[Spud6]

We're kentucky. We're never supposed to be satisfied. Like it or not, Cal has grossly underacheived.

I'm just going to have to agree to disagree with you for saying Cal has underachieved in his time at U.K. Do you honestly believe that another coach would have had us in a better spot these past years under Cal? Except for the NIT season where Noel had the season ending injury. That's the only time that I see Cal having underachieved with a team.

[Demarcus ware]

I think it's just a matter of opinion and there isn't a definite answer whether he underachieved. You can look at it as well he was loaded with freshman, but you can also look at it as yeah but he was loaded with a team of stars and failed to meet expectations with those stars. I look back at when he had enough stars to run a platoon system and failed to make it to the finals. Yes he made it to the final four, but with that team one has to wonder what happened. Yes he admits he made mistakes but that one was hard to swallow. Yes he gives UK a chance every year with his recruiting abilities to bring in the best but look at the stats of how many McDonalds all Americans thats been through UK compared to entire leagues. It's staggering of the talent that has come through here over the last 5 or so years. Like GUT said it's not just a few of us that question it, but other message boards and even espn is talking about it. I'm not even calling him a bad coach or a failure, I'm just wondering like so many others with all this talent over the last 5 or so years why only one title. I don't think it's out of line or ludicrous to ask.

[Spud6]

I think it's just a matter of opinion and there isn't a definite answer whether he underachieved. You can look at it as well he was loaded with freshman, but you can also look at it as yeah but he was loaded with a team of stars and failed to meet expectations with those stars. I look back at when he had enough stars to run a platoon system and failed to make it to the finals. Yes he made it to the final four, but with that team one has to wonder what happened. Yes he admits he made mistakes but that one was hard to swallow. Yes he gives UK a chance every year with his recruiting abilities to bring in the best but look at the stats of how many McDonalds all Americans thats been through UK compared to entire leagues. It's staggering of the talent that has come through here over the last 5 or so years. Like GUT said it's not just a few of us that question it, but other message boards and even espn is talking about it. I'm not even calling him a bad coach or a failure, I'm just wondering like so many others with all this talent over the last 5 or so years why only one title. I don't think it's out of line or ludicrous to ask.

I see where you are coming from but I just feel as if this is D1 athletics we are talking about. Yes we normally get the best 4-6 high school recruits each and every year. But think about the rest of the players across the country that goes to other D1 schools to compete. It's so hard to win a notional championship in my opinion I don't care how many incredible players you have. Players don't have on nights every nite and some of these young men are 18-19 years old playing in these types of games for the first time.

[pjdoug]

Such a disgusting game.
Screwed by refs in the first half.
Then horrible coaching down the stretch just like every other year.

Bye to the 14 players leaving.
Let's start again with 14 new 18 year olds that will lose in the sweet 16.

I don't think he is one of the best in-game coaches ,but an Elite 8 almost every year is hard to beat. I know we won't settle for less than National Championship, but he is still doing better than most coaches

[pjdoug]

For the first time in his life, Humphries grew a pair. Been waiting for it all year.
He played phenomenal in that second half.
With him in we are up 6 or 7 with 6 minutes left. Cal puts back in Willis for Humphries and it cost us the game. Carolinas big cleared space for their guards and within two minutes we were down 6 or 7.
This nonsense of bullying your way into the paint isn't working. They aren't calling the fouls on it. Several times tonight Briscoe and Fox did that and it more or less resulted in a turnover.

I will admit that the officiating was horrid in the first half. With 3 starters in the bench we were lucky to be in the game the last 10 minutes of the first half, but I think that just goes to show how much better we actually were than UNCheat.

Either way, Cal got his title with a phenom and upperclassmen. I don't see him having it again.

It's ridicolous to ask, as the pundits say, but this is UK. A title once in 8 years while getting paid 8 million a year isn't enough IMO.

Humphries did step up big, but will he even be in Kentucky next year? I do share your frustrations with all the one and dones, and agree that we should have more championships.

[pjdoug]

They don't care. They think Kentucky Basketball owes them something, even though the majority of them have never attended UK or given a dime to the University.

Most people in the state have given more than a dime to UK tare:

[Motley]

Oh wise one please keep filling us up with your ultimate wisdom.
We are so blessed to be within your presence.
I know this is the 5th time you've brought up KAT whos been gone for 3 years, (and was playing like complete garbage when i posted that) but please master prognosticator, don't stop.
I can feel the warmth off of your aura.

When made to look like a fool, you always resort to your old go-to which is poor sarcasm and 7th grade insults. I don't blame you though. When presented with facts, statistics, and takes that have common sense you have a complete melt down and don't know how to respond.

Kevin Garrett of SeaofBlue.com wrote an incredible article about how Calipari is not underachieving at Kentucky. Not that it should take an incredible article to prove that wrong, but here it is. Not that you'll actually take the time to read something that makes sense and is backed up with facts/statistics. Probably just more fake news right?

Time to End the John Calipari is underachieving narrative

[Motley]

Most people in the state have given more than a dime to UK tare:

The University? Yes. The K-Fund & Athletics Department. Nope.

[RunItUpTheGut]

When made to look like a fool, you always resort to your old go-to which is poor sarcasm and 7th grade insults. I don't blame you though. When presented with facts, statistics, and takes that have common sense you have a complete melt down and don't know how to respond.

Kevin Garrett of SeaofBlue.com wrote an incredible article about how Calipari is not underachieving at Kentucky. Not that it should take an incredible article to prove that wrong, but here it is. Not that you'll actually take the time to read something that makes sense and is backed up with facts/statistics. Probably just more fake news right?

Time to End the John Calipari is underachieving narrative

Im not sure if you're ever going to realize that I don't read your post.
I just see that you quoted me, know it's garbage, and respond to the all mighty on a variety of ways nicker:

[Motley]

Im not sure if you're ever going to realize that I don't read your post.
I just see that you quoted me, know it's garbage, and respond to the all mighty on a variety of ways nicker:

Of course you don't. They make too much sense. Maybe if I start throwing sensational headlines in there or start making up statistics or speaking in ridiculous hyperbole I'll be lucky enough to get you to.

In the meantime, you'll just continue to look like a fool that can't debate/discuss facts or topics in a mature or constructive way. Sure some of the other mouth breathers will jump in and come to your aid, but most people will see that it's not that you won't discuss a topic with me. It's that you CAN'T. Keep up the bad work.

[dangerousdaneerfan]

This was the third time in 8 years a senior dominated opponent beat Cal's McDonalds All Americans. 2010 vs West Virginia (my couch is still smoldering over that), Wisconsin in 2015 for "38 and Done", and now North Carolina.

I guess one title in 8 years under Cal is far better than the two years of Billy Clyde and not making the Big Dance.

[Spud6]

^But nevertheless, just think about what has Cal has done in his time at U.K. Most programs would love to be the positions that we are in at the end of the year.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Of course you don't. They make too much sense. Maybe if I start throwing sensational headlines in there or start making up statistics or speaking in ridiculous hyperbole I'll be lucky enough to get you to.

In the meantime, you'll just continue to look like a fool that can't debate/discuss facts or topics in a mature or constructive way. Sure some of the other mouth breathers will jump in and come to your aid, but most people will see that it's not that you won't discuss a topic with me. It's that you CAN'T. Keep up the bad work.

I see youre quoting me again :lmao:

[RunItUpTheGut]

^But nevertheless, just think about what has Cal has done in his time at U.K. Most programs would love to be the positions that we are in at the end of the year.

"Most Programs" we are not most programs

[Spud6]

"Most Programs" we are not most programs

Agreed. But I'm saying that our fan base's expectations are a bit much don't you think?

Just because we have the best talent doesn't mean we should always win. Our teams are full of first round picks but they are 18-20 years old and are playing one year in college basketball while other teams have 3-4 year players that know how to handle the moments of those big games. Talent doesn't always win ball games. You of all people should know that.

[Iam4thecats]

In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has only 1 National title…in 20 seasons by the other programs, only Duke (2015) has a national title.
In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has DOUBLE the amount of Final Fours as the other programs over 20 seasons. Only Duke (2015) and Ohio State (2007) reached the Final 4.
In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has 6 Elite 8 appearance… in 20 seasons by other programs, only 5 programs made the elite 8. Duke (2015), Ohio State (2007), UNC (2007), Kentucky (2005), and Kansas (2003).
In 8 seasons at UK, Cal has a tournament record of 27-6 (82%)…in TWENTY seasons by the other programs, they are 31-16 (66%).
In 6 NCAA Tournament losses under Calipari, they have lost to a better seed three times, an equal seed once, and a worse seed only twice. The two worse seed losses were also only 1 slot worse than UK.
When confronted by facts most of people will say "oh, i was mistaken" or "I was misinformed". Those that don't are either liars or stupid.

[Spud6]

In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has only 1 National title…in 20 seasons by the other programs, only Duke (2015) has a national title.
In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has DOUBLE the amount of Final Fours as the other programs over 20 seasons. Only Duke (2015) and Ohio State (2007) reached the Final 4.
In 8 seasons at UK, Calipari has 6 Elite 8 appearance… in 20 seasons by other programs, only 5 programs made the elite 8. Duke (2015), Ohio State (2007), UNC (2007), Kentucky (2005), and Kansas (2003).
In 8 seasons at UK, Cal has a tournament record of 27-6 (82%)…in TWENTY seasons by the other programs, they are 31-16 (66%).
In 6 NCAA Tournament losses under Calipari, they have lost to a better seed three times, an equal seed once, and a worse seed only twice. The two worse seed losses were also only 1 slot worse than UK.
When confronted by facts most of people will say "oh, i was mistaken" or "I was misinformed". Those that don't are either liars or stupid.

My mannn

[OldJacket]

I am a UK alumni and K fund contributor, was at UK in 1978 when we won one...It is not easy to win a NCAA, it takes talent, coaching and LUCK...Not a fan of one and done's but that's the rule and that's the way Cal rolls...If Grabrial or Jones had developed this year we are still playing, maybe that's on Cal...Understand everyone's frustration but be careful what you wish for....

[LOOKAYANNER]

Cal didn't lose this game.

The officials killed UK in the first half. Bam should have shot at least 8 free throws in that half but the stripes wouldn't call the muggings when he attempted shots. And Meeks wouldn't have played more than 15 minutes in the game if the fouls had been called on him. They called them in Vegas but not in Memphis. Ridiculous! Fox was called for a blocking foul when a UNC guard lowered his shoulder and flattened him. Then he's called for a reach in touch foul that sent him to the bench for most of the first half, but when he returns late in the half he has the last shot to end the half and is fouled to death---not by one player but by two. Yep, call a touch foul on him but allow that crap to happen at the end of the half.
If the first half had been call legitimately the Cats would have been leading by at least 8 at half time. The officiating got somewhat better in the second half (I don't know how Dick Gabriel got his info but he said the authorities over the refs sent word at the half for them to clean up the game that they were letting it get out of hand---I suppose they noticed 10 minutes of booing at intermission). Although the refs did better in the second half it wasn't by much. Willis and Gabriel were both called for non fouls that were as obvious as could be, for example. But it was better than the first half. UK won the second half by 3 points.
If this game had been called honestly and without an agenda throughout its 40 minutes Kentucky wins by 11-12 points.

Can't beat a team like UNC with Fox sitting. The first foul was 100% wrong. His second foul was a foul.
Something to think about: If Fox had sat 12 minutes of the first half against UCLA that game would have been lost as well.

If UK could have had their full roster and UNC had their full roster for the entire game UK wins, and fairly easily. Kentucky had the better team.

Pat Forde wrote an article that criticized UK fan's complaints and pointed out that the fouls were 18 for one team and 19 for the other, like that meant something. It's not how many fouls are called, it's who they are called on. If a tv camera pans on the Kentucky bench and three of their top scorers are sitting there that is about as short handed as one could be. Kind of like going to a gun fight with a rocks as weapons. And there should have been 35 fouls called on UNC. Bam probably had to ice his body down after the game. Comparing foul totals doesn't tell the sad story of this game.

[honestjchsfan]

IMO the NCAA clearly has it out for Cal. Since 2014 UK has faced UCLA, UNC, IU, UConn, UL, Cincinnati and Michigan in the NCAA tourney. These teams combined have won 31 national titles. Compare that to Duke since 2014. Duke somehow has managed to play just one team with a National title in the NCCA tourney, that being Michigan ST in 2015. When a College basketball team wins 30 games in a season that pretty well is a clear sign that team is pretty darn good. Well since 2014 UK has played (9) 30 win teams in the NCAA tourney. Combined Duke, UL and UNC have only played (8) since 2014! Now what does that tell you?? UK has also met more teams that played in the Final Four the previous year than Duke, UNC and UL combined. UK has played 5 such teams, Wichita St, UL, Michigan in 2014, Wisconsin in 2015 and UNC in 2017. Since 2014 Duke, UNC and UL have combined to play just 1, Duke VS Wisconsin in the 2015 title game. I don't feel like typing anymore but someone please Check and see who has played the most Major conference regular season and conference tourney champs in the NCAA tourney since 2014. YEP you guess it UK. Compare it to Duke UNC and UL, throw Kansas in for good Measure. It's pretty pitiful! I am a UK fan but a blind man can see this NCAA crap is rigged against Coach Cal!

[Hoot Gibson]

I am glad to see RIUTG finally placing the blame for Cal's underachieving with the best talent in the nation where it belongs - on Cal. The NBA is full of examples of players who underachieved at UK and are thriving with the benefit of better coaching as professionals. Tyler Ulis and Devon Booker were not good enough to crack UK's starting lineup as freshmen and played behind the Harrison twins - who will never be good NBA players. In his second season in the league, Booker recently joined the elite group of players who have scored 70 or more points in an NBA game. Ulis has developed into a solid NBA point guard in his rookie season.

Skal Labissiere was lousy at UK, but as an NBA rookie, he is averaging more points and rebounds than he did as a Wildcat and has shown flashes of brilliance.

Cal struggles to win against great coaches who have far less talent than he does. To his credit, he does many things extremely well such as recruiting, handling the media, and promoting the program - but as a developer of talent and bench coach, nobody is going to mistake him for John Wooden or Brad Stevens.

[LOOKAYANNER]

For all you guys blaming Cal for only making 4 Final Fours and 1 title in 8 years at Kentucky, what is your take on the highly touted and Hall of Fame Coach Dean Smith? He coached at North Carolina for 33 years with NBA talent that actually hung around for at least 3 years and won 2 championships, both of which were due to serious unforced errors at the end of each game. Brown from Georgetown simply turned and passed the ball to James Worthy in the last seconds of the 1982 title. And of course we all remember the infamous timeout called by Michigan's Chris Webber in the last seconds of that game when they had no timeouts left.
So, Smith won 2 championship, and barely at that. The '82 team had James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and Sam Perkins, all future NBA stars, and barely won the title.

For anyone to blame Cal for the loss to North Carolina and is so blind they can't see that this loss was due to horrendous officiating don't know much about basketball. When the head of officials sends word to the ref crew at halftime that they need to get their act together in the second half because the first half was unacceptable that tells you all you need to know. The problem by that time, though, is most of the "unacceptable" calls were against Kentucky and instead of Bam shooting at least 8 free throws by halftime he had 0 and Fox and other crucial players were on the bench. Instead of Kentucky being up 5-7 at half it was UNC in front by that much. UK won the second half by 3 points but the damage had already been done, compliments of some of the worst officiating I've seen in a long time.

[Spud6]

I am glad to see RIUTG finally placing the blame for Cal's underachieving with the best talent in the nation where it belongs - on Cal. The NBA is full of examples of players who underachieved at UK and are thriving with the benefit of better coaching as professionals. Tyler Ulis and Devon Booker were not good enough to crack UK's starting lineup as freshmen and played behind the Harrison twins - who will never be good NBA players. In his second season in the league, Booker recently joined the elite group of players who have scored 70 or more points in an NBA game. Ulis has developed into a solid NBA point guard in his rookie season.

Skal Labissiere was lousy at UK, but as an NBA rookie, he is averaging more points and rebounds than he did as a Wildcat and has shown flashes of brilliance.

Cal struggles to win against great coaches who have far less talent than he does. To his credit, he does many things extremely well such as recruiting, handling the media, and promoting the program - but as a developer of talent and bench coach, nobody is going to mistake him for John Wooden or Brad Stevens.

I just don't understand how you can compare college athletes to their NBA selfs. Obviously they're going to be better, they have professionals all around them and have special shooting coaches to critique their shooting stroke.

And to the team that went 38-1. Can you honestly say yo I would have started Booker and Ulis over the Harrison twins who had been incredible the prior year? It would be hard for me to believe that you thought back then that they would start over the twins. Cal even said that his blue platoon which was the second five off the bench would have been a top 5 team in the country that year.

[Hoot Gibson]

I just don't understand how you can compare college athletes to their NBA selfs. Obviously they're going to be better, they have professionals all around them and have special shooting coaches to critique their shooting stroke.

And to the team that went 38-1. Can you honestly say yo I would have started Booker and Ulis over the Harrison twins who had been incredible the prior year? It would be hard for me to believe that you thought back then that they would start over the twins. Cal even said that his blue platoon which was the second five off the bench would have been a top 5 team in the country that year.

Ulis and Booker had better stats when they were freshmen than the Harrison twins, but Calipari refused to reward their performance with starting positions. It cost them a shot at a title. Even Cal admitted that he probably stuck with the Harrisons too long against Wisconsin. And yes, I did believe that Ulis and Booker should have been starting over the twins back then and my posts were made in this forum.

[honestjchsfan]

Cal missed the boat this year by not playing Isaac more minutes. Cal had to do whatever it took to pump up Bam's draft stock. I thought it was pretty crappy of Cal to stick Isaac in a spot like that after playing Isaac so few minutes this season. To tell a kid we need you against the best team in the country but we don't need you against say Ole Miss is pretty low down in my book. Bam is way over rated in my book! I saw him is person and No Way he is 6' 10" he might be 6' 9". Bam may make a good pro but I can care less what he or any UK player does in the NBA. What I like about Isaac H. is first he looks to really be 7' tall he also has nice hands and good hand eye coordination for guy that big. Isaac also has a soft touch, he could be a really good college player if he played for a coach that cared about developing good college players. I got sick of seeing Bam fumble passes or travel about half way threw the season.

[CoachNM0523]

Isaac is soft and terrible. Had one decent game and you all act like he's a great player. Bam is thrice the player he will ever be.

[honestjchsfan]

Isaac is soft and terrible. Had one decent game and you all act like he's a great player. Bam is thrice the player he will ever be.

If Isaac can have a "decent" game against UNC then he is capable of developing into a good college player. As far as Bam goes his last 2 games were perfect example of what "terrible" is all about! I think he had 2 points and 4 REB. vs UCLA and Meeks from UNC had like 18 REB. against him. I remember Cal hyping Bam up last year after IU beat UK. Cal told the media that the folks at Rupp Arena had better keep extra backboards in stock because Bam may break one every game :hilarious:. I think Bam should change him name to Scam Abedeyo! Some of you UK fans buy all the BS that Cal sales you. Cal had a bench full of big kids that could have played and been ready to contribute come NCAA tourney time but CAL had to protect Bam the Scam's draft stock. Why else would Cal be telling the national media that if NBA executives passed on Bam they should be fired? I am sick of what Cal is selling!

[Spud6]

Cal missed the boat this year by not playing Isaac more minutes. Cal had to do whatever it took to pump up Bam's draft stock. I thought it was pretty crappy of Cal to stick Isaac in a spot like that after playing Isaac so few minutes this season. To tell a kid we need you against the best team in the country but we don't need you against say Ole Miss is pretty low down in my book. Bam is way over rated in my book! I saw him is person and No Way he is 6' 10" he might be 6' 9". Bam may make a good pro but I can care less what he or any UK player does in the NBA. What I like about Isaac H. is first he looks to really be 7' tall he also has nice hands and good hand eye coordination for guy that big. Isaac also has a soft touch, he could be a really good college player if he played for a coach that cared about developing good college players. I got sick of seeing Bam fumble passes or travel about half way threw the season.

I agree that Bam is overrated. He has absolutely no back to the basketball moves. He's just god gifted with freakish athletic abilities that will probably do him well in the NBA.

[CoachNM0523]

If Isaac can have a "decent" game against UNC then he is capable of developing into a good college player. As far as Bam goes his last 2 games were perfect example of what "terrible" is all about! I think he had 2 points and 4 REB. vs UCLA and Meeks from UNC had like 18 REB. against him. I remember Cal hyping Bam up last year after IU beat UK. Cal told the media that the folks at Rupp Arena had better keep extra backboards in stock because Bam may break one every game :hilarious:. I think Bam should change him name to Scam Abedeyo! Some of you UK fans buy all the BS that Cal sales you. Cal had a bench full of big kids that could have played and been ready to contribute come NCAA tourney time but CAL had to protect Bam the Scam's draft stock. Why else would Cal be telling the national media that if NBA executives passed on Bam they should be fired? I am sick of what Cal is selling!

Nah man you probably know more than Cal and other NBA scouts.. you're right.. lol

[CoachNM0523]

If Isaac can have a "decent" game against UNC then he is capable of developing into a good college player. As far as Bam goes his last 2 games were perfect example of what "terrible" is all about! I think he had 2 points and 4 REB. vs UCLA and Meeks from UNC had like 18 REB. against him. I remember Cal hyping Bam up last year after IU beat UK. Cal told the media that the folks at Rupp Arena had better keep extra backboards in stock because Bam may break one every game :hilarious:. I think Bam should change him name to Scam Abedeyo! Some of you UK fans buy all the BS that Cal sales you. Cal had a bench full of big kids that could have played and been ready to contribute come NCAA tourney time but CAL had to protect Bam the Scam's draft stock. Why else would Cal be telling the national media that if NBA executives passed on Bam they should be fired? I am sick of what Cal is selling!

By the way.. Humphries stellar 2.8 and 2.8 a game should translate well into next season. Considering up to the UNC game he had 0 points and 3 rebounds. And he's a liability on defense. Regular season Bam had 18 and 13 on UCLA first game, 13 and 7 on UNC first game, 11 9 on UL, 10 8 on Kansas, 18 15 on FLA, 13 10 on Wichita, and 13 7 on UNC. For Cal's system, these are solid numbers. Hence why he'll be a first round pick. Post players aren't gonna score 20 and 10 playing at UK because we have the talent to be able to get more guys minutes and because there's so many touch fouls called in college. You've been spoiled with what Cal has done here in 8 years and that's fine. If you wanna cheer for a team who has some good ole home state boys go cheer for a NAIA school or a school that has no success.