Gator Country

phideltdj · 03-20-2013, 07:54 AM

ESPN radio said that UK has 4 players projected to be drafted in the first round (one of them will be the number one overall player taken)...if that is true...isn't it fair to say that Cal may have had the worst coaching year ever. If you have that much NBA talent and you get bounced in the first round of the NIT by Robert Morris doesn't this come back to the coach. Isn't he the guy that assembled the team and coached them. Even if you remove Noel from the team for the last 10 games or so....didn't he still have 3 projected first round NBA players playing. In comparison, Billy has no first round projected players on the team. How come he gets all the credit for when they win but when they bomb he blames it on the players on the team trying to hijack the program and doesn't take responsibility himself? Sort of showed his true colors didn't he!

**RealGatorFan** · 03-20-2013, 07:59 AM

I don't care if you have a dream team, you have to be able to create chemistry. He couldn't and he said this was the first year ever where by they time they got to us they hadn't done that. These kids came in thinking they were entitled to a championship. Noel was the only one buying into Calamari.

**G8RNTN** · 03-20-2013, 08:00 AM

Not really...

**GeauxGators05** · 03-20-2013, 08:12 AM

Talent alone does not win championships. I love our coach and wouldn't trade him for Calipari, that is for sure.

SmootyGator · 03-20-2013, 08:15 AM

This is Cal's 4th year coaching UK, right? It's still a little to early IMO to tell how well his system works in the long run. In my opinion, this season and last are the outliers. I don't think he'll have near as bad of a season as this one again. Likewise, I think he won't see one where everything comes together so perfectly like last season. That's not to say he can't win another NC. I think either of his first two seasons could have gone somewhat better or worse depending on some good/bad breaks and flat out luck. Another season like this one next year, and I'm sure UK fans will be calling for his head though!

dailydoublecat · 03-20-2013, 08:29 AM

He did his damndest to get us where we needed to be. I put little blame on Calipari and his staff. Sometimes it just doesnt work--he will fix it!

Jeff

gatorfan228 · 03-20-2013, 08:38 AM

I just dont see any of those three being first round talent, but regardless it certainly wasnt Coach Caliparis best coaching job.

108 · 03-20-2013, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dailydoublecat

He did his damndest to get us where we needed to be. I put little blame on Calipari and his staff. Sometimes it just doesnt work--he will fix it!

Jeff

is he not responsible for recruiting and taking the risk of this happening with his 1 and Done system?

SmootyGator · 03-20-2013, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 108

is he not responsible for recruiting and taking the risk of this happening with his 1 and Done system?

He's 100% responsible. But why did he have a crappy season this year? Was it because he is a terrible coach? Was it just bad luck? Was it that the Freshman were way overrated? Is this a trend, or is it just something that happens after you win a NC? There really isn't a lot of data to run regarding Cal's recruiting style because it really hasn't been done that much. You really just can't look at this year and judge the guy, you have to look at all 4 years.

rtgator · 03-20-2013, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dailydoublecat

He did his damndest to get us where we needed to be. I put little blame on Calipari and his staff. Sometimes it just doesnt work--he will fix it!

Jeff

By his own admission, he didn't do his best.

He was quoted as saying that he'll never have a team "hijacked by a couple players again." Apparently, he allowed that to happen this year.

How is that doing his damndest?

**Jupgator** · 03-20-2013, 08:59 AM

ESPN said he has the #1 class next year, and if Randle commits to UK, it will be the best of all time. I guess one and done works if the very best HS players go to the same place.

**RealGatorFan** · 03-20-2013, 09:01 AM

Like I said, you can have a whole team of Lebron James, and if they don't work collectively, they won't win. His issue was they had no chemistry together as a team so they were 5 guys on the court trying to be a team. We have a team of 5 guys. Big difference.

108 · 03-20-2013, 09:11 AM

a smart man might hedge his bets a little and intentionally recruit some players year in and out that will stay and develop, help hold together the 1 and Dones

but my guess is that Cal likes the limelight too much that comes with recruiting a whole new group of 1 and Dones

REM08 · 03-20-2013, 09:15 AM

Ultimately, certainly Cal and his staff are responsible. I, like Jeff, put almost zero blame on them this year. They had some players (who they recruited and are responsible for) that were close to cancers and will either shape up or leave. Anyone who saw his quotes after last night finally got to see his true feelings about a few of his guys.

Objectively, this wasn't a good year for Cal as far as his coaching performance went. He's been great at getting the most out of players, at getting freshmen to play very well right away, and at developing a very physical defense and a team with good chemistry. These things didn't happen this year.

Lazy national shows like the ones on ESPN will look at draft projections and say this Kentucky team has 4 first round draft picks. I've gone over before how there are two different kind of draft picks - the ones that contribute in college and the ones that are drafted on potential alone. Other than Noel, which category were these guys? Talking about 4 draft picks and this team's ability to win games this year just isn't valid.

REM08 · 03-20-2013, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 108

a smart man might hedge his bets a little and intentionally recruit some players year in and out that will stay and develop, help hold together the 1 and Dones

but my guess is that Cal likes the limelight too much that comes with recruiting a whole new group of 1 and Dones

Cal likes winning. He said last night he's now changed his mind and his strategy going forward and is going to have much deeper teams. He vowed this year will never happen again and said next years team may have 15 guys. Coaches evolve and grow overtime.

deathroll · 03-20-2013, 09:17 AM

Freshmen. Super talented but still freshman. It's an amazing thing what Cal/UK are trying to do. I hate it. Hate Cal's attitude (check out his behavior/body language at the beginning of that press conference; not a leader of men). I want this experiment to fail... but it's still an amazing experiment. No way a collection of freshman knows the game, knows help defense, their roles, their teammates roles, their teammates tendencies, etc. well enough to win it all (well, again) (I hope).

kellgator · 03-20-2013, 09:21 AM

For our Cat fans: any idea who Cal was talking about when he mentioned a couple of players hijacking the team?

As for UK's dismal season, I've consistently heard Cal take blame for doing a poor coaching job this season. I'm sure it wasn't for lack of trying, he just never found the right buttons to push with this team. Personally, I blame Cal and Harrow. Cal for not recruiting a better PG and Harrow for being a train wreck. So much of Cal's system is based on having a top shelf PG that breaks down a defense, gets his own shot, and gets easy shots for others. Harrow isn't close to what they've had over the past few years. The problem was magnified because they didn't have anyone else who could fill that role from one of the other off guard spots with the exception of Goodwin. But Goodwin was either really good or really wild. We saw both Goodwins last night. So then they were left trying to manufacture offense within a system that is designed for players more talented than what they had. It just didn't work. The contrast between Billy's system and Cal's system couldn't have been more stark than it was this year. Billy's system is designed for scoring opportunities to come from precise execution of the plays that are run. While Cal's system, much like the NBA, is designed for elite players to create scoring opportunities. Which is great when you have the players, not so much when you don't.

Colin · 03-20-2013, 09:32 AM

Noel getting hurt changed their season. Still, only convinced Cal is a great recruiter, not necessarily a great coach. A lot of coaches would have great seasons with the talent UK is getting.

gatorbogey · 03-20-2013, 09:39 AM

if you're just talking about the NIT loss than i don't think it is that big of a deal. NIT for a program like UK in hoops is like UF, coming off a nat'l championship season and being relegated to the liberty bowl. i don't think you'd see inspired play. heck, didn't get that great of play from us this past season in the sugar bowl. even w/ all that talent, you need some drive/passion to win.

akaGatorhoops · 03-20-2013, 09:48 AM

I think back to our nit teams that included Soeights, Parsons and Calathes and the frustrations billy had. He locked them out of the practice facility.
As others have said, it's sometimes about more....much more....than talent.