Revisiting Mark Story's 2009 Column Warning Kentucky Not to Hire Cal

[J.Jennings]

I've never read the actual quote from Jeff Sheppard, but I'd say it's fairly common that teams band together during hard times and start to play for themselves more than the coach. It can be argued that that may even be a necessary evolution for a championship team.

But it's not like that team was so bad before that moment, whenever it happened. That's a team that lost four games total all year. They weren't as dominant as '96 but they were pretty freakin' good. Not like they went from bums to awesome just because Jeff Sheppard had some kind of epiphany.

And let's be honest, controversy sells and J. Sheppard was trying to sell a book...

[Dwight Schrute]

I think your opinion is stupid.

But mine is grounded in fact. It's what the players said. You had your head up tubby's so long you can't see the sunshine to this day.

The idea that players could guide themselves to an NCAA tournament against actual well coached teams is fantasy, particularly against a team like Duke.

I don't care if you don't like Tubby, but you're spouting bullsh.

[J.Jennings]

The idea that players could guide themselves to an NCAA tournament against actual well coached teams is fantasy, particularly against a team like Duke.

I don't care if you don't like Tubby, but you're spouting bullsh.

Again, down by 17 with 9 to go against Duke I can remember exactly where I was at and how I was feeling at that moment, maybe the biggest comeback with the greatest impact I can remember for a UK basketball game, bigger than LSU.

With that being said, Tubby did one helluva job that tournament run and when I look back, it still blows my mind that Tubby simply fell off at Kentucky. If he would have stuck to the script and played up tempo ball, who knows how it may have ended. He decided to go big, play half court slow down basketball and let's be honest, players just don't want to play in that kind of system for the most part now a days, they want to run...

[Spiritof96]

Again, down by 17 with 9 to go against Duke I can remember exactly where I was at and how I was feeling at that moment, maybe the biggest comeback with the greatest impact I can remember for a UK basketball game, bigger than LSU.

With that being said, Tubby did one helluva job that tournament run and when I look back, it still blows my mind that Tubby simply fell off at Kentucky. If he would have stuck to the script and played up tempo ball, who knows how it may have ended. He decided to go big, play half court slow down basketball and let's be honest, players just don't want to play in that kind of system for the most part now a days, they want to run...

I agree about Tubby being a great bench coach.

I think he was lousy in the locker room and lousy in the living room.

I detested the years of rock-fight-grinder-ball played under Tubby; but I have no explanation for the 02-03 CATS that played some of the most beautiful team offense ever.

[Dwight Schrute]

I agree about Tubby being a great bench coach.

I think he was lousy in the locker room and lousy in the living room.

I detested the years of rock-fight-grinder-ball played under Tubby; but I have no explanation for the 02-03 CATS that played some of the most beautiful team offense ever.

I think there's a high correlation between having Chuck Hayes on your team and the number of wins you're able to achieve.

[DA#23]

^ If this was a boxing match, Schrute just put both hands behind his back with that one.....

[Spiritof96]

^ If this was a boxing match, Schrute just put both hands behind his back with that one.....

I don't understand this statement.

[Joneslab]

I don't understand this statement.

I think the poster is making the point that Schrute is admitting that Chuck Hayes won those games for Tubby in much the same way BJD is arguing that Pitino's players won the '98 title for him.

I do think Chuck Hayes was essential for this program in the same way that Cal's great players have been. Coaches at this level need guys who have professional potential, which Hayes did.

[DA#23]

I think it lends credence to those who think poorly of Tubby as a coach. We all think of Chuck as a guy taking charge of the personalities, keeping people in line, and being an enforcer of great work ethic. It's easy to point at the years sans Chuck and aside from "Pitino's players" and ask 'what was Tubby's product?' Because those were the years where it was easy to try and convince people that parity was some incurable disease invading even the blue-blooded programs.



I'm just saying that I think Schrute teed up some easy shots.

[DA#23]

I think the poster is making the point that Schrute is admitting that Chuck Hayes won those games for Tubby in much the same way BJD is arguing that Pitino's players won the '98 title for him.

Yes

Also, in my best Jim Croce voice, I got a name

[Dwight Schrute]

I think the poster is making the point that Schrute is admitting that Chuck Hayes won those games for Tubby in much the same way BJD is arguing that Pitino's players won the '98 title for him.

I do think Chuck Hayes was essential for this program in the same way that Cal's great players have been. Coaches at this level need guys who have professional potential, which Hayes did.

Yeah, but I never claimed those players tuned out Tubby. Just that team leadership goes a long, long way.

[Joneslab]

I think it lends credence to those who think poorly of Tubby as a coach. We all think of Chuck as a guy taking charge of the personalities, keeping people in line, and being an enforcer of great work ethic.

True, but there were also some other pretty good players on those teams. And not only good players, but the right players.

Cal needs the right players too. He can't work magic. We saw that here in the NIT year. He needs talent, but as much as talent, he needs cohesion and leadership and intangibles. The right players.

People have always said "Cal can't coach, but he can recruit." I've seen that here, from our fans. I've seen it this season. I'm always baffled by that because in my mind recruiting is coaching.

It wasn't just Hayes. When that group of guys left Tubby couldn't replicate them. Cal can.

[Spiritof96]

I think it lends credence to those who think poorly of Tubby as a coach. We all think of Chuck as a guy taking charge of the personalities, keeping people in line, and being an enforcer of great work ethic. It's easy to point at the years sans Chuck and aside from "Pitino's players" and ask 'what was Tubby's product?' Because those were the years where it was easy to try and convince people that parity was some incurable disease invading even the blue-blooded programs.



I'm just saying that I think Schrute teed up some easy shots.

Well, I remember the 02-03 team wasn't so hot until that road game at Vandy when something clicked. I like Chuck Hayes fine but I don't think that team was all about him and he certainly didn't design that offense. He may have gotten everyone on board with exerting extreme effort to make that stupid ball line defense work...

They should call it the light-me-up-from-three defense.

[DA#23]

Will, if those two facets are nearly inseparable...then where do you stand on that era as a WHOLE?

Spiritof96, I think that group actually was more homogeneous than we might remember at times. Maybe Chuck Hayes snuck some of his blood or liquid tenacity into the cooler and they took on some his personality, or perhaps it also was Tubby connecting with that group very well. I think it was a lot of both.

[Joneslab]

Will, if those two facets are nearly inseparable...then where do you stand on that era as a WHOLE?

Good era, not great.

I have a lot of great memories from those teams though.