[Pulp Fiction]

In Cal's ten seasons at UK.... let's look at some numbers.


Cal - Calipari (UK).
Roy - Roy Williams (UNC).
K - Coach K (Duke).


National Titles:
Cal 1, Roy 1, K 2.

Runner-Up:
Cal 1, Roy 1, K 0.

Final 4's:
Cal 4, Roy 2, K 2.

Elite 8's:
Cal 7, Roy 4, K 5.

Sweet 16's:
Cal 8, Roy 6, K 7.

2nd Round Losses:
Cal 1, Roy 0, K 2.

1st Round Losses:
Cal 0, Roy 0, K 2.


Career:
K has 5 national titles.
Roy has 3 national titles.
Cal has 1 national title.




If you only count a successful season by winning the national championship, then UK has only had eight successful seasons. Regular season or tournament wins against Louisville, Florida, Tennessee, Kansas, UNC, Duke...... beating all of our rivals don't mean anything if you can't enjoy the season without winning the national title. If you can't enjoy the regular season or any other season that doesn't end with a national championship, then why do you follow the team in the first place?

The NCAA Tournament is a great way to crown a champion, but not the best way to determine the best team. Everybody has an off-game or an off-night.

[Van Hagar]

This is dead on the money. When I was younger, it seemed you could have a season that didn’t result in a national title, and people were still ok with it if you had checked off some boxes (conference title, wins over certain teams). Now it’s national championship or nothing. I don’t even think making the final four is enough anymore unless you win the whole thing. NCAA tournament is soooo much fun—-but it’s so random too. I’d say the years actual best team wins it quite a but less than half the time.

[Spud6]

Glad you posted this. I guarantee no one is calling for Coach k’s firing today even though he had the greatest recruiting class in recent history and potential 1,2,5 draft picks

[MayfieldCardinal]

Last and runner up are the same thing to me but winning it is rare.