Who replaces Calipari???

Last night was a perfect example of why March Madness is SO great. In my time as a fan, however, this is the first time I've been on this side of the greatness. UK has definitely suffered some big upsets but not like this IMO. 2015 hurt worse than this but wasn't as bad in reality. Has Kentucky ever had a worse loss?

@dailydoublecat has definitely been consistent since 2015 ended - I'll give you credit Jeff! I'm not with you exactly not hat but I'm shifting in some ways.

Cal's first 5 seasons were simply filthy. I think those years, for me at least, have provided him a lot of equity with me. The years that followed have been qualitatively different, however. Not good enough for what he's paid - not good enough for a Kentucky coach. I think I can now say that but I certainly do not view things similarly to many of you or many of the angriest UK fans posting on ruppsrafters. People are comparing Cal's last 7 years to Tubby's last - given Tubby's better winning %, not missing tourney, etc. That's missing the point, in my view. I gave up on Tubby because it became CLEAR that he could no longer produce teams that were elite. We entered every tournament (yes, no NITs), knowing very well that we didn't have shot at a title - or even a final four.

I don't want to be controversial and mean no offense, but IMO, Tubby was our Mike White. Respected, great guy, other coaches loved him and even other fan bases liked him to a large degree. But consistently a non-threat.

Cal is a threat. This years team was VERY good and was one of my favorite UK teams in my time as a fan. Oscar is my favorite UK player of all time. Amazing kid! Cal has produced other very good teams - teams that could have won it all - in the past 7 years as well (one of them robbed by the canceled tournament).

Cal doesn't recruit like he used to but he coaches like he has the same types of players that he used to have but doesn't anymore. This year's team had one significant freshmen and he isn't the type that can just out-athlete the guy guarding him. He scored 5 points yesterday. We had TONS of maturity and experience (not NCAA experience but St Peters didn't have that either!).

I haven't given up all hope in Cal but he'll be done with UK eventually and I'm happy to move on at that point.

 

Loser: Basketball in Kentucky
“The Wildcats will have a lot of shade thrown their way, and rightfully so, after what easily marks the program's worst loss in the NCAA Tournament in terms of an opponent's seeding. But what about the status of basketball in the Bluegrass State as a whole? With Louisville failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years and Kentucky getting bounced in this year's first round after missing the dance altogether last season, what is going on? Murray State is the state's most stable program. It may be time for Gov. Andy Beshear to form a commission to address this.”

 

I know that's a fun thing to say - sounds so good/clever. Its simply not the case though. When it comes to what Cal has achieved, few if any are better. You can cherry pick a few stats I'm sure but his results speak for themselves.

There are two flaws in stating he's done "less with more." It penalizes him for having "more" when, in fact, that's a significant part of his job - to make sure he has more talent, etc. It also assumes that others have done "more" than him. Who exactly? Don't get me wrong, there are names that are applicable, in some ways, I'm sure. Bet its a short list!

 

Amazing. I watched UK absolutely dismantle Kansas on the road this year and thought the Cats were possibly the best team in the nation. You have to take every opponent seriously in March, no matter if you've never even heard of them.

 

Cal is a great target to pick on and make fun of etc, but your not gonna find a better coach to replace him.
He's a top 5 coach in the college game. Dean Smith only won 2 titles at UNC with more talent than anyone could imagine, they build a dome in his honor -- in the modern era, he'd be fired for not getting the job done.

 

REM I don’t know how much more you need! Our 9 million dollar coach leaves 2 or 3 timeouts when he could have actually you know run a play. Our guards looked totally confused with a match up zone.
Calipari was a failure at UK. With March losses to K State, Auburn without their best player, and then couple that with the worst season in UK history and then last night. He needs to leave and leave quickly!!

I posted this same thing in 2015. Let’s blow up the program and start from scratch. It is ridiculous in this day and age to have a coach at UK longer than 7-10 years.
I’m just going to sit back and watch this get real ugly, real quick. Next step is the mass exodus and our top 10 player who refused to play to leave!

 

Indeed, what a terrible ride downhill it has been.

 

There has to be something going on in the last few weeks that we will never know…..oh well time to move on while Cal cashes his large checks for failure.

 

Haha I hear you! I don't know though man... If I'm understanding you, for Cal to have been a success at UK, he'd have had like 8 final fours and multiple titles, including a perfect season? Wouldn't you agree some of your distain is due to philosophical differences with how Cal runs the program/recruits/coaches in general and not necessarily as much his achievements?

Lets say Cal's replacement stays 13 years also. I agree it is probably too long, you're right about that. Are you assuming this coach would have significantly more success than Cal has?

I'll admit that part of my perspective on Cal's future will depend on who comes back next year. I'll completely understand Oscar leaving, if he does. TyTy probably gone too and I think Brooks transfers - which is fine. But the rest should return. Sharpe probably shouldn't return but if he doesn't, that's on Cal - who shouldn't have brought him in, in that case.

 

After hearing about HallGator it really puts this damn basketball game in perspective. No words, I’m just crushed by this news!

REM, I just don’t think he is a good coach and his salary makes me vomit for the skill set he has.

 

Cat fans are "meowing" on social media all right................

 

Some good UK fan debate on here.

I question if part of the issue for UK fans is that Cal is just such a douche and he is totally sold on the "highway to the NBA" model. Other teams (Gonzaga being the prime example) don't see such blatant one and done "I'm here for a year b/c the NBA forced it" players, and the UK fans see the results: freshman all world talent that plays like freshman under pressure. Plus, Cal has never been a great teacher of fundamentals or game day strategist. His approach has always been "amass talent." The result is a revolving door of super athletes playing undisciplined hoops, coached by a $5,000 smug guy in a suit.

So, to you UK guys, if Cal were more humble and ran his team more as a college model and less as a "one year to the NBA" model, would UK fans feel different now? Or would he just be Tubby and be getting heat still?

 

Lexington Herald columnist calls it worst loss in school history; there is a $44M payout due to Cal if he was fired w/o cause.

 

I would take the losses much more in stride IF we had players that came back and we could BUILD something then starting over every year. I also hate his smugness and his salary for a game!!

 

Agreed! Our AD gave him a lifetime contract. If you thought the Tubby dismissal was bad, going down this road is going to be worse!!

 

To add Payne going to Louisville hurts…. Big time!!

 

I think that is a BIG part of the discontent for most UK fans. Very few, if any, college bball fans are going to prefer a revolving door over roster consistency, all things being equal. But they weren't equal. There was massive success that came along with the revolving door. Just not as much anymore. I think it does make it more difficult to support Cal given this. That being said, UK fans want success (like any fanbase) more than anything else. We had lots of stability with Tubby and it wasn't and shouldn't have been good enough then either.

I would point out, though, that this years team was very different than Cal's past teams. We'll see how many return I guess but they certainly weren't the "make college a pit-stop on the way to NBA riches" types.

 

Well, no. Unless you're going only by titles?