"It Will Never be This Good Again"

[Catatonic]

It's not trash unless you're willfully blind. And there's certainly no wrong information in there.I said we won that game. But it wasn't because of tabby's coaching. It was in spite of it. I get it, you love you some tubby. And you do have the tubby "if" game down pat. I started saying it in 2000 and I will say it now. Tubby will never take a team to the FF. The only way he gets to the FF is as a spectator. There's no "if" in that. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. That is the tubby legacy. That's fine for it to be good enough for you. It never will be for me.

Everything I hate about our fanbase encompassed in one post.

To answer the main question: I sure hope so. But it may not be in my lifetime.

[BobS]

Back to the original question:

The very same thing was said of Pitino when he was at UK. Same thing.

Then we went through the barrage. I won't argue about Tubby (dead horse), but he had some great moments here, including a title (that I attribute to him. So sue me). His later years pretty much eroded some good feelings in the fan base, IMO. Billy Clyde is not even worth discussing.

Then we get Cal. As big a ego as Pitino but does things differently. I never felt any coach or player could be bigger than The Program, but if Cal wins another title, he could come close in many eyes of the BBN. I will never feel that way, but I suspect many will.

I also feel that success can be achieved in different ways. No coach is likely to come in here and duplicate the ridiculous recruiting success Cal has had. But I also think that another great coach will keep UK alive and thriving.

[Dwight Schrute]

The difference between Cal and Pitino is that Cal seems to lack the God complex that Pitino has. Cal's ego is more of a confident self-assurance, whereas Pitino's is more of a case of classical narcissism.

[GOCAT15]

Once Cal, Coach K, Roy, Self, Boehim and Pitino retire(I apologize if I missed any), it will be interesting to see what the next line of Hall of fame coaches will be. Ollie, Smart, who?
It seems that a lot of decent young coaches are getting poached by the nba but I guess maybe they will be back someday. It will be interesting to look bad 30 years from now and what teams will be top notch programs because of the coach. Kids don't go to schools as much anymore for the school, it's more the coach.

My main point is without coach K, duke probably is equivalent to a Mizzou basketball program, no FF's.

[uglyduckling]

I think the closest thing you're going to get to Cal is Self. When Cal retires, if I'm Mitch, the phone call at least HAS to be made. Doesn't matter if it's a longshot or not. Self could keep things going in the right direction, definitely not on the level it is now. If Stevens falters at Boston, he would be next. I don't see Stevens failing at Boston though. That guy is one Demarcus Cousins trade away from being the Cavs biggest challenger.

[teamchemistry15]

Pitino left when we were on top of college basketball. Tubby came in and did well, he just didn't do Kentucky. Kentucky isn't a top 25 sweet 16 program. We should expect better than that, as spoiled as it sounds. I'm looking at who's out there next, although we've realistically at least got until Brad graduates. I think Cal will be hehe seven or eight more years until he retires. He isn't going back to the NBA. I think wants 40-0 and I think he wants to go after UCLA but I don't think that one happens. I really think he wants to go down as the best ever and if he coaches here 15 years, has two or three titles, nine or so final fours, and 50 first round picks it'll be a good argument.

To answer the original question, no. I don't think it'll ever be this good again but it'll be hard to beat because we've got one of the best ever.

[Joneslab]

Pitino left when we were on top of college basketball. Tubby came in and did well, he just didn't do Kentucky. Kentucky isn't a top 25 sweet 16 program. We should expect better than that, as spoiled as it sounds. I'm looking at who's out there next, although we've realistically at least got until Brad graduates. I think Cal will be hehe seven or eight more years until he retires. He isn't going back to the NBA. I think wants 40-0 and I think he wants to go after UCLA but I don't think that one happens. I really think he wants to go down as the best ever and if he coaches here 15 years, has two or three titles, nine or so final fours, and 50 first round picks it'll be a good argument.

To answer the original question, no. I don't think it'll ever be this good again but it'll be hard to beat because we've got one of the best ever.

Good post.

Just looking at active coaches, Cal is hovering around the Roy Williams/Tom Izzo orbit right now IMO. He's a notch about Bill Self and Jim Boeheim. That's if you discount the vacated Final Fours...and many don't.

Disregarding that stuff and just looking at basketball, he's the second best currently in the game and one of the 20 or 25 best to ever coach college basketball. VERY hard to replicate and it will be brutal to follow.

The only thing that'll save the guy who comes after him is that a lot of fans will make the case, "At least we don't have to worry about so many one-and-dones." (Assuming the next guy doesn't mimic what Cal's doing with regard to one-and-dones.)

[Wonderstruck]

Just stopped in to say that this thread has been very entertaining.

[teamchemistry15]

Good post.

Just looking at active coaches, Cal is hovering around the Roy Williams/Tom Izzo orbit right now IMO. He's a notch about Bill Self and Jim Boeheim. That's if you discount the vacated Final Fours...and many don't.

Disregarding that stuff and just looking at basketball, he's the second best currently in the game and one of the 20 or 25 best to ever coach college basketball. VERY hard to replicate and it will be brutal to follow.

The only thing that'll save the guy who comes after him is that a lot of fans will make the case, "At least we don't have to worry about so many one-and-dones." (Assuming the next guy doesn't mimic what Cal's doing with regard to one-and-dones.)

Or if it's Tony Bennett from Virginia. Part of me still doesn't like the one and done thing, but I think a bigger part of me loves it. I think every season except for two (the final four with Knight and the title) has kind of ended leaving us with a "What now?" mentality. With the talent he's bringing in we expect titles. With the mystery that is every recruiting class we can almost immediately, and often before, jump into next season. It kind of keeps it alive for me.

As much as that could save the next guy it could be a destroyer. Imagine Cal leaving and another guy coming in and getting some four star guys who will be here four years. I can't imagine the first two years would be as successful as we expect. Would the fan base accept two years of a top 25 team and early exits?

[Joneslab]

The one-and-done thing is indeed the best thing ever and the worst thing ever all at the same time.

[ralph helm]

I never thought Pitino would have won it in98--that team did not seem to have the players to succeed with Pitino,s pressing style--- just my humble opinion!!!!!

[George]

I never thought Pitino would have won it in98--that team did not seem to have the players to succeed with Pitino,s pressing style--- just my humble opinion!!!!!

Pitino didn't win it in '98; Tubby did.

[DA#23]

^ Ralph didn't say that

[George]

^ Ralph didn't say that

Evidently I've missed something.

[Lighthouse]

Evidently I've missed something.

No, you've seen the reason for the comment, or at least it's been there. And you are right, Coach Tubby Smith was the Coach who won it all in 98. And Pitino would have blown another one if he had stayed. I was in St Pete for the regional final when after we were down by 17 to Duke, Tubby won that game by out-coaching coach K. He went on to win the NC.