ESPN: Calipari has put the SEC "on notice"! ???

It's because he did it in his 1st year when they were picked to finish at the bottom with hardly any chance to make March Madness. And for the first half of the season the predictions were true until they went to Kentucky and beat them. They started SEC play at 11-2, having beaten Michigan but losing a squeaker to Baylor, but lost 6 of the first 7 conference games and sat at 12-8 (1-6) when they went to Kentucky and won. They went 7-4 and finished with an 8-10 record that doesn't tell you much since they were decimated with injuries and then as they got everyone back, the wins took off. They beat Kansas, St Johns and almost beat Texas Tech.

It remains to be seen if he can continue this because he couldn't do it at Kentucky where the money for NIL was larger and the quality of players were far greater. He was already doing NIL and transfers years before anyone else so now that everyone else is doing it, he isn't seeing the advantage anymore.

 

I'm not bitter about Cal or against him or anything since he's gone. I do think he clearly did a good job in turning Arkansas around this year. But I don't get the hailing of his coaching job overall. They were picked to do well this year! They had the HIGHEST NIL in the nation. Preseason ranking top 15ish, right? He didn't build a team from scratch either. 6 out of his 9 players were either former UK players (3) or recruits committed to Kentucky (3)! It's more like he just relocated. Then they completely underachieved for 2/3rds of the season only to become much better (not elite) for the last 3rd. No one should be on notice.

 

The media picked them to finish ahead of UF in the preseason.

They spent a ton of money on coaching and players in the offseason. However, they did start to disappoint when SEC play started.

 

He put us on notice alright: the notice that he is the worst big game coach in close game situations, lol. Calipari has been in the SEC for years now, we know what he is at this point.

 

Media picks Alabama to win 2025 SEC men's basketball championship - Southeastern Conference

SEC expert picks: 2024-25 preview, projected order of finish, preseason predictions, top players to watch

5th and 4th for Arkansas
7th and 6th for FLORIDA

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Arkansas was not picked to finish at the bottom of the SEC this season. Most every preseason poll had them picked to finish among the top-5 in the conference and they were ranked #16 nationally in the preseason AP poll. Arkansas did make the Sweet-16, but let’s not make out to be that Calipari did some great coaching job this season. He brought in several top-25 recruits and some highly rated transfers resulting in a very talented roster. But after gagging away last night’s game, it sure looked like the same ole John Calipari to me.

 

March is always overstatement season. Anybody can win a couple of games on a neutral site. Much harder to beat elite teams for 5 or 6 games, let alone do it consistently over a season. Cal will do fine at Arky. He can recruit, he has resources, and he has less pressure and a more appreciative fan base. Then again, he has never adapted to the portal world, his offense is still woefully behind schematically, and he isn’t a spring chicken.

 

Calamari and his pigs have had a good year that was actually better than what was expected based on regular season results. Having the Walton family backing with NIL $ will give him the opportunity to go shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, rather than WalMart, for great portal and High School players.

 

I'm putting him on notice to ease up on the hair gel.

 

All I know about Calipari is that he's always complaining on the sideline. It's hard to tell on TV who he's complaining to, if anybody. He just complains. How can such a wealthy human being be so miserable?

 

Meh

 

IMO, Cal pulled a classic "Cal". Do something good in the tourney but ultimately falling short.

Methinks Arky fans would prefer more wins during the regular season so that they are better prepared for the tourney. But we shall see.

 

thank god for old links when you need to win an argument

 

and in a Bill Burr special

 

Sideline? Cal spends more time on the court than some of his starters. Much like Kirby Smart.

 

Cal has put the SEC on notice that he doesn't believe in fouling on the last shot up by 3 and would rather give the other team the opportunity to make the 3 to tie the game and lose in overtime. Cal is great at complaining to officials and buying players but as much time he has spent coaching he still seems to struggle at it. John Chaney is still heard laughing on how that game ended.