UK @ UL game thread

[teamchemistry15]

As far as Cal lashing out to the disgruntled fans....I think it's pretty stupid. Just coach the team and ignore the noise like he preaches to his own players all the time.

Spent time talking about how he doesn't get involved in social media by smacking on some talk in social media. Seems silly.

Big fanbases have all kinds. He even claimed it was a small percentage chirping. So ignore the others.

And fans have every right to be critical as well as praise. But they have no right to address his family. Those mouth breathers need to be ignored and not draw attention to them, imo.

Shut up and sing. Better yet, stay positive on days like this.

The problem is so many of us forget to give praise. And I'm not just talking about that small percentage. We are in the middle of one of the most successful ten year runs in college basketball history. Then, we lost to a team like Seton Hall (and others every single year except 38-1) and all of a sudden you see things like "if we don't beat UNC and UL we might be NIT bound." We turn around and beat both of them and it goes to "it's about time we play like we were expecting to." We are spoiled. There are three fan bases out there with Duke, UNC, and Nova that wouldn't trade our last nine years for theirs. I know he brings it on himself with his recruiting, but what Cal does with young talent year in and out is pretty remarkable. Getting them all to sacrifice like they do when they're used to being the man and getting them to play together in a few short months is an amazing thing to watch. Because he's so good at it we expect it, which I think leads to less appreciation for what he does.

[Jload]

There have been a few games this year where Cal deserves criticism, this was not one of them. He wants to criticize the fan base fine, just realize that works both ways. He is at Kentucky criticism goes with the multimillion dollar salary. We played poorly at the beginning of the season, we aren’t now, all our fans are glad. This team still has a ways to go to be a national championship contender but it IS making progress, the offense is improving, defensively we have individuals stepping up but still have much room for improvement, if that happens we could contend for a title.I hope we do

[teamchemistry15]

There have been a few games this year where Cal deserves criticism, this was not one of them. He wants to criticize the fan base fine, just realize that works both ways. He is at Kentucky criticism goes with the multimillion dollar salary. We played poorly at the beginning of the season, we aren’t now, all our fans are glad. This team still has a ways to go to be a national championship contender but it IS making progress, the offense is improving, defensively we have individuals stepping up but still have much room for improvement, if that happens we could contend for a title.I hope we do

He has been coaching long enough to understand that fans will criticize and that's one reason he gets a big salary. This is really the first I've heard him poke the fans so maybe he is showing us it works both ways.

[40bill]

Calipari gets paid plenty....and the fan base commenting on the shortfalls of the program or team is decades old.
its part of it.

Two big wins don't make the season. The faults of this team are largely self-inflicted with the UK-NBA pipeline.

I agree the fans ARE too critical when an elite 8 or even final four is a shoulder shrug.
BUT.....that's part of being coach at Kentucky. From Rupps later years until today.

[Lighthouse]

There have been a few games this year where Cal deserves criticism, this was not one of them. He wants to criticize the fan base fine, just realize that works both ways. He is at Kentucky criticism goes with the multimillion dollar salary. We played poorly at the beginning of the season, we aren’t now, all our fans are glad. This team still has a ways to go to be a national championship contender but it IS making progress, the offense is improving, defensively we have individuals stepping up but still have much room for improvement, if that happens we could contend for a title.I hope we do

He deserves criticism in your and others minds, but you have no idea why he made the Coaching decisions he made. Of course most of us have a, "If I were the Coach, I would do this different," mindset, but we're not and we also don't know what goes on in practice. Cal gets paid a handsome salary because he is one of the best Coaches, not because he has to tolerate the criticism.

[Joneslab]

Cal always goes into Swaggy Cal mode when his teams start playing well. Like a lot of things about Cal, he generally takes the act a few steps too far. But he's right regarding the craziness of some UK fans. He's earned the right to point that out, because I'm sure Cal has seen some stuff that he has never (and will never) talk about with regard to this fanbase's behavior. Cal is usually pretty fair with the fanbase all things considered.

The only problem I have is that Swaggy Cal usually doesn't put the best teams on the court. The best coach is Chip-on-His-Shoulder Cal, who admits his team's problems and is invested in fixing them. (Notice that Kentucky's best games are often when they're up against the wall.) When Swaggy Cal shows up Kentucky usually isn't as sharp.

[teamchemistry15]

Calipari gets paid plenty....and the fan base commenting on the shortfalls of the program or team is decades old.
its part of it.

Two big wins don't make the season. The faults of this team are largely self-inflicted with the UK-NBA pipeline.

I agree the fans ARE too critical when an elite 8 or even final four is a shoulder shrug.
BUT.....that's part of being coach at Kentucky. From Rupps later years until today.

Just as two big wins don't make the season, one blowout to Duke or a close loss to Seton Hall don't wreck the season, either. That's something a lot of fans never have and never will understand.

[Joneslab]

Going back to the game, I follow a lot of NBA guys on Twitter and the guy that's getting the most pub among that crew is PJ Washington.

He's really helped himself by coming back and if he can keep playing like this he'll be solidly in the first round. Being a well-rounded player is something that will help him on draft night.

I think at this point Kentucky has three bona fide first rounders with Johnson, Washington, and Hagans maybe at the tail end. E.J. Montgomery has lottery tools but I'd like to see him keep improving and earning PT in a tough frontcourt. Tyler Hero does a ton of NBA stuff but the jury is still out on his jumpshot and his ability to guard NBA twos. Guy knows how to play the game though. I'd probably say Herro and Reid Travis have second-round potential, but hopefully Herro takes a hard look and comes back.

We all hate the NBA discussion but it is usually the best barometer of how far UK can go in the NCAA Tournament. Cal's best teams have three to five first rounders and this team didn't look close a month ago. Now things have started to change.

[Jload]

He deserves criticism in your and others minds, but you have no idea why he made the Coaching decisions he made. Of course most of us have a, "If I were the Coach, I would do this different," mindset, but we're not and we also don't know what goes on in practice. Cal gets paid a handsome salary because he is one of the best Coaches, not because he has to tolerate the criticism.

So your reasoning seems to be “he’s the coach and so good at his craft that he is beyond criticism “ We lowly fans are to ignorant to make any intelligent criticism anyway. We should just sit back an accept what the benevolent Cal gives us right.

[Lighthouse]

So your reasoning seems to be “he’s the coach and so good at his craft that he is beyond criticism “ We lowly fans are to ignorant to make any intelligent criticism anyway. We should just sit back an accept what the benevolent Cal gives us right.

Of course you are going to read my post and take negativity from it, but if you read it with an open mind that's not what I'm saying. Cal and his Staff are in charge of this team and it's their responsibility to decide everything about a game. If you want to criticize them, then have at it, and enjoy yourself.

[ralph helm]

Tobe very honest---after the Seton Hall game I did not have a very good feeling about the Utah--UNC--And U of L games--guess who has been surprised about the results of all three---I hope that team that playedthe UNC game sticks around the rest of the year& thru the NCAA tourney!!!!!!!!!

[J.Jennings]

Saturday i had to work until 3 and didn't get home until around 3:30 pm so i had to make sure i stayed off from social media etc. Recorded the game and watched it without a clue and needless to say, this team has transformed in many ways, the play of Hagans and Herro comes to mind first not to mention Johnson, the whole team playing together, I feel much better about the season now.

With that being said, i am eating crow and it taste damn good especially if you add a little salt and pepper, a little seasoning, i don't mind. A few weeks ago i was livid about this team and Coach Cal in particular, ready for Kentucky to ax him and show him the door, typical UK fan knee jerk reactions after the Duke loss and the loss by Seton Hall, i publicly apologize to all and most importantly to Coach Cal, hell i like Cal and wanted him here, he does a great job keeping the fan base informed and he has a pretty good record at Kentucky.

As for the Louisville game, if Herro and Johnson continue to get better with everyone else, i want that Duke rematch in March which i am sure the NCAA will oblige us with...

Anyways, Happy New Year, let's chase this title number 9, we can do it. Rotations are taking place, players are learning there roles, hell even Nick Richards is the first off the bench to celebrate, he could be pouting on the sidelines but he's looks like he's engaged and having fun....

[J.Jennings]

Cal always goes into Swaggy Cal mode when his teams start playing well. Like a lot of things about Cal, he generally takes the act a few steps too far. But he's right regarding the craziness of some UK fans. He's earned the right to point that out, because I'm sure Cal has seen some stuff that he has never (and will never) talk about with regard to this fanbase's behavior. Cal is usually pretty fair with the fanbase all things considered.

The only problem I have is that Swaggy Cal usually doesn't put the best teams on the court. The best coach is Chip-on-His-Shoulder Cal, who admits his team's problems and is invested in fixing them. (Notice that Kentucky's best games are often when they're up against the wall.) When Swaggy Cal shows up Kentucky usually isn't as sharp.

And two weeks ago i was ready to give him the ax, Cal had raised the bar so high that anything less than that makes alot of fans like myself blow a gasket....

[85 Fly]

I told y'all I wasn't panicking unless I didn't see improvement by conference play...so far I'm on schedule! Now if E.J. could join the party and have the "light switch" then look out