been seen before. When that happens, it's NCAA Championship or bust. We busted. That's done now and I'm excited to see if we learned anything from it.

 

[Poetax]

Grad transfers, maybe. The way Cal goes after recruits, you don't simply use scholarships to use scholarships. Bringing in Freshman who will be here 3-4 years because you didn't get likely 1 or 2-and-done recruits doesn't make sense.

We already have Willis, Hawkins, Ulis, Matthews and Mulder, all are at least 2 year or more commitments.

But even then it's only 5 players with the possibility of getting up to 8 new players if he wanted. If he gets another player I don't see a problem if Cal thinks the kid can help.

 

[Rhavicc]

Nope, give me 10 deep, a platoon and 9 Mickey D's AA's and the 10th being a 1st Team All American any day.

I guess you're out of luck then.

 

[FlyOver]

. "Cal gets more grief for going to a Final Four than K did for losing first round 3/14 and 2/15 games within 3 years".

And Coach Cal did not deserve so much grief. It is obviously super difficult to scale the mountain the marketing promoters build. If there was a little less spot light on the impending history being made, your team may not have had to carry such a heavy burden of historical
proportions. If you are built up to be a "god" and you don't quite reach that peak you catch undeserved heck.
Also, duke is a private school so they can cover up anything they want to. K is apparently the one true sports deity.
Do you know it is written into K's contract that anyone covering duke bb games can NEVER broadcast him speaking. I am not making this up. Pay attention, he is heard only when the "Kreat I AM" wants to be.

 

[Stonewall12]

I respectfully disagree. Brown would have given Kentucky a Winslow-type transition player. Winslow, as it turned out last season, was the difference for Duke winning it all. His ability to rebound and lead the break was almost unstoppable by year's end

Brown's versatility alone would have given Calipari a player who could play three positions and defend four positions. I love Mulder's game, but there's a truth to the rhetoric from Michigan fans who said Brown would be the biggest impact recruit in Ann Arbor since Webber.

Winslow is a lot better shooter than Brown.
That impacted the way the defense played him and let him drive. I think it is a toss up right now as who would be better. Mulder/Brown.

 

[chevyman 50]

We will not have the talent we had last yr, but still have 5 mac. high school all Americans, I am sure coach Cal will have a great team, to many cry babies on this board

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

It is crazy to say this team as it stands has no chance at a title. We haven't even seen them play a game yet. Without getting another player, they won't be favorites, but the favorite doesn't win the title even 50% of the time. I'll wait until they have played 10 games or so to make my judgement. with the landscape being down, and the best players spread out, if you get a top 4 seed, you have a chance. And as bad as people don't want to believe it, there are only a hand full of teams with more talent, and you may not have to beat any of them for a title.

This team serves a portion of our fan base right. The way some have acted over going 38-1, mad cause we don't have 2, 3, or 4 year players on the roster. But having said that, at least wait until they have played some games to pass judgement, as one thing is for sure, a portion of this fan base is going to be wrong.

Sure a LOT of teams we are going to play are stoked knowing all they will have to do is get this guy and that guy in foul trouble and then they go for the major kill. Ought to be fun. Watching our guys trying to learn how to stay out of foul trouble by playing soft.

 

[cal=8]

I think next years team will be very good.. We've definitely got guys who will get us easy dunks around the basket. We've got an experienced highly skilled point guard that will create those easy dunks. We've got Briscoe who can penetrate or pull up for the 3. Mulder will also be a threat from the perimeter but is also very athletic and should be able to defend. Matthews will probably play some at the 3 along with Willis. Willis has an awesome opportunity to get some PT if he puts the work in.. With the tandem of Poythress, Lee and Skal, the strength at point guard, some promising guards in Briscoe, Matthews and Mulder, we should be capable of making a deep run. There's also the Willis and Hawkins factor.. They could be very valuable pieces in next years puzzle..